Canadian team apply to join Championship 1 (merged threads)

[brooza]

Great to see interest in the sport in Canada, but I can't see how you can have part time lads jumping on a flight over the Atlantic for a game, certainly would give a "home" advantage if clubs tried to go there and back in a weekend!

Depending on how much notice is given, I'm sure it will be possible for most people to get a couple of days off work. Either through annual leave or swapping shifts

[northamptoncougar]

_{They do get big test crowds considering they've only been around a few years. I best Scotland and Ireland wish they could get the same}

[scotchy]

If that were possible it would show the idiocy of forcing them to start in league 1 .

Toulouse saw the massive difficulty in putting together a part time club on the championship to play an international comp. Trying to put one together to play an intercontinental one is lunacy.

[brooza]

If they're getting 10,000 home supporters as projected, I don't see why not.

As I've posted on another thread about this matter though, isn't ours a European competition?

Yes it is, and Canada are currently ranked #8 in Europe (RLEF rankings)

[Bearman]

_{They do get big test crowds considering they've only been around a few years. I best Scotland and Ireland wish they could get the same}

Your old mate Johnny Nicholls did some great work playing in and commentating on some of the league games last year!

[keighley]

It'll be rubbish, no meat and potato pies, no real ale and the number 16 bus doesn't go there. If you think I'm changing bus' at Piccadilly you've got another think coming.

There is quite a decent selection of British foods available in Canada including pies and fish and chips. British beer is available in some places and some Canadian beer ain't too bad either. if you can afford it a weekend in Toronto has as much to offer as a weekend in London. It's an expensive place though.

[keighley]

If that were possible it would show the idiocy of forcing them to start in league 1 .

Toulouse saw the massive difficulty in putting together a part time club on the championship to play an international comp. Trying to put one together to play an intercontinental one is lunacy.

The way I read it the Canadians are quite happy to start in CC1 and work their way up. A kind of apprenticeship scheme with a low wage bill as a bonus.

[brooza]

There is quite a decent selection of British foods available in Canada including pies and fish and chips. British beer is available in some places and some Canadian beer ain't too bad either. if you can afford it a weekend in Toronto has as much to offer as a weekend in London. It's an expensive place though.

And if it's done via a chartered plane, there may well be a few seats available to travel over with the players for the weekend

[Rascal Bongo Stork]

If that were possible it would show the idiocy of forcing them to start in league 1 .

Toulouse saw the massive difficulty in putting together a part time club on the championship to play an international comp. Trying to put one together to play an intercontinental one is lunacy.

I dont think they've said they'd be semi pro though have they?

[shrek]

Depending on how much notice is given, I'm sure it will be possible for most people to get a couple of days off work. Either through annual leave or swapping shifts

Of course, and as a player (and fan!) would be a superb experience, still a big ask though for part time lads to cross the Atlantic on a Thursday, play Saturday against what sounds like it'll be a full time team then head home Sunday.  Any teams coming back with points in the bag will have certainly earned them!

[keighley]

Of course, and as a player (and fan!) would be a superb experience, still a big ask though for part time lads to cross the Atlantic on a Thursday, play Saturday against what sounds like it'll be a full time team then head home Sunday.  Any teams coming back with points in the bag will have certainly earned them!

As will any of the bottom half championship clubs who have to go to SL strength Bradford next season. Travelling away is always difficult. I think Catalans good home record has quite a a bit to do with the travelling of visiting teams but there is that problem in Australia as well.

The jet lag problem will less going East to West for this Canadian adventure than it will for the Canadians going West to east.

[brooza]

I dont think they've said they'd be semi pro though have they?

That was my initial thought, but there would be an issue with salary cap, wouldn't there?

[EssexRL]

They do seem serious and there is no doubt the strides Canadian RL is making. I guess where there is a will (and loads of money) there is always away around things. Talk about expansion though. I was getting excited about watching Coventy - now Toronto!

[shrek]

As will any of the bottom half championship clubs who have to go to SL strength Bradford next season. Travelling away is always difficult. I think Catalans good home record has quite a a bit to do with the travelling of visiting teams but there is that problem in Australia as well.

The jet lag problem will less going East to West for this Canadian adventure than it will for the Canadians going West to east.

Sounds like the Canadians are planning to mitigate that though by coming over here for a few weeks.

 

Good luck to them if they can pull it off and make it work.

[Bearman]

Of course, and as a player (and fan!) would be a superb experience, still a big ask though for part time lads to cross the Atlantic on a Thursday, play Saturday against what sounds like it'll be a full time team then head home Sunday.  Any teams coming back with points in the bag will have certainly earned them!

Then you book your flights and hotel and at the last mimute the RFL change the game to a midweek evening kick offI

I'm beginning to sound negative. I'm not, I'm sceptical though that it will happen. If it does it will be a massive boost for RL

[Rascal Bongo Stork]

That was my initial thought, but there would be an issue with salary cap, wouldn't there?

yes there is that. Not sure what it is for Championship 1 under the new structure, certainly not enough with what it was this year (very top possible was 200k I think). Dare say that's gone up but wont be by that much (I vaguely remember seeing figures somewhere but no idea where). There would have to be a rule change to allow them to take part. They could easily get by on the Championship's new salary cap but not Champ 1's.

[MattSantos]

A dream - but why not.

 

I would 100% travel over to watch a game.

[Titaniuum]

If that were possible it would show the idiocy of forcing them to start in league 1 .

Toulouse saw the massive difficulty in putting together a part time club on the championship to play an international comp. Trying to put one together to play an intercontinental one is lunacy.

To cut down on travel they could have a conference system. Toronto in the west and.......

[willy]

I think that is what is being mooted and if so Champ 1 becomes the new euro feeder league inside 10 years

 

I play in your back yard for 6 weeks you play in mine, cheap players ready made stadia with seats to sell, sponsorship from two different continents

 

Cash in the bank

 

Surprised Koukash isn't in on this idea, you could even bang in a Med team for a region, like Catalans, or Provence, or Toronto, or southern & northern Italy, tiered up to national level.

 

It would be a new comp and it would very slowly erode national leagues to feeder leagues to national level, except of course in the UK where we cant get out of the North!

 

Happens in other sports - handball for instance in Europe - works well.

[The Daddy]

Not really fare that this franchise is being considered without a TV deal and Toulouse still haven't been granted a spot.

[willy]

Welsh RU has already gone regional so there is a precedent to regionalism

 

And if there are 170000 Canadians watching on TV on a cable channel then think what the right exposure would create

[scotchy]

The way I read it the Canadians are quite happy to start in CC1 and work their way up. A kind of apprenticeship scheme with a low wage bill as a bonus.

Oh yeah, i forgot about those 25 top quality canadian players who are also secret millionaires who would be honoured to spend 7 weeks every three months away from home staying in hotels for the honour of playing in front of a couple of hundred northern englishmen for a pittance. Great idea with no obvious downsides. 

[scotchy]

I dont think they've said they'd be semi pro though have they?

They would have to be in C1. They wouldnt fit under the SC otherwise.

[Rascal Bongo Stork]

They would have to be in C1. They wouldnt fit under the SC otherwise.

yes but obviously part of their pitch to the clubs and RFL must have addressed the salary cap. Otherwise it's a case of "hi guys, we've spent ages on this bid document and we think we'd be a great addition to your comp"

"you do know we wont let you spend a penny more than £200k "

"oh, ok. We thought we'd researched all this thoroughly but turns out we didn't. We didnt bother factoring that in. Bye"

I suspect that's not how their presentation went

[Rascal Bongo Stork]

Not really fare that this franchise is being considered without a TV deal and Toulouse still haven't been granted a spot.

I don't think it's the same situation though. If Toulouse wanted to join Champ 1 I'm sure they'd be in tomorrow.They don't though. I'm all for Toulouse getting into Super League but don't think you can knock the Canadian bid on the strength of the French team's situation.