Other Canadian cities...

[Manfred Mann]

Having listened to the radio interview, I must say that I am blown away by how the owner Perez found out about "the best kept secret in sport, rugby league," (living in Birmingham he watched Sky Sports), and the phenomenal reaction in Canada to the launch. 3,000 season tickets for the Toronto Wolfpack sold on the first day! That is amazing. Moreover they are thinking about expanding in the future, starting in Montreal. 

 

The only negative part of the conversation came not from the Canadians, who were very interested and supportive, but from Paul Rowley, who said that we want to promote all forms of rugby.

Do we really Paul?

The whole point is to build rugby league into a more popular and powerful sport, not share the growth with our rival rugby union. Rowley needs to be muzzled a bit in future. I would rather see Brian Noble given a more visible role in promoting the whole Toronto enterprise. He is much more intelligent than Rowley.

 

But in general this is very exciting. I initially thought that this enterprise was crazy and doomed. Having heard this radio show, and particularly about the positive Canadian public reaction, I have changed my mind completely.

[Manfred Mann]

I can see a whole massive explosion of our game in North America --- if this Toronto experiment works in 2017 - 2019

 

Toronto to be followed by Montreal within three years. Then soon after that a couple more Canadian cities, plus Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Atlanta, and Jacksonville from the USARL--  slowly and consecutively over the next 8-10 years. If Toronto is successful then this pipe dream could become a reality.. The point is that the costs of funding these rugby league clubs is tiny for North American billionaires, or even just multi-millionaires --- as compared with costs of funding a franchise in the established north American sports. But we would need a TV contract to underpin this whole experiment and make it work. I would hope that comes about. Perhaps most fruitful would be getting the Murdoch family, with its existing investments in televising rugby league in two hemispheres, interested in using its powerful American Fox Sports network to make televising north American rugby league happen. Don't forget that Rupert Murdoch's heir apparent -- son Lachlan -- is a huge rugby league fan..

 

But one step at a time. First let us hope that Toulouse is successful this year and gets promoted into the Championship for next year, and gets into Super League by 2019. In the interim we should be looking for two more French clubs to follow in the wake of Toulouse  (my choice would be Avignon and Paris) to make the continental European component a significant part of Super League within the next 6-10 years. Maybe later even Barcelona and Lyon could be added to the continental representation.

 

Come 2030 we might see the following Northern Hemisphere Super League clubs:

 

Toronto

Montreal

Vancouver

Winnipeg

Boston

New York

Philadelphia

Washington DC

Atlanta

Jacksonville

Chicago

Dallas

Denver

Seattle

San Francisco

Los Angeles

 

Catalans

Toulouse

Paris

Avignon

Lyon

Barcelona

 

Leeds

Bradford

Hull

Wigan

Liverpool-St Helens

Warrington

London

Coventry

Newcastle

Cardiff

 

That would constitute a 32 team Trans-Atlantic Super League, divided into a 16 club North America Conference and a 16 club European conference.

 

Even if only half of this dream comes true, suddenly we will have the foundation of brilliant future World Cups and international tournaments.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

It's been a while since we've had the putting pins in the map pipedream posts!

Think some people need to rein it on a bit! It's one semi pro club. Suddenly we've got World Leagues!

[Manfred Mann]

It's been a while since we've had the putting pins in the map pipedream posts!

Think some people need to rein it on a bit! It's one semi pro club. Suddenly we've got World Leagues!

 

 

I agree with you. But listening to that Canadian radio interview, with the 3000 Toronto season tickets sold in one day, got me off on a dream laden high.

 

I think I will just make myself a cuppa and try to get back to current reality.

[Copa]

I agree with you. But listening to that Canadian radio interview, with the 3000 Toronto season tickets sold in one day, got me off on a dream laden high.

 

I think I will just make myself a cuppa and try to get back to current reality.

3000 registered  an interest in a season ticket. It is not money in the bank yet.

[GeordieSaint]

It's been a while since we've had the putting pins in the map pipedream posts!

Think some people need to rein it on a bit! It's one semi pro club. Suddenly we've got World Leagues!

 

Absolutely agree but it is an exciting development... 

 

If (and it is a very big if!) Toronto are successful, I am sure it'll capture some interest south of the border and if it does, it could have massive ramifications for the sport... fingers crossed.

[Rascal Bongo Stork]

3000 registered  an interest in a season ticket. It is not money in the bank yet.

true but even if only 1 in 3 of those people actually get around to buying one it's an amazing amount just 24 hours in. And if the other 2k dont that's 2k people who've show a very keen interest in the team

[Guest]

I can see a whole massive explosion of our game in North America --- if this Toronto experiment works in 2017 - 2019

 

Toronto to be followed by Montreal within three years. Then soon after that a couple more Canadian cities, plus Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Atlanta, and Jacksonville from the USARL--  slowly and consecutively over the next 8-10 years. If Toronto is successful then this pipe dream could become a reality.. The point is that the costs of funding these rugby league clubs is tiny for North American billionaires, or even just multi-millionaires --- as compared with costs of funding a franchise in the established north American sports. But we would need a TV contract to underpin this whole experiment and make it work. I would hope that comes about. Perhaps most fruitful would be getting the Murdoch family, with its existing investments in televising rugby league in two hemispheres, interested in using its powerful American Fox Sports network to make televising north American rugby league happen. Don't forget that Rupert Murdoch's heir apparent -- son Lachlan -- is a huge rugby league fan..

 

But one step at a time. First let us hope that Toulouse is successful this year and gets promoted into the Championship for next year, and gets into Super League by 2019. In the interim we should be looking for two more French clubs to follow in the wake of Toulouse  (my choice would be Avignon and Paris) to make the continental European component a significant part of Super League within the next 6-10 years. Maybe later even Barcelona and Lyon could be added to the continental representation.

 

Come 2030 we might see the following Northern Hemisphere Super League clubs:

 

Toronto

Montreal

Vancouver

Winnipeg

Boston

New York

Philadelphia

Washington DC

Atlanta

Jacksonville

Chicago

Dallas

Denver

Seattle

San Francisco

Los Angeles

 

Catalans

Toulouse

Paris

Avignon

Lyon

Barcelona

 

Leeds

Bradford

Hull

Wigan

Liverpool-St Helens

Warrington

London

Coventry

Newcastle

Cardiff

 

That would constitute a 32 team Trans-Atlantic Super League, divided into a 16 club North America Conference and a 16 club European conference.

 

Even if only half of this dream comes true, suddenly we will have the foundation of brilliant future World Cups and international tournaments.[/quo

I like the idea of a north American super league confetence/division.

[Lobbygobbler]

If this fails, watch union step in and fill the void as they did with Paris SG.

Must succeed

[MancRL]

I love the way everyone is buying into the spin and hype. 

[terrywebbisgod]

I love the way everyone is buying into the spin and hype.

Great isn't it. Unless of course, you want to keep it as a local sport for local people.

[Spidey]

I love the way everyone is buying into the spin and hype.

The traditional teams could learn a thing or two from those guys about self promotion

[GeordieSaint]

The traditional teams could learn a thing or two from those guys about self promotion

 

I posted something very similar on another forum... I hope they are sitting up and taking notice.

[Spidey]

I posted something very similar on another forum... I hope they are sitting up and taking notice.

If the season ticket interest alone is anything to go by this club will be the best supported club outside of SL - what's not to like about that?

[Dave T]

I love the way everyone is buying into the spin and hype.

it is one thing being cynical, butto actively sneer at those who are not cynical is very strange.

[damp squib]

I love the way everyone is buying into the spin and hype. 

 

Maybe they should try misery, myopia and cynicism. How's that working out for you?

[Bob8]

Having listened to the radio interview, I must say that I am blown away by how the owner Perez found out about "the best kept secret in sport, rugby league," (living in Birmingham he watched Sky Sports), and the phenomenal reaction in Canada to the launch. 3,000 season tickets for the Toronto Wolfpack sold on the first day! That is amazing. Moreover they are thinking about expanding in the future, starting in Montreal. 

 

The only negative part of the conversation came not from the Canadians, who were very interested and supportive, but from Paul Rowley, who said that we want to promote all forms of rugby.

Do we really Paul?

The whole point is to build rugby league into a more popular and powerful sport, not share the growth with our rival rugby union. Rowley needs to be muzzled a bit in future. I would rather see Brian Noble given a more visible role in promoting the whole Toronto enterprise. He is much more intelligent than Rowley.

 

But in general this is very exciting. I initially thought that this enterprise was crazy and doomed. Having heard this radio show, and particularly about the positive Canadian public reaction, I have changed my mind completely.

I confess that I allowed a little optimism to creep into my soul.  I shall attempt to burn it out.  There will be trouble between union and league, but it will do neither code good so there is no point in having it sooner rather than later and there is certainly no point in being the one seen to start it.

[Futtocks]

I confess that I allowed a little optimism to creep into my soul.  I shall attempt to burn it out.  There will be trouble between union and league, but it will do neither code good so there is no point in having it sooner rather than later and there is certainly no point in being the one seen to start it.

Well, quite. The Wolfpack should just get on with doing their thing. I doubt very much that the Canadian media is quite as packed full of Rugby Union placemen as in the UK, so if the other code try any of their usual manoeuvres, they could end up looking pretty bad in the general public's eyes. 

[Oxford]

Does anybody else think that with the 2 expansion sides of Toulouse and Toronto that we might see super league revert back to being a 14 team competion?

Yes please?

[Oxford]

Well, quite. The Wolfpack should just get on with doing their thing. I doubt very much that the Canadian media is quite as packed full of Rugby Union placemen as in the UK, so if the other code try any of their usual manoeuvres, they could end up looking pretty bad in the general public's eyes. 

There is no press in the western hemisphere quite as packed full of yoonion toadies as the UK press and the perhaps the equivalent examples are Uncle Joe Stalin's Russia is Good media group and The Daily Pol Pot the paper that tells the truth about our beloved leader, for bias and silly agendas!

[Guest]

Yes please?

I personally can't see how super league can't but be expanded to 14 teams as you'd think that the likes of Toulouse and Toronto can't and maybe worryingly won't hang about for 10 years to win promotion into the top flight. Both Toulouse and Toronto are unique in that both sides open potentially new massive markets to RL in terms of players fans and TV deals.

[Oxford]

I confess that I allowed a little optimism to creep into my soul.  I shall attempt to burn it out.  There will be trouble between union and league, but it will do neither code good so there is no point in having it sooner rather than later and there is certainly no point in being the one seen to start it.

There was abit of saying stuff to avoid a war even if it is rather pointless, just ask Sol Mokdad!

I personally can't see how super league can't but be expanded to 14 teams as you'd think that the likes of Toulouse and Toronto can't and maybe worryingly won't hang about for 10 years to win promotion into the top flight. Both Toulouse and Toronto are unique in that both sides open potentially new massive markets to RL in terms of players fans and TV deals.

Good stuff Walter!

[Bob8]

There was abit of saying stuff to avoid a war even if it is rather pointless, just ask Sol Mokdad!

Good stuff Walter!

I have spent time and chatted with Sol, let's not presume as to what he would say. I am being cynical, but the longer the club and rugby league in Toronto are stable, the stronger they will grow. You can have your war then. But I do not care about rugby union.

[swann5]

Toronto here we come 

[Bob8]

I personally can't see how super league can't but be expanded to 14 teams as you'd think that the likes of Toulouse and Toronto can't and maybe worryingly won't hang about for 10 years to win promotion into the top flight. Both Toulouse and Toronto are unique in that both sides open potentially new massive markets to RL in terms of players fans and TV deals.

Toulouse certainly.  Toronto hopefully.

 

The question is two-fold, do they offer more than those currently in Super League, or if we expand Super League will splitting the money 14 ways still leave a viable Super League that does not leak all its players to NRL (some is a good thing) or RU.

 

In the case of Toulouse, I think it is a definite yes.  However, then there is the politics, which is depressing.  What is best for Wakefield and Leigh?  They are undermining their chance of Super League and moving the power away from clubs like themselves to international big city clubs, do you think they will support it and support and RFL chairman championing it?