ChoboMog Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 I apologize for posting this in the General Rugby League Forum, given the Toronto Wolfpack specific nature of the content; but, with so much of the discussion to date revolving around what level of media coverage and other exposure the team is getting locally/nationally, and what potential fan base it may foster in the long run, this will hopefully add to the discussion. Quote Sportsnet Big Read: Running With the Wolves Full-time pros in a semi-pro league. A Canadian team flying in opponents across the Atlantic. The Toronto Wolfpack may not make sense on the surface, but they're still the best little startup in sports. The ~3000 word piece is a great read, and interesting in and of itself. The photography is excellent as well. The fact this this type of positive, detailed, original reporting is beginning to reach one of the two national sports specialty networks, either of which are at least as ubiquitous as Sky Sports is in the U.K., is potentially a big deal. In addition: there have been many other media outlets picking up the Canadian Press wire service's frequent coverage; and the country's highest circulation newspaper (Toronto Star) has begun publishing the Kingstone Press League 1 table (alongside those for the NHL, NBA, MLB, NFL, CFL etc.), both of which should give us some confidence that things are trending in the right direction. Stumbling upon a fairly respectable city centre sports bar playing the Challenge Cup Final, live, and then again on repeat, while I was out for lunch with some friends, kind of feels like the icing on the cake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futtocks Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 It is a good read, but it does make the fatal error of mentioning good attendances, so expect this thread to be turned into a replica of the 'TWP tonight' one before long. Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krzzystuff Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 1 hour ago, Futtocks said: It is a good read, but it does make the fatal error of mentioning good attendances, so expect this thread to be turned into a replica of the 'TWP tonight' one before long. Lol I love how people tell us how many people we have in the stands when they aren't here to see it. We do have 6,000 + attendance and if it really concerns someone that our league 1 team has more fans in the ground buying more beers and most definitely catching the most ballistic hot dogs then come on over and count the people yourselves and brace yourself for the evolution Rugby League in the coming decade with North America coming to the party baby!!! We are totally cool with you guys shooting pie or pasties out of guns at your grounds. Aawwoooooooooo!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameron Highlander Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 1 hour ago, Futtocks said: It is a good read, but it does make the fatal error of mentioning good attendances, so expect this thread to be turned into a replica of the 'TWP tonight' one before long. I earnestly, desperately, imploringly, and sincerely HOPE NOT. I am soooooooooooooo sick of the numb-skulls on that thread. I stopped reading it early today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanaBull Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 It's an important step that SportsNet (a Rogers TV channel, think Canadian SKY) has finally pricked up its ears. Shahbaz Dhillon, the Wolfpacks sponsorships coordinator was on The Fan 590 radio show a couple of weeks back as well, up to now the Wolfpack has been conspicuous by its absence on Rogers networks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krzzystuff Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 1 hour ago, CanaBull said: It's an important step that SportsNet (a Rogers TV channel, think Canadian SKY) has finally pricked up its ears. Shahbaz Dhillon, the Wolfpacks sponsorships coordinator was on The Fan 590 radio show a couple of weeks back as well, up to now the Wolfpack has been conspicuous by its absence on Rogers networks. I'm hoping that we start getting more coverage of RL in general in Canada. All SL games are on SN World and I'm not paying that kind of money for an game here or there. Hoping they don't see it as a threat to all of their sports franchises and decide not to cover it. Maybe Bell will show them on TSN? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanaBull Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 The GameTV agreement was for the first season only so this may be an optimistic sign of greater interest from bigger players in the market. I guess it will be a case of watch this space in early 2018. Perez did have the Rugby League Show previously on Sportsnet, so the connections are there rather than Bell I would hazard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedford Roughyed Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Brilliant article. Thanks for posting it. With the best, thats a good bit of PR, though I would say the Bedford team, theres, like, you know, 13 blokes who can get together at the weekend to have a game together, which doesnt point to expansion of the game. Point, yeah go on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Prendle Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 3 hours ago, Bedford Roughyed said: Brilliant article. Thanks for posting it. It is indeed a fantastic article. It tells a really positive story, with ever once straying into the negative. Some people on here are going to choke on their Weetabix reading that this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvusxiii Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Is it just me that thinks Canadians discussing a Canadian RL team on this forum is....sureal? Will wake up soon and think, 'what a strange dream I've just had'. TESTICULI AD BREXITAM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkw Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Nice article that, and yes corvusxiii, it is rather strange but equally fantastic to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanaBull Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Just wait until teams pop up in St. Helen's or Bradford, Ontario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReaper Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Or the confusion of Bradford vs Brantford... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glossop saint Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Very enjoyable read. The bit about the players earning less than they could do in England was interesting. I didn't expect that. I assume that they will be spending up to the salary cap next year in a bid for promotion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluded pom? Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Good read despite the poetic licence used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChoboMog Posted September 7, 2017 Author Share Posted September 7, 2017 2 hours ago, CanaBull said: Just wait until teams pop up in St. Helen's or Bradford, Ontario 2 hours ago, TheReaper said: Or the confusion of Bradford vs Brantford... Halifax (Nova Scotia) vs. Halifax (West Yorkshire) would be the ideal Canada-U.K. naming conflict with existing RFL teams; and it's not quite as far-fetched as the others, given the 300k+ population, the provincial capital status, the lack of any other major sports team, and given that the Atlantic Schooners (CFL) were almost a thing. I doubt it will ever happen, but it would be pretty sweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Survival Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 The temerity of posting about an article which may have been viewed by hundreds of thousands of Canadians is shocking! I propose we ban Chogomog from the forums until he learn that such positive news is not to be tolerated on the TotalRL forums. On a happier note undoubtedly FFMM is estatic to learn he has lost at least some weight it being his real weight is nominally around 255-260, and the article bought into the profile weight of 230 pnds (105kg). Such is the power of the pen, and although it is good news, if we exclude the framework of TWP, such positive outcomes are barely tolerable for this forum, barely... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Survival Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 19 hours ago, Futtocks said: It is a good read, but it does make the fatal error of mentioning good attendances, so expect this thread to be turned into a replica of the 'TWP tonight' one before long. The fact that thread still has life is beyond belief, given how it has degraded. I even did some independent verification and posted about what i found, to absolutely no avail. I really do hope the thread is put out of is misery sooner rather then later. It must have some SEO power for it still to be open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Survival Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 7 hours ago, corvusxiii said: Is it just me that thinks Canadians discussing a Canadian RL team on this forum is....sureal? Will wake up soon and think, 'what a strange dream I've just had'. You will always be able to spot us by the positivity of our replies - its all I can do to refrain from apologizing before posting them... Q> How to get a hundred drunk rowdy Canadians to empty out of the pool at a party? A> Sorry. Can you please get out of the pool. There is a fabulous reddit thread on this joke, its even longer and more convoluted then some of the TWP threads on this forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futtocks Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 5 minutes ago, Captain Survival said: You will always be able to spot us by the positivity of our replies - its all I can do to refrain from apologizing before posting them... Q> How to get a hundred drunk rowdy Canadians to empty out of the pool at a party? A> Sorry. Can you please get out of the pool. There is a fabulous reddit thread on this joke, its even longer and more convoluted then some of the TWP threads on this forum! Seems like the eerie politeness rubs your neighbours up the wrong way... Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Survival Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 1 hour ago, Futtocks said: Seems like the eerie politeness rubs your neighbours up the wrong way... Our way of dealing with unruly Americans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanaBull Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 The Toronto Star's take on this weekend's game: https://www.thestar.com/sports/2017/09/06/nearing-promotion-toronto-wolfpack-players-still-willing-to-bleed-for-the-cause.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChoboMog Posted September 8, 2017 Author Share Posted September 8, 2017 19 hours ago, CanaBull said: The Toronto Star's take on this weekend's game: https://www.thestar.com/sports/2017/09/06/nearing-promotion-toronto-wolfpack-players-still-willing-to-bleed-for-the-cause.html It's worth pointing out: The linked article is actually content created and syndicated by the Canadian Press, as opposed to original reporting by the Toronto Star. The down side is the Star didn't have their own reporter there, at the ground, that day; but the potentially significant upside is that this content ends up being published on news websites across the country. The Globe and Mail, for example, another newspaper with national reach, has published similar syndicated content, about the Wolfpack, in the past: Toronto Wolfpack Prosper in Debut Season Despite Blows to Small Roster [2017-08-30] I believe the Toronto Sun has, on several occasions, been reporting original content and match reports, in addition to the syndicated Wolfpack content: Wolfpack Back at Home [2017-08-18] On the topic of original content, this morning's article Toronto Wolfpack Calling for Support Ahead of League 1 Decider has made it to the front page of Toronto's FanSided page (Tip of the Tower). When the goal is to build local and national interest, and to grow the game, this type of coverage can't possibly be a bad thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanaBull Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 Neil Davidson has been stellar. The report may be the same but doing the searches you see it making local papers all around the GTA and further afield. We were at a gig at the Molson Amphitheatre the other week where I had a Wolfpack shirt on, had half a dozen people come up to me talking rugby league throughout the night. Even seen a few shirts when out and about doing the shopping in Mississauga and Brampton so the word is definitely getting out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertAM Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 I see more and more gear around town now and out riding my bike yesterday with my Wolfpack cap on a guy yelled out Go Wolfpack..terrific! only downside got stick from the wife for not wearing my helmet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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