Toronto - On the road

[The Daddy]

Hearing that Toronto will play a home game in Belgrade and Newcastle next season. More games could be played away from Toronto.

I'm a big fan of the Wolfpack but wonder what the whole point of having them is if they play a chunk of home games at other locations. They're not even based in the city but located in Manchester and have not contributed significantly to any local grass roots programme. Will they even have an under 19s? 

I'm a fan but I feel like they need to address some of these issues. 

[TheLegendOfTexEvans]

4 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

Hearing that Toronto will play a home game in Belgrade and Newcastle next season. More games could be played away from Toronto.

I'm a big fan of the Wolfpack but wonder what the whole point of having them is if they play a chunk of home games at other locations. They're not even based in the city but located in Manchester and have not contributed significantly to any local grass roots programme. Will they even have an under 19s? 

I'm a fan but I feel like they need to address some of these issues. 

I would add Copenhagen to that list, would think that is likely to happen city has been keen on hosting a big rugby league game for a while. 

[LeeF]

Whilst the OP may be true I seem to remember someone posting last year that Toronto would play all their home matches in the UK

if they want to play games on the road whilst the weather prevents them from playing at home and because nobody wants them to have a block of home games  then what's the issue?

why's the lack of an Under 19 team an issue after just 2 seasons an issue? Some SL clubs don't have academies

[Wildcat]

In some respects you can't fault TWP for taking some games on the road and helping spread the RL word so's to speak - at times they are damned if they do and damned if they don't. 

[TIWIT]

Between this and teams coming and going, the schedule makers have had a busy off-season.

[ChoboMog]

There is another thread, in the Toronto Wolfpack forum, where I have posted my thoughts in more detail.  However, in a nutshell:

• It is not unreasonable to expect the RFL to schedule the first few rounds as actual away games to avoid the worst of Canadian winter.  If nothing else, it's for the health and safety of the players as the potential for -20°C is a bad idea for all involved.
• < 2 "home" games played away is fine, for most fans here; 3 is OK; 4, unless some played elsewhere in the Greater Toronto Area, is really pushing it; and >= 5 will leave many supporters and/or season ticket holders (myself included) pretty annoyed.

[Oxford]

27 minutes ago, Wildcat said:

at times they are damned if they do and damned if they don't. 

They are the new Jeremy Corbyn of TGG.

[deluded pom?]

4 minutes ago, Oxford said:

They are the new Jeremy Corbyn of TGG.

Politics is for AOB Oxo.

[Oxford]

8 minutes ago, deluded pom? said:

Politics is for AOB Oxo.

It's not about politics it's about TWP on the road.

And them being criticised for doing this or that.

If TWP do do this they'll be like Salford and the other clubs in France in the 1930's and let's face it, if they don't take the game out there the chances of some other team doing it are pretty unlikely.

[deluded pom?]

5 minutes ago, Oxford said:

It's not about politics it's about TWP on the road.

And them being criticised for doing this or that.

If TWP do do this they'll be like Salford and the other clubs in France in the 1930's and let's face it, if they don't take the game out there the chances of some other team doing it are pretty unlikely.

Why mention Corbyn then?

[Oxford]

Just now, deluded pom? said:

Why mention Corbyn then?

It's called an analogy I think, look do  you want me to draw you a picture?

Now do you think TWP will lose or lose on this one?

[Oliver Clothesoff]

I’m behind their decision. They marketed the game to a brand new audience and in under two years, got an attendance of 9,000+, so if they want to take a game to Belgrade or anywhere else, I will back them because I am confident they’ll do their utmost to market the game. 

 

[henage]

If I can do a parkrun in Belgrade (or near ) I would go and watch a game of rugby league . 

 

[East Coast Tiger]

So the Canadian club will be doing what no English club is doing and spreading the game to new and emerging markets.

Boooooo!

[Oliver Clothesoff]

9 minutes ago, East Coast Tiger said:

So the Canadian club will be doing what no English club is doing and spreading the game to new and emerging markets.

Boooooo!

They do that every time they play in Canada. They’re spreading further and further to try and create a global brand. 

[JohnM]

Fake news? 

[Damien]

3 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

They do that every time they play in Canada. They’re spreading further and further to try and create a global brand. 

Thats a very valid point.

[Keith989]

Before Saracens built their new stadium, they used to take some of their home games to random locations. I remember them playing a game in Belgium against Racing in the Heineken cup and they managed to pull something like 15k in attendance. So long as Toronto remain successful, these events won't scare off the locals.

[The Daddy]

1 hour ago, East Coast Tiger said:

So the Canadian club will be doing what no English club is doing and spreading the game to new and emerging markets.

Boooooo!

1 game a season is fine but three or more is too much. They have been a breath of fresh air and I'm a fan however I like what the New York bid is intending to do which is establishing strong links with the local community clubs and actually basing themselves in the city. These types of initiatives go a long way in getting folks from Toronto itself involved at grass roots level. 

 

[Niels]

1 hour ago, Keith989 said:

Before Saracens built their new stadium, they used to take some of their home games to random locations. I remember them playing a game in Belgium against Racing in the Heineken cup and they managed to pull something like 15k in attendance. So long as Toronto remain successful, these events won't scare off the locals.

Good point. I didn't remember this so I looked it up. 

Yes they had a crowd of over 18,000 at the stadium that used to be Heysel in Brussels. 

[The Parksider]

7 hours ago, The Daddy said:

I'm a big fan of the Wolfpack but wonder what the whole point of having them is if they play a chunk of home games at other locations. They're not even based in the city but located in Manchester and have not contributed significantly to any local grass roots programme. Will they even have an under 19s? 

How can Toronto have an under 19's? There is no young player development in Toronto at all, and no plans for it,  if they formed a team who would they play?? Anyway nice to see someone finally getting the point that you can't have a professional game if that game does not produce adequate quality players. Professional clubs must contribute to the player pool. It was a rule at one time that has now gone, but for me it should come back and clubs like Bradford and Widnes should be in Superleague as they can add to the player base. Big Wolfpack fan now has big doubts.....We're getting somewhere....

6 hours ago, LeeF said:

why's the lack of an Under 19 team an issue after just 2 seasons an issue? Some SL clubs don't have academies

2 seasons has nothing to do with it TWP actively do not bother with player development or Canada RL so 22 seasons will make no difference....In any case the plan was for them to give it a five year shot. If they are "going cold" on Toronto it pretty much signals that there may be no Toronto in three years. It should be noted Argylle now has a stake in London Skolars.

Weird logic to excuse a club from junior development because another club doesn't do it either. Salford don't do it because the best young players from what few junior clubs there are go to Warrington, Widnes Saints and Wigan.  Toronto could not even find an U19's in their "base" in Manchester. HKR don't do it because the best kids effectively are all in the Hull academy as much as they pretend it's a shared academy. 

No players no game, but that doesn't seem to compute with you?

4 hours ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

I’m behind their decision. They marketed the game to a brand new audience and in under two years, got an attendance of 9,000+, so if they want to take a game to Belgrade or anywhere else, I will back them because I am confident they’ll do their utmost to market the game. They’re spreading further and further to try and create a global brand. 

Meaningless "marketing" claptrap. all the "brand new" 9,000 crowd (less a few thousand free tickets and miscounting)  does is make up the massive losses TWP run up. What are you on about "Global Brand" what is that worth?

Your talking gibberish to hide the fact they do not develop any players and never will do in Toronto, and they do not attract a paying TV deal they can share with fellow clubs in the league. Stick to the Perez script and the whole point which was they were supposed to add to the player pool and TV deal. Those were the criteria their success was to be based on.

Not swanning around Europe playing exhibition games in locations that also do not play Rugby League, pretending to be "glamourous" and a "breath of fresh air" and somehow missionaries for the game.

Patrick needs to look at this thread and understand that I repeat the same criticisms, in response to the repeated same old empty rubbish about how TWP benefit the game. If people just accepted Perez himself offered additions to the player pool and a lucrative TV deal to share and delivered neither, then we can conclude Toronto give the game nothing and move the debate on.

To the new river stadium perhaps.....

[ojx]

Interesting that MLR is allowing Toronto and New York to play nearly all of their away games first.  It just makes sense. I am not a fan of TWP away games in Newcastle/London/Belgrade. If RL want a Toronto team they should arrange the schedule accordingly.

[Man of Kent]

4 hours ago, The Parksider said:

In any case the plan was for them to give it a five year shot. If they are "going cold" on Toronto it pretty much signals that there may be no Toronto in three years. It should be noted Argylle now has a stake in London Skolars.

It should also be noted Toronto has just recruited Brian McDermott and strengthened its squad with NRL & Super League talent.

I wouldn’t declare their demise quite yet. 

[TIWIT]

Dear Parksider:

I would suggest the failure to produce enough players to stock the top level of the game lies not with TWP, but with the traditional heartland clubs. To expect a third year club to start producing players is simply ludicrous when clubs with a hundred years of history behind them can't.

And any fully professional team that starts up anywhere and pays 20 or so guys to play the game should be seen as a good thing. Twenty men are making a living doing what they love, and below them are twenty more players who now have a chance to make money, and so on down the line.

Kids might start out playing for the love of the game, but at the professional level they play for MONEY!   

[dealwithit]

IT’s nice to produce your own players but it’s not essential. 

My NRL team barely produces any players anymore. 

Isn’t there a Las Vegas NHL team now, despite there being no local scene?