Hemel and New York

[PatrickB]

I think Ottawa is a pretty good place for a team. Not a ridiculous amount of competition. 
Large enough market.
I expect they'd like the value of RL, vs overpriced Senators tickets.

If they ever ended up in same league as Toronto.. teams from UK could come on 8 day trips and play both.

Road trip options for fans as well. Plus there's a lot to see in Ottawa for visitors.

I will say, I'm a bit leary of Perez though. The way he pretty much vanished after TWP season 1.
No real solid explanation of what really prompted that, as far as I can recall.

 

[westside]

8 minutes ago, TheReaper said:

Stags isn't actually a bad name for an Ottawa team.

People say “buck” instead of “stag” in North America.

[Cdd]

6 minutes ago, PatrickB said:

I think Ottawa is a pretty good place for a team. Not a ridiculous amount of competition. 
Large enough market.
I expect they'd like the value of RL, vs overpriced Senators tickets.

If they ever ended up in same league as Toronto.. teams could come on 10 day trips playing both.

Road trip options for fans as well. Plus there's a lot to see in Ottawa for visitors.

I will say, I'm a bit leary of Perez though. The way he pretty much vanished after TWP season 1.
No real solid explanation of what really prompted that, as far as I can recall.

 

My understanding is that his vision was always for multiple Canadian teams to attract the attention of sponsors, broadcasters and the media. As soon as he’d set up Toronto he went to find his next location. Fair play to him. 

No doubt he’ll be announcing Montréal in years to come once Ottawa have been up and running for a year.

[TheReaper]

17 minutes ago, westside said:

People say “buck” instead of “stag” in North America.

Everyone still knows what it is. It would be unique instead of using something already in the major leagues.

[dealwithit]

1 hour ago, GUBRATS said:

So they can pass a smaller ball one handed in a forward direction , but a bigger ball backwards while running and avoiding being tackles ? 

' tackle ' ? , It means actually tackling ,not just pushing and bumping 

Not a cat in hell's chance 

Brought my Dutch Mrs to touch rugby. First game, struggled with catching/passing and positional play. Second game, scored two tries. 

It’s a simple game. 

[bbfaz]

1 hour ago, Onieda FC said:

Not suitable for professional sports. Venues are the issue in New York. I did a whole piece on this for Steve Mascord's League Hub website before he pulled it down. The lack of suitable venues is going to be an issue for cities in the Northeastern US like Philly and Boston, as well as NY. 

Given they won't be able to get into MCU Park and RCB Ballpark is not an option either, it will likely have to be a college stadium.  What are the options?  By my count, it's either Coffey Field in the Bronx or Wien Stadium in Washington Heights (or maybe the soccer stadium).  Where else?  Wagner College?  Icahn Stadium?

[RayCee]

Interesting times.

 

 

[The Great Dane]

Ottawa is a very good choice in my opinion, and it seems like the club will be very well set up for the future, so if it goes through, and I hope it does, I wish them all the best.

[Copa]

8 hours ago, Plan of Attack said:

Open message to mister Perez... Please realise that all teams in league 1 and most championship teams are PART time and their players have jobs apart from rugby. You might think its a great idea to open rugby teams all over america but there is a limit to how many holidays our players get and they don't want to have to burn them all on multiple trips over the atlantic to suit your ego. If you are that keen why don't you set up a league in N.america!

If I was a low level player I’d be trying as hard as possible to join a team that gets to fly around!!

[The Parksider]

6 hours ago, Cdd said:

My understanding is that his vision was always for multiple Canadian teams to attract the attention of  broadcasters and the As soon as he’d set up Toronto he went to find his next location. Fair play to him. No doubt he’ll be announcing Montréal in years to come once Ottawa have been up and running for a year.

Facts have no place on here, so be careful about stating them.

Yes the plan was to introduce a series of NA clubs over several seasons because the ultimate prize is enough of them in Superleague to attract an American TV deal. Professional sport is about TV. We would be dead without it and that is a fact. As was said by the gentleman himself "one NA club is not enough" (which is why that one club are not yet a success) "to attract such a TV deal" after which he stated "it will take 5-6 NA clubs.

The RFL have obviously blanked New York for over a year now, and this is the third time an answer has been promised them and it's still not appeared despite League Weekly expecting an announcement early as last Monday. The pressure is on as another phoney baloney club has now been invented with the usual consortium of "un-named backers"

WARNING - if you are dreaming the dream do not read this....The reality is that the second requirement of the NA clubs was to produce quality players. In not doing so (excuses are of no use here thank you) the alternative is to take 30 quality players normally available to clubs here (after NRL get first pick) from the reducing Superleague player pool. New York will want another 30 for next year, and for 2021, Ottowa will also want another 30 from here, as will the next two NA clubs. By 2023 half the playing pool here will be forever on aeroplanes and in hotels and the useless Castleford, Wakey, Huddersfield, Salford and HKR will be in the Championship with Bradford and Widnes. In short the game here would be decimated.........

All I have picked up so far is that Journo's read this as the SL leaving it to the RFL to clean up their own mess. It was Wood who set this ball rolling when he allowed the first overseas club in off his own back. As he was heading for an RLIF job he could have hardly said "no" and for me the invention of Ottawa is to put the pressure on the game here not to reject the American dream. From what I read the whisper is it will be rejected and rightly so as there is no substance at all to it, not a scrap.

Take Mr. Argyle out and put him in at London Skolars and then please answer me this anybody.......How many Quality NA players, rich NA owners and NA TV deals would you then be able to name me??? When I say "Name me" I do not mean call me names, I mean follow the board rules and have a sensible debate.

[Damien]

6 hours ago, PatrickB said:

I think Ottawa is a pretty good place for a team. Not a ridiculous amount of competition. 
Large enough market.
I expect they'd like the value of RL, vs overpriced Senators tickets.

If they ever ended up in same league as Toronto.. teams from UK could come on 8 day trips and play both.

Road trip options for fans as well. Plus there's a lot to see in Ottawa for visitors.

I will say, I'm a bit leary of Perez though. The way he pretty much vanished after TWP season 1.
No real solid explanation of what really prompted that, as far as I can recall.

 

If Perez continues to work hard getting teams set up then moves aside to setup new ones then that is great for Rugby League and the sport in Canada. He obviously began to work on the next project as soon as Toronto were established and looked to be successful. Great stuff.

[GUBRATS]

7 minutes ago, The Parksider said:

Facts have no place on here, so be careful about stating them.

Yes the plan was to introduce a series of NA clubs over several seasons because the ultimate prize is enough of them in Superleague to attract an American TV deal. Professional sport is about TV. We would be dead without it and that is a fact. As was said by the gentleman himself "one NA club is not enough" (which is why that one club are not yet a success) "to attract such a TV deal" after which he stated "it will take 5-6 NA clubs.

The RFL have obviously blanked New York for over a year now, and this is the third time an answer has been promised them and it's still not appeared despite League Weekly expecting an announcement early as last Monday. The pressure is on as another phoney baloney club has now been invented with the usual consortium of "un-named backers"

WARNING - if you are dreaming the dream do not read this....The reality is that the second requirement of the NA clubs was to produce quality players. In not doing so (excuses are of no use here thank you) the alternative is to take 30 quality players normally available to clubs here (after NRL get first pick) from the reducing the Superleague player pool. New York will want another 30 for next year, and for 2021, Ottowa will also want another 30 from here, as will the next two NA clubs. By 2023 half the playing pool here will be forever on aeroplanes and in hotels and the useless Castleford, Wakey, Huddersfield, Salford and HKR will be in the Championship with Bradford and Widnes.

All I have picked up so far is that Journo's read this as the SL leaving it to the RFL to clean up their own mess. It was Wood who set this ball rolling when he allowed the first overseas club in off his own back. As he was heading for an RLIF job he could have hardly said "no" and for me the invention of Ottawa is to put the pressure on the game here not to reject the American dream. From what I read the whisper is it will be rejected and rightly so as there is no substance at all to it, not a scrap.

Take Mr. Argyle out and put him in at London Skolars and then please answer me this anybody.......How many Quality NA players, rich NA owners and NA TV deals would you then be able to name me??? When I say "Name me" I do not mean call me names, I mean follow the board rules and have a sensible debate.

Don't be silly , RL is an easy game to learn , deal with its Dutch missus picked it up in a hour or so and scored a try 

[Damien]

1 minute ago, GUBRATS said:

Don't be silly , RL is an easy game to learn , deal with its Dutch missus picked it up in a hour or so and scored a try 

That quote about the Dutch missus reminds me of RU players saying RL is easy because they play it in training. Yes they may but it doesn't mean they play it well.

Some of these arguments are akin to me saying Football is easy and I can be a Premier League footballer because I play a bit of 5 a side. After all I can pass, tackle and run fairly well.

[GUBRATS]

5 minutes ago, Damien said:

That quote about the Dutch missus reminds me of RU players saying RL is easy because they play it in training. Yes they may but it doesn't mean they play it well.

Some of these arguments are akin to me saying Football is easy and I can be a Premier League footballer because I play a bit of 5 a side. After all I can pass, tackle and run fairly well.

Yes but don't forget , they are CANADIANS , so they can do anything , starting to sound like AMERICANS and AUSTRALIANS 

[YCKonstantine]

17 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Yes but don't forget , they are CANADIANS , so they can do anything , starting to sound like AMERICANS and AUSTRALIANS 

We get it. You don't like the idea. Very good, kindly move on and get on with your life because you're getting very boring to read now.

[Smudger06]

7 hours ago, Onieda FC said:

The only option in my hometown that makes sense is Nickerson Field. Right next to a T stop and not too big. Everything else is too far from public transport or not suitable for rugby. 

Shame it's got a running track around it. 

[GUBRATS]

13 minutes ago, YCKonstantine said:

We get it. You don't like the idea. Very good, kindly move on and get on with your life because you're getting very boring to read now.

Nobody forces you to read anything 

[Copa]

1 hour ago, GUBRATS said:

The reality is that the second requirement of the NA clubs was to produce quality players.

If Ottawa joins Toronto it means up to 50 players get the chance to play full time. 

50 more professional players. That in itself increases the quality and depth of playing numbers.

[GUBRATS]

1 minute ago, Copa said:

If Ottawa joins Toronto it means up to 50 players get the chance to play full time. 

50 more professional players. That in itself increases the quality and depth of playing numbers.

I think you've missquoted me there 

[Copa]

1 minute ago, GUBRATS said:

I think you've missquoted me there 

That’s weird! I did too. I highlighted a parky quote that you quoted and it all went messy from there.

Sorry about that!

[Copa]

When the NRL adds teams I think of the opportunities for overlooked players to shine and the potential they bring.  I feel the same about increased investment in clubs in the UK/SL system. 

The future is great 

[fighting irish]

One last word (from me on this) then I'll be quiet.

Just about any healthy human being can learn to catch and pass a rugby ball in a matter of minutes.

Deciding whether to pass, or not and making an accurate pass, (especially over some distance) to a fast moving target, under the intense pressure of a professional rugby league defence is a different kettle of fish. That decision making ability and skill requires a good deal of experience (practise in that high pressure environment).

There are no guarantees that any particular player will make it. A good deal of them might not even like the game (like Sam Burgess didn't ''like'' Ra Ra but his class was evident every time he took to the field) but with some decent numbers of athletes of that class, I believe some real competitors will inevitably emerge from the group.

You pick your team and I'll pick mine, but don't pretend my athletes are the equivalent of your stereotypical no-hopers. Pro athletes are not like any old bunch of amateur lads knocking about the park on a Sunday afternoon.

If I was going to work with some newcomers and teach them to play our game, I'd be more confident of success with a group of superb physical and mental specimens, (like pro-grid iron players) than a group of fat lasses from the local factory.

 

[Damien]

2 minutes ago, fighting irish said:

One last word (from me on this) then I'll be quiet.

Just about any healthy human being can learn to catch and pass a rugby ball in a matter of minutes.

Deciding whether to pass, or not and making an accurate pass, (especially over some distance) to a fast moving target, under the intense pressure of a professional rugby league defence is a different kettle of fish. That decision making ability and skill requires a good deal of experience (practise in that high pressure environment).

There are no guarantees that any particular player will make it. A good deal of them might not even like the game (like Sam Burgess didn't ''like'' Ra Ra but his class was evident every time he took to the field) but with some decent numbers of athletes of that class, I believe some real competitors will inevitably emerge from the group.

You pick your team and I'll pick mine, but don't pretend my athletes are the equivalent of your stereotypical no-hopers. Pro athletes are not like any old bunch of amateur lads knocking about the park on a Sunday afternoon.

If I was going to work with some newcomers and teach them to play our game, I'd be more confident of success with a group of superb physical and mental specimens, (like pro-grid iron players) than a group of fat lasses from the local factory.

 

Last word in which you've decided to totally change your arguments as well as argue something entirely different, well done.

 

[fighting irish]

You'll have to point out the changes in my argument. My first comment was ''you'd swear they were like a load of fat lasses from the local factory''.

[Damien]

41 minutes ago, Copa said:

If Ottawa joins Toronto it means up to 50 players get the chance to play full time. 

50 more professional players. That in itself increases the quality and depth of playing numbers.

Yes more teams means more spots and more opportunities. More teams also means it should be easier to get a reserve team/domestic competition going to develop North American players too.