9,562

[Oxford]

2 minutes ago, TboneFromTO said:

Parkey?

Parkey who?

[GUBRATS]

5 minutes ago, CanadianRugger said:

I agree with this, those issues will be worked on though.  My issue is the RFL and others moving the yardsticks every time Toronto meets requirements.

The yardsticks seem to change almost weekly in Rugby League, for nepotistic reasons rather than good business.

The biggest issue I think is bringing Lamport up to standard.  Games can and should be played earlier in the season in Toronto.  

Is it possible to arrange games earlier at Lamport , I thought the pitch was used by the community ?

[CanadianRugger]

24 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Is it possible to arrange games earlier at Lamport , I thought the pitch was used by the community ?

Money has a way of solving most issues over here.    

Lamport has only had a dome since 2011, that came about as a result of a deal MLSE made with the city to have natural grass replace the turf at BMO Field.  A new deal could be struck between the Wolfpack, MLSE and the city.

If the Wolfpack continue on their present trajectory they could potentially "inherit" Lamport for the right price of course.

[GUBRATS]

2 minutes ago, CanadianRugger said:

Money has a way of solving most issues over here.    

If the Wolfpack continue on their present trajectory they could potentially "inherit" Lamport for the right price of course.

Is that realistic or just wishful thinking ? , the general impression your fellow Torontonians have given on the subject suggest the City ' council ' tends not to work that way ?

[CanadianRugger]

8 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Is that realistic or just wishful thinking ? , the general impression your fellow Torontonians have given on the subject suggest the City ' council ' tends not to work that way ?

I think they have said the exact opposite actually.  Deals will be made, most likely if the Wolfpack continue to do well, MLSE or Rogers will become involved.  Thats how sport works here.  Sports are owned by corporations here.

[RobertAM]

59 minutes ago, CanadianRugger said:

The only good thing about this thread is the clear evidence that the number of whingers is slowly declining every week.  

Now the only people that seem to moan about the TWP are the "usual suspects"

You mean Parkeys Luddite Legions?   apparently there are chapters all over the UK numbering in" "the thousands"

I rather think they could hold a convention in a caravan....

[GUBRATS]

8 minutes ago, CanadianRugger said:

I think they have said the exact opposite actually.  Deals will be made, most likely if the Wolfpack continue to do well, MLSE or Rogers will become involved.  Thats how sport works here.  Sports are owned by corporations here.

I must be mistaken , last year when the refurbishment was being undertaken I recall much criticism of the cities governing body 

[RobertAM]

14 minutes ago, CanadianRugger said:

I think they have said the exact opposite actually.  Deals will be made, most likely if the Wolfpack continue to do well, MLSE or Rogers will become involved.  Thats how sport works here.  Sports are owned by corporations here.

be careful what you wish for...I'd hate to see the present ownership diminished or sell to one of the a/m corporations...the rocking family atmosphere would disappear, players and management would become less available to the fans and, perish the thought, the craft beer garden give way to a booth hawking overpriced swill. Then I'll be watching on the box. Nah, let's pray control stays with David Argyle (who manages to greet/thank darn near everyone not only at games but also viewing parties) and his group. 

[CanadianRugger]

12 minutes ago, RobertAM said:

be careful what you wish for...I'd hate to see the present ownership diminished or sell to one of the a/m corporations...the rocking family atmosphere would disappear, players and management would become less available to the fans and, perish the thought, the craft beer garden give way to a booth hawking overpriced swill. Then I'll be watching on the box. Nah, let's pray control stays with David Argyle (who manages to greet/thank darn near everyone not only at games but also viewing parties) and his group. 

I don't think Argyle will sell but MLSE could become a minority partner for sure.

[CanaBull]

I believe, please correct if wrong, that MLSE has the rights to the concession stands at many GTA stadiums.  Doesn’t necessarily cover the alcohol sales, but food definitely comes under it.  

Not sure if it extends to Lamport any more though, it did in the past.

[paulwalker71]

Are we going to get threads like this each week now?

Who cares if there weren't exactly that number of people there (like every UK club I would assume they include season ticket holders who couldn't make it). Or that (horror of horrors!!) they gave away some complimentary tickets?

Surely the main point is that they get a LOT more people watching them than any other Championship club, and a fair number of SL games as well, frankly.

Good luck to them, I say. Hopefully some of the under-performing clubs from the UK will actually learn some lessons from what Toronto are doing.

 

[Oxford]

I wonder if we'll get discussions about the size of the crowds at the new Liverpool club?

I wonder what the response will be as well, they're on the M62 so tick, they're in this side of the Atlanctic so tick they're willing to start in a lower leage so tick but they'll take players away for existing clubs so that's a no no, they're expansion so that's a no no.

Then again the Marwan factor will attract a few more to the Party on here.

So it will siop it from being a like for like comparison which is a real shame!

[GUBRATS]

3 minutes ago, Oxford said:

I wonder if we'll get discussions about the size of the crowds at the new Liverpool club?

I wonder what the response will be as well, they're on the M62 so tick, they're in this side of the Atlanctic so tick they're willing to start in a lower leage so tick but they'll take players away for existing clubs so that's a no no, they're expansion so that's a no no.

Then again the Marwan factor will attract a few more to the Party on here.

So it will siop it from being a like for like comparison which is a real shame!

What Liverpool club ?

[dixiedean]

Will say this for sure. Have watched almost every Toronto home game on TV. That crowd was the biggest.

Was a little concerned that, having lost the MPG, and having to watch pretty much the same teams, in some one sided games, and with the Arrows as competition, some of the novelty may have worn off.

Instead, it seems to be only growing.

This is unalloyed good news. Regardless of exact numbers, or what proportion paid.

[Keith989]

On 28/04/2019 at 21:21, westside said:

Anything close to that is very impressive. The Toronto RU team also played at home today and got around 2k.

Is everything just a competition with union?

[Leyther_Matt]

5 minutes ago, NorthWest RL Academy said:

Could they not use the sky dome (Rogers Centre) for the earlier games? I am unsure on the schedule for the Blue Jays but this would be amazing as the roof closes so weather wouldn't effect this. This for me would bring the tourists and the sports fans from Toronto to the dome to see this amazing sport. 

I believe there would be an issue with the pitch as it’s now a grass field with natural mound (never stopped Batley...!) rather than artificial, which is why the Argos CFL team moved to BMO Field to share with Toronto FC (which was previously artificial but is now grass, with the knock-on effect of having the winter dome over Lamport). 

I would also expect the rent to be astronomical as well, to be fair. 

[westside]

You’re asking the wrong guy. I watch both codes and played RU.

[Southerner]

23 hours ago, Big Picture said:

When the beer garden attracts numbers such as is in this picture from last season during matches, it's not only understandable that the stands don't show the full extent of the crowd, it's a good thing too because the beer garden is evidently selling a lot of that craft beer and giving those newcomers to RL a literal buzz about the game.

This is why they give tickets away as they know fans will come out in droves to spend at the beer garden!

I imagine this is where they make good profits. 

[absentee thoughtlord]

Seems like those harrumphing about some 'free tickets' have never heard of the principle of 'loss leaders' in business.

They got 6k / 7k / 8k  / 9k (delete according to opinion) into a stadium. They have created a brand from scratch. No offence intended, but Widnes couldn't put that many bums on seats with an all-out freebie right now.

[Kayakman]

1 hour ago, scotchy1 said:

Just play it in the summer. 

This isn't a problem its a benefit. Sky are desperate for content between the end of may and August when the football season has finished. It really isn't an issue. 

Well it looks like we are putting a new scoreboard and clock in soon (4 weeks).  Now they are going to have to come up with a plan and drawings to increase the seating in Lamport.  At least 1/2 should be covered.  I figure they could put 14 000 in easy...but I think going beyond that might be pushing it...is 14 000 enough to make money?

[Kayakman]

1 minute ago, SL17 said:

Depends on your outgoings.

And your sponsors+endorsements+clothing sales.

[Adelaide Tiger]

3 hours ago, NorthWest RL Academy said:

TWP is the best thing to ever happen to RL in my lifetime. 

It has to be Bovril for me

[ojx]

SL and RFL the most reluctant expansionist ever. It almost be to be forced on them. Don't give me the lines about Gateshead and Paris, they lasted a season and were in the top flight. Toronto started in L1 and have steadily built the fanbase. The reality is, many clubs do not want expansion to work because it will threaten their position. However, business is about expanding to new markets and if someone else if paying to do it, you would have to be crazy not to be supportive. Especially after they have already proved themselves in the lower tiers. If TWP get to SL, it could really take off here, I just wish more RL fans would have more confidence in their own game.

[TIWIT]

4 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

I believe there would be an issue with the pitch as it’s now a grass field with natural mound (never stopped Batley...!) rather than artificial, which is why the Argos CFL team moved to BMO Field to share with Toronto FC (which was previously artificial but is now grass, with the knock-on effect of having the winter dome over Lamport). 

I would also expect the rent to be astronomical as well, to be fair. 

Rogers Centre is artificial turf with a dirt infield. The mound is hydraulic - it can be raised and lowered as necessary.

However, it is huuuuuge. 50,000+ plus, and permanently configured for baseball, which means it is V-shaped. No seats will be directly facing the playing field, all would be at an angle. Very hard on the neck. Plus they are shallow - for football lower sections were tarped off because you simply couldn't see the field. And unless there's at least 40,000 people at the game there is no atmosphere whatsoever.

BMO is the only option, and when TFC started playing there in February of last year they so chewed up the frozen field that it was left in terrible shape all year, and the Argonauts playing on it only made things worse. Gridiron football is really hard on a grass surface, that's why most is played on artificial turf.

[ojx]

2 hours ago, SL17 said:

We just need to get away from this drivel of them already prooving themselves having to play in the lower tiers with a £1m + squad.

Lets get real. Theres no Championship side going, to even attempt to match that sort of finance. Leigh were unsuccessful following that behaviour. Yet successful at the same level TWP are at. Investment carries weight, thats all the RFL look at.

As for SL, Toronto haven't earned their place yet, although the days are running out now for a decision from SL.

 

You completely miss the point. They have been growing the fanbase and commercial sponsors for three years. Them playing with an expensive squad in lower divisions is just the result of the paralysis that is the SL and RFL decision making process. The Ostrich approach of sticking your head in the sand.