Bradford chairman claims Catalans is costing UK game millions of £

[Copa]

Goodness....

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/bradford-chief-questions-integrity-of-toronto-on-the-road-games/

“I won’t repeat my arguments of the past but Catalans Dragons privileged position sucks millions of pounds out of the British game – for what?

“A sunshine weekend away for supporters to fill the coffers of the Perpignan’s hoteliers and restaurateurs?

“Hardly looks like smart business from a British Rugby League perspective. Hoping the problem goes away isn’t a resolution.”

[Tonka]

I can see his point re the TWP home games played in England.  

Less sure I understand his point re the Catalans.  What is the "privileged position" they enjoy?  (not saying the don't have one, just don't know what it is).

 

[Copa]

These people seem to have no idea about increasing a fan base, they just appear to see the number of fans as a constant with a limited amount of £ to spend.

It even shows in the arguments we sometimes hear about televised games being a bad thing because some of the never increasing number of fans may watch on TV. They never stop to think about growing the fan base.

So they fight over the limited number of fans rather than create more fans.

[Colin James]

Loosely translates as:

"We are the mighty Bradford with 20k fans and we should be in SL not these foreign clubs"

[Cdd]

I’m a strong advocate for Bradford being in Super League, I think we’ve missed them massively.... but this just comes across as bitter.

Catalans have increased the player pool and improved the product on the field. They get great attendances, turn a profit and RL is on TV s’more purely because of them. 

If you’re going to bash expansion there are better examples.

[Copa]

4 minutes ago, Tonka said:

I can see his point re the TWP home games played in England.  

I don’t get it at all. In the NRL some clubs fly to NZ, others don’t. Some fly to the super heat of Townsville (no direct flights from Auckland either) others don’t.  Some teams host the Warriors in Perth. Sydney teams play each other in the same city all the time.

It’s professional sport. It’s the nature of the game. 

[Lounge Room Lizard]

Bradford dont have the money and sponsor deals that Catalan and Toronto have, its so not fair. We should be in SL even if we dont have the money.

[Chris22]

The Bradford chairman is the RL equivalent of Katie Hopkins.

Says deliberately provocative or plain incorrect things simply to get attention. Except he probably doesn't get paid to do it.

The best thing to do is ignore his inane ramblings. 

[Tonka]

Copa - are you saying NZ Warriors don't play all their home games at home?  I didn't know that.

Either way, Chalmers is right in the sense that, irrespective of what happens in any other comps or sports, it's unequal if some teams need to travel to Canada and others don't.

I think the question is whether that's an acceptable inequality for the opportunity to expand the game (my view is that it is).

[Davo5]

Has he got his figures right,because let's face it there is a history of Bradford chairmen not being good with sums.

[Manfred Mann]

Bradford's bitter little Chairman spews forth his "Little Englander" perspective.

[Tonka]

(Seriously though does anyone know what he means about Catalans being privileged?)

[JohnM]

Bradford chairman Andrew Chalmers believes the Bulls are at a disadvantage when they travel to Canada this weekend.

Well, yes, quite so. That's why sports use the term "home advantage". I'm assuming Toronto will be playing at Odsal at some point, in which case Bradford will have home advantage.

I'm all for owners, coaches, players and fans standing up for their club, but fact and evidence base is critical to credibility and yes, to integrity, too.

[Wollo Wollo Wayoo]

Chalmers ought to be pleased that many neutrals will actually be hoping for a Bradford win.  Not often that happens.

[Clogiron]

I generally agree with a fair bit of what Chalmers says but he's got it spectacularly wrong this time, Catalans can only be regarded as a massive plus for the game so where his figures come from I don't know, maybe the same place as the justification for the Bulls pricing policy at Odsal, cloud cuckoo land. As for The TWP home games, I should imagine plenty of Bulls fans are glad of the opportunity to follow their club to Canada just like they were when they first played at Catalans

[bobbruce]

35 minutes ago, Manfred Mann said:

Bradford's bitter little Chairman spews forth his "Little Englander" perspective.

He’s not English. 

[bobbruce]

9 minutes ago, Wollo Wollo Wayoo said:

Chalmers ought to be pleased that many neutrals will actually be hoping for a Bradford win.  Not often that happens.

Probably a few less now. 

[Kayakman]

Boy oh boy...they haven't even played the match or traveled over here yet and they are already whining and making excuses.  I'm putting my money on Toronto.

[Toby Chopra]

Can anyone tell me what he thinks Catalan's "privileged" position is? Privilege means better than others, so what do Catalan get that others don't? Their superleague status is no longer protected, they get the same money (plus contribute extra games into the TV deal) and do FAR MORE travelling than every other team. Where's the privilege? 

[Clogiron]

1 minute ago, Kayakman said:

Boy oh boy...they haven't even played the match or traveled over here yet and they are already whining and making excuses.  I'm putting my money on Toronto.

He's seen that Aston after his wingeing got a game over here this year so trying the same in case they play you next season

[deluded pom?]

Everyone knew TWP wouldn't be playing early season games in Canada so why wait until the eve of the Bulls' match to have a whinge? If they let TWP play a block of away games before hitting Canada I suppose he'd whinge at that too.

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

 

13 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

Can anyone tell me what he thinks Catalan's "privileged" position is? Privilege means better than others, so what do Catalan get that others don't? Their superleague status is no longer protected, they get the same money (plus contribute extra games into the TV deal) and do FAR MORE travelling than every other team. Where's the privilege? 

I suppose, TC, that they get the privilege of paying large amounts of cash to the RFL in order to defend an honestly won title.  No doubt there are queues of envious SL chairmen thinking, "Oh, how I wish I was required to hand over a six-figure sum to the RFL for the same reason!"

[The Future is League]

3 minutes ago, deluded pom? said:

Everyone knew TWP wouldn't be playing early season games in Canada so why wait until the eve of the Bulls' match to have a whinge? If they let TWP play a block of away games before hitting Canada I suppose he'd whinge at that too.

People like Chalmers do out game no favours with their constant bleating and lack of vision

[deluded pom?]

“More importantly for the sport, it has to make sense of the terms under which overseas teams are allowed to participate and how their rights and privileges are measured against those of the RFL’s existing membership.

 

Maybe we ought to look at some of the overseas personnel we let into the British game.

[paulwalker71]

59 minutes ago, Manfred Mann said:

Bradford's bitter little Chairman spews forth his "Little Englander" perspective.

Little New Zealander