Bob Hunter interview

[Manxmanc]

I tuned into Sportnet Today’s interview with Bob Hunter (TWP Chairman/interim CEO) last night. I am not sure there was anything earth-shatteringly new, but this what I picked up.

Bob Hunter is clearly a well-known and respected figure in the Toronto region and the interviewer pointed out that he would be known to most listeners.

Bob Hunter mentioned how interest in the Blue Jays and Raptors increased significantly on competing at an elite level, when sponsorship and marketing opportunities opened up. For the TWP, the next step was to achieve promotion to the elite level, and they were focusing on the play-offs.

In order to enter the sporting mainstream, they needed to invest at a community level and get more kids playing. Long-term, they would like nothing better to have half a dozen Canadian players in the team.

There was significant interest in the TWP from the 20-35 year old demographic and they were actively targeting this group.

On being asked about the sustainability of the investment model (the challenges of an international team), he acknowledged that this would be painful for the next couple of years, before benefitting from competing at an elite level (see above).

I listened to this live, so I don’t know whether these interviews are archived.

[Manxmanc]

A link to the interview has now been posted on TWP twitter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uPeXlia7Kk&feature=youtu.be

[Treize Hombres]

Bob Hunter speaks a lot of common sense in that interview and clearly knows how to build a brand. I find his approach more positive and proactive than the Executives that we have over here.

Two things concern me though.

Firstly it would appear that Canadians love watching a winning side no matter which sport and not caring too much about the strength of the opposition. How will TWP grow if they get into SL and can't win every week.... I don't think they will be ready to challenge for the title anytime soon.....but am happy to be proved wrong on that.

Secondly,  there appears to be no real distinction between RL and RU. Bob Hunter didn't make it obvious which code the TWP play, although he clearly knows his stuff. I just hope that they don't cosy up too much to the Canadian RU because we know where that usually leads to.

Apart from that it's an interesting interview. Its refreshing to hear a CEO talk so positively about his club and the direction it is going in.

 

[r1ch1e]

15 minutes ago, Treize Hombres said:

Bob Hunter speaks a lot of common sense in that interview and clearly knows how to build a brand. I find his approach more positive and proactive than the Executives that we have over here.

Two things concern me though.

Firstly it would appear that Canadians love watching a winning side no matter which sport and not caring too much about the strength of the opposition. How will TWP grow if they get into SL and can't win every week.... I don't think they will be ready to challenge for the title anytime soon.....but am happy to be proved wrong on that.

Secondly,  there appears to be no real distinction between RL and RU. Bob Hunter didn't make it obvious which code the TWP play, although he clearly knows his stuff. I just hope that they don't cosy up too much to the Canadian RU because we know where that usually leads to.

Apart from that it's an interesting interview. Its refreshing to hear a CEO talk so positively about his club and the direction it is going in

I don't know the exact dates, but before the Raptors won the NBA in June, no Canadian team had won a MLB/NHL/NBA title for 30 odd years I think.

[CanadianRugger]

6 minutes ago, r1ch1e said:

I don't know the exact dates, but before the Raptors won the NBA in June, no Canadian team had won a MLB/NHL/NBA title for 30 odd years I think.

1993 - Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup & Toronto Blue Jays win World Series, last time  major sports teams won a Major Championship in Canada prior to the Raptors.

Couple of the Hockey clubs have come agonizingly close:

Ottawa (multiple times)

Vancouver (Multiple times)

Edmonton & Calgary

But yes, it's been around 26 years.

[Treize Hombres]

49 minutes ago, r1ch1e said:

I don't know the exact dates, but before the Raptors won the NBA in June, no Canadian team had won a MLB/NHL/NBA title for 30 odd years I think.

I appreciate that but they are massive competitions and are not new teams. How many Torontonians (if that's the correct word) followed the Raptors before they won the NBA.....in comparison to Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fans??

My argument was more along the lines of would TWP be getting 7000+ crowds in the lower two divisions of RL if they weren't battering everyone. The interviewer kept banging on about the amazing win-lose ratio and not the quality of the opposition.

[John WP Fan]

42 minutes ago, Treize Hombres said:

I appreciate that but they are massive competitions and are not new teams. How many Torontonians (if that's the correct word) followed the Raptors before they won the NBA.....in comparison to Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fans??

My argument was more along the lines of would TWP be getting 7000+ crowds in the lower two divisions of RL if they weren't battering everyone. The interviewer kept banging on about the amazing win-lose ratio and not the quality of the opposition.

I actually think the crowds are hurt by us steamrolling the competition. More competitive games would be much more exciting, even if we lose as many as we win. If we were dead last for several seasons in a row that would be an issue, but if we are in most games, more fans will come.

[dixiedean]

Wow! I hadn't realised it was 93 since a Stanley Cup!!

I lived there in the Gretzsky/Oilers dynasty.

[Loup]

51 minutes ago, Treize Hombres said:

I appreciate that but they are massive competitions and are not new teams. How many Torontonians (if that's the correct word) followed the Raptors before they won the NBA.....in comparison to Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fans??

 

Maple Leafs haven't won the cup since 1967, I believe, but you can't buy a ticket until someone dies or unless you can fork out hundreds of dollars.

Blue Jays have real fans and a great deal of fair-weather fans - it's a great afternoon in the sun and, oh look, there's a baseball game on. The crowds balloon when the Jays get into the playoffs. Last couple of seasons, the team has been fairly poor ("rebuilding") so the crowds are down.

Raptors have been the hottest team in Toronto for years. They are the team of choice for teens and young people and also they attract a much more diverse fan base. Raptors have done a great job of branding and building excitement, and they have also been improving on the court. This year they won the NBA, but I think they hadn't got beyond the first round of the playoffs until now.

I don't think Wolfpack will suffer a loss of fans if/when they're challenged by better teams in SL. No one I know goes along because the team has won 18 straight, they go (in no particular order) for a fun afternoon, the camaraderie, the beer, and the exciting sport on the field.

And you are correct, it is "Torontonians"!

[Kayakman]

1 hour ago, RugbyLeagueMan said:

I've often wondered if RL is just a nursery for the TWP until/if RU gets its a*se together and creates a northern hemisphere elite league then TWP would be 'primed' to join that once they become established in Toronto because as you quite rightly pointed out, most locals have no idea abowt the two codes so its treading a bit dangerous, especially if SL deny TWP entry in 2020 or they get relegated after one season SL....I'm sure the MLR will open their arms to them...but who really knows. I say much of this based on some suspicions (the only RL club to have open connections with a RU body) and David Argyle's RU background. I hope I am completely wrong.

You are.  Crazy talk.

[Lamport Life]

3 hours ago, Loup said:

 This year they won the NBA, but I think they hadn't got beyond the first round of the playoffs until now.

Your analysis is spot on but I wanted to point out that, prior to this season, they had advanced to the second round 4 times and the third round once.

[Lamport Life]

2 hours ago, RugbyLeagueMan said:

I'm sure the MLR will open their arms to them....

Apparently you forgot that the Arrows exist.

[Treize Hombres]

6 hours ago, Loup said:

 

I don't think Wolfpack will suffer a loss of fans if/when they're challenged by better teams in SL. No one I know goes along because the team has won 18 straight, they go (in no particular order) for a fun afternoon, the camaraderie, the beer, and the exciting sport on the field.

And you are correct, it is "Torontonians"!

That's good to hear. I want RL to expand and sincerely hope TWP can get established at SL level.

Maybe the Canadian sports fans have a different mentality when I comes to supporting their teams and see game day as an event rather than just going to watch the match itself.

Plenty of "fans" in the UK would go to watch their side on the basis that they were on a hot streak. Same in Australia...look at the crowds Canberra are now getting compared to a few seasons ago.