Reports suggest Toronto Wolfpack not guaranteed SL place

[TheReaper]

The entire situation is ridiculous. 

In any other professional league this would all have been laid out before the season started.

In any other almost professional league this would all have been figured out before the playoffs at the very least. Leaving it until after the winner is determined is a joke. The rules should have been in place, communicated clearly, and been equally applied to all participants. 

Treating each other equally is huge problem for English rugby league. Everyone is too worried about getting their own table scraps instead of learning how to cook.

A successful league needs to be a true partnership. Look at the NFL - all TV revenue,  league sponsorship,  national merch sales, and even ticket revenue , is shared equally.  Not saying other leagues need to or can do that, but that's the kind of thinking that has taken them where they are today.  They understand that every club being on stable ground means that they can focus on selling and improving the game, instead of constant threats to existence holding parts of the league back.

What I'd suggest is this:

-ALL tv revenue, from all sources, be shared equally. No more "this team gets this, you guys get this" . 

-Because it is so uneven, travel costs will come out of the overall pot before the money is split. Everyone has to travel, everyone has different distances and costs, but everyone is an equal partner and has that cost covered.

-everyone does their best to bring in sponsors, including the league office. All efforts are made to turn sponsorships in league-wide sponsorships.  TWP may have a deal in the works with Air Transat/ Air Canada, that could be turned into being "the official airline of Super League". Greater value for them, that travel sponsorship money goes into the pot to cover some or all of it. You could add a coach line, train line, hotel chain to that suite of official partners.

-make "best efforts" to a somewhat regular schedule, but understand you can't defeat mother nature.  Weather is different in other parts of the world.  In order to attract fans in attendance,  and for player safety, Toronto would need a back-weighted schedule. This isn't the end of the world. Similar consideration would be given to all clubs in time of stadium construction or other reasons.

-at the outset,  ahead of time, lay out in writing what happens when teams go up or down. No more amateur dithering up to the last second and looking like a bunch of idiots.

 

*the fact that the original deal was for three years does NOT mean it is automatically done and won't be renewed. There is no evidence for that anywhere.  

[GUBRATS]

3 minutes ago, TheReaper said:

The entire situation is ridiculous. 

In any other professional league this would all have been laid out before the season started.

In any other almost professional league this would all have been figured out before the playoffs at the very least. Leaving it until after the winner is determined is a joke. The rules should have been in place, communicated clearly, and been equally applied to all participants. 

Treating each other equally is huge problem for English rugby league. Everyone is too worried about getting their own table scraps instead of learning how to cook.

A successful league needs to be a true partnership. Look at the NFL - all TV revenue,  league sponsorship,  national merch sales, and even ticket revenue , is shared equally.  Not saying other leagues need to or can do that, but that's the kind of thinking that has taken them where they are today.  They understand that every club being on stable ground means that they can focus on selling and improving the game, instead of constant threats to existence holding parts of the league back.

What I'd suggest is this:

-ALL tv revenue, from all sources, be shared equally. No more "this team gets this, you guys get this" . 

-Because it is so uneven, travel costs will come out of the overall pot before the money is split. Everyone has to travel, everyone has different distances and costs, but everyone is an equal partner and has that cost covered.

-everyone does their best to bring in sponsors, including the league office. All efforts are made to turn sponsorships in league-wide sponsorships.  TWP may have a deal in the works with Air Transat/ Air Canada, that could be turned into being "the official airline of Super League". Greater value for them, that travel sponsorship money goes into the pot to cover some or all of it. You could add a coach line, train line, hotel chain to that suite of official partners.

-make "best efforts" to a somewhat regular schedule, but understand you can't defeat mother nature.  Weather is different in other parts of the world.  In order to attract fans in attendance,  and for player safety, Toronto would need a back-weighted schedule. This isn't the end of the world. Similar consideration would be given to all clubs in time of stadium construction or other reasons.

-at the outset,  ahead of time, lay out in writing what happens when teams go up or down. No more amateur dithering up to the last second and looking like a bunch of idiots.

 

*the fact that the original deal was for three years does NOT mean it is automatically done and won't be renewed. There is no evidence for that anywhere.  

I tried to instigate something like this with the NL clubs ( 20 of ) when Licencing was introduced , everybody still retained control over their own sales ( and therefore had good reason to work at increasing it ) but everybody also contributed into a shared income that could be used to build brand awareness and bring in better competition sponsors and external non match incomes 

Clueless is the word best used to describe the responses I received 

 

[GUBRATS]

10 minutes ago, TheReaper said:

The entire situation is ridiculous. 

 

-make "best efforts" to a somewhat regular schedule, but understand you can't defeat mother nature.  Weather is different in other parts of the world.  In order to attract fans in attendance,  and for player safety, Toronto would need a back-weighted schedule. This isn't the end of the world. Similar consideration would be given to all clubs in time of stadium construction or other reasons.

-at the outset,  ahead of time, lay out in writing what happens when teams go up or down. No more amateur dithering poup to the last second and looking like a bunch of idiots.

 

*the fact that the original deal was for three years does NOT mean it is automatically done and won't be renewed. There is no evidence for that anywhere.  

As we still have the loop fixtures the schedule is simple to sort out 

Toronto play their loop fixtures first starting with an away one , then home and away , the 3 home ' loops ' are played in the UK at Championship venues , say Leigh and Widnes for Lancs opponents and York,Fev for yorkshire opponents 

So then with game 7 being an away fixture that takes you into April , then they play 2 home and 2 away meaning they and everybody else gets the same traveling issues 

[CanadianRugger]

24 minutes ago, TheReaper said:

The entire situation is ridiculous. 

In any other professional league this would all have been laid out before the season started.

In any other almost professional league this would all have been figured out before the playoffs at the very least. Leaving it until after the winner is determined is a joke. The rules should have been in place, communicated clearly, and been equally applied to all participants. 

Treating each other equally is huge problem for English rugby league. Everyone is too worried about getting their own table scraps instead of learning how to cook.

A successful league needs to be a true partnership. Look at the NFL - all TV revenue,  league sponsorship,  national merch sales, and even ticket revenue , is shared equally.  Not saying other leagues need to or can do that, but that's the kind of thinking that has taken them where they are today.  They understand that every club being on stable ground means that they can focus on selling and improving the game, instead of constant threats to existence holding parts of the league back.

What I'd suggest is this:

-ALL tv revenue, from all sources, be shared equally. No more "this team gets this, you guys get this" . 

-Because it is so uneven, travel costs will come out of the overall pot before the money is split. Everyone has to travel, everyone has different distances and costs, but everyone is an equal partner and has that cost covered.

-everyone does their best to bring in sponsors, including the league office. All efforts are made to turn sponsorships in league-wide sponsorships.  TWP may have a deal in the works with Air Transat/ Air Canada, that could be turned into being "the official airline of Super League". Greater value for them, that travel sponsorship money goes into the pot to cover some or all of it. You could add a coach line, train line, hotel chain to that suite of official partners.

-make "best efforts" to a somewhat regular schedule, but understand you can't defeat mother nature.  Weather is different in other parts of the world.  In order to attract fans in attendance,  and for player safety, Toronto would need a back-weighted schedule. This isn't the end of the world. Similar consideration would be given to all clubs in time of stadium construction or other reasons.

-at the outset,  ahead of time, lay out in writing what happens when teams go up or down. No more amateur dithering up to the last second and looking like a bunch of idiots.

 

*the fact that the original deal was for three years does NOT mean it is automatically done and won't be renewed. There is no evidence for that anywhere.  

Now you are talking sense, there can be none of that here.

Rugby League is where it is today because of the lack of business acumen and stupidity of some.  The clubs have too much self interest to even contemplate working together.  

 

[Man of Kent]

There’s also the issue of the Grand Final. What happens if TWP get to Old Trafford and it’s half empty?

Yes, it should be sold out or nearly sold out regardless in an ideal world but in reality Toronto risks a financial and reputational hit to SL’s flagship event. These things do need to be considered and not dismissed lightly.

[Blind side johnny]

3 hours ago, Kayakman said:

Ha...ha...Ha...ha....!!!!

You still don't get it do you...after all this time...you still don't get it.

SL needs to get ready for the Wolfpack, its not the the way around like 99.9% of the posters on here believe.  

Sit back and watch how it is done my English friends....the levers will be pulled...the calls made...some of the favours owed  called in...

Enjoy the show compliments of the Toronto Wolfpack.

Now I get it - you were running the Brexit campaign weren't you?

[Kayakman]

4 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

Now I get it - you were running the Brexit campaign weren't you?

I think Brexit is the dumbest idea I have ever heard of in a long time.

[CanadianRugger]

Just now, Kayakman said:

I think Brexit is the dumbest idea I have ever heard of in a long time.

But I love when Brits toss ###### at Donald Trump only to have a buffoon like Boris Johnson running the show.  

[Davo5]

21 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

There’s also the issue of the Grand Final. What happens if TWP get to Old Trafford and it’s half empty?

Yes, it should be sold out or nearly sold out regardless in an ideal world but in reality Toronto risks a financial and reputational hit to SL’s flagship event. These things do need to be considered and not dismissed lightly.

Oh dear,that has to be the most pathetic reason not to allow Toronto into Superleague I've heard yet,even the South Leeds Luddite hasn't stooped that low.

[Davo5]

3 minutes ago, Kayakman said:

I think Brexit is the dumbest idea I have ever heard of in a long time.

That's because you've only been around Rugby League for less than 3 years.

[Canis Lupus]

6 minutes ago, CanadianRugger said:

But I love when Brits toss ###### at Donald Trump only to have a buffoon like Boris Johnson running the show.  

We are no better we have Trudeau

[CanadianRugger]

3 minutes ago, Canis Lupus said:

We are no better we have Trudeau

Hopefully not for much longer (fingers crossed)

Although the opposition doesn't inspire much confidence.

[Eddie]

How about keeping politics out of a RL thread? 

[Eddie]

43 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

There’s also the issue of the Grand Final. What happens if TWP get to Old Trafford and it’s half empty?

Yes, it should be sold out or nearly sold out regardless in an ideal world but in reality Toronto risks a financial and reputational hit to SL’s flagship event. These things do need to be considered and not dismissed lightly.

You’re right, the final should be Leeds v Wigan or Saints every year to get the maximum attendance in the final, regardless of where they finish in the league. 

[Man of Kent]

5 minutes ago, Eddie said:

You’re right, the final should be Leeds v Wigan or Saints every year to get the maximum attendance in the final, regardless of where they finish in the league. 

Castleford took about 30,000 when they made the final. How many would Toronto take?

[TboneFromTO]

1 hour ago, TheReaper said:

The entire situation is ridiculous. 

In any other professional league this would all have been laid out before the season started.

In any other almost professional league this would all have been figured out before the playoffs at the very least. Leaving it until after the winner is determined is a joke. The rules should have been in place, communicated clearly, and been equally applied to all participants. 

Treating each other equally is huge problem for English rugby league. Everyone is too worried about getting their own table scraps instead of learning how to cook.

A successful league needs to be a true partnership. Look at the NFL - all TV revenue,  league sponsorship,  national merch sales, and even ticket revenue , is shared equally.  Not saying other leagues need to or can do that, but that's the kind of thinking that has taken them where they are today.  They understand that every club being on stable ground means that they can focus on selling and improving the game, instead of constant threats to existence holding parts of the league back.

What I'd suggest is this:

-ALL tv revenue, from all sources, be shared equally. No more "this team gets this, you guys get this" . 

-Because it is so uneven, travel costs will come out of the overall pot before the money is split. Everyone has to travel, everyone has different distances and costs, but everyone is an equal partner and has that cost covered.

-everyone does their best to bring in sponsors, including the league office. All efforts are made to turn sponsorships in league-wide sponsorships.  TWP may have a deal in the works with Air Transat/ Air Canada, that could be turned into being "the official airline of Super League". Greater value for them, that travel sponsorship money goes into the pot to cover some or all of it. You could add a coach line, train line, hotel chain to that suite of official partners.

-make "best efforts" to a somewhat regular schedule, but understand you can't defeat mother nature.  Weather is different in other parts of the world.  In order to attract fans in attendance,  and for player safety, Toronto would need a back-weighted schedule. This isn't the end of the world. Similar consideration would be given to all clubs in time of stadium construction or other reasons.

-at the outset,  ahead of time, lay out in writing what happens when teams go up or down. No more amateur dithering up to the last second and looking like a bunch of idiots.

 

*the fact that the original deal was for three years does NOT mean it is automatically done and won't be renewed. There is no evidence for that anywhere.  

That sounds like communism with extra steps....

Joking aside - good idea!

[GUBRATS]

1 hour ago, Man of Kent said:

There’s also the issue of the Grand Final. What happens if TWP get to Old Trafford and it’s half empty?

Yes, it should be sold out or nearly sold out regardless in an ideal world but in reality Toronto risks a financial and reputational hit to SL’s flagship event. These things do need to be considered and not dismissed lightly.

If that's the case , dump them from UK RL now 

[Davo5]

13 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Castleford took about 30,000 when they made the final. How many would Toronto take?

Did you count them all yourself ?

[GUBRATS]

15 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Castleford took about 30,000 when they made the final. How many would Toronto take?

Irrelivant 

[Man of Kent]

1 minute ago, GUBRATS said:

If that's the case , dump them from UK RL now 

I’m just saying these things need to be weighed up.

Catalans v Toronto in front of circa 30k at OT wouldn’t be a good look for Super League Europe and their sponsors. 

Do we want to jeopardise the biggest club rugby league game in the northern hemisphere? Maybe we do on balance but there are cons as well as pros. It’s not all hot dog cannons and beer tokens.

[ELBOWSEYE]

16 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

I’m just saying  It’s not all hot dog cannons and beer tokens.

Seems like you could do with some of those beer tokens .

[GUBRATS]

25 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

I’m just saying these things need to be weighed up.

Catalans v Toronto in front of circa 30k at OT wouldn’t be a good look for Super League Europe and their sponsors. 

Do we want to jeopardise the biggest club rugby league game in the northern hemisphere? Maybe we do on balance but there are cons as well as pros. It’s not all hot dog cannons and beer tokens.

So what was the point letting them in in the first place ? , They were owned by a billionaire , were based in a huge city , they stated that SL was the intention from the start , so what exactly did they expect ? 

If you wanted to get RL established in Canada and build it in France , I can't think of anything other than by International competition you would do it rather than a GF with those 2 in it , 

[Man of Kent]

1 minute ago, GUBRATS said:

So what was the point letting them in in the first place ? , They were owned by a billionaire , were based in a huge city , they stated that SL was the intention from the start , so what exactly did they expect ? 

If you wanted to get RL established in Canada and build it in France , I can't think of anything other than by International competition you would do it rather than a GF with those 2 in it , 

It was Nigel Wood’s decision, wasn’t it? A lot has changed since then...

[TheReaper]

1 hour ago, Man of Kent said:

There’s also the issue of the Grand Final. What happens if TWP get to Old Trafford and it’s half empty?

Yes, it should be sold out or nearly sold out regardless in an ideal world but in reality Toronto risks a financial and reputational hit to SL’s flagship event. These things do need to be considered and not dismissed lightly.

Emphatic shrug. Dismissed lightly.

If who makes it to the final matters, why have a league at all?

 

[GUBRATS]

3 minutes ago, TheReaper said:

Emphatic shrug. Dismissed lightly.

If who makes it to the final matters, why have a league at all?

 

Yes , looks like it's time to dump the GF , too much of a risk