Reports suggest Toronto Wolfpack not guaranteed SL place

[Gerrumonside ref]

13 minutes ago, Krzzystuff said:

but....they kinda do

Don’t mistake the smell of fear with shortsightedness 

[Dave T]

1 hour ago, TboneFromTO said:

The evidence supports Toronto would bring in a bigger sky deal - with their viewership in the championship out performing many SL games

There is no evidence of that. There have been one or two which has exceeded a small number of SL games, but most are some way lower than SL games.

 

[Gerrumonside ref]

I wouldn’t be finished with rugby league if Toronto were barred from Super League, but it would be ridiculous.

The image of the game in the wider media in the UK would be of a sport lacking any coherent strategy or direction.

Conversely I think allowing Toronto into the top flight on merit would lead to a lot of positive publicity and interest in the game from the media.

 

[ELBOWSEYE]

3 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

Toronto have a growing track record of not paying their bills so they only have themselves to blame if they have to stump up cash in advance.

They join a long list of clubs with history in the sport reaching back over 100years who have failed to pay bills at one time or another. How many of them were asked to pay a bond.

 

[ELBOWSEYE]

26 minutes ago, Dave T said:

There is no evidence of that. There have been one or two which has exceeded a small number of SL games, but most are some way lower than SL games.

 

That could be when they are aired. Usually a gap filler position for sky.

[slowdive]

43 minutes ago, The Future is League said:

If Toronto win the grand final and are not promoted 100% I'm finished with the game

Says the future is league....

[ELBOWSEYE]

5 hours ago, Loiner said:

Any excuse for Elstone and his gang of three to deny TWP they will use. Appalling if it happens.

The gang of three ?. If Warringtons owner Simon Moran is in this you will struggle to find any comment from him on anything. But Warrington were in favour of Toronto being admitted from what I understand. 

[Dave T]

2 minutes ago, ELBOWSEYE said:

That could be when they are aired. Usually a gap filler position for sky.

Of course, but their viewership is way down on SL. As I would expect, so it ain't a slur 9n them at all, but we need to deal with reality instead of people just creating fake narratives.

[Dave T]

Just now, ELBOWSEYE said:

The gang of three ?. If Warringtons owner Simon Moran is in this you will struggle to find any comment from him on anything. But Warrington were in favour of Toronto being admitted from what I understand. 

This is the point I am challenging these comments. Fake news. Alternative facts. Whatever, people make up what they want now.

[Damien]

1 minute ago, slowdive said:

Says the future is league....

Well such a decision wouldn't really bode well for the future would it?

[Man of Kent]

14 minutes ago, ELBOWSEYE said:

They join a long list of clubs with history in the sport reaching back over 100years who have failed to pay bills at one time or another. How many of them were asked to pay a bond.

 

How many of them required a 7,000-mile roundtrip?

[ELBOWSEYE]

5 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

How many of them required a 7,000-mile roundtrip?

Seems like the fans like the trip with some clubs taking record number. 

[Man of Kent]

3 minutes ago, ELBOWSEYE said:

Seems like the fans like the trip with some clubs taking record number. 

Yeah that’s nice but are we 100% certain Toronto being promoted is in the wider financial interests of Super League?

Obviously it’s of benefit to Toronto and it will generate column inches here but the novelty will soon fade.

Show me the money!

[Krzzystuff]

54 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Don’t mistake the smell of fear with shortsightedness 

it's a combined smell for sure.

The smaller clubs are scared of being replaced by the "foreign" clubs if Toronto succeeds and the top clubs are shortsighted. I understand having checks and balances and due diligence because of the bad history with expansion failures but you can't compare PSG or Gateshead to what TWP have been from day one.

[Krzzystuff]

1 minute ago, Man of Kent said:

Yeah that’s nice but are we 100% certain Toronto being promoted is in the wider financial interests of Super League?

Obviously it’s of benefit to Toronto and it will generate column inches here but the novelty will soon fade.

Show me the money!

The money is all from TV deals and sponsorship. I'm sorry but you must be able to see that TWP being in the comp gives it larger exposure and credibility in the eyes of big business. Our games are already  getting better viewing figures that half the SL, those numbers would only grow if were playing top SL teams. It's exactly what's needed just before the TV deal negotiations start, a big spike in viewership and buzz about the game.

[Man of Kent]

1 minute ago, Krzzystuff said:

The money is all from TV deals and sponsorship. I'm sorry but you must be able to see that TWP being in the comp gives it larger exposure and credibility in the eyes of big business. Our games are already  getting better viewing figures that half the SL, those numbers would only grow if were playing top SL teams. It's exactly what's needed just before the TV deal negotiations start, a big spike in viewership and buzz about the game.

I see a useful TV slot on Saturday evenings although we’ve had that clash with Catalans this year. 

Toulouse could also fill that slot on alternate Saturdays with no fuss about playing home games in Hull in February or whatever.

I’d like to think TWP would bring in new sponsors but are we talking new sponsors of Toronto or of Super League? 

[Kayakman]

1 hour ago, Krzzystuff said:

but....they kinda do

No...they really do...some have already pooped their pants it seems.  Pitiful.

[Kayakman]

1 hour ago, slowdive said:

Says the future is league....

There won't be a future...don't you get that.

I say Toronto should call their bluff.

[RobertAM]

Toronto will be in SL..this is a windup story..likely planted by ParqueCider coming up for air from under his rock.

[Loup]

2 hours ago, Denton Rovers RLFC said:

 I don't know what clubs have been doing for accommodation when going to Toronto, has there been a deal done with a local hotel/facility?

 

Wolfpack committed to pay airfare and accommodation for League 1 and Championship clubs. Both teams stay in student accommodation which is available most of the summer. Now that students have returned, players are being put up in hotels.

Air Transat has been the sponsor airline so far. As of about a month ago, Air Transat has been bought by Air Canada and the deal has been approved by shareholders and the competition board. Whether Air Canada continue to manage AT as a stand-alone (it's really a holiday company with an airline attached), or whether they merge operations and routes, remains to be seen. Either way, the prospect of reasonable numbers of away fans of SL clubs visiting Toronto would make an attractive deal for the airline. If Elstone or one of his minions hasn't been on the phone to Air Canada by now, they are asleep at the switch.

Part of the problem is the almost pathological reluctance of SL to communicate. Who knows what they have, or haven't discussed. It creates all kinds of daft rumours, and "articles" like the one at the start of this thread, that really tells you nothing because there are no current facts or actual quotes. This rumour has been doing the rounds since the start of the season in one guise or another, and frequently revisited at the World o' Parky™.

Who knows where the negotiations stand. What we do know, is that Wolfpack Chairman Bob Hunter arrived in Manchester on Tuesday of this week.

 

 

 

[Dave T]

1 hour ago, Man of Kent said:

Yeah that’s nice but are we 100% certain Toronto being promoted is in the wider financial interests of Super League?

Obviously it’s of benefit to Toronto and it will generate column inches here but the novelty will soon fade.

Show me the money!

I actually have little issue with taking more financially ruthless decisions, but I would always urge patience a sthe money doesn't always come instantly.

[Man of Kent]

To be quite honest, given the choice of an Anglo-Australian team in a Canadian jersey versus a French-Australian team in a French jersey, I’d take the latter. 

As a Sky punter, I’d be happier with weekly French games on a Saturday evening at dedicated rugby venues than the Lamport linefest. I believe Toronto games are a poor product from a visual perspective.

[Loup]

52 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

I’d like to think TWP would bring in new sponsors but are we talking new sponsors of Toronto or of Super League? 

 

Just now, Man of Kent said:

To be quite honest, given the choice of an Anglo-Australian team in a Canadian jersey versus a French-Australian team in a French jersey, I’d take the latter.

Why not both?

You can have cake AND ice cream.

[Krzzystuff]

54 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

I see a useful TV slot on Saturday evenings although we’ve had that clash with Catalans this year. 

Toulouse could also fill that slot on alternate Saturdays with no fuss about playing home games in Hull in February or whatever.

I’d like to think TWP would bring in new sponsors but are we talking new sponsors of Toronto or of Super League? 

Both.

goals is to get more money into the game so the game can grow. everyone needs to get richer so the league is interesting, no excitement in only a few teams fighting for the title each year.

Now, SL needs to be smart and leverage the exposure into new business, Toronto will try and grow its own brand and make sure that games vs them are marketed properly but they aren't running SL...that's for Mr. Elston to do.

[Krzzystuff]

5 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

I believe Toronto games are a poor product from a visual perspective.

Is that because Toronto typically wins? lol just couldn't help myself, you just hung it out there.