The General 'Toronto Wolfpack' Discussion Thread

[clogdance]

There will be interest won't there. Toronto will be allowed to stay in Super League, so you will be buying the ownership of a top flight club, that is BIG news over here because it is a city in Canada rather than a town in Cumbria.

[CanadianRugger]

11 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

The mind boggles, doesn’t it?

Might be horses**t but there’s always been a strong whiff of RU about David Argyle. 

I’d like to know why an RU club is sniffing around it. To defect to MLR or the English comp or Pro 14? Or as a beachhead into some other plan? Who knows? 

Not a chance of them joining MLR or the Pro14.  Firstly, there is an MLR club in TO already so I don't know where you dreamed that up.  Any Pro14 club would need to be sanctioned by the Canadian Rugby Union and that isn't happening with the CRU putting their backing towards MLR.

[The Rocket]

14 hours ago, CanadianRugger said:

Just look at all the rat clubs coming out of the woodwork to try and feast on the carcass.

Remember Rugger that " revenge is a dish best served cold "

[ATLANTISMAN]

10 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

The mind boggles, doesn’t it?

Might be horses**t but there’s always been a strong whiff of RU about David Argyle. 

I’d like to know why an RU club is sniffing around it. To defect to MLR or the English comp or Pro 14? Or as a beachhead into some other plan? Who knows? 

WASPS would be my bet (Already a financial basket case)

 

P 

[Man of Kent]

32 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

WASPS would be my bet (Already a financial basket case)

 

P 

Saracens? There are pre-existing ties with them. 

[Tommygilf]

1 minute ago, Man of Kent said:

Saracens? There are pre-existing ties with them. 

Aye I thought them too, clearly flush with cash and have been offloading some big earners - as well as having previous interests in North America.

[Smudger06]

All depends on what Bell & Rogers have said off the record and behind closed doors regarding Canadian SL Rights post 2021 Season. If one of those is willing to pay a minimum of £4,100,000 GBP pa then TWP are feasible. 

[Loup]

11 hours ago, clogdance said:

There will be interest won't there. Toronto will be allowed to stay in Super League, so you will be buying the ownership of a top flight club, that is BIG news over here because it is a city in Canada rather than a town in Cumbria.

No one is preventing anyone from sponsoring a team from Cumbria.

[Harry Stottle]

17 hours ago, Anadolu XIII said:

There are up to seven separate bids already interested in taking over Toronto with three in active negotiation. 

Slow this down for a second for the naysayers. Even though the situation is clearly not great can you imagine your team having a line up of investors hoping to sow millions into your club. 

Unless you are in a major centre, the answer is no. 

This is an additional evidence for the NEED for clubs like Toronto that attract investment. Even when someone screws up in the most awful economic environment since the depression rich people are lining up to invest. 

If only this was a normal occurrence in Rugby League.

Do you think any 'Bidder' is going to accept the same terms that Toronto negotiated with the RFL in that - 

1. They will recive no Central Distribution Funding

2. They will pay the travel and subsistance costs of all visiting teams.

3. They will not recieve full membership of the governing body.

4. They will have no voting rights in any discussions, amendments or rules of the organisation.

If the RFL or SL - were it affects them - are going to reverse all these implications, they may as well let the present owner/management have first call, at least they will then be dealing with The devil they know. 

 But, if any other organisation is a successful 'Bidder' and allowed by the RFL/ SL to take over the precedent has already been set in that the club will still have to suffer the same penalties awarded for any misdemeanours just as if the club remained with the same ownership/management.

[sweaty craiq]

Saracens are the UK club, it will allow ‘marquee’ RU signings to be registered at TW then loaned to Saracens at cheap rates to avoid further salary cap infringements for them

[Man of Kent]

Just now, sweaty craiq said:

Saracens are the UK club, it will allow ‘marquee’ RU signings to be registered at TW then loaned to Saracens at cheap rates to avoid further salary cap infringements for them

Cunning plan!

[Moose]

12 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

The mind boggles, doesn’t it?

Might be horses**t but there’s always been a strong whiff of RU about David Argyle. 

I’d like to know why an RU club is sniffing around it. To defect to MLR or the English comp or Pro 14? Or as a beachhead into some other plan? Who knows? 

Doesn’t a Union club already have an interest in RL?

Don’t  Newcatle Falcons own Newcastle Thunder?

 

[Whippet13]

12 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Cunning plan!

Very, almost as cunning as a fox who's just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University.

Maybe Owen Farrell really is coming back to RL.....sort of.

[Harry Stottle]

44 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Cunning plan!

Have you never heard of "Baldrick the Saracen"?

[Spidey]

https://www.superleague.co.uk/article/1488/update-|-toronto-wolfpack
 

Probably some formalities. Toronto officially out of SL. They need a new agreement in place to compete in 2021

[Whippet13]

23 minutes ago, Spidey said:

https://www.superleague.co.uk/article/1488/update-|-toronto-wolfpack
 

Probably some formalities. Toronto officially out of SL. They need a new agreement in place to compete in 2021

So in effect they've ripped up the conditions under which Toronto played in SL (which is what Argyle has been pushing for) and said come back to us with a new participation proposal for consideration.

[Man of Kent]

Booted out, then. For now.
Ricky Wilby to the rescue?

[Blind side johnny]

21 hours ago, clogdance said:

I see, but isn't he thinking about buying some shares in a NRL side ?

That's an equity investment so quite different.

[DimmestStar]

I wouldn't be surprised if Toronto don't make an application. I expect a 11 team Super League in 2021.

[Blind side johnny]

19 hours ago, clogdance said:

There will be interest won't there. Toronto will be allowed to stay in Super League, so you will be buying the ownership of a top flight club, that is BIG news over here because it is a city in Canada rather than a town in Cumbria.

Or relocate to NY - instant access to SL and no P&R. That might be a worthwhile investment for somebody.

[wiganermike]

1 minute ago, Whippet13 said:

So in effect they've ripped up the conditions under which Toronto played in SL (which is what Argyle has been pushing for) and said come back to us with a new participation proposal for consideration.

I would say that's it in a nutshell. Whether TWP will be in SL in 2021 or not probably hinges on whether a new set of conditions can be agreed upon and signed up to by both TWP and the rest of SL.

[Whippet13]

2 minutes ago, DimmestStar said:

I wouldn't be surprised if Toronto don't make an application. I expect a 11 team Super League in 2021.

I would be surprised if they don't make an application, but under new ownership.

[Blind side johnny]

2 minutes ago, wiganermike said:

I would say that's it in a nutshell. Whether TWP will be in SL in 2021 or not probably hinges on whether a new set of conditions can be agreed upon and signed up to by both TWP and the rest of SL.

And who owns TWP at the time. Remember the inference that any Private Equity deal would be strongly influenced by a trans-atlantic member and that the current SL chairmen are, allegedly, very kean on such a deal to go through. You can start to see the commercial logic, not for the sport but for the current club owners.

[Man of Kent]

4 minutes ago, wiganermike said:

I would say that's it in a nutshell. Whether TWP will be in SL in 2021 or not probably hinges on whether a new set of conditions can be agreed upon and signed up to by both TWP and the rest of SL.

Would the conditions be any more favourable than the old agreement given what’s just happened? SL is bound to ask for guarantees paid upfront in case Arygle’s (or whoever) well goes dry again. 

[wiganermike]

3 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Would the conditions be any more favourable than the old agreement given what’s just happened? SL is bound to ask for guarantees paid upfront in case Arygle’s (or whoever) well goes dry again. 

I think the ownership of TWP may influence how much movement is forthcoming on requested changes to conditions of entry that TWP propose. SL are reportedly none too happy with Argyle, TWP with a new owner may find SL more receptive than they would with Argyle at the helm. There is also as Blind Side Johnny points out the potential issue of the effect on the potential PE deal of the absence/presence of TWP in SL. That may have some bearing on the attitude to negotiation and concessions.