New York Rugby league launch in Liverpool

[The Daddy]

Did anyone see it? Thoughts? 

So apparently the New York team will play 20-25 games next season which will be friendlies, some of which against NRL teams and Challenge Cup fixtures 

Surprised that it was launched in Liverpool. 

Anyone heard from Parksider these days? 

[EastLondonMike]

Saw this was happening in the news article about Ottawa. Launched in Liverpool. Makes perfect sense, right?

Has the launch actually happened?

[Jayme2020]

I would assume the will y play  couple games vs Ottawa.

[ojx]

They could start a 3 team round-robin North American cup next season. That would be 4 games.

[ojx]

40 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

Surprised that it was launched in Liverpool. 

I'm not sure anyone has told New Yorkers about this venture yet. Last time I looked, I couldn't find any articles from an actual New York publication. Hopefully this announcement will be more widely reported.

[LR23]

41 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

Did anyone see it? Thoughts? 

So apparently the New York team will play 20-25 games next season which will be friendlies, some of which against NRL teams and Challenge Cup fixtures 

Surprised that it was launched in Liverpool. 

Anyone heard from Parksider these days? 

I think he's been kicked off RLFans as well now for derailing threads - he's not been heard of for weeks anyway.

[The Daddy]

I have to say I'm a tad concerned about this project and it's chances of success. New York like London is a very competitive city in terms of entertainment and things to do. If you don't do things right with a sporting venture in these type of cities it could go pear shaped very quickly. 

In the U.S it would've been better to start in a city like Boston or Philadelphia. With a city like New York you have to create the demand first before you really go into a competitive city like New York, London or Paris 

[Man of Kent]

25 friendlies? Why?

[HawkMan]

Makes perfect sense to me holding the launch in Liverpool,  not as if anything else is happening on the sporting front to distract people in that city. 

[Jayme2020]

23 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

I have to say I'm a tad concerned about this project and it's chances of success. New York like London is a very competitive city in terms of entertainment and things to do. If you don't do things right with a sporting venture in these type of cities it could go pear shaped very quickly. 

In the U.S it would've been better to start in a city like Boston or Philadelphia. With a city like New York you have to create the demand first before you really go into a competitive city like New York, London or Paris 

The new lacrosse teams which had lots of hype for the last year well they are the lowest supported team now a rugby team with little to no hype i am worried how bad attendance will be.

[Toby Chopra]

29 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

I have to say I'm a tad concerned about this project and it's chances of success. New York like London is a very competitive city in terms of entertainment and things to do. If you don't do things right with a sporting venture in these type of cities it could go pear shaped very quickly. 

In the U.S it would've been better to start in a city like Boston or Philadelphia. With a city like New York you have to create the demand first before you really go into a competitive city like New York, London or Paris 

Perhaps that's why they're doing a year of friendlies - I expect most will be here focused on team development, but they will be able to target a handful of games against interesting opposition in NYC, but with the focus on the game day supporter experience, not league points. 

[The Daddy]

Just now, Toby Chopra said:

Perhaps that's why they're doing a year of friendlies - I expect most will be here focused on team development, but they will be able to target a handful of games against interesting opposition in NYC, but with the focus on the game day supporter experience, not league points. 

Yeah that's a good point. Use the friendlies to promote the launch season 

[Jayme2020]

1 minute ago, Toby Chopra said:

Perhaps that's why they're doing a year of friendlies - I expect most will be here focused on team development, but they will be able to target a handful of games against interesting opposition in NYC, but with the focus on the game day supporter experience, not league points. 

Which is risky what if they avg less then 1000.

[Toby Chopra]

The biggest takeaway for me from the NYC situation over the last few days is that the RFL now seem fully on board with it. That wasn't quite clear until now, so clearly Wilby has convinced enough people his bid is serious enough to attach themselves to. 

I'm still sceptical about the NYC plan - many of the factors that made Toronto a success are absent here - but I think the chances that this team actually takes the field in the US at some point in the next year are now much higher than they were. 

[Toby Chopra]

3 minutes ago, Jayme2020 said:

Which is risky what if they avg less then 1000.

It will depend on how much money they can spend upfront making it enjoyable event, the numbers don't make the event. I expect to see a lot of free craft beer being handed out over the next year in NYC! 

Also, I don't think they necessarily have to hold the friendlies at RedBull Park, I'd be tempted to have them at smaller more central venues close to your target market. As long as they can fit 3k fans and a big beer garden that should be enough for 2021. 

Then entice them over the river in year 2.

[Hela Wigmen]

If NRL teams won’t sanction their players travelling to the UK for International games and weren’t overly enamoured at the Denver test, why are they suddenly going to fly to New York to a friendly against a side that’s not in a proper league?

[Marty Funkhouser]

41 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

25 friendlies? Why?

It is called insanity...and that's Wilby and anyone who laps this up .

Or he and his mates might just have some new merch to sell. 

 

[Hela Wigmen]

Where are the opponents for these 25 Friendlies coming from?
 

By my reckoning, Super League, Championship and League One will all have an even number of teams, so there will be very few blank weekends. Also, League One sides are not going to fly out to New York for a friendly, needing to potentially facilitate a League game in Canada into their season and the associated troubles that can bring (visas, days off work etc). The Championship or Super League are going for have Toronto too and I can’t see many wanting to put their hands up for another North American trip. 

They’ll have to play friendlies over here but again, the opposition argument arises. 

[Jayme2020]

Just now, Hela Wigmen said:

Where are the opponents for these 25 Friendlies coming from?
 

By my reckoning, Super League, Championship and League One will all have an even number of teams, so there will be very few blank weekends. Also, League One sides are not going to fly out to New York for a friendly, needing to potentially facilitate a League game in Canada into their season and the associated troubles that can bring (visas, days off work etc). The Championship or Super League are going for have Toronto too and I can’t see many wanting to put their hands up for another North American trip. 

They’ll have to play friendlies over here but again, the opposition argument arises. 

Ottawa/Toronto could be the only 2 teams that are willing to travel to NYC.

[Kayakman]

There is a bad smell about this...seems inappropriate that the news conference is in Liverpool.....this could really blowup but time will tell I guess..

[Jayme2020]

Just now, Kayakman said:

There is a bad smell about this...seems inappropriate that the news conference is in Liverpool.....this could really blowup but time will tell I guess..

If i was a fan of NYC the press conferences being in Liverpool would raise some questions.

[ojx]

Also, playing NRL teams in February in New York is madness. 

When TFC were in the CONCAF champions league last year, they had to play a home game in February. It was -15°C and surviving the game from the stands was a feat of survival endurance that Bear Grylls would have been proud of.

TWP have gone for the summer festival atmosphere. This will be a world away from that.

[Kayakman]

Just now, Jayme2020 said:

If i was a fan of NYC the press conferences being in Liverpool would raise some questions.

The problem is Jayme...the fans in England seem to lose all perspective when the name 'New York City' comes up....a glaze goes over their eyes and they seem to drift off into some great void as they think of what might be....then they start mumbling about Niagara Falls.

Its a fact.

[Man of Kent]

44 minutes ago, Marty Funkhouser said:

It is called insanity...and that's Wilby and anyone who laps this up .

Or he and his mates might just have some new merch to sell. 

 

Certainly stretches the outer limits of credibility. Mind you, their colour scheme is really nice. Where can I buy a T-shirt?

[Themusician_2]

Why launch in Liverpool? This franchise is already giving off bad signs.