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Small time SL reaction to the prospect of having Toulouse in their league


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"Financially it makes no sense" - Rival Super League clubs reveal concern about impact of Toulouse promotion reads Yorkshire Live's headline.

The idea that clubs in the top pro tier of any sport would worry about fewer "away fans" adding a pittance to their coffers and the modest cost of some extra travel is stunning and puts this sport in an extremely poor light.  I can't imagine Sky's Comcast owners being remotely impressed.

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And that my dear is the very reason why RL has been a far worse enemy to itself than by any combination of undermining by other sports or organisations.

From the Welsh clubs being cut adrift in the early 1900’s to date, our sport has little vision beyond the confines of the hard shoulder of a well known road reaching East to West. 
 

Sadly we deserve it. 

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It's interesting that there are clubs saying Toulouse will be bad for Super League because Toulouse won't bring any away fans without considering maybe they are bad for Super League because they have no confidence in being able to sell their games.

I mean it's not like clubs travel well these days anyway. Crossing the M62 seems to be considered as daunting as crossing the channel. Yorkshire clubs don't generally bring many fans to the DW and Wigan no longer seem to bring many fans to Yorkshire. I don't see how the losses would be so great as to be a massive burden.

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"But you say it publicly and you get lambasted by people who don’t know the details"

As put by one SL executive who considers there could be financial shortfalls with having two French teams in SL.

I am one of those people who doesn't know the details so I won't comment, it will be interesting to read the reaction of those on these pages that actually do know the details, it should make interesting reading

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And not a single one of them (if we take the article at face value) prepared to come from behind the sofa and show their face in opposition. Gary Hetherington makes them look so short-sighted and lacking any sense of business acumen with the talk of corporate opportunities to actually make MORE cash from Toulouse being in the league.

And if there was ever a compelling argument to keep clubs well away from the decision making and leave it to a governing body with a backbone, then it is encapsulated in this remarkable sentence: 'Another top-flight supremo who did not wish to be named said: “If you had a secret ballot among Super League clubs about whether they want a French team in, it would be 100 per cent no."

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Articles like this are no more than mischief making and written with an agenda. There were really positive quotes in that article from both Hetherington and Catalans and yet the whole slant was about the negativity. 

It's boring, but there is a constant narrative that needs to be fed that the game is full of backward village idiots from journalists who love harming the game. 

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2 minutes ago, Northern Eel said:

And not a single one of them (if we take the article at face value) prepared to come from behind the sofa and show their face.

And if there was ever a compelling argument to keep clubs well away from the decision making and leave it to a governing body with a backbone, then it is encapsulated in this remarkable sentence: 'Another top-flight supremo who did not wish to be named said: “If you had a secret ballot among Super League clubs about whether they want a French team in, it would be 100 per cent no."

Good thing that they cant do anything about it then isn't it

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3 minutes ago, Northern Eel said:

And not a single one of them (if we take the article at face value) prepared to come from behind the sofa and show their face.

And if there was ever a compelling argument to keep clubs well away from the decision making and leave it to a governing body with a backbone, then it is encapsulated in this remarkable sentence: 'Another top-flight supremo who did not wish to be named said: “If you had a secret ballot among Super League clubs about whether they want a French team in, it would be 100 per cent no."

A sentence with no source, claimed to be anonymous, with no comebacks - and despite Hetherington and Catalans showing support that proves the claim to be wrong. 

If SL clubs didn't want French teams in SL, there wouldn't be French clubs in SL. 

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Just now, Dave T said:

A sentence with no source, claimed to be anonymous, with no comebacks - and despite Hetherington and Catalans showing support that proves the claim to be wrong. 

If SL clubs didn't want French teams in SL, there wouldn't be French clubs in SL. 

This. As I mentioned earlier, member clubs become directors of SLE (if I understand correctly) so that will mean 1/6 of SLE is French. Who exactly are these so called snipers actually speaking for?

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10 minutes ago, Northern Eel said:

And not a single one of them (if we take the article at face value) prepared to come from behind the sofa and show their face in opposition. Gary Hetherington makes them look so short-sighted and lacking any sense of business acumen with the talk of corporate opportunities to actually make MORE cash from Toulouse being in the league.

And if there was ever a compelling argument to keep clubs well away from the decision making and leave it to a governing body with a backbone, then it is encapsulated in this remarkable sentence: 'Another top-flight supremo who did not wish to be named said: “If you had a secret ballot among Super League clubs about whether they want a French team in, it would be 100 per cent no."

I think the answer is don’t take the article at face value, I doubt the writer has spoken to any SL chairmen. 

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3 minutes ago, Dave T said:

A sentence with no source, claimed to be anonymous, with no comebacks - and despite Hetherington and Catalans showing support that proves the claim to be wrong. 

If SL clubs didn't want French teams in SL, there wouldn't be French clubs in SL. 

Yup. They didn't want Toronto and made it abundantly clear. I've not heard or seen any other anti-toulouse stuff beyond the OP that is linked to SL chairs.

I hope TO make a fist o it. I really wanted Fev to go up.... then there would have been other negative comments anonymously referencing the same chairs.

TO have earned their place on the field. Fair play to em

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Not bothered about this in the slightest. The thought of another potentially strong, financially secure club is guaranteed to make a few nervous. It's what they need.

The attendance for our home game against Catalans was bigger than the one against Castleford. Away fans shouldn't be a problem. If it is then maybe on that basis we should bin off Castleford too.

For clubs with small attendances, limited or no income from corporate etc I can see how 500-1000 away fans would make a big difference to them financially. But that's only because they're too lazy (or simply refuse) to think outside the box.

Hopefully Toulouse get off to a competitive start next season and we see a few clubs being put under pressure. There are some who have got away with the bare minimum for too long and it's great to see that less than 24 hours after Toulouse's promotion they're already bricking it.

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8 minutes ago, Northern Eel said:

And if there was ever a compelling argument to keep clubs well away from the decision making and leave it to a governing body with a backbone, then it is encapsulated in this remarkable sentence: 'Another top-flight supremo who did not wish to be named said: “If you had a secret ballot among Super League clubs about whether they want a French team in, it would be 100 per cent no."

Assuming that's a genuine and accurately-reported quote, the term "a French team" instead of "another French team" is even more depressing. Whoever it was, I think I can imagine what their cunning plan is for SL - even more club fixtures, at the expense of everything else.

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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2 minutes ago, Eddie said:

I think the answer is don’t take the article at face value, I doubt the writer has spoken to any SL chairmen. 

Let's hope so.

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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If we are to believe this 'source' who conveniently 'did not wish to be named', a 'majority' of SL chairmen don't want to have French teams in SL.

This rather begs the question as to why Catalans have been in SL for the past 15 years?

Alternatively the report could be total twaddle 💩

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2 minutes ago, Robin Evans said:

Yup. They didn't want Toronto and made it abundantly clear. I've not heard or seen any other anti-toulouse stuff beyond the OP that is linked to SL chairs.

I hope TO make a fist o it. I really wanted Fev to go up.... then there would have been other negative comments anonymously referencing the same chairs.

TO have earned their place on the field. Fair play to em

Also Robin the away fans stuff is completely over stated. Fev played Batley, Dewsbury, Fax x2, Bradford at home yet got their highest crowd by some distance for Toulouse. If the scenario is exciting people will come and watch - so build your club up and make it an exciting place to watch RL.

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3 minutes ago, Eddie said:

I think the answer is don’t take the article at face value, I doubt the writer has spoken to any SL chairmen. 

I wouldn't be surprised if they had spoken to one - but claims of speaking for everyone, despite there literally being a supportive claim in the same article, yet needing to remain anonymous shows how much confidence in their view this person has. 

Their numbers (£2m hit) are nonsense too, so it could have been one or two of the usual suspects as their numbers usually are. 

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3 minutes ago, Dave T said:

We also have heard from the prominent Chairmen previously that they see value in Toulouse. 

Articles like this make my blood boil. 

I understand Matthew Shaw writes a lot for the Examiner but no reported tagged to this article.

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1 minute ago, Robin Evans said:

TO in SL might just make for some squeaky chairman's botties come the end of next season when York, Newcastle et al are poised to replace a club that has sat in the comfort zone for years

And what that should do is force clubs to get off their backsides and grow the club (or meet their fate). Hull KR invested in a new CEO and new facilities in 2021 and got their rewards.

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