Toulouse Olympique Progress Report

[The Daddy]

I like the way the club is chugging along right now. They didn't go out and make huge signings in the off season, they've opted to give game time to home grown players and so far so good. At this stage there is no obvious runaway team in the Championship, but based on the first few games if TO can keep their key players fit they'll be in the mix with the likes of Widnes, Barrow, Bradford etc. 

It seems at though they've made a big effort to increase their crowds and there has been an increase in matchday attendance so far this year which is positive and bodes well moving forward. The club posted nearly 6,000 attending at yesterdays game. 

The new president Olivier Dubiois has said in an interview last year that he is pushing for the club to play out of a newly developed 10,000 capacity stadium in the future. I'm in agreement with this thinking, the club played at its own ground Stade Minimes prior to its renovation being opposed by local residents, the atmosphere was great and capacity appropriate to the size of the club. Stade Ernest Wallon is a great arena but it's just too big for where Toulouse are right now. 

Only negative from the game was Calum Gahan being taken off, let's hope it's not a prolonged long term injury.

 

 

[Eddie]

If that attendance figure is correct nearly 6,000 for TO v Hunslet in the championship is phenomenal. 

[Spidey]

21 minutes ago, Eddie said:

If that attendance figure is correct nearly 6,000 for TO v Hunslet in the championship is phenomenal. 

It was a double header and Hunslet was the curtain raiser

[langpark]

Yes Albi and Carcassonne brought at least half the amount of spectators.

To be honest, Toulouse worry me.  I want them so bad to succeed, but I see so many parallels with Sheffield.

1. Big city
2. Heartland / not heartland area
3. Even when they have success, crowds don't really seem to grow much

I am sure living in Stade Toulousain's shadow doesn't help either.  They are insanely popular in France, so it's a tricky one to try and market yourselves when they are playing in the same stadium.  I hope they can pull it off and become a bigger club and a SL powerhouse some day (on and off the field).

[RS]

Albi had a huge following all the way to Narbonne (which is over twice as far) last year for the GF with the club putting on coaches,I suspect more than half the crowd were there for the Lord Derby Semi 

Edited March 23 by RS

[Trojan Horse]

Toulouse are around 2000-2500 average crowds so I would be very surprised to see that jump to 6000. 
 

if they have found a way to manipulate IMG scoring though it could be a wise move. 
 

Getting double header a few times through season and passing off the full figure as Toulouse figures could get average into next bracket. Smart maybe but not a true reflection of their crowds perhaps. 
 

 

[preid]

11 minutes ago, Trojan Horse said:

Toulouse are around 2000-2500 average crowds so I would be very surprised to see that jump to 6000. 
 

if they have found a way to manipulate IMG scoring though it could be a wise move. 
 

Getting double header a few times through season and passing off the full figure as Toulouse figures could get average into next bracket. Smart maybe but not a true reflection of their crowds perhaps. 
 

 

Last year they dipped just below 2,700 average from 2,931 (4,967 when in SL). They need to get back up close to 3,400 to keep the IMG points and the Widnes attendance was disappointing but 3,700 against Bradford plus yesterday brings them back on track. I really don't think there is any manipulation. Yes, the core turnout was probably around 3,500 but the way they are playing that may well continue now. The double-header worked really well but probably can't be repeated this season. Finally, the atmosphere there seems excellent whatever the occasion. 

[The Daddy]

1 hour ago, Spidey said:

It was a double header and Hunslet was the curtain raiser

No Hunslet wasn't the curtain raiser 

[The Daddy]

1 hour ago, langpark said:

Yes Albi and Carcassonne brought at least half the amount of spectators.

To be honest, Toulouse worry me.  I want them so bad to succeed, but I see so many parallels with Sheffield.

1. Big city
2. Heartland / not heartland area
3. Even when they have success, crowds don't really seem to grow much

I am sure living in Stade Toulousain's shadow doesn't help either.  They are insanely popular in France, so it's a tricky one to try and market yourselves when they are playing in the same stadium.  I hope they can pull it off and become a bigger club and a SL powerhouse some day (on and off the field).

That's the spirit, turn everything into a negative 

[langpark]

2 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

That's the spirit, turn everything into a negative 

Brilliant rebuttal. 

[The Daddy]

1 hour ago, langpark said:

Yes Albi and Carcassonne brought at least half the amount of spectators.

To be honest, Toulouse worry me.  I want them so bad to succeed, but I see so many parallels with Sheffield.

1. Big city
2. Heartland / not heartland area
3. Even when they have success, crowds don't really seem to grow much

I am sure living in Stade Toulousain's shadow doesn't help either.  They are insanely popular in France, so it's a tricky one to try and market yourselves when they are playing in the same stadium.  I hope they can pull it off and become a bigger club and a SL powerhouse some day (on and off the field).

They're nothing like Sheffield. Has Sheffield ever had attendances of 10,000 in the Championship? No 

Toulouse has twice for play off games. 

Actually not many Championship clubs do get the attendances of TO, so im not sure why they're being held to a higher standard.

Toulouse has far solid investment and backing than Sheffield has ever had.

What will decide the success or failure of TO will be an extended time in SL in the same way Catalan has, nothing to do with Stade Toulousain. 

[The Daddy]

7 minutes ago, langpark said:

Brilliant rebuttal. 

Well the points you were making weren't brilliant. I really don't know what attendances you expect French clubs to get at Championship level. Catalan Dragons never got attendances above 1000 until they arrived in SL. 

Attendances are a good indication of support but for some people it's an obsession. They can only be judged after an extended period in SL in a covid free situation 

[langpark]

13 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

Well the points you were making weren't brilliant. I really don't know what attendances you expect French clubs to get at Championship level. Catalan Dragons never got attendances above 1000 until they arrived in SL. 

Attendances are a good indication of support but for some people it's an obsession. They can only be judged after an extended period in SL in a covid free situation 

It's not an obsession, it's the key indicator of a club's ability to be viable.  and yes, you are right, they are playing at Championship level after all. 

Also, let me repeat, I am hopeful they get to SL and remain there for years!  

[The Daddy]

1 minute ago, langpark said:

It's not an obsession, it's the key indicator of a club's ability to be viable.  and yes, you are right, they are playing at Championship level after all. 

Also, let me repeat, I am hopeful they get to SL and remain there for years!  

Not in France it is. French sports clubs get most of their income from local, city and regional bodies.

This is one of the reasons why Catalan Dragons rarely have attendances over say 12,000 but are one of the highest income generating clubs in Europe. 

 

[preid]

You are both on the same side really   Anyway as long as they keep the current attendance levels - quite likely - add a point to their finance score - quite possible - they will be in SL next season even if they don't win the Grand Final. They will be a great addition and if covid had not happened (lost best players) they might well have consolidated back then as they had bigger crowds than both Huddersfield and Salford in that season. Club has great potential.

[Eddie]

2 hours ago, langpark said:

Yes Albi and Carcassonne brought at least half the amount of spectators.

To be honest, Toulouse worry me.  I want them so bad to succeed, but I see so many parallels with Sheffield.

1. Big city
2. Heartland / not heartland area
3. Even when they have success, crowds don't really seem to grow much

I am sure living in Stade Toulousain's shadow doesn't help either.  They are insanely popular in France, so it's a tricky one to try and market yourselves when they are playing in the same stadium.  I hope they can pull it off and become a bigger club and a SL powerhouse some day (on and off the field).

Such a shame, as I imagine the actual game is so much better at TO than Stade. 

Edited March 23 by Eddie

[PECETTO]

1 hour ago, Trojan Horse said:

Toulouse are around 2000-2500 average crowds so I would be very surprised to see that jump to 6000. 
 

if they have found a way to manipulate IMG scoring though it could be a wise move. 
 

Getting double header a few times through season and passing off the full figure as Toulouse figures could get average into next bracket. Smart maybe but not a true reflection of their crowds perhaps. 
 

 

For manipulation you seems to be the king. 

[Charlie]

I always thought with Toulouse they lack a strong pack, produced some good backs but not many top level forward 

[The Daddy]

5 minutes ago, Charlie said:

I always thought with Toulouse they lack a strong pack, produced some good backs but not many top level forward 

I do think they would need to recruit heavily to be competitive in SL

[Trojan Horse]

4 hours ago, PECETTO said:

For manipulation you seems to be the king. 

What a very strange response. 
 

If the full amount can be counted as Toulouse attendance figures despite it being to watch another game then that would be manipulating the img scoring to their advantage. I see this as quite smart of Toulouse. 
 

Care to explain what you mean by that comment about me?
 

I’m not quite sure how me saying Toulouse has been smart has turned into a personal attack on me… 

Edited March 24 by Trojan Horse

[NRLandSL]

How good has Benjamin Laguerre looked so far. 8 tries in 4 games, some incredible finishing. Wouldn’t be surprised if SL clubs are looking at him.

[Archie Gordon]

I think you can be very supportive of TO (I am) but also look at them objectively and see no obvious off-field progress since the new regime took over. They still very much need fans. Having been over quite a few times now, I'm a little sceptical that there are thousands in the stand where the cameras are when there are only hundreds in the East Stand. And the DHs *are* manipulative but, yes, clever if they can do that.

[Worzel]

13 hours ago, The Daddy said:

They're nothing like Sheffield. Has Sheffield ever had attendances of 10,000 in the Championship? No 

Toulouse has twice for play off games. 

Actually not many Championship clubs do get the attendances of TO, so im not sure why they're being held to a higher standard.

Toulouse has far solid investment and backing than Sheffield has ever had.

What will decide the success or failure of TO will be an extended time in SL in the same way Catalan has, nothing to do with Stade Toulousain. 

I think the perception issue is down to crowd sizes when they were in Super League, magnified by the fact the stadium they play in is too big for them. 

The reality is though that teams in new markets need to be given time if we want them to work. I went over to see UTC just before and just after the rebranded to Catalans Dragons, the year before they got into Super League. Around 1,000 maybe 1,500 at most. And yet in their 3rd year in Super League, having been saved from relegation prior, they were really starting to motor with audience growth. Look at them now? Second biggest revenue base in the competition, not just healthy crowds but also huge corporate high-price ticket sales (ironically making the other, idiotic English clubs tax them for travel costs).

Hopefully if they do replace Salford at the end of the year the current model will enable Toulouse to similarly have time to build. Much more scope in that city to grow far beyond the Dragons success. Of course we'll probably be a 10-team league on the M62 by then if Project Nigel gets its way. Never mind eh.  

[oiseau]

The Gahan injury  looks like the Achilles tendon rupture according  to a very glum Houles post-match. Gahan has grown into the no.9 shirt over the past year and his loss is immense, up there with the Ford shoulder injury a few years back when promotion seemed inévitable. Rodriguez has done well when replacing  Gahan . I would like to see Brochon given a chance to slow into the team, he looks comfortable  wherever he’s asked to play.

Ryan Rivett at no.6 is a big miss but the club did well to reject his inflated wage demands  imo. Lacans has done well when coming on in the last quarter in the games I've seen. Cator and Butler have also impressed.

[The Daddy]

1 hour ago, oiseau said:

The Gahan injury  looks like the Achilles tendon rupture according  to a very glum Houles post-match. Gahan has grown into the no.9 shirt over the past year and his loss is immense, up there with the Ford shoulder injury a few years back when promotion seemed inévitable. Rodriguez has done well when replacing  Gahan . I would like to see Brochon given a chance to slow into the team, he looks comfortable  wherever he’s asked to play.

Ryan Rivett at no.6 is a big miss but the club did well to reject his inflated wage demands  imo. Lacans has done well when coming on in the last quarter in the games I've seen. Cator and Butler have also impressed.

How long can we expect Gahan to be out for? He's looked really good so far this season.