Changing theme a little.

I am ecstatic about the success of Toronto (4th largest metropolitan area in north America). I am also hopeful about New York, but less confident because it is not the marketing wizard Eric Perez directly involved in the venture. But if we had successful ventures in New York --- USA's biggest metropolitan area -- and Toronto, which is Canada's biggest, then we would have a powerful base for further expansion throughout north America. In time we could be optimistic about Montreal, and some selections from Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and Jacksonville following on.

With some of those we would have a big slice of northeastern America in our pocket. That would be the greatest development in the history of the game since 1895. Compared to those markets, those who whine about the future of Leigh, Widnes etc. are examples of what John Lennon called "Nowhere Man," .. as the song states "making all his nowhere plans for nobody."

I love this, so what success is that then?

Topping League One decisively and getting promoted to the Championship in its first year.
Getting an average crowd of 7,000 in its first year. (That is nearly double Wakefield's average).
Having a television contract.

Didn't you hear about all that? Where have you been?

I don't think anyone looked at the squad they assembled and saw any other outcome.....so doing what is 100% expected is satisfactory, not success worthy of "ecstasy".

5,289 was the Wakey average....so 7k (yeah....right) was 30% more. If we take the claimed attendances as correct, even though the handful of travelling supporters cast doubt on the claims, the TV pictures pointed to some pretty full beer tents and the sheer number of free tickets that were handed out, then that is impressive in year 1.......but there has been little in the way of press razamataz from St Eric of Perez about the fiscal outcomes of 2017.......only a re gigging of the 2018 fixtures to favour the home team and massively reduce their travel (expenses)



Still awaiting the viewing figures and fiscal details from the normally effervescent Mr P....


We heard.......but what we saw and what we've been told just don't seem to match......

Mr Perez and his backers are in for a shock if they think 1.8 million a year from SKY is going to build them a club that will cost 5 million to run......Wigan is as exotic as Hunslet to your average Toronto resident.....let's see how they do fiscally in 2018, because without a doubt they will be challenging for SL at the end of this coming season.

Toronto have achieved in a year what the likes of wakefield have been trying for , for a hundred years. An average attendance of over 5k

Regards

King James

lol.......isn't there an 'ANGLING" forum missing you?

Toronto sold a load of season tickets for 2017 on the back of a lot of hype for £118. This year, in the Championship, they're charging £147. Like all clubs, they can count season ticket holders in their attendance figures whether they turn up or not.

Fail to gain promotion to SL for 2019 and maybe see the door closed for a few years (assuming they're treated the same as UK clubs) and I suspect their attendance numbers could diminish rather rapidly.

Interesting https://www.theguardian.com/sport/no-he ... ootball-us

Interesting https://www.theguardian.com/sport/no-he ... ootball-us

Interesting https://www.theguardian.com/sport/no-he ... ootball-us

Interesting https://www.theguardian.com/sport/no-he ... ootball-us

It would seem the Toronto v Fax game will be played at London Skolars- Odd choice

Quote ="Huddersfield1895"Interesting https://www.theguardian.com/sport/no-he ... ootball-us'" How many NFL rejects did Toronto pick up in 2017?

Quote ="Huddersfield1895"Interesting https://www.theguardian.com/sport/no-he ... ootball-us'" How many NFL rejects did Toronto pick up in 2017?

It is too early to be using this criterion yet as a measure of anything Gutters.

Be careful with your cynicism about Toronto.

No it isn't. Rugby League is not a game that can be picked up quickly and you'd be better off getting younger players into the game and them learning and developing slowly as was the case with LMS or Clubb to name but 2.........but Toronto and NA expansion fans are adamant that failed NFL players are ripe for the picking.......yet we've seen none so far.


Why....is there a sharp edge or is it hot? Why be careful?

8k average gates was bull, there are tales of multiple unpaid bills and companies chasing them, companies being set up and then folding, the rearranged 2018 fixture list with less travel, half empty flights between Toronto and Manchester last year and multiple social media stories of players out on the drink most nights during the season as they knew they could beat their opponents with ease.....
Hey, I'd love Toronto to do well and don't care if they replace any other side, but at present, they have simply won a league they were expected to, flogged the 'arris out of Facebook, run beer festivals and given away tickets like confetti and raised many eyebrows in terms of their compliance with the salary cap......their 2018 Squad wouldn't finish bottom of the SL, but apparently their squad are doing it for "the experience".
I also wonder at the expectation of how big a draw Wigan will be in Toronto as opposed to Batley, when most Canadians could maybe find London on a map of the UK and that would be it.......and I believe that at present it looks very much like a "crusaders" situation, with the expected 1.8 million in sky cash seen as the answer to their fiscal needs.....it isn't.
Salford vToronto isn't going to appeal to TV networks over there either...especially when you tune in and there's more camera crew than fans at the ground......North Americans go big or go home........Toulouse playing in a 4k french pig-sty isn't going to have ESPN flashing the cash!

Toronto home fixtures will be similar to Catalan home fixtures, in so far as the crowd will be made up of 95%++ of home fans and it's their own fans who they have to please and IF they can fill their ground and make it look full/pretty for the cameras, any broadcaster would be happy, after all, they are chasing revenue from advertisers and not bothered about who may be at the game.
With respect to your comments regarding Batley and Wigan, I doubt that too many Canadians will have heard of either of them and if Mr Perez & Co can sell "the product" AND if they are competitive, especially at home, then maybe, the locals will get on board.
Of course, this doesn't get rid of the elephant in the room as to whether The Championship/ Super League are compatible with the inclusion of North American clubs, which is a far greater issue than whether Toronto can actually make it that far (SL).
The inclusion of N. American clubs in SL could kill the sport in the UK and perhaps a little more building of foundations needs doing before anyone considers the next step ?

How exactly could this possibly happen? What would be the process?

It all depends on just how many N. American clubs were included in SL and how many British clubs were in there.
For instance, IF there were 3 or 4 N American clubs and say, 2 French clubs, with 6 UK based clubs, what would happen to the number of fans attending games in this country. Would numbers go up or down ?

Also, "demoting" any number of English clubs could bring about their demise. At the very least it would see a huge drop in fan numbers in this country, something that the game can ill afford and lets face it, the domestic game isn't exactly in rude health, is it ?

Of course, it may well be that the N. American "experiment" is so successful, that the game takes off over there, which would be great for the sport. However, on the basis that for some time they will have to draw ALL of their players from either the UK or Australia, what will this do the quality of the comp in SL ?

Lets not even contemplate any of the N. American clubs going pop, ala Paris etc.

Toronto games on Premiere last year looked very empty and exceedingly tin-pot. Unlike this time last year, the Perez-Pipeline isn't awash with press releases about sponsors, TV deals etc, rather lots and lots of "buy a ST" posts....buyIng 23k followers on FB isn't the same as having them BTW.


Lots of maybes there.......and as I have said, they are apparently being chased by suppliers for payment left right and whilst their sponsors contribution is vastly reduced for 2018......it's walking like a duck and quacking like a duck.......and Perez et al would rather discuss New York now......all good con artists managed to attract attention elsewhere.



Not one North American has taken up the sport as yet......but what has happened is that 30 UK/ANZAC players have been removed from the English player pool....not a fatal blow but something akin to the use of leeches to treat disease back in the dark ages.....

Top post, fella