For all these doom and gloomers about Toronto just give it some time. I've seen first hand the work the Wolfpack are doing and whilst mistakes are being made along the way they are trying to showcase the sport outside of the M62 corridor. The Saracens game move has come from Saracens not the Wolfpack. The goalposts kept being moved and eventually the Wolfpack said shove it. Ealing isn't ideal and other venues have been explored but given the time frame it is what it is.
I'm looking forward to fans coming over to Toronto to experience the event. Because that's what it will be. 10,000 fans in a stadium. How many other Super League teams are going to have those attendances this year?
I have no idea how much time, money or resource have been put into THIS! I was referencing what had been done in the past as a comparison. Surely since launching PSG in 1996 and other projects since, there would be plan for how to or not to do it. What lessons have been learnt to 1) make it a success 2) stop the sport having yet another failed project team.
Whilst the game being moved may have been initiated by Saracens, it doesn't look good to the outside or casual fan.
Mathew Shaw on twitter confirms Toronto v Saints will NOT take place. Almost certainly to be now at Trailfinders ground! But nothing confirmed.
Humans are more concerned with having than being.
I won’t go on about attendances and academies and the like, I feel it’s stupid to mention it when you’re talking about a club that is still very new to the game.
However, I will mention the venues. When they were promoted, they mentioned about taking games to Amsterdam, Belgrade and Rotterdam amongst other places, they’re taking games to Leeds, Toulouse and North West London and even then, it’s being relocated at six weeks’ notice to a ground in Ealing that resembles Ruskin Drive. For all this talk of “changing Rugby League forever” and the hyperbole and hysteria they create, they’re delivering very little.
St Helens Rugby League Football Club
I was / am for expansion and want to see the Toronto model work. But I have to say after watching the documentary on them and the things that have happened so far I am now convinced that they are a whack job club. Today’s press conference has the coach saying Toronto will redefine RL.
You would think ‘Hey let’s play a season in SL make friends get fans to enjoy the away trip etc’. But no, they moan about the salary cap ( rumour because SBW has a knee injury) and are struggling for players. Asking for special measures ( which they have already got in other ways).
Muting they are looking at picking off Saracen players if possible..I have been a defender of Brian McDermott previously but after seeing him on the documentary and the things he has said recently I think he has lost his mind..
It’s not a good start.
Humans are more concerned with having than being.
I have been lucky enough to spend time with RL great people like Schofield very entertaining. Paul Rowley a top lad just to name two. Two others Brian McDermott and Karl Harrisson well you can't win em all.
I’d sooner give Toronto time and see how they go. I’d rather have them in the SL than either Fev or Leigh, both clubs offer nothing. Fev are just a Leeds Reserve side while Leigh have got a basket case putting money into the club then deciding to not bother, then change his mind again until things don’t go his way.
Fair enough.
So what are Toronto bringing to the table that's different. Bar a really expensive away trip? And believe me, I love to travel, but when I watch my team in a European comp, I don't think it's the best having to fork out best part of 1500 quid for a league fixture.
I think Ralph may have been jilted by a Canadian bird at some point.
My “gripe”, which is arguably a bit harsh, with the Saints game is just how poor it’s all been. As someone who works in London, I have seen absolutely nothing in terms of marketing or engagement in any way. I’ve had people I work with become intrigued by Toronto, largely due to the Sonny Bill signing, and when I’ve told them about the game at Saracens, they’ve acted in complete shock and knew nothing about it. It may have been because they couldn’t guarantee the use of the stadium but if the guarantee of 5k was needed, they’ve done absolutely nothing to attempt to engage the people of London at all.
Even moving it to London Broncos isn’t ideal. It’s comparable to Ruskin Drive in many ways, that’s hardly going to paint the game and Toronto in a particularly great light. The idea of a “London Series” isn’t a bad one, with Broncos possibly holding three games (London S v North Wales, Broncos v Sheffield and Toronto v Saints) that day. You could potentially market three games and showcase the sport and London’s clubs quite well but with six weeks notice, I will be surprised if they even get 2k through the door now.
St Helens Rugby League Football Club
SBW refusing to wear the Toronto shirt unless Bet Fred label taken off it says in this mornings paper
I'm a bit confused over the Toronto piece on sky's website. McDermott is talking about additional teams, it then says that Hemel have been given permission to relocate. To Canada? The article then continues about Toronto. How do you relocate a non professional club thousands of miles away? Do they just take the name, or is this just shoddy writing from Sky?