Re: North America : Mon Dec 18, 2017 11:05 pm  

Great, fantastic, a thriving RL on the other side of the Atlantic. If they do well, then there will be a couple more teams competing at an international level...

...but why the heck are we interested in them playing at a club level in SL or our other leagues?

If they're truly successful (on the scale of other sports in that neck of the woods), then they'll eventually be dismissing Leeds, Wigan, Saints et al as "small UK towns" that aren't worthy of playing in "our" league.

Folk should be careful what they wish for.

Re: North America : Tue Dec 19, 2017 6:47 am  

luke ShipleyRed wrote:

It's intresting though most of the people massively advocating total expansion, don't support clubs that will be effected by this. You can't help thinking if it involved there clubs losing a SL place for an expansion team. Would they be so keen.

To put this one to bed, my view on that is ultimately that it's incumbent on the club to put themselves in a position where they aren't at risk of falling out of SL. If I thought my club was being badly run and failing to progress, I'd call it out.

And whilst I am a Leeds fan, I've also been a shareholder at Bramley. If you want me to regale you of stories where clubs who were strong advocates of automatic P&R when it suited them would regularly vote against it for clubs looking to enter the National League structure (including the one you support), do pull up a chair.

Re: North America : Tue Dec 19, 2017 9:11 am  

HXSparky wrote:

Great, fantastic, a thriving RL on the other side of the Atlantic. If they do well, then there will be a couple more teams competing at an international level...

...but why the heck are we interested in them playing at a club level in SL or our other leagues?

If they're truly successful (on the scale of other sports in that neck of the woods), then they'll eventually be dismissing Leeds, Wigan, Saints et al as "small UK towns" that aren't worthy of playing in "our" league.

Folk should be careful what they wish for.

i that should happen, then what a triumph for global rugby league that would be. just for balance. the most successful side in american football history, is the small town Green bay packers, the stadium holds more than the towns population.

Re: North America : Thu Dec 21, 2017 3:47 am  

bramleyrhino wrote:

To put this one to bed, my view on that is ultimately that it's incumbent on the club to put themselves in a position where they aren't at risk of falling out of SL. If I thought my club was being badly run and failing to progress, I'd call it out.

And whilst I am a Leeds fan, I've also been a shareholder at Bramley. If you want me to regale you of stories where clubs who were strong advocates of automatic P&R when it suited them would regularly vote against it for clubs looking to enter the National League structure (including the one you support), do pull up a chair.

I wasn't being critical of anyone in particular. I was just making the point that it's easier to be for something when it won't affect your club. Half the arguments on here about expansion are because of the above point. With people not willing to see the others point of view.
And I know pretty much every club in RL is self serving. Look at the TV money when Bradford went into administration. Rather than doing the right thing (ie putting it into grassroots,etc). The first thing the clubs did was get there share. In my opinion it's why we're standing still. It's not what's best for RL. But what's best for my club.

Back on topic, there is one thing I don't understand. We're thinking/looking at putting all this effort into USA. When there are 2 countries right next to us in Scotland & Ireland, that we're ignoring.

Re: North America : Thu Dec 21, 2017 4:59 am  

rollin thunder wrote:

i that should happen, then what a triumph for global rugby league that would be. just for balance. the most successful side in american football history, is the small town Green bay packers, the stadium holds more than the towns population.

Tbf the Packers are probably the best supported small City sports team in the World. Getting their support from the whole of Wisconsin, their Metro area & from bigger Cities nearby like Milwaukee & Madison, because they're the only NFL team in the State, much like The Milwaukee Brewers do in the MLB.

Although not that far off, Lambeau holds just over 80k, 20 odd thousand less than the Population of the City of Green Bay.

Re: North America : Thu Dec 21, 2017 6:08 pm  

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."

Re: North America : Thu Dec 21, 2017 6:13 pm  

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote:

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?

Re: North America : Thu Dec 21, 2017 6:17 pm  

vastman wrote:

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?

Re: North America : Thu Dec 21, 2017 6:59 pm  

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote:

Topping League One decisively and getting promoted to the Championship in its first year.

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".

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote:

Getting an average crowd of 7,000 in its first year. (That is nearly double Wakefield's average).

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)

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote:

Having a television contract.

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

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote:

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

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.

Re: North America : Thu Dec 21, 2017 8:38 pm  

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