Euro X111

[langpark]

The stated plan is for a cup format for only 1 year.

Well all know what field hockey is. Rugby League is for a lot of people a bit of an unknown. It's not an apples to apples comparison.
Rugby League is an entertaining game at any level. I have no doubt that amateurs training 3 times a week under decent coaches could put on a good game. Potential audiences in Italy and Spain won't be comparing it to NRL for some time. Much like I expect you or I probably couldn't tell a high level amateur game of hockey from a pro one.
And I have no doubt that's its more likely to catch eyeballs with a quality presentation. No one's gonna pay attention to a sport played out of a backwater park with no seating and filmed with a phone camera.

You do make some good points. I think I would just feel more at ease about this if more established teams were involved. There are teams in Serbia, Czech Republic and Ukraine that are now over a decade old. I know that is an infant compared to Aussie and UK clubs, but it's a much firmer foundation than what I am currently seeing, which is a 'team' that has yet to play a match (Verona) and Valencia, which has only played one.

 

[adamkungl]

You do make some good points. I think I would just feel more at ease about this if more established teams were involved. There are teams in Serbia, Czech Republic and Ukraine that are now over a decade old. I know that is an infant compared to Aussie and UK clubs, but it's a much firmer foundation than what I am currently seeing, which is a 'team' that has yet to play a match (Verona) and Valencia, which has only played one.

If the RLEF and this Euro mob can get on the same page with 1 idea, which is obviously what we all hope, then I'd expect teams like Red Star and more to get involved.

 

[yakstorm]

So if the Euro XIII plan is simply to be amateur and the RLEF's is to be professional, you could argue that there is room for both competitions in Europe, although you'd need to work together with regards to positioning as to not confuse sponsors / fans / broadcasters / etc.

For me, just because of the limited history of Rugby League in a lot of the areas in Europe taking part in Euro XIII (they've named Moldova, Austria and Portugal as three areas that will be in Euro XIII today) and the exclusion of areas with some form of stronghold (ie. Serbia, France, England), I just can't see broadcasters wanting to take on the sport (unless Euro XIII pays for the broadcast costs and gives it to broadcasters for free) or huge sponsorship dollars being available. In many ways, it feels more like a 'development' competition than anything else.

At least for the RLEF's professional competition, it will be easier (still difficult, but easier) for them to attract sponsors and broadcasters.

 

[langpark]

Exactly, there seem far too many flaws in the plan for it to work and there seems to still be a serious conflict in their core ideas between being amateur and pro. Between bottom-up and top-down development structures.

I also find it odd that (aside from the Spanish and Italian rep on the podcast) no club or national federation seems to have publicly backed this concept as yet. Yet a few have publicly distanced themselves.

Anyway, we'll see how this unfolds, but 16 teams now sounds so much more far-fetched than the initial 8.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Catalan
Toulouse
Toronto
Ottowa
New York
West Wales Raiders
North Wales Crusaders
Valencia Hurricanes
Red Star Belgrade

There is a great start to your Euro XIII pro comp (remember that Canada and the USA are RLEF member nations).

 

[Dakink]

 

[Dakink]

 

[deluded pom?]

You beat me to it dak.

 

[Dakink]

You beat me to it dak.

Happens when you wake at 4am lol


Thoughts on the first two announcements?

 

[deluded pom?]

Happens when you wake at 4am lol


Thoughts on the first two announcements?

I didn’t realise Brussels were still going. It looks like they’re going down the route of capital cities. Who else? Amsterdam, Oslo, Paris? I’d like to see the eventual winners rewarded with entry into the Challenge Cup.

 

[yakstorm]

I didn’t realise Brussels were still going. It looks like they’re going down the route of capital cities. Who else? Amsterdam, Oslo, Paris? I’d like to see the eventual winners rewarded with entry into the Challenge Cup.

Isn't the Italian representative set to be in the North? and we know Valencia will be the Spanish representative, so they aren't specifically targeting just capitals.

There won't be any representative from France in the competition, however we expect Austria, Moldova and Portugal to all have teams based upon this tweet:


Germany has said that they won't be in either the RLEF or Euro XIII competition in 2021, but hope to join in future years, so it rules them out.

Anyway, will be interesting to see where this goes.

Catalan
Toulouse
Toronto
Ottowa
New York
West Wales Raiders
North Wales Crusaders
Valencia Hurricanes
Red Star Belgrade

There is a great start to your Euro XIII pro comp (remember that Canada and the USA are RLEF member nations).

It would definitely make sense to build any Professional European competition from existing clubs, and definitely it wouldn't take much money to lure the two Welsh teams to join the likes of Valencia and Red Star.

Catalans and Toronto wouldn't leave Super League in the short term, would be commercial suicide for them, whilst for New York and Ottawa, the reality is, it would be too cost prohibitive for them to join a Pan-European competition. Flying in and out of one country is expensive enough but flying to the UK is definitely cheaper than most of Europe from North America plus it is easier to get in country partners if most of your games are based within driving distance of a common city (ie. Manchester or Bradford)

You'd possibly want to try targeting a few of the French Elite teams, to build out the competition and arguably have France as the 'central point' of the competition.

 

[deluded pom?]

The plot thickens.

 

[yakstorm]

An amateur European Women's Rugby League competition is arguably an easier sell than an amateur Men's Rugby League competition, so this expansion could be a smart strategic move.

With many broadcasters looking to increase the amount of Women's Sporting content they show, less competition in the space and a more fluid player market (there are very few 'professional' female Rugby players in either code in Europe) making it easier to attract quality talent in many ways this could be the more successful Product if Euro XIII succeeds.

 

[deluded pom?]

And then there were three.

 

[deluded pom?]

 

[deluded pom?]

I’ve only just realised that the EXIII badge only has twelve stars on it.

 

[deluded pom?]

 

[Dakink]

So far we have,

North Brussel Gorillas (Belgium)
Dublin Blues (Ireland)
Budapest (Hungary)
Mad Squirrels (Czech Republic)

 

[The Partisan]

The proposed Dublin Blues club could look at aligning themselves with the Australian 'Confraternity of Brothers Clubs'.

With Brothers clubs ... usually using the nickname of 'The Fighting Irish or Leprechauns' ... playing across the country, though concentrated in Qld, it would be a great opportunity to help the game in Ireland.

This could be through player exchanges, coaching assistance, administrative and possible financial assistance.

 

[deluded pom?]