Ottawa

[Foreign Legion]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5142569
Eric Perez has done it again.

A rugby league enthusiast, the Toronto native first hatched the idea of bringing the sport to Canada on a fish-and-chips wrapper. That turned into the Toronto Wolfpack becoming the first transatlantic rugby league team in 2017.

Now a "super-excited" Perez has got the green light to put a franchise in Ottawa. And he has a wealth of experience from the building Wolfpack from scratch to get the ball rolling again.

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"I think I'm more excited this time because I know what it takes and I know what we already have locked in, so I know that we're in a great position," he said Monday from England.

• Toronto Wolfpack founder wants to bring a pro rugby team to Ottawa

Perez heads a Canadian consortium that acquired England's Hemel Stags team in the hope of moving it to Ottawa. On Monday, the governing body of English rugby league approved the Stags relocation.

"The application for Hemel Stags to be relocated to Ottawa has been accepted in principle — although both the RFL and the consortia have agreed that some further work is required before it can be confirmed that the Stags will be ready to start the 2020 season in Ottawa," the Rugby Football League said in a statement.

Wolfpack pave the way
The Ottawa team would start in the third-tier Betfred League One, as the Wolfpack did when they started in 2017.

Perez says his group is mulling over whether to start life in 2020 or 2021.

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"With regard to the New York bid, the RFL and the consortium have agreed that entry into League One in time for 2020 is not achievable without placing the club under undue pressure, because it is a startup operation without the benefit of existing operations already being in place, and due to some change in the ownership structure during the process," the RFL said.

"The RFL has therefore encouraged the club to work towards entry into League One in 2021."

Perez says he expects rugby league to spread to more Canadian cities, saying he has already been contacted by groups in Montreal and Vancouver.

"This could be a big thing for Canada," he said.

The Wolfpack won promotion to the second-tier Championship in 2017, narrowly missing out on graduating to the elite Super League last year. Toronto currently tops the Championship table at 13-1-0.

Hemel withdrew from League One for the 2019 season with an eye to returning in 2020.

Ownership group includes Redblacks, 67s
Perez's ownership group is working with the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG), which owns the CFL Redblacks, OHL 67's and USL Championship's Ottawa Fury FC (USL). OSEG also manages TD Place stadium and arena.

"Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group's infrastructure means so much that we had to worry about before is taken care off," Perez said.

The Stags debuted in 1981 in Hemel Hempstead, located 35 kilometres northwest of London.

As founder and CEO, Perez was the face of the Wolfpack when its blueprint was announced in 2016. But he stepped away from the team to work on further expanding the game.

Perez said he will step down from the Wolfpack's board of directors while maintain a minority ownership role.

David Argyle, a Toronto-based Australian entrepreneur who heads up the Wolfpack ownership group, has taken a more prominent public role.

In addition to Toronto, the RFL currently has two French clubs in the Catalan Dragons (in the Super League) and Toulouse Olympique (in the Championship).

Rugby league is the 13-man version of the game, distinct from 15-man rugby union.

Perez says his hope is to introduce more Canadian talent via the Ottawa team, as well as start a rivalry with Toronto — perhaps in the former of some kind of Canadian cup competition so they can meet even when in separate divisions.

 

[Perth Tiger]

Ottawa to enter League 1

Championship and League 1 clubs have been notified by the Rugby Football League that Ottawa will enter League 1 for the 2021 season.

Toronto Wolfpack founder Eric Perez bought the license of RFL member club Hemel Tags last year and will relocate the club to Canada. They are keen on utilising Canadian players and are in no rush to reach Super League.

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/off-the-record-rugby-league-rumours-and-gossip-199/

Haven't seen this confirmed anywhere else yet but looks like it will get through.

Article also mentions New York looking at 2022 entry as the RFL didn't want 2 new NA teams at the same time

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/off-the-record-rugby-league-rumours-and-gossip-184/

Ottawa want central funding

Ottawa’s delayed entry to League 1 follows a wrangle over central funding, with owner Eric Perez arguing he shouldn’t have to waive his right to the central distribution as he owns a member club, having taken over Hemel’s licence with the RFL.

Any overseas club wishing to join the league is being asked to waive rights to central funding. While it’s not an issue in the lower leagues, particularly with its likely reduction or even abolition in 2021, prospective owners are concerned at the impact of not being able to take central funding when they reach Super League.

it seems insane that they cant get central funding like any England-based club...

Its fine to reject any special treatment, but surely they should get the same as the rest.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

New York to get green light

The New York bid to join League 1 from 2021 is expected to get the nod by the end of the year.

They will enter the third tier alongside Ottawa in the latest plans to expand the game. Their headline signing target is Great Britain captain James Graham, while they are also pondering approaches to Benji Marshall, Darius Boyd and the Morris twins, according to reports Down Under.
https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/off-the-record-rugby-league-rumours-and-gossip-186/

For me, the signal of a hollow bid is when their big news is talking about people they are maybe thinking of trying to sign (but who will obviously never agree to play there anyway...)

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/off-the-record-rugby-league-rumours-and-gossip-199/

Haven't seen this confirmed anywhere else yet but looks like it will get through.

Article also mentions New York looking at 2022 entry as the RFL didn't want 2 new NA teams at the same time

Its great that the SL/RFL arent stopping these teams from joining. There is so much potential in these clubs.

I was going to say that the English Super League might need to consider rebranding to the European Super League. But with North America in there as well, i dunno.

North Atlantic Super league?

 

[Pommy]

it seems insane that they cant get central funding like any England-based club...

Its fine to reject any special treatment, but surely they should get the same as the rest.

I guess there’s an argument to be made that with Very limited funding available they don’t want it going offshore. Personally in the lower leagues I’m not against this but I do think once a club is in super league they should be getting their share.

I’m pretty doubtful about information in that link anyway. NY want to ply challenge cup and 1895 comps next year? That doesn’t seem very likely, setting up a club and paying players for potentially 2 games?

 

[adamkungl]

It's short term thinking from the RFL.

No central funding goes both ways. So if/when they get a decent TV deal, the RFL gets no benefit from it. Which kind of flies in the face of the value of expanding in the first place.

They really need to consider a long term plan here.

 

[Pommy]

It's short term thinking from the RFL.

No central funding goes both ways. So if/when they get a decent TV deal, the RFL gets no benefit from it. Which kind of flies in the face of the value of expanding in the first place.

They really need to consider a long term plan here.

Thing is it doesn’t go both ways. The RFL are setting the terms and own the TV rights.

 

[adamkungl]

Thing is it doesn’t go both ways. The RFL are setting the terms and own the TV rights.

I'm pretty sure Toronto are able to sell their own TV deal in Canada.

 

[Pommy]

I'm pretty sure Toronto are able to sell their own TV deal in Canada.

If they are it’s because the RFL have allowed it, if it starts bringing in real money they will take their share.

 

[adamkungl]

If they are it’s because the RFL have allowed it, if it starts bringing in real money they will take their share.

That's the agreement. No central funding, they get their own home-country TV deals.

If the RFL want a cut, then the RFL have to treat them like a member club, preferably *before* the TV deal becomes valuable.
Why would TWP let them take "their share" otherwise? The RFL haven't contributed a cent. If the club refuses to play, the TV deal disappears and everyone loses.

 

[Pommy]

That's the agreement. No central funding, they get their own home-country TV deals.

If the RFL want a cut, then the RFL have to treat them like a member club, preferably *before* the TV deal becomes valuable.
Why would TWP let them take "their share" otherwise? The RFL haven't contributed a cent. If the club refuses to play, the TV deal disappears and everyone loses.

So TWP won’t refuse to pay.
If you think the RFL isn’t going to get their share in the eventuality of a good TV deal coming up you’re dreaming. The RFL can have their cake and eat it, TWP can’t.

Edit

I’m not saying any of this is right, but this is rugby league and this is exactly how it will play out

 

[adamkungl]

So TWP won’t refuse to pay.
If you think the RFL isn’t going to get their share in the eventuality of a good TV deal coming up you’re dreaming. The RFL can have their cake and eat it, TWP can’t.

Edit

I’m not saying any of this is right, but this is rugby league and this is exactly how it will play out

I'm not seeing what serious leverage the RFL/SL have tbh.

Lets say TWP get a TV deal worth 6M or so per year, hypothetical number, roughly 3 times SL central funding grant.
The RFL say Ok we want half. TWP says sod off, we will stick to the previous agreement.

The RFL can threaten to refuse their participation if they refuse.
TWP says fine and drops out - everyone loses because then the money is gone anyway. Both sides cutting off their nose to spite their face.

TWP caves and give up the money just to continue playing - good for the short term, the RFL/SL have got their expansion without without investing a penny. But breeds resentment, the relationship is soured between the 2 organisations, and in future TWP might partner up with other European and American bids/clubs to form a splinter league. Leaving Super League back where it started.


Lets say you're right and its an inevitability that the RFL will get their cut.
For the good of their future, they should be investing in expansion early, rather than nickle and dimeing frontier clubs (remember the challenge cup fiasco?).
They should already have a contract in place with Toronto for the case where a Canadian broadcast deal exceeds the value of a 1/12th share of SL funding.

 

[Pommy]

I'm not seeing what serious leverage the RFL/SL have tbh.

Lets say TWP get a TV deal worth 6M or so per year, hypothetical number, roughly 3 times SL central funding grant.
The RFL say Ok we want half. TWP says sod off, we will stick to the previous agreement.

The RFL can threaten to refuse their participation if they refuse.
TWP says fine and drops out - everyone loses because then the money is gone anyway. Both sides cutting off their nose to spite their face.

TWP caves and give up the money just to continue playing - good for the short term, the RFL/SL have got their expansion without without investing a penny. But breeds resentment, the relationship is soured between the 2 organisations, and in future TWP might partner up with other European and American bids/clubs to form a splinter league. Leaving Super League back where it started.


Lets say you're right and its an inevitability that the RFL will get their cut.
For the good of their future, they should be investing in expansion early, rather than nickle and dimeing frontier clubs (remember the challenge cup fiasco?).
They should already have a contract in place with Toronto for the case where a Canadian broadcast deal exceeds the value of a 1/12th share of SL funding.

Presumably whatever agreement they have with the Wolfpack is timed. So any agreement to allow them to sell tv rights you would imagine isn’t open ended. Then again this is rugby league so maybe I’m giving the RFL to much credit.

How likely do you believe a splinter league is? They could resent the RFL all they want but I don’t see a viable alternative for them in my lifetime. I would love to be proven wrong on that but I don’t realistically see it happening. Not unless some of the bigger SL teams jump with them, but they will be the same team TWP would ‘resent’.

Yes there should have been a contract in place for a lot of things but in the run up to the million pound game we weren’t even certain if they were going to be admitted so a contract around a Canadian tv deal seems very unlikely.

 

[taste2taste]

No one is entitled to take any of Toronto's TV rights money.

From day 1 the deal for the Wolfpack has been they would be totally self funded and won't receive any central funding. They pay for visiting teams accommodation and flights as well as their own.
The only way for Toronto to be profitable is gate takings and TV rights and Toronto have budgeted and set up a business model with this in mind.

If the RFL/SL try and muscle in and get some of their money it'll send Toronto and everything they've worked for down the drain.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

What you don't want is this blowing up in a few years' time and Toronto taking their supporter base, sponsors, publicity and TV deal and going to play Major League Rugby. That would actually be the worse-case scenario for RL. Toronto need to be treated and funded like a member club as do all new clubs that are accepted regardless of their location once they reach SuperLeague.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

One thing that I worry about (thought definitely not the worst-case scenario) is the Wolfpack copying the Broncos model and blocking other expansion teams to keep it all for themselves.

The very best option would be any TV money staying in Canada, but in a group slightly separate from the WP. Toronto obviously get the majority, but a potion goes into developing other clubs.

This would be a long-term profit sharing model that would pay itself back massively if it all works out. But in RL, short-term self-interest has always won in the past, so i am not feeling hopeful...

 

[Perth Tiger]

New announcement on Monday apparently

https://www.newwestrecord.ca/ottawa...wing-footsteps-of-toronto-wolfpack-1.24090434

 

[Pommy]

No one is entitled to take any of Toronto's TV rights money.

From day 1 the deal for the Wolfpack has been they would be totally self funded and won't receive any central funding. They pay for visiting teams accommodation and flights as well as their own.
The only way for Toronto to be profitable is gate takings and TV rights and Toronto have budgeted and set up a business model with this in mind.

If the RFL/SL try and muscle in and get some of their money it'll send Toronto and everything they've worked for down the drain.

Without seeing any contracts we have no idea who is entitled to what. Typically clubs don’t own tv rights though, there’s no point in pretending that’s not the case.

 

[Foreign Legion]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/51803131