Toronto Gone?

[Perth Red]

Toronto Ottawa New York should form a breakaway North American professional league

Maybe adding a Jamaica team

greta idea, you could be the ceo lol

 

[Pommy]

we would have seen players having to take a massive pay cut, but I doubt anyone would have gone into administration given sky honoured the contract.

Perhaps if it was split 12 ways they might have.

 

[Perth Red]

The pain will come during off season as the money from the 2020 memberships dries up and less people sign up for new memberships not knowing if they will get to see a game next season. This second wave couldn't have come at a worse time for RL.

 

[Pommy]

The pain will come during off season as the money from the 2020 memberships dries up and less people sign up for new memberships not knowing if they will get to see a game next season. This second wave couldn't have come at a worse time for RL.

so hypothetically three English teams go to the wall in the off season. Staff aren’t paid, do the SL have to kick them out?

 

[Perth Red]

so hypothetically three English teams go to the wall in the off season. Staff aren’t paid, do the SL have to kick them out?

Yes they should start next season with a points penalty deduction which is what has happened to every other club in the past. Like Toronto though I would only agree to them being in if they can show a string viable business plan that is going to get them out of their mess. Might be a bit lower points as Covid is obviously an outlier in reasons why.
If things don't pick up next year I can see a 10 team SL being a reality in 2021 anyway.

 

[Pommy]

Yes they should start next season with a points penalty deduction which is what has happened to every other club in the past. Like Toronto though I would only agree to them being in if they can show a string viable business plan that is going to get them out of their mess. Might be a bit lower points as Covid is obviously an outlier in reasons why.
If things don't pick up next year I can see a 10 team SL being a reality in 2021 anyway.

Personally I see no reason to punish any team whilst were in this crisis. What’s gone before has no bearing on this.
Why shouldn’t English teams who are relying on government hand outs have a points reduction?

 

[siv]

Border restrictions are having a big impact on competitions that cross international boundaries

You just see how internationals have but disappeared in 2020

Wonder what travel restrictions / quarantine rules exist between

US/Canada and UK/France

Eg is there the 2 weeks hotel quarantine enforced like it is between Australia & NZ

 

[Pommy]

Border restrictions are having a big impact on competitions that cross international boundaries

You just see how internationals have but disappeared in 2020

Winder what travel restrictions/ quarantine rules exist between

US/Canada and UK/France

Eg is there the 2 weeks hotel quarantine enforced like it is between Australia & NZ

Catalans have been going back and forth I believe. It’s really ramping up in Europe so how long that continues I’m unsure. Toronto were going to have be based in England before they pulled out due to restrictions. What the specifics were I’m unsure. The US isn’t involved so it’s not an issue.
apparently Ottawa have already planned for next year being based in Europe. Rumours they will set up camp in France to try and develop some links to the French speaking community in their bilingual city.

 

[Perth Red]

Personally I see no reason to punish any team whilst were in this crisis. What’s gone before has no bearing on this.
Why shouldn’t English teams who are relying on government hand outs have a points reduction?

Because they haven't gone into administration or had to close down, that has been the criteria for punishment in the past.
I'm sure every club that got into trouble in the past can point at some circumstance that got them there. If every club was in same boat then it'd be an argument but if only 2 out of the 12 go bust then it would suggest its not all purely covid that's the problem. My club is one of the most at risk so I have no axe to grind on this one but you cant just have clubs closing down, avoiding playing staff and bills, and starting up again with no ramifications.

 

[Perth Red]

Border restrictions are having a big impact on competitions that cross international boundaries

You just see how internationals have but disappeared in 2020

Wonder what travel restrictions / quarantine rules exist between

US/Canada and UK/France

Eg is there the 2 weeks hotel quarantine enforced like it is between Australia & NZ

F1 is still criss crossing the world in its competition, all be it to a lessor degree.

 

[Tigers1986]

Regardless of what happens with Toronto (imo they'll stay), the RFL needs a complete overhaul of its intentions. The league is an absolute joke from an outside perspective with its handling of clubs and the participation rates.

First step would be to enhance the Championship, so that if they maintain the P/R system, the clubs who come up have a chance at staying, and the teams who go down don't go belly up into obscurity.

I'd love to see SL transition to 16 teams eventually (allows for 30 regular season games). Take the current 12, then add in London, Toulouse, Bradford and idk, Featherstone.

Then the championship has a core 12 teams, with league 1 at 10 teams subject to expressions of entry - this way you avoid the West Wales abomination.

 

[Perth Red]

Regardless of what happens with Toronto (imo they'll stay), the RFL needs a complete overhaul of its intentions. The league is an absolute joke from an outside perspective with its handling of clubs and the participation rates.

First step would be to enhance the Championship, so that if they maintain the P/R system, the clubs who come up have a chance at staying, and the teams who go down don't go belly up into obscurity.

I'd love to see SL transition to 16 teams eventually (allows for 30 regular season games). Take the current 12, then add in London, Toulouse, Bradford and idk, Featherstone.

Then the championship has a core 12 teams, with league 1 at 10 teams subject to expressions of entry - this way you avoid the West Wales abomination.

There simply isn't enough money in the english game for this level of structure. If anything wed be better going to a ten- ten- ten set up and distributing the funds more evenly if we mus keep P&R, which I dint think we should.

 

[Tigers1986]

There simply isn't enough money in the english game for this level of structure. If anything wed be better going to a ten- ten- ten set up and distributing the funds more evenly if we mus keep P&R, which I dint think we should.

Fair call, as I'd imagine the funds are heavily put into football and then union, correct? League more of the 'alternative' that football is here.

 

[Perth Red]

Fair call, as I'd imagine the funds are heavily put into football and then union, correct? League more of the 'alternative' that football is here.

Football sucks up 90% of sports funding in UK. Union next, League is way way behind both in TV deals and corporate support. A combination of northern geography, limited public interest and perception of working class sport remain the anchors that keep it barely with its head above water. .If it was not for the SL war and Skysports, SL would still be mostly part time professional clubs.

 

[Western_Eel]

So now that it's offical, they should consider starting their own league in North America.

instead of spending 10 million on SBW that could go to the setup of a Semi pro league

 

[Perth Tiger]

Disappointing. Assume Ottawa will get the boot/pull the plug soon as well as they were counting on TWP creating a critical mass in Canada.

Without commenting on the actual submission, I genuinely don't see what the future is for the Super League. They are in a worse spot that RU is here in Aus and they have no one who will bail them out.

 

[Haffa]

Pit town mentalities at play in that decision.

 

[Perth Red]

Pretty overwhelming vote. TBF they were asked for a solid business plan and a guarantee revenue base and from sounds of it provided neither. Another sad day for expansion but its hardly the RFL or SLE fault, once again shonky owners with eyes bigger than their bellies creating unviable clubs in an unrealistic way. Toronto now consigned to the SL expansion bin along with Sheffield, Gateshead, Paris, Wales and London (though they may be back if SL wants 12 clubs).

 

[greenBV4]

Wait so what's happening with the ESL?
Does someone take Toronto's place? What is Toronto doing? Gone or trying to regain promotion again?

 

[Tigers1986]

Farcical. Never were going to achieve success with such staunch opposition from anti-expansion dinosaurs. If such reservations existed, you have to wonder why the RFL admitted them in the first place.

Toronto should spear-head a proper North American competition, aligning with the American league.

As for the SL, you also have to wonder for its long term sustainability - the upper clubs are a cut above the lower tier clubs and the gap is widening. Whomever takes over for the 12th club (or however they restructure the league), is going to face a huge uphill battle.