Toulouse to Super League

[LeagueXIII]

An article about the possible entry of Toulouse in 2009 can be seen here:
http://www.ladepeche.com/aff_art.asp?ref=200612072037&resultats=1

It is hoped for an answer from the English next year. The club would aim for an average 5000 spectators for the first season and a budget of 4.5 million Euros.

RUGBY WITH XIII. OLYMPIC TOULOUSE HOPES TO EVOLVE/MOVE IN The CHAMPIONSHIP Of ENGLAND By 2009.

The TO in Super League: an imminent decision

http://memorix.sdv.fr/RealMedia/ads...4613538393435376132613430?2006.12.09.03.15.18
Lhas Super League of Rugby to XIII fact office of championship of England since 1996. A French club, the Union Catalan treizist, integrated in 2006 pennies name "Dragons Catalan". Another, Olympic Toulouse, dreams to imitate it soon. In the clan of the TO, one awaits a decision of the English which should be made before the end of this year. And all leaves think that it will be favorable to the dossier presented by the Toulouse ones.

At the time of its creation, Super League saw the participation of Paris Saint-Germain XIII. The experiment lasted only two years (1996 and 1997).
In 2003, three French clubs were put on the rows: Toulouse, Villeneuve-on-Batch and the Union Catalan treizist. The Rugby football league, which wants to make a competition on the European scale, chose the Catalans who thus took share, this year, in Super League made up of twelve teams. This one will count of them fourteen since 2009 with the presence of a second French formation, from where the Toulouse candidature, only, and of a Welsh team, in Cardiff.
"It takes two years for good now to prepare in Super League", releases Carlos Zalduendo, the executive director of the TO. "From this point of view, we already created the center of formation which will condition recruitment (note: Super League requires a group of twenty-five "pros"). Moreover, the French Federation, insofar as the team of France will integrate the triones in 2008, may find it very beneficial to have a second French club in Super League. "Side budget, that of the TO is currently 1,5 million euros, including 300.000 euros of the town hall. It will have to be multiplied by three: 4,5 million euros including 1,5 of rights TV. It is the budget of the Catalan Dragons besides.
"One needs to be helped to pass the ford, insists Carlos Zalduendo. We have a doubled sporting project of an economic project, continues - it. The president of the Chamber of Commerce of Perpignan announces that 35.000 English supporters came this year leaving 5 million euros in the cases commercial of the city. A line low cost (note: at low prices) Manchester-Perpignan even was especially created. In Toulouse, we count on 2.000 English supporters per match and a general average of 5.000 spectators "

J.-P. P.​

 

[langpark]

They shouldn't expect 2000 English fans each week, they should expect none, that way they won't be relying on them. And i doubt if there are two French teams that many teams will take much over 1000 after their first match there. But I really hope Toulouse put in a strong bid and get accepted soon so they can start preparing. Toulouse is a unique opportunity in that it is a major city and it's crowds and playing numbers have the potential to grow to massive amounts.

 

[terracesider]

Paris was a farce.
Catalan has not yet been a success.
Do we really need more of the same?

 

[langpark]

Absolutely, stop looking for instant results, it takes time.

And for Les Cats to average over 6500, would that mean they are more of a success than Quins and Wakey?

 

[bowes]

I very much doubt Toulouse will get a franchise, they won't be able to guarantee the finances, budgeting for 5000 crowds is too high, the Catalans budget for about 3000 and get much more. Look at what overambition did to Marseille, rugby league's now dead there when they had a strong National 1 team before. Toulouse would be likely to go bust on those figures.

I think Catalans definitely merit their place but there aren't enough suitable players for a 2nd team. Paris is an irrelevent comparison.

And a Welsh team :lol: in Cardiff :lol: :lol: Shows how little fact the article is based on

 

[Evil Homer]

Toulouse would weaken Catalans and the overall competition.I'd much rather see a Welsh/Crusaders side than another French team.

 

[LeagueXIII]

Toulouse already have 1.5 million, throw in the 1.5 from TV and all they have to do is come up with another 1.5.

Catalans aren't successful? They have only been in one year look back on the history of RL in Australia and how many years has it taken clubs to be successful eg. Penrith.

 

[langpark]

Les Cats averaged 6,500 even tho they came last, I think if Toulouse finish last they'll still be able to manage a similar figure

 

[bowes]

Toulouse isn't as strong a rugby league area as Catalans so their crowds would be a fair bit smaller (less than 5000).

Catalans have been a success so far but it's hard to tell and a 2nd French team would leave them both either getting hammered or full of Aussies. (I suppose the latter isn't so bad if the finances are in order)

 

[bowes]

Toulouse would weaken Catalans and the overall competition.I'd much rather see a Welsh/Crusaders side than another French team.

The Crusaders are not remotely in a position to consider SL in 2009, and if they did would have to get rid of all their Welsh players and replace them with Aussies (maybe a couple of RU players would switch but not many). I'd rather have neither but leave SL at 12 teams in 2009 with possible future expansion, which is probably what will happen. Even if it were 14 teams neither side would be likely to meet criteria

 

[herbert henry1908]

I dont know what it is but virtually every post i have read from an englishmen regarding expansion is very negative. It's almost as if you want the game to stay in the north of england and that's it. even sydney fans aren't anywhere near this negative.

i realise taking the game to new frontiers is going to be very difficult , but if the super league get behind it the benefits far outway the negatives.

its natural that in the early stages any new team in a non rugby league playing area is going to have outsiders playing for them, eventually the kids will come through. However it takes decades of persistence. While the melbourne storm havent got the kids coming through yet the nrl/arl is starting to get behind them and its starting to pay off. I would have thought selling rugby league to tolouse and cardiff would be a much easier job than it is selling it to the victorians, who dont even play a game that resembles it!

It might be pie in the sky stuff now but the ESL should be aiming for Cardiff ( surely thats what the millenium stadium round is all about) Tolouse in the next 10 to 20 years.

and hopefully then they can look even further.

 

[rugby13france-livrade+sav]

If Toulouse in SL is a good thing
but the ski stations of the Pyrénées are less than 80 miles and the beaches of the Méditeranéan sea are less than 100 miles.
Making an attendance business plan with English fans is not a good thing, it is with French RL fans it has to be made and this is an other problem !

Very huge work for Charles Zalzuendo and his team, very hard work to find new RL fans and youngs RL fans.

 

[Evil Homer]

I dont know what it is but virtually every post i have read from an englishmen regarding expansion is very negative. It's almost as if you want the game to stay in the north of england and that's it. even sydney fans aren't anywhere near this negative.

i realise taking the game to new frontiers is going to be very difficult , but if the super league get behind it the benefits far outway the negatives.

its natural that in the early stages any new team in a non rugby league playing area is going to have outsiders playing for them, eventually the kids will come through. However it takes decades of persistence. While the melbourne storm havent got the kids coming through yet the nrl/arl is starting to get behind them and its starting to pay off. I would have thought selling rugby league to tolouse and cardiff would be a much easier job than it is selling it to the victorians, who dont even play a game that resembles it!

It might be pie in the sky stuff now but the ESL should be aiming for Cardiff ( surely thats what the millenium stadium round is all about) Tolouse in the next 10 to 20 years.

and hopefully then they can look even further.

I would agree with this,but most Brits are now wary of expansion after the pathetic attempts of the past.It's the general view that teams can't just be placed in specific locations,there has to be some infrastructure there first,which is probably the correct view to take.This is probably what you are confusing with anti-expansionism.

Bowes,I agree that the Crusaders are nowhere near up to scratch yet(although I'm hoping they will improve over the next two years,especially on the back of Millennium Magic).It was just my preference over a possible second French franchise.

 

[Evil Homer]

If Toulouse in SL is a good thing
but the ski stations of the Pyrénées are less than 80 miles and the beaches of the Méditeranéan sea are less than 100 miles.
Making an attendance business plan with English fans is not a good thing, it is with French RL fans it has to be made and this is an other problem !

Very huge work for Charles Zalzuendo and his team, very hard work to find new RL fans and youngs RL fans.

Off topic slightly,but is there any Rugby League presence in Geneva or anywhere close to there?

 

[terracesider]

t's the general view that teams can't just be placed in specific locations,there has to be some infrastructure there first,which is probably the correct view to take.This is probably what you are confusing with anti-expansionism.

Exactly. Some simple souls think that you can plant RL anywhere and it will just take off immediately. If it was only that simple. If it is not part of the community it will fail.

Nobody has yet explained to me the point having having a couple of French teams in ESL at a cost of wrecking domestic French RL.

Lessons from Sydney on expansion? Do they play RL in WA anymore?

 

[Quidgybo]

Nobody has yet explained to me the point having having a couple of French teams in ESL at a cost of wrecking domestic French RL.

Or an Auckland team at the expense of the NZ domestic comp. Or a North Queensland team at the expense of the Foley Shield. The answer is pretty obvious - to allow the best players in these comps a clear path to the next level for the overall benefit of the game, especially locally.

Leigh

 

[herbert henry1908]

Lessons from Sydney on expansion? Do they play RL in WA anymore?

yes they do , they did for 50 years before the reds got there and they still do today.

and besides the reds were quite succesesful in the short term , they only got the boot due to super league it had nothing to do with how the club was going.

their success can be seen though the likes on daniel holdsworth( and others) who has come through the juniors in the warl to play in the NRL 10 years later.

 

[herbert henry1908]

I would agree with this,but most Brits are now wary of expansion after the pathetic attempts of the past.It's the general view that teams can't just be placed in specific locations,there has to be some infrastructure there first,which is probably the correct view to take.This is probably what you are confusing with anti-expansionism.

Bowes,I agree that the Crusaders are nowhere near up to scratch yet(although I'm hoping they will improve over the next two years,especially on the back of Millennium Magic).It was just my preference over a possible second French franchise.

I agree that there needs to be a certain level of infrastructure in place, however i dont think you can expect more juniors to start playing the game until they have a local team in the best competition.

on a side note why are the crusaders not up to standard , is it simply a financial issue? b/c obviously the player roster will completley change if they made the super league.

 

[Sam_the_man]

Exactly. Some simple souls think that you can plant RL anywhere and it will just take off immediately. If it was only that simple. If it is not part of the community it will fail.

Nobody has yet explained to me the point having having a couple of French teams in ESL at a cost of wrecking domestic French RL.

Lessons from Sydney on expansion? Do they play RL in WA anymore?

Actually yes they do and that is why there is talk of taking a SOO/ANZAC test to them in the very near future and also the junior ranks are swelling....which is giving rise to reinstating an NRL team there.

 

[terracesider]

Actually, I know they play RL in WA. I facetiously wondered if any NRL fans from Sydney did.

If the NRL is considering another Perth side, that's good news, Sam. The other codes have had a free run for too long.