Englsh Rugby League expands further into US and Canada

[CroydonDog]

After the success for the Woldpack, two more Clubs look to join the English professional system. Interesting times ahead.

New York and Ottawa receive clubs’ votes to join competition in 2020
• RFL will make final decision in coming weeks
• New clubs would join League 1 next season


Aaron Bower

Fri 12 Apr 2019 04.44 AESTLast modified on Fri 12 Apr 2019 08.12 AEST

British rugby league clubs have voted in favour of New York and Ottawa joining the domestic league structure next season: another significant step for the game’s expansion into North America. Consortia representing the two cities presented their cases at a meeting of clubs in Salford on Thursday, with both keen on emulating Toronto Wolfpack, who became the first transatlantic team to join the league in 2017.

The franchises made their case for admission into League 1, the lowest professional tier, from the start of next season and the Rugby Football League confirmed that a significant majority of clubs were keen for them to join in time for the 2020 season.

“It was a good meeting and, at the end of it, I called for an indicative vote,” said the RFL’s non-executive director, Simon Johnson. “The clubs were in principle supportive by a comfortable majority of the proposals for both Ottawa and New York to join the competitions.”

It is a significant hurdle for both franchises to clear, though not a definitive one.

The final decision rests with the RFL, who will meet in the coming weeks to make a verdict. However, with the governing body saying on Wednesday that the mood of the clubs would influence their decision, it is now likely both will enter. “We will give the clubs the opportunity to come back again before the board makes its decision,” Johnson said. “This is an important hurdle, though.”


The franchises said they are supportive of one another, with Ricky Wilby, the Huddersfield-based entrepreneur who is leading the New York bid, revealing a number of commercial partnerships have been agreed. Virgin Atlantic will be the club’s official travel partner and will fly visiting teams out to New York free of charge. Deals with Hilton Hotels, Macron and Mastercard are also in place. New York have also held early-stage discussions with ESPN+ about broadcasting their games. “We’ve got to be confident after today,” Wilby said. “We’re pleased with how it went.”

Ottawa’s bid is led by Eric Perez, who founded Toronto. He is aiming to relocate the former League 1 side Hemel Stags to Canada after purchasing their licence late last year and says he has the support of Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, who already own several sporting franchises in the Canadian capital.

 

[Mr Invisible]

Good on them being so progressive. If they snag ESPN coverage that would be HUGE for the sport. Very progressive thinking by all involved in this.

Meanwhile Beatme and Greenjerk are sitting on their hands about making another Australia based team work.

Be interesting to see if it all pans out. Surely some untapped markets out there.

 

[CroydonDog]

Good on them being so progressive. If they snag ESPN coverage that would be HUGE for the sport. Very progressive thinking by all involved in this.

Meanwhile Beatme and Greenjerk are sitting on their hands about making another Australia based team work.

Be interesting to see if it all pans out. Surely some untapped markets out there.

Well, Australia is kind of restricted in that its a massive island far from any other first world nation (besides NZ and Singapore).

New York to Manchester is about 7 hours, flights from Perth to Auckland aren't much shorter.

Also, they seem to be getting hotels and airlines on board as sponsors which would make a massive difference, as its usually a term of the inclusion of these far flung teams that they cover their opponents travel costs - this has been a stumbling bock for many overseas attempts at sporting teams to enter our comps.

US and Canada definitely have potential.

 

[Mr Invisible]

Well, Australia is kind of restricted in that its a massive island far from any other first world nation (besides NZ and Singapore).

My point is that they are looking to take the game internationally, meanwhile Beattie and Greenberg can't even make a decision on another Australian team.

 

[CroydonDog]

My point is that they are looking to take the game internationally, meanwhile Beattie and Greenberg can't even make a decision on another Australian team.

True.

Just to add another point about new clubs, because if their promotion/relegation system, a new club will come in at the genuine third direct tier and work their way up.

 

[BELMORE]

That’s awesome to grow the game. To bad we have these retards talking about expansion for the last 2 years and then asking for another 12 months to make a decision on it for another 12 months... Farout. And he keeps saying “these things take time”.... ummmmmm it shouldn’t take this amount of time for any business decision

 

[B-Train]

Imagine Salford vs New York? A small Manchester town vs The greatest city in the world..

Who knows if it will work, but the Wolfpack have been a huge success and I love that they're exploring all avenues and thinking big..

Which is the complete opposite of the fools in charge of the sport here. The code should have had a team in Perth ten years ago and they're still dragging their feet.

The ESL is expanding to Canada and the US and the NRL can't get a team in Perth which has a huge appetite for league?

 

[Wahesh]

Good on them being so progressive. If they snag ESPN coverage that would be HUGE for the sport. Very progressive thinking by all involved in this.

Meanwhile Beatme and Greenjerk are sitting on their hands about making another Australia based team work.

Be interesting to see if it all pans out. Surely some untapped markets out there.

I can think of 4 teams instantly.

Central Coast-North Sydney Bears
Central QLD Comets OR 2nd Brisbane team
Perth Reds
Adelaide

 

[Shanked]

if they want this N.A expansion to succeed, they need to look at building some sort of academy over there.

 

[maroondog72]

Canadian ice hockey players will love the game skill level won't be great but the dust ups will be worth the price of admission alone lol

 

[S.B.W_Jnr]

There's too many teams in Sydney, who are financially struggling they need to be relocated, the nrl needs to grow some balls and make the changes, can't keep everyone happy.

Cronulla, manly and West Tigers are the ones who are struggling financially over the years.

 

[CroydonDog]

Imagine Salford vs New York? A small Manchester town vs The greatest city in the world..

Who knows if it will work, but the Wolfpack have been a huge success and I love that they're exploring all avenues and thinking big..

Which is the complete opposite of the fools in charge of the sport here. The code should have had a team in Perth ten years ago and they're still dragging their feet.

The ESL is expanding to Canada and the US and the NRL can't get a team in Perth which has a huge appetite for league?

Not saying the NRL isn't incompetent, but the markets/set ups are also very different.

the ESL has 3 genuine tiers of pro leagues with promotion/relegation. They also have mostly private ownership, so a rich dude with deep pockets can take a new or established club on a ride from League 1 to the big show (like that Thai dude did with Leicester City). Here in Australia, it's pretty much NRL or bust.

 

[CroydonDog]

I can think of 4 teams instantly.

Central Coast-North Sydney Bears
Central QLD Comets OR 2nd Brisbane team
Perth Reds
Adelaide

There just isn't enough demand in Adelaide (nobody has heard of Rugby League there, and there is no decent rectangular stadium anyway) or Central QLD (cities not big enough and to far apart). I think the Bears have had their chance. I don't think the future is in regional towns.

Perth though - this is a goer, and should have happened already.

 

[Mr Invisible]

There just isn't enough demand in Adelaide (nobody has heard of Rugby League there, and there is no decent rectangular stadium anyway) or Central QLD (cities not big enough and to far apart). I think the Bears have had their chance. I don't think the future is in regional towns.

Perth though - this is a goer, and should have happened already.

They need a side in the Riverina. Albury/Wodonga/Wagga Wagga.... because there is heaps of talent around the area.

Wagga Wagga Wobbygongs!

Then add a Central Coast team, and a 2nd Brisbane side.

 

[B-Train]

Not saying the NRL isn't incompetent, but the markets/set ups are also very different.

the ESL has 3 genuine tiers of pro leagues with promotion/relegation. They also have mostly private ownership, so a rich dude with deep pockets can take a new or established club on a ride from League 1 to the big show (like that Thai dude did with Leicester City). Here in Australia, it's pretty much NRL or bust.

For sure. But the NRL doesn't have any excuses for not expanding to Perth. The Perth bid has had the financial backing and infrastructure required to make it a viable franchise moving forward, as well as being in a huge market, another time zone, a Rugby League appetite etc and still the NRL push them away.

The AFL started new franchises with the Gold Coast and GWS, which have both not been too successful, just because they had the money and to try and muscle into Rugby League heartlands. Yet five years later the NRL still sit on their hands and don't approve a Perth franchise? What are they waiting for?