Clearly designed to give exposure to 2 would be SL clubs and they (The RFL and both clubs) will be hoping that they are well received.
It does smack of favouritism and the fans of Fax, Leigh and Fev will not be happy about this but, in the grand scheme of things, this fixture doesn't decide anything and may provide Sky with some "filler".
The bigger issue is just what the short, medium and long term plans are for the make up of SL and how we can attract more fans and sponsors etc into the sport.
76030_1540929970.jpgJESUS WEPT HOW MANY TIMES?????
£20 a ticket and £15 on beer and merchandise.....so an away fan is worth £35. At best, 1,000 is the average away support split across 11 rounds and I am being really generous here, so Toronto, replacing say Wakefield will cost a SL club £35,000.
The minimum turnover of a SL club is £4,000,000 so Toronto instead of Widnes is worth less than 1% of a SL clubs turnover.
There are many valid reasons for and against expansion into America, but "AWAY FANS" isn't one of them. :d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_76030.jpg
Quote: Call Me God "Keighley got 5 gates over 5k in a decade.....I'd take New York, London, Paris, Munich.......
Toronto failing would be yet another blow for expansion, with the "traditionalists" lining up to say "I told you so". and to be fair, IF they were to fail, those people would be right.
There has to be some longevity to the plight of ANY RL club and a 3-4 year plan, based on attaining SL status isn't good business, whether it be a pit village or a metropolis.
76030_1540929970.jpgJESUS WEPT HOW MANY TIMES?????
£20 a ticket and £15 on beer and merchandise.....so an away fan is worth £35. At best, 1,000 is the average away support split across 11 rounds and I am being really generous here, so Toronto, replacing say Wakefield will cost a SL club £35,000.
The minimum turnover of a SL club is £4,000,000 so Toronto instead of Widnes is worth less than 1% of a SL clubs turnover.
There are many valid reasons for and against expansion into America, but "AWAY FANS" isn't one of them. :d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_76030.jpg
Quote: wrencat1873 "Toronto failing would be yet another blow for expansion, with the "traditionalists" lining up to say "I told you so". and to be fair, IF they were to fail, those people would be right.
There has to be some longevity to the plight of ANY RL club and a 3-4 year plan, based on attaining SL status isn't good business, whether it be a pit village or a metropolis.'"
The maths are simple...to be a viable RL club in the professional ranks of SL you need a 10,000 average gate and if you are "renting" a stadium, then 11k is the target.
Wire, Saints, FC, Leeds and the pies are the clubs that deliver at present.....Castleford and Catalans are close, but the rest aren't delivering. Well meaning owners like O'Neill, Hudgell, Davy, Hughes and Beaumont are good to have, but the reality is they back "yoyo" clubs who dwell at the bottom half of the table or in the 2nd tier and with the return to relegation any chances of "building" both on and off the park are again gone and it's all about avoiding the drop....I wonder what will happen once toronto get up......will they close the door behind them.
Quote: wrencat1873 "Toronto failing would be yet another blow for expansion, with the "traditionalists" lining up to say "I told you so". and to be fair, IF they were to fail, those people would be right.
There has to be some longevity to the plight of ANY RL club and a 3-4 year plan, based on attaining SL status isn't good business, whether it be a pit village or a metropolis.'"
Even though Toronto have had some help from the RFL (extending the league 1 salary cap, changing the way league 1 promotion etc). The way they started in the lowest league gives them a solid base. It's helped them build the brand. And show people in the city the game and club.
I don't think that the way the fixture list been done this year helps them. But if they go up no one can really argue against them as they would have done it the right way.
Funny enough to see where Toronto are, we need them to have a bad season where they really struggle. Then we'll see if crowds are going to stick with them etc.
I've said all along, to build a strong RL it's not about expansion v heartlands. It's about both moving together. Growing together, same rules for everyone. Accepting each other. Both need each other,
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HOW MANY TIMES?????
£20 a ticket and £15 on beer and merchandise.....so an away fan is worth £35. At best, 1,000 is the average away support split across 11 rounds and I am being really generous here, so Toronto, replacing say Wakefield will cost a SL club £35,000.
The minimum turnover of a SL club is £4,000,000 so Toronto instead of Widnes is worth less than 1% of a SL clubs turnover.
There are many valid reasons for and against expansion into America, but "AWAY FANS" isn't one of them. 
:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_76030.jpg
