Another interesting and passionate piece from the grassroots of a game steeped in Northern culture.
Super League and the game in general have again been plunged into turmoil with Monday’s announcement by Toronto Wolfpack of their immediate withdrawal from Super League, which is scheduled to restart in early August. This news was followed by an announcement of the suspension of promotion and relegation from Super League for the current season and the cancellation of Championship and Championship One seasons.
Bankrolled by 58-year-old Australian Mining Billionaire (A$) David Argyle, Wolfpack were launched in a blaze of publicity in 2015 and in their initial season won immediate promotion from Championship 1. They lost the “Million Pound Game” the season after to London Broncos thus being denied straight promotion to Super League from The Championship.
The following season they were more successful and reached their goal by beating Featherstone Rovers to gain their place amongst the game’s elite for the 2020 European Super League Season.
Life in the Big League
Throughout their later existence there have been constant stories in the trade press of players and suppliers being paid late and fellow clubs not receiving due funds. Salford resorted to legal action in February 2019 for the recovery of £20k in unpaid transfer fees following Toronto’s signing of one of their players.
Also, in February 2019 Toronto’s UK based company was dissolved via a compulsory strike-off. All this did not stop a splash of publicity later in 2019 with the A$10m signing of dual-code superstar Sonny Bill Williams after the Rugby Union World Cup in Japan.
His signing did not have the desired impact as Toronto started the season with a 6 and O losing sequence before the game was curtailed in March as a result of The Covid Pandemic. All the early games were held in England on either their opponent’s grounds or at neutral venues as their home ground of The Lamport Stadium was not available due to the extreme winter weather.
Travel Blues
Toronto were scheduled to play 11 games at home however travel to Canada was not possible and the club was clearly unable to access HM Government’s Furlough scheme resulting in this whole sorry saga. As late as 1st June Toronto Chair Bob Hunter was looking at staging the remaining games in England at Championship venues. Whilst acknowledging the huge hit on their finances he pledged to do whatever was possible to preserve the integrity of the competition.
Rugby League in this country has long had expansionist dreams. Whilst London Broncos (Fulham) celebrated an often turbulent 40 years there have been many clubs who have fallen by the wayside along the way, most notably Paris St Germain who launched Super League in 1995 against Sheffield Eagles at The Charlety Stadium.
Latest expansionist dreams have seen Ottawa Aces accepted into Championship 1 from 2021. Ottawa purchased the Hemel Stags operating licence and are led by Eric Perez, a man with close links to Toronto as well as the recent interim CEO of The Bradford Bulls.
Further plans are well advanced for a New York City franchise based at the Red Bull Arena; they plan to enter The Challenge Cup in 2021 and formally enter Championship 1 in 2022. Hopes are also high of franchises in Valencia and Belgrade, whose Red Star club have entered The Challenge Cup in recent years.
Lost?
There is a feeling of embarrassment amongst fans at how the games two UK governing bodies – Super League and The Rugby Football League – are currently run. Many feel that clubs below Super League are less valued despite being true community clubs in the best traditions of the sport I have loved and watched for the majority of my life.
Indeed, one recent tweet stated that Super League Europe was run by two clubs from towns in Merseyside and Greater Manchester whilst The RFL Board resembled The Ninky Noinks from The Night Garden.
When one considers how The Rugby Football Union conducts its affairs, I find it hard to disagree with a friend’s tweet; The Wheeltappers & Shunters Club Committee would be market leaders compared to these.
Whilst Covid 19 has left its mark on many sports through the world, Rugby League faces tough times ahead especially below Super League level where crowds are invariably smaller but which are income streams that remain the lifeblood to the majority.
Sky TV’s contract for coverage of the game ends in 2021 and should that be reduced it would have another effect on the whole game. Never has the game needed strong management than at this current time.
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