Toronto Wolfpack speak of "obvious disappointment" after Super League bid rejected

TORONTO WOLFPACK will “consider their position” after the hammer blow of seeing Super League clubs vote against them being allowed back into the competition for 2021.
Toronto Wolfpack's Sonny Bill-Williams looks on at the replay screen after a Leeds Rhinos try at Headingley earlier this year. (Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)Toronto Wolfpack's Sonny Bill-Williams looks on at the replay screen after a Leeds Rhinos try at Headingley earlier this year. (Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)
Toronto Wolfpack's Sonny Bill-Williams looks on at the replay screen after a Leeds Rhinos try at Headingley earlier this year. (Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)

The Canadian franchise - which pulled out of the 2020 competition in July citing financial issues brought on by Covid - failed in their bid to persuade their rivals they deserved to return.

They lost by eight votes to four with one abstention, Leeds Rhinos, St Helens, Catalans Dragons and the RFL believed to be those who had backed their bid by new owner Carlo LiVolsi.

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LiVolsi had said he would be willing to underwrite their losses and pay players and staff who had gone unpaid for seven months under previous owner David Argyle.

However, it is understood those clubs who voted against the bid at a meeting earlier today were worried by a lack of proof of funds to do so.

Super League will meet again tomorrow to decide what to do in 2021 - stick with 11 clubs as has been the case since Toronto’s withdrawal or work out a way of adding a 12th club back into the competition.

Before the meeting, Super League executive chairman Robert Elstone had commissioned an 'independent' report into LiVolsi’s business plan and the commercial opportunities - Canadian broadcast and sponsorship market - available to rugby league in Canada at this time or in the foreseeable future.

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That report's conclusion was that operating a team in Canada would not produce material incremental revenue in the short or medium term.

Elstone duly urged clubs to vote against allowing them back in and clearly the majority have agreed to do so.

Toronto, of course, started out in League 1 in 2017 and surged to the top level, winning the Million Pound Game against Featherstone Rovers last autumn.

It was hoped, with the capture of big-name signings such as Sonny Bill Williams, they would revitalise the sport, help it expand and find new markets but it looks like that dream is now over before it ever truly began.

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A statement read: “Toronto Wolfpack can confirm that regrettably the club’s application to re-enter the Betfred Super League for the 2021 season, under new ownership, has not been approved.

“The Wolf Grooming Investment Group, led by Carlo LiVolsi, were not able to agree terms for re-entry with Super League Europe, the Rugby Football League (RFL) and the 11 current Super League member clubs at a meeting earlier today (November 2).

“Toronto Wolfpack and the investment group had previously submitted an extensive 5-year business plan, including significant input from independent financial advisors.

“The submission addressed original feedback received from the Super League and member clubs, including improved clarity on what benefits the Wolfpack bring to the League as a whole, as well as detailed plans for the growth of Rugby League in Canada.

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“The club shares the obvious disappointment of our players, staff, sponsor and partners, as well as incredible fans, at today’s decision.

“The Wolfpack will now take some time to consider our position and consult further with the current ownership group, led by David Argyle.”

Super League responded with their own statement insisting the research it conducted was 'independent' despite arguments to the contrary, given Elstone was on the four-man committee himself.

Elstone also had a thinly-veiled swipe at the RFL for not doing more to investigate such avenues when the Wolfpack were initially welcomed into the sport.

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He said: “The Board accepts that the decision to reject Toronto Wolfpack’s application will divide the game’s fans – but on the evidence presented to us, it would not be right for the development of the competition for Super League to accommodate a team in Canada in 2021.

“Every opportunity has been given to Toronto Wolfpack to provide the assurances our clubs need.

“However, our review of the club’s recent submission identified a number of areas of concern, particularly regarding the aggressive revenue targets on which the financial forecasts are based.

“As part of our comprehensive investigation into this whole subject , Super League appointed an independent committee of sports industry experts, with representation from The RFL, to examine commercial opportunities for rugby league in Canada.

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“Its findings were unanimous - that operating a team in a fiercely competitive North American sports market was non-strategic and added no material incremental revenue to Super League in the short or medium term.

“Separately, it was also apparent that no assessment of the scale and accessibility of the commercial growth that might accrue to the sport from entering the Canadian market was ever completed prior to the club’s first entry into the sport.”

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