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Toronto Wolfpack bring a new era to rugby league

21st January, 2017
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Toronto Wolfpack promotional material.
Expert
21st January, 2017
130
3507 Reads

Toronto Wolfpack founder and CEO Eric Perez says his club will push the business of rugby league into a new era.

Speaking on the phone from Canada, Perez was upbeat about the Toronto Wolfpack’s business model.

“Clubs in the NRL while they are big, don’t tend to put much focus on growing outside of Australia. I would say that the U.K. clubs have also maximised their fan-bases.

“Our ethos from day one is to be a global brand,” Perez said.

Toronto Wolfpack street posters

“We want to be the the Manchester United of rugby league. Man U did a great job of being the first football club to reach in to markets such as Asia and other regions outside of Europe and we plan to do the same.

Perez, an ex-advertising executive, is overseeing a PR and digital media campaign that would be the envy of large corporates.

Carefully crafted branding and numerous media, social media and reality television activities have ensured that the Wolfpack is in the hearts and minds of rugby league fans.

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A number of supporters worldwide have jumped on the bandwagon already and declared the Wolfpack as their ‘second team’ before a tackle has been made.

“We have a reality TV program that will have global distribution, (The Last Tackle), documenting our current search for talent and squad recruitment. Next year we have plans for a Last Tackle China followed by a Last Tackle Brazil the year after.

“The exciting thing about that is we will recruit a Chinese and Brazilian player to our squad as a result.”

While hearing China and rugby league mentioned in the same sentence recalls memories of a certain media magnate and a rebel competition in the 1990s, there is no doubt that Perez is a fan of the game first and foremost.

“After seeing rugby league in England I was blown away by how good the game was and I thought Canadians have to see this.

“For five years I gave up everything to establish the game in Canada and because I have the gift of the gab I was also able to get a rugby league TV show running there.”

Perez believes television coverage is vital for club success and securing a deal for all Wolfpack competition games to be shown in Canada and the U.K. and he is currently negotiating a deal to broadcast Toronto games in Australia.

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“If you don’t have TV coverage the only way people can see you is by going to the ground. It makes it very difficult to build new fans.

Toronto Wolfpack promotional material.

“When you look at a team like Bradford, (going into receivership), it is not that they didn’t have fans. They do, but the commercialisation was poor. The competition they were playing in has limited television coverage.”

The Wolfpack will start their journey as the first transatlantic professional sports team in the RFL third division League 1 championship bankrolled by investors including West Australian businessman David Argyle.

Perez is confident the team will be financially ‘in the black’ despite the sport’s money draining reputation.

“Look if you want a quick money fix start a casino. Making a profit is not the primary goal for us in the short term but it will inevitably happen.

“To be honest we are almost there now. We won’t be losing money which is a key thing.”

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The Wolfpack CEO confirmed the claim he made last year that the Super League will eventually be bigger than the NRL primarily because of the Wolfpack’s presence.

“Canada and North America are much bigger markets than Australia. We know that Toronto always gets behind their teams even if it is not a widely followed sport.

“We currently have three thousand members and our first home game is not until May. We are expecting our crowds to average upwards of five thousand in our first season.

Perez believes that rugby league can rival rugby union for popularity in North America.

“Rugby league is a far superior sport and we don’t have the historical prejudices and snobbery over here that has hindered the game in other parts of the world.

“Take the All Blacks. I admire their commerciality and their winning attitude but to be honest even they are hard to watch.

“We believe the Wolfpack will eventually lift the popularity of rugby league throughout q Europe and around the world.

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“North America will be like the cool kids in school. Once they like the game it gives a green light for the rest to then like it.”

The Toronto Wolfpack will open their Kingstone Press League 1 campaign against London Skolars at New River Stadium on 4 March commencing at 3pm.

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