Super League In Dublin

[O'Rothlain]

Rhinos back Dublin for Super League
Full Article
I think this would be a brilliant move, personally. Why Not? If they can have success in France, why not in Ireland? The article is quite interesting, and very complimentary to Ireland and in particular Dublin.
What are your thoughts?

 

[An Tarbh]

Croke Park wouldn't be available for Super League games during the Summer so that's pretty much a non starter.

I know that Ireland played world cup games at Tolka Park so that could be an option as could a ground share with Bohs who will be getting a 10000 allseater stadium in a few years.

I'm not sure how much Shels would be willing to ground share with a franchise but given theItir dire financial predicament then they might not have much of a choice, they could either fold or another obstacle might be the fact that another club could already be groundsharing with them, I don't think there's a club in Dublin that hasn't played at least a season at Tolka Park.

For it to work, they would probably need their own stadium, probably on the North Side, if they're going to be training out of DCU.

It's hard to say how well this would go down, it's not as if we're starved for sport in the Summer in this country so I'm not sure many people would be willing to go to Super league matches when there's no end of championship matches on.

 

[O'Rothlain]

Think of all the traveling fans, though. Dublin is a great city to visit. I'm sure Saints Fan would make the trip, right? There's a load of money in tourism, which also, I'm sure Dublin isn't lacking.

 

[St Helens RLFC]

I'd be up for it. I don't doubt that Ireland and Wales will have their own Super League franchise in time. Not in time for 2009 though so the earliest they'll have any entry is 2014.

 

[goranski]

not sure when the structures would be in place for a SL club in Ireland, but i would definitely support the move to hold a couple big games (Challenge Cup, playoffs) during the season in Ireland and gauge the possibilities by playing in a place like Croke Park and promoting the game for travelling fans from the heartlands

 

[St Helens RLFC]

What might happen is something like Millennium Magic. In May this year the Millennium Stadium is holding 6 games, 6 derby matches in fact, so an entire round of Super League is being played over 2 days in the stadium.

Something to consider, methinks, for Dublin.

 

[An Tarbh]

Lansdowne Road would be too small for such a bonanza and Croke Park isn't an option.

 

[Prestwick]

Lansdowne Road would be too small for such a bonanza and Croke Park isn't an option.
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The GAA would quite happily lube themselves up if the NFL came back and asked to host another game of American Football at Croke Park though

The hypocracy of the GAA is so breathtaking, Visit Ireland should list it as a tourist attraction!

 

[An Tarbh]

It's not hypocrisy from the GAA, Croke Park is used full on throughout the Summer so Super League isn't an option.

 

[Prestwick]

Bah, but I'd bet you anything, before they made their fancy rule change, they wouldn't have let the Superleague in.

 

[An Tarbh]

do you mean they would or they wouldn't?

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I agree with the posters who said that something like what Super League are doing in the Millennium Stadium would be a good way to gauge interest in Ireland for the sport. If it was successful, I see no reason why a Super League franchise couldn't be awarded to a team based in Ireland.

Having said that, I'm not sure that a new team with no history could come in and get market share from a Rugby Union team. Perhaps the best chance for a new team to succeed would be to link up with Leinster (like Quins and the London Broncos) and use Donnybrook as their base. That way the new team would already have an academy (of sorts) by tapping into the current Leinster underage and A players.

 

[League_Legend]

Firstly Rugby League isnt even really in place in Ireland at the moment so it would be a waste of RFL time and money to have a team there look at France for example: They laid the foundations for Les Catalans and now they are just maintaing a super league team. Wales might be able to support one in maybe 5-10 years time but Ireland is at the least a couple of decades of because the foundations have not even been properly laid at Amateur Level yet

 

[O'Rothlain]

At least an exhibition match is warranted. Let's see how they respond?!
The truth is RL is exciting...it's a bit like someone said, Diet Rugby...but look at how many people are addicted to diet coke. It's fun and fast, and might just appeal to the irish.
Lord knows it (league) has a better chance the union does in the States. Union has roots here, but if Someone really started promoting league as a proffessional sport v union it (again, league) would have the better shot at survival.