Liverpool Rugby League team to launch before Magic Weekend

[josie andrews]

Luke Backhouse, one of the men behind the Liverpool Rugby League franchise, has revealed that they plan to launch the team next month before Magic Weekend.

The property specialist has come together with former Salford owner Marwan Koukash and businessman Andrew Mikhail in a bid to give the sport a major presence in the city.

Backhouse, who was previously on the board at Widnes Vikings, says the three entrepreneurs have sufficient financial backing and knowledge of the game to be successful.

Despite the cities almost unrivalled passion for football, the trio are trying to encourage the amateur game in Liverpool and also introduce rugby league into schools.

Speaking to Insider Media, Backhouse said: “We’re getting help from the council and in terms of getting sponsors and investors, we haven’t had to go looking. They’re excited about how big it could become.

“We hope to launch in 2021 and hopefully we can work our way to the Super league by 2022 or 2023.

“The RFL are expanding at the moment. I know there’re propositions for teams in Los Angeles and New York, and the Toronto Wolfpack team are already established.

“It’s expanding on a huge international scale and it could be one of the few sports where we could have a fixture of Liverpool v New York City. It’s got huge marketability.

“It feels like rugby league in general is a very untapped sport that’s ready to really take off. If you look at what Eddie and Barry Hearn have done with boxing and darts, they’ve made it huge again. Rugby league has that potential; it just needs that excitement about it.

“It’s always been marketed as a small town sport and the working man’s game but it needs to be expanded.”

Plans as to where their home matches will be played are yet to be announced but Koukash revealed in an interview last month that they were targeting the Sefton area of the city.

Next month’s Magic Weekend will be held at Anfield and the Liverpool RLFC team will be launched to the media the day before the event.

https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/liverpoo ... end-20350/

[Mike]

They wouldn't let the Manchester team in the comp because of Oldham and Swinton earlier this week, so why will they admit Liverpool when Widnes and St Helens are close?

[fozzieskem]

More pie in the scouse sky from the good doctor

Waste of time,money and effort

[moto748]

More pie in the scouse sky from the good doctor

Waste of time,money and effort

Maybe, but I'd hope not. A successful team in a city the size of Liverpool would be massive for the sport.

[fozzieskem]

More pie in the scouse sky from the good doctor

Waste of time,money and effort

Maybe, but I'd hope not. A successful team in a city the size of Liverpool would be massive for the sport.

I just don't see it,Saints struggle to get above 10k games and we all know what happened to widnes, to me this is just another false dawn, if koucash wants to trow money at the sport take it to cumbria where the sport is well respected,not to a football mad city.

[Mike]

More pie in the scouse sky from the good doctor

Waste of time,money and effort

Maybe, but I'd hope not. A successful team in a city the size of Liverpool would be massive for the sport.

I just don't see it,Saints struggle to get above 10k games and we all know what happened to widnes, to me this is just another false dawn, if koucash wants to trow money at the sport take it to cumbria where the sport is well respected,not to a football mad city.

It's true. PSG didn't last but Catalans look to be in for the long game.

Cumbria not as "glamorous" as Liverpool, but there is a community there.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[Firestarter]

Im for Cumbria....... and not before time

[Wiganer Ted]

The best of luck to them.
I was involved in the start up of the Liverpool Buccaneers who played at Sefton RU ground in West Derby, it won't be easy. They will have access to Rugby League players from the nearby towns that play the game but where their support is coming from I don't know.
The nearest place for new talent would be the Wirral where there are around 17 Union clubs most with four teams of open and under age. Liverpool is not too difficult to get to from the Wirral via the M53 and the Tunnels. They could suggest opening up a summer rugby league to get Union lads playing our game in their off season.
I do though think getting support will be more difficult than recruiting players.

[nathan_rugby]

Without Rugby League in schools and a strong amateur game across all ages, this will just be another Toronto, who just buy all of their players. This will only last as long as the money does.

Furthermore, looking at the attendences of St Helens and Widnes (Rugby League towns), they could potentially struggle given the fact that the City is dominated by Football.

I hope they pull it off but for me they need to start at the bottom and work up. I.E. having Rugby League taught and played in schools and also amateur leagues.