TORONTO — The Toronto Wolfpack have lost their bid for reinstatement into Super League next year.
The decision was made by the other 11 Super League teams, the Rugby Football League and Super League chief executive Robert Elstone. Wolfpack chairman and CEO Bob Hunter confirmed Monday’s vote results.
The transatlantic rugby league team has been in limbo since standing down July 20, saying it could not afford to resume play for the remainder of the season. Players and staff have not been paid since June 10.
Majority owner David Argyle, unable to fund the club, has stepped away. Toronto businessman Carlo LiVolsi stepped forward as a potential new owner, providing the club was allowed to remain in the English top tier.
He also wanted Toronto to get its share of the central distribution funding that is currently split by the other 11 clubs.
Toronto started in 2017 in the Betfred League 1, the third tier of English rugby league. The team won promotion to the second-tier Championship and then Super League. It was 0-6-0 in the top tier when play was suspended in mid-March due to the pandemic.
Super League resumed play with 11 teams on Aug. 2, expunging Toronto’s results from the standings.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2020
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
