NRL to buy share of Super League

[Perth Red]

So are they buying in or not?

Unlikely, worth watching the Nigel Wood interview. Sl are certainly looking for some outside investment.

 

[Leighton Rhino]

Interesting to see those numbers.

Scotland, Ireland and wales all have smaller populations than NSW, the majority of 6 nations viewers would be from the south of France and South England where union is strong.

There is a lesson to learn here...

The number of people in Wales, Scotland and Ireland who play the game is not big compared to England....but they compete and play very regularly against England ....

But the net effect is massive because it generates interest in the much bigger country of England where a lot more people play and are interested ....hence a lot of money generated

If Australia/England can do the same with Pacific nations it would be great..... They can compete to an extent with us and hence generate interest in 2 big / rich countries ...the fact Tonga etc al are tiny is irrelevant (just like Wales size is irrelevant).....it's the BIG generation of interest in the BIG country (s) that matters and makes the bucks

The NRL just needs to push it.....mid season internationals....extend the end of season tests....maybe even prioritise it the same as Origin and have midweek internationals....

Can't see it happening but anyway....

I'd give my back teeth to see us beat the Aussies across the series .....would be the best thing for English RL in a long long time.....and probably nearly as big for Australian interest in tests

Bookies has us 3-1.....it's not an impossibility

 

[Dark Corner]

Anything new as I just saw that fat cat Nigek Wood on Sky Tv at the Wakefield v Leeds game and I nearly chucked up.

 

[Leighton Rhino]

You

Anything new as I just saw that fat cat Nigek Wood on Sky Tv at the Wakefield v Leeds game and I nearly chucked up.

You mean Nigel Wood OBE?

About to take charge of the RFL again

Expect a bigger focus away from expansion and back to the heartlands

If he gets Bradford back in SL I won't be too disappointed.... Will be great to get the Rhinos/ Bulls games back

 

[Taking The Two]

Putting Bradford back into Super League would be a mess. Yes, they’re on a better financial footing than when they left Super League in 2014 but they still play out of a literal hole in the ground and are a way off the standard onfield.

It would be a disaster move and would be a real backwards step.

 

[Perth Red]

You


You mean Nigel Wood OBE?

About to take charge of the RFL again

Expect a bigger focus away from expansion and back to the heartlands

If he gets Bradford back in SL I won't be too disappointed.... Will be great to get the Rhinos/ Bulls games back

Nige brought in Toronto and Catalans to SL.

 

[Perth Red]

Putting Bradford back into Super League would be a mess. Yes, they’re on a better financial footing than when they left Super League in 2014 but they still play out of a literal hole in the ground and are a way off the standard onfield.

It would be a disaster move and would be a real backwards step.

They’re the only club outside of SL with a realistic chance of getting g 10k+ crowds.

 

[i0Nic]

I’m not an expert in super league but I know we need to have a strong European club competition. This will have to be a mix of keeping the traditional clubs in place that matter most but also introducing clubs that will help to strengthen and expand the competition.

Relegation probably needs to go away, make a stable top league.

Maybe they should stick to 12 teams and then look to expand to 14 - 16 down the track.

Reviewing the current clubs I’d say they need to drop a couple weaker / poorer clubs, maybe like Huddersfield and Castleford. Replace them with expansion oriented clubs and invest in them - whether it’s Toulouse, York, London I’m not sure but they need to be invested in. And I didn’t mind the idea of changing Salford to Manchester and supporting them as well.

If we could create a global tv deal with dazn and get super league on fta in the uk more often, push a lot more funds into the game there.

 

[Taking The Two]

They’re the only club outside of SL with a realistic chance of getting g 10k+ crowds.

Are they? Based on a couple of isolated cup games and crowds they got 25 years ago? If we’re throwing teams into the comp because they have a history, Swinton and Hunslet are in too.

 

[Perth Red]

Are they? Based on a couple of isolated cup games and crowds they got 25 years ago? If we’re throwing teams into the comp because they have a history, Swinton and Hunslet are in too.

Based on evidence. Yes 15 years ago but no reason the city of Bradford wouldnt get behind them again in SL.

Swinton and Hunslet have no evidence at all they would draw a decent crowd and play in stadiums sub 4k lol

 

[Foreign Legion]

I

Based on evidence. Yes 15 years ago but no reason the city of Bradford wouldnt get behind them again in SL.

Swinton and Hunslet have no evidence at all they would draw a decent crowd and play in stadiums sub 4k lol

S there any news or update about the NRL and SL deal?

 

[Jonty]

I

S there any news or update about the NRL and SL deal?

All gone strangely quiet on all fronts be it the NRL investing in super league to individual NRL buying into Salford and London etc.

there’s supposed to be a meeting this coming week about super league potentially expanding to 14 teams.

 

[Perth Red]

I

S there any news or update about the NRL and SL deal?

No, and I very much doubt it will happen. RFL are currently undertaking a whole of game review that will be presented to clubs for agreement of future directions in a weeks time. They have also said they are also pursuing investment from sports investment groups. There has been no mention at all from RFL about the NRL being involved since Wood took over.

Wood is on Sky interview aired on Monday so lets see what he has to say.

 

[Dark Corner]

I’m not an expert in super league but I know we need to have a strong European club competition. This will have to be a mix of keeping the traditional clubs in place that matter most but also introducing clubs that will help to strengthen and expand the competition.

Relegation probably needs to go away, make a stable top league.

Maybe they should stick to 12 teams and then look to expand to 14 - 16 down the track.

Reviewing the current clubs I’d say they need to drop a couple weaker / poorer clubs, maybe like Huddersfield and Castleford. Replace them with expansion oriented clubs and invest in them - whether it’s Toulouse, York, London I’m not sure but they need to be invested in. And I didn’t mind the idea of changing Salford to Manchester and supporting them as well.

If we could create a global tv deal with dazn and get super league on fta in the uk more often, push a lot more funds into the game there.

But what about clubs like Oldham and Barrow we can't have them die or play in limbo.

 

[Perth Red]

But what about clubs like Oldham and Barrow we can't have them die or play in limbo.

The lower comp clubs have an enormously important job keeping rugby league alive n towns and cities without SL and in producing players that can add to the SL pot. Same reason nrl gives nsw and qrl cup millions every year.

 

[Leighton Rhino]

Putting Bradford back into Super League would be a mess. Yes, they’re on a better financial footing than when they left Super League in 2014 but they still play out of a literal hole in the ground and are a way off the standard onfield.

It would be a disaster move and would be a real backwards step.

Disaster?

I'll tell you what a disaster is ...

A. Pre crisis Salford playing in front of 3000 home fans most of last year despite making two major finals and being one of the best clubs

B. Broncos in 2023 playing in front of 500 home fans last time in SL (I was one of them for 3 games)

C. Huddy with 2-3000 home fans despite a great stadium and billionaire owner

Why Bradford?

It is a city of 400,000 people with a significant amount of RL interest ...strong amatuer scene, schools play it

Teams A-C have stadiums that beat the hell.out of Odsal but I can tell you now there is no where near the number of people who care and watch RL as in Bradford even combined

As a Rhinos fan I've spent many many hours in that big hole of a ground and have seen some amazing games with amazing atmospheres

Easter 2005 when we battered them in front of 23,000 fans.....Ieven as recently as 2019 when they were in the Championship and knocked us out of the CC....i can tell you now one cared that the toilets are rubbish or that the catering was not as good as the AJ Bell

Yes Bradford have been run badly in the past .....well let's ensure that doesbnit happen again as best we can and embrace the massive amount latent interest there still is in one the UKs biggest cities

Have to say another decade and that interest will likely be gone ....but some people think this is is an ok as long as a few hundred fans are still turning up.somewhere in London or Manchester

Also think about subscribers to SKY for RL.....there will be a lot more fans in Bradford willing to pay than there are in half of the current SL teams

Finally ...a strong and firing Bulls......give it a few years and a city as big as Bradford can easily help.fund a new stadium revamp or rebuild....if Wakey can do it then Bull certainly can....

 

[Leighton Rhino]

Disaster?

I'll tell you what a disaster is ...

A. Pre crisis Salford playing in front of 3000 home fans most of last year despite making two major finals and being one of the best clubs

B. Broncos in 2023 playing in front of 500 home fans last time in SL (I was one of them for 3 games)

C. Huddy with 2-3000 home fans despite a great stadium and billionaire owner

Why Bradford?

It is a city of 400,000 people with a significant amount of RL interest ...strong amatuer scene, schools play it

Teams A-C have stadiums that beat the hell.out of Odsal but I can tell you now there is no where near the number of people who care and watch RL as in Bradford even combined

As a Rhinos fan I've spent many many hours in that big whole of a ground and have seen some amazing games with amazing atmospheres

Easter 2005 when we battered them in front of 23,000 fans.....Ieven as recently as 2019 when they were in the Championship and knocked us out of the CC....i can tell you now one cared that the toilets are rubbish or that the catering was not as good as the AJ Bell

Yes Bradford have been run badly in the past .....well let's ensure that does. It happens again as best we can and embrace the massive amount latent interest there still is in one the UKs biggest cities

Have to say another decade and that interest will likely be gone ....but some in people think. This is is an ok as long as a few hundred fans are still turning up.somewhere in London or Manchester

Also think about subscribers to SKY for RL.....there will be a lot more fans in Bradford willing to pay than there are in half of the current SL teams

Finally ...a strong and firing Bulls......give it a few years and a city as big as Bradford can easily help.funf a stadium revamp or rebuild....if Wakey can do it then Bull certainly can....

And for the record I've also watched Leeds at the John Smiths, various Broncos grounds and at the AJ Bell..... The atmosphere has always been abysmal ...

 

[i0Nic]

Fair call with Bradford. But is there a team that makes sense that should be dropped from super league to make room for them PLUS a Toulouse and expansion area team? Creating a 14 team comp.

 

[Perth Red]

Giants should just do what HFC do and announce 10k crowds despite the stadium being empty!

 

[Leighton Rhino]

Fair call with Bradford. But is there a team that makes sense that should be dropped from super league to make room for them PLUS a Toulouse and expansion area team? Creating a 14 team comp.

Salford and Huddy suit the Championship not SL... Going to the second tier is not a death sentence that sums in the clubs believe it to be.... For me it suits them more ..... At least for now.... Any RL fans in Manchester had a very short journey to Wigan anyway

I am much more of a 12 team guy myself ..again at least for now

I'm not a heartland only warrior like some ( I live near London) but we need to strengthen the game where it exists first,...fish where the fish are