RFL to shorten ESL season, favour international development

[Bluebags1908]

Are you serious!? 78,000 is more than Sydney ever gets for an origin, and it's IN their city! Leeds and Wigan fans had to travel 300km...

Get your facts right before throwing stones. See attached link for State Of Origin attendances in Sydney since 1999. Note there are seven crowds above 78,000, including 81,965 this year. A further 4 games got between 70,000 and 78,000. And according to this website, the average attendance over 18 games in Sydney since 1999 is 72,777.

http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/Custom/LS0zLS0tMjAtLS0tLS0tLS0tLS0tLS0=

 

[nadera78]

Dots on a map. That's about all they have. Pub union teams playing 10 games of dire standard RL in the summer off-season is hardly a brilliant base. There were more professional RL clubs outside the heartlands in the early 20th century than there are now. Wales used to have its own semi-pro comp, now it has one tiny club and one on death's door. Even London/South/Midlands had more clubs at various times in the 90s than it does now. And they can only claim the champion schools is a big comp because they lump every age group in together. There would be more schoolboys in NSW playing than in all of the UK except they play in a myriad of different competitions, not one big one. And the population of NSW is less than 15% of the UK and the distances far greater. All the PR spin coming out of the RFL about participation numbers outside the heartlands is not far off the AFL's bullshit about Aussie rules in Sydney. It's based on flimsy figures and dots-on-the-map development with very little substance.

You're just making yourself look stupid now. You quite clearly know nothing about the game in London. Take it from someone who lives here, Kermit*.

When I first got into RL (early 1990's) there was next to no RL being played in London. There were a few open age teams, but absolutely nothing for kids or women. And even the London league meant teams like East London travelling all the way out to Reading for a game. There were some teams dotted around but there certainly weren't any clubs. The closest I got to playing RL was in training sessions for the school union team, and that was because one of the teachers had played pro RL.

There are now clubs, genuine clubs, all over the place. Clubs with open age, junior and women's teams, and their own venues to boot. And the game is growing consistently. Yes, there are setbacks from time to time but there is consistent, sustainable growth.



* Spud, if you don't mind I'm going to use this nickname too.

 

[Bluebags1908]

Perhaps a way to reduce the games but keep the clubs would be for a conference system. group teams by location or by rivalry (or whatever). play those teams twice, the others once.

Bombay on the "bails out" comment - that argument discounts that the purpose of the creation of the Leagues Clubs was to fund the football clubs. That is why until now there has been little interest in football club membership, rather you joined the Leagues Club of your local and/or favorite club to support them and have a social outlet. Which is different to the Melbourne model with AFL clubs.

That's exactly right - the whole point of a Leagues Club in the first place was to fund the football club.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

You're just making yourself look stupid now. You quite clearly know nothing about the game in London. Take it from someone who lives here, Kermit*.

When I first got into RL (early 1990's) there was next to no RL being played in London. There were a few open age teams, but absolutely nothing for kids or women. And even the London league meant teams like East London travelling all the way out to Reading for a game. There were some teams dotted around but there certainly weren't any clubs. The closest I got to playing RL was in training sessions for the school union team, and that was because one of the teachers had played pro RL.

There are now clubs, genuine clubs, all over the place. Clubs with open age, junior and women's teams, and their own venues to boot. And the game is growing consistently. Yes, there are setbacks from time to time but there is consistent, sustainable growth.



* Spud, if you don't mind I'm going to use this nickname too.

Who said anything about London? And in any case they're still just union players playing a very short summer season and the standard is still pitiful. Any CRL reserve grade side would put 50 on the very best teams in London. Whether they can call themselves "proper" clubs is irrelevant. Proper clubs play full seasons, have first and reserve grade and juniors from under 18s down. Dots on a map might look nice but the substance of what is going on is far from the rosey picture the RFL likes to paint. The fact that they claim all these players in London yet crowds for the city's SL club are no better than they were 10 years ago, and even worse in some cases, tells the real story. Interest for the game is about a million miles behind the other football codes and even some other tiny sports and that's not going to change, no matter how many dots they put on their map.

 

[Evil Homer]

Who said anything about London? And in any case they're still just union players playing a very short summer season and the standard is still pitiful. Any CRL reserve grade side would put 50 on the very best teams in London. Whether they can call themselves "proper" clubs is irrelevant. Proper clubs play full seasons, have first and reserve grade and juniors from under 18s down. Dots on a map might look nice but the substance of what is going on is far from the rosey picture the RFL likes to paint. The fact that they claim all these players in London yet crowds for the city's SL club are no better than they were 10 years ago, and even worse in some cases, tells the real story. Interest for the game is about a million miles behind the other football codes and even some other tiny sports and that's not going to change, no matter how many dots they put on their map.

You don't like England, we get it. Change the record.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

And you hypocrites hate Australians. We got that a long time ago. The hatred towards Australians, and pretty much anyone else, in the north of England is quite unbelievable. It's not England I don't like, its poms who think they are the saviour of RL, when in fact they are anything but. They bag off the ARL left right and centre and then do exacttly the same things themselves. And they talk up how great they are at promoting the game etc etc and yet the game in own country is a joke. Come back when you can acually claim a single town in Ingerlund where RL is the most popular sport and maybe you can start to tell us what to do.

 

[billy2]

It makes sense to shorten the season and cut the number of teams back to 12.
It also makes sense to play more International games.

The games should be of a higher standard and crowds of under 10k should be considered unacceptable.

I think they should try to lift the standard of the second level comp to as near as ESL as possible and spread it far and wide as well.

An 8 team comp that Includes the two teams dropping from ESL, a Welsh side, a few French sides, a London side, Barcelona and maybe a Scottish side or an Irish side would be a good model - and maybe they could get some TV time like lower grade comps in Aus are getting on pay TV etc.

I think that is a better way to grow. A stronger product for TV at the highest level, and a chance for other sides to develop up to ESL standard.

 

[Evil Homer]

And you hypocrites hate Australians. We got that a long time ago. The hatred towards Australians, and pretty much anyone else, in the north of England is quite unbelievable. It's not England I don't like, its poms who think they are the saviour of RL, when in fact they are anything but. They bag off the ARL left right and centre and then do exacttly the same things themselves. And they talk up how great they are at promoting the game etc etc and yet the game in own country is a joke. Come back when you can acually claim a single town in Ingerlund where RL is the most popular sport and maybe you can start to tell us what to do.

I don't hate anyone. I could argue your BS points, but I'm pretty sure that despite the fact that AFAIK you have never even been to England and I and other posters actually live here and have experienced everything you are talking about first hand, you would still believe that you somehow knew more about it than us. You're like the prejudiced old juror on the film 12 Angry Men, and no matter how many times you make an idiot of yourself you continue to peddle the same old bullshit.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

I have been there and seen it all first hand. You lot are so ignorant you wouldn't know the difference. I've seen an RFL development officer at a junior international screaming at English players to "hit the f...ing Aussie c...s" and that sums up English RL for me. Of course if us "Aussie c...s" decided not to play those internationals, because let's face it we don't need to, you lot would be crying like girls. Just like the RFL when it desperately needed the Kangaroos to tour just to keep their leaky boat affloat after their disastrous WC. You lot bag off Australians at every turn, right up until you sign a player to play for one of your second rate clubs or until you need the $$$ internationals bring in. You'll pat an import on the back after he wins you a game but then you'll be calling us all "c..." behind our bakcs. You're all two-faced. I've seen it. I know what you lot think. Everywhere you go in the north it's obvious, especially when they don't realise they are in the company of an Aussie, when they don't know to shut up and keep their biggotry for when there's no Aussies around. Buy you'll also still come on here and jump up and down claiming Aussies have done this or done that and ignore the fact that the RFL is no better and you'll still climb in your high horse and tell us what we should be doing, even though the game here is actually popular and successful while over there is a pitiful joke. Welcome to Ingerlund, don't bother bringing any hypocracy and ignorance, there's more than enough already.

 

[deluded pom?]

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[ParraEelsNRL]

Bloody hell, this threads turned out for the worst :crazy:

 

[Arucard]

Is this guy for real?

 

[LunarPark]

Aside from the hatred of England this whole thing seems unlikely. I can't see the RFL changing their plans at the moment and cutting teams. It also seems pretty unlikely that Wakefield etc would agree to such cuts and agree to allow another French club in all for the "greater good." Certainly not with the high probability they would lose their place.

It's a nice thought. You do get the impression from the RFL at least and the RLEF that they do want to promote the international game as much as possible. So that's something.

A conference system honestly isn't a bad idea, you could increase teams and cut the number of overall games simultaneously. Though dividing teams into conferences isn't very "British."

 

[roughyedspud]

Aside from the hatred of England this whole thing seems unlikely. I can't see the RFL changing their plans at the moment and cutting teams. It also seems pretty unlikely that Wakefield etc would agree to such cuts and agree to allow another French club in all for the "greater good." Certainly not with the high probability they would lose their place. "

who cares if the clubs agree?? they don't run the game the RFL does

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Most of this thread is about ECT trolling and the pommies falling for it. A shame, I think this is a great topic too.

I am a big fan of this, but will the reduction in games also reduce the funding from TV networks? And thus, club grants? The players need this, but what about the clubs?

 

[biggestbroncosfan]

It makes sense to shorten the season and cut the number of teams back to 12.
It also makes sense to play more International games.

The games should be of a higher standard and crowds of under 10k should be considered unacceptable.

I think they should try to lift the standard of the second level comp to as near as ESL as possible and spread it far and wide as well.

An 8 team comp that Includes the two teams dropping from ESL, a Welsh side, a few French sides, a London side, Barcelona and maybe a Scottish side or an Irish side would be a good model - and maybe they could get some TV time like lower grade comps in Aus are getting on pay TV etc.

I think that is a better way to grow. A stronger product for TV at the highest level, and a chance for other sides to develop up to ESL standard.

realistically I cannot see Barcelona anywhere near SL for starters they should join the French Elite. I know an Irish side is planned for 5 years time, I think it could happen.. but there is no juniors and there league is in a mess at the moment, if they are to enter SL they really need to get the ball rolling. Scotland won't see a Super League side anytime soon either, Edinburgh would at least take another 5 years to be at Championship 1 level. Here is what could happen though.

Sheffield and Toulouse to join from 2014 onwards. Wales will be ready again in 5 years time, if things are done right in Ireland we will also see a SL side come from there. Cas and Salford to Championship.

 

[deluded pom?]

Most of this thread is about ECT trolling and the pommies falling for it.

Guilty as charged TEZZA. My apologies to everyone else but this muppet derails virtually every thread he posts on with his anti English vitriol. He even posts anti Sydney BS from time to time.

 

[CC_Roosters]

Reducing the length of the season makes a lot of sense. 27 rounds is too many, especially when you are playing a cup comp, finals, 4 Nations and trying to squeeze a mid season match in as well.

I'm not a fan of reducing the number of SL clubs though. I think the current set up, with 3 year licences based on a set of KPIs is good. The RFL has done a good job in refocussing clubs on developing their own tallent pool and improving their lot through assets like stadiums and financial models.

That said, the game has a long way to go - some C licence clubs really should be Bs. Harlequins as a brand has been a failure (but the idea of a London team is sound, maybe not this one), there is a bit of conflict of SL as an English league vs interests in Wales and France.

I think the clubs themselves have a lot to answer for. Their brands are generally sh!te - ugly jerseys that completely change anually, outdated logos that are not engaging, community engagement could be better. The SL needs a refreshing rebranding - some aspects of its image are stale.

From what i have seen when i lived in the UK the clubs have pretty good engagement within their own areas (as most sporting clubs do). Leeds, Wigan and St. Helens would have substantial support outside of their respective cities..

I like most of the logos but agree the kits change too often, but in Europe most bloody teams in most sports change annually.

Harlequins are re-branding, rumoured to be the Broncos again, or so i have heard?

Dont think they would cut the number of teams, but a shortening of the season by altering the draw ala NRL would be most likely. Although i suspect that would go down poorly with fans as it is not very British in a sporting sense.

 

[deluded pom?]

Dont think they would cut the number of teams, but a shortening of the season by altering the draw ala NRL would be most likely. Although i suspect that would go down poorly with fans as it is not very British in a sporting sense.

But it would (in some people's eyes) justify the playoff system to find the champions as opposed to first past the post.