state of Rugby League (GB)

[ParraEelsNRL]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00lfdrg

Goes for 45 mins.

 

[VictoryFC]

Summary?

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Im about 15 minutes in. Its very interesting.

Even some outsiders are saying that it is the greatest game in the world when it comes to the style.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Its interesting how it is popular in the North of England, the "working class" area, and not popular in the South of England where its an "upper class" area where Union is popular. Just like here in Aus. But here in Aus, Rugby League is easily the more popular sport, which tells me that Super League can breach the "upper and lower class" barriers.

 

[VictoryFC]

Rundown of what I've heard so far:

- No pubs showing league in London
- One of the guys doesnt think London disegards the sport, rather people just dont know it, or know enough about it to get involved
- Difficult to sell it because of culture/heritage - Union upper middle class vs League norhtern working class
- Heartlands perception - that its a northern sport (how Southerners might view it)
- 1600 kids registered - 80 secondary schools (in London)
- Doesnt get media coverage despite getting good viewers on Sky (large percentage of London viewers)
- Gordon Strachan (ex-Celtic) and Martin Oneil (Aston Villa) love rugby league and the host quips "They ban Friday team talks to watch league) haha
- Potential for growth is in international scene
Richard Lewis, CEO
- 5 years hopes to see Celtic Crusaders with 10k averages, Harleq 10k averages
- All heartland clubs playing in front of 10k
- Breaking even, making profits
- Cream in Aus goes to league, different in UK, which might explain failure at international level
- One emailer: Any sport where PNG is 4th in the world doesnt deserve excessive coverage

To be continued...

- Even in GFC tickets are still cheap
- Strength of game in community (good demographic spread at grounds)
Player comments
- Summer competition in Super League has improved standards
- Too many Australian players in Super League, stifling British players; top quality does strengthen (suggested
maybe internationals or SOO players to Super League + 4 internationals max)
- Text: Scrapping promotion/relegation cant help game
- However its positive in that it gives them capacity to plan for future and developing players and the game

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Heavy focus on the International game. Some very good points of view. If we have a shorter season in the Super League (and NRL I am assuming), it opens up more time for more International competitions.

You Pommies are very confident of the International game. I love it.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Interesting the importance being placed on the second division.The Co Operative Championship I assume.

 

[VictoryFC]

Interesting the importance being placed on the second division.The Co Operative Championship I assume.

Its funny, the two "romantics" in that panel are clearly soccer fans. Being a soccer fan myself, I love promotion and relegation. Yet, I also like American sports and see the virtue of salary caps and closed leagues. But just like there is a culture of closed leagues in America and Australia, there is also a culture of promotion/relegation. It would be difficult to convince an American that promotion/relegation makes sense, but I think it goes the same for the English. At the end of the day, rugby league in the UK needs to put sustainability infront of "romance". But I guess you can't drill that into the head of the pro-soccer panelists

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Its funny, the two "romantics" in that panel are clearly soccer fans. Being a soccer fan myself, I love promotion and relegation. Yet, I also like American sports and see the virtue of salary caps and closed leagues. But just like there is a culture of closed leagues in America and Australia, there is also a culture of promotion/relegation. It would be difficult to convince an American that promotion/relegation makes sense, but I think it goes the same for the English. At the end of the day, rugby league in the UK needs to put sustainability infront of "romance". But I guess you can't drill that into the head of the pro-soccer panelists

Im a fan of relegation if it works. In soccer in England, it definatly works. It ties in with tradition, competitivness and it gives alot of games importance. But for Rugby League in Europe, the system they have now is the best system for now. Imagine if the A-League here in Australia had a relegation system. The comp would flop in 2 years.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

I love the outside perspective of the attraction of Rugby League. The way our big guys seem to find space with the tactical skill is appealing, bloody oath.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

It stops when they start talking Rah Rah.

 

[VictoryFC]

Im a fan of relegation if it works. In soccer in England, it definatly works. It ties in with tradition, competitivness and it gives alot of games importance. But for Rugby League in Europe, the system they have now is the best system for now. Imagine if the A-League here in Australia had a relegation system. The comp would flop in 2 years.

Agreed yeah. Yet I still think its irrelevant and that they are grasping onto something thats not there; if the EPL became a closed league with say, 30 teams... it would take a generation for people to get over it. Same thing applies to salary caps.

Pretty good segment all up, a number of positive to take from it

 

[WireMan]

We are trying to expand the game south so we get more media coverage. Franchises are being used as the way to do this. Relegation would work in the game, however this is at the expense of the national team. The top people in the game feel (correctly IMO) that a strong international scene is needed to puch the game on.

The other reason for expansion is to move the game away from the M62 (Motorway from Liverpool to Hull), and its Northern roots. Mainly because the Media are based in London and them reporting anything outside of the M25 is difficult. When BBC sport moves upto Manchester soon this will hopefully make the BBC cover it more. So far the superleague show is only on in the North unless you are watching the repeat at 3am Monday morning. That is hardly gonna catch a casual fan.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

I said this before, the RFL is the best Rugby League organisation in the world. They are selling the game so well and they have a plan for the future which appears to be working. The sooner Richard Lewis is CEO of the RLIF, the better this game will be in the long run.

 

[marv]

He's a bit busy with sport England these days.

 

[deluded pom?]

We are trying to expand the game south so we get more media coverage. Franchises are being used as the way to do this. Relegation would work in the game, however this is at the expense of the national team. The top people in the game feel (correctly IMO) that a strong international scene is needed to puch the game on.

The other reason for expansion is to move the game away from the M62 (Motorway from Liverpool to Hull), and its Northern roots. Mainly because the Media are based in London and them reporting anything outside of the M25 is difficult. When BBC sport moves upto Manchester soon this will hopefully make the BBC cover it more. So far the superleague show is only on in the North unless you are watching the repeat at 3am Monday morning. That is hardly gonna catch a casual fan.

There's also the red button option on digital but again wouldn't attract many casual viewers. I would have thought that in this day and age with the technology available there's no need for a newspaper to be based totally in one place. Most articles are sent electronically to the editor so it doesn't matter if the writer is in London or Timbuctoo. I fail to see why a ruby league writer fails to get many column inches purely because he's based in the North. It's not as if he/she has to dictate the match reports to a waiting newspaper via the 'phone these days. He/she will write the report themselves and send it via the internet more often than not. Maybe I'm a conspiracy theorist but I still perceive a bias against rugby league in the media, Southern based or otherwise.

 

[WireMan]

There's also the red button option on digital but again wouldn't attract many casual viewers. I would have thought that in this day and age with the technology available there's no need for a newspaper to be based totally in one place. Most articles are sent electronically to the editor so it doesn't matter if the writer is in London or Timbuctoo. I fail to see why a ruby league writer fails to get many column inches purely because he's based in the North. It's not as if he/she has to dictate the match reports to a waiting newspaper via the 'phone these days. He/she will write the report themselves and send it via the internet more often than not. Maybe I'm a conspiracy theorist but I still perceive a bias against rugby league in the media, Southern based or otherwise.

Definately. The writers are in the North, but the editors, web hosters etc. are all based in London. Even in the North west edition of the Daily Mail we get Rugby Union, at the mo its Lions this, eye gouging (sp?) that. The scores don't even make the main news sports report.

Its slowly beginning to grow though despite it all, the match in Barca got some coverage, and it'll soon be challenge cup time so we get a game on the BBC. I think they have realised there more people in the North than the South, and we all follow sport more.

 

[cumberlandsashes81]

Im a fan of relegation if it works. In soccer in England, it definatly works. It ties in with tradition, competitivness and it gives alot of games importance. But for Rugby League in Europe, the system they have now is the best system for now. Imagine if the A-League here in Australia had a relegation system. The comp would flop in 2 years.

Promotion and relegation will still exist in UK RL but not from and into Super League - rather between the Championship and Championship 1 (and the National Conference?).

Having said that, with the licenses being reviewed every three years there will still be a quasi Promotion / Relegation system - especially when you consider that one of the criteria for promotion from the Championship into Super League will be on-field success (i.e. making the GF at least once before the license review - something that was clearly influential in promoting Salford and Celtic into SL).

It's pretty obvious but P/R in Australia would be disastrous for the game here - the gulf is too huge between the NRL and the NSW Cup/Qld Cup for a start (especially in terms of investment required) and we need stability and focus on growing and developing the clubs we have.

The only version of it that we need here would be teams in expansion areas cutting their teeth in a lower league to build experience in running a professional side - kind of like how the Panthers and the Sharks ended up in the Sydney Premiership.

 

[WireMan]

Promotion and relegation will still exist in UK RL but not from and into Super League - rather between the Championship and Championship 1 (and the National Conference?).

Having said that, with the licenses being reviewed every three years there will still be a quasi Promotion / Relegation system - especially when you consider that one of the criteria for promotion from the Championship into Super League will be on-field success (i.e. making the GF at least once before the license review - something that was clearly influential in promoting Salford and Celtic into SL).

It's pretty obvious but P/R in Australia would be disastrous for the game here - the gulf is too huge between the NRL and the NSW Cup/Qld Cup for a start (especially in terms of investment required) and we need stability and focus on growing and developing the clubs we have.

The only version of it that we need here would be teams in expansion areas cutting their teeth in a lower league to build experience in running a professional side - kind of like how the Panthers and the Sharks ended up in the Sydney Premiership.

The theory is that the performace of the teams will be a factor in new Franchises but not a big one. Improvements off the pitch are more important. Hence a few clubs now who are not getting new stadiums may get worried soon (Cas, Salford, Wakey etc.) especially with Widnes looking for a spot in a few years.

P/R would of worked in Aus however its not something that can just be brought in, so now it would be a disaster. WA Reds are using the lower leagues the best. Building a team ready for NRL. Don't know if CC, Wellington or anyone else is doing that.

 

[cumberlandsashes81]

P/R would of worked in Aus however its not something that can just be brought in, so now it would be a disaster.

I'm sure someone could write a PhD on the differences in demography, concepts of identity, economics, etc. that means lower league sport is embraced and supported by the public and individual communities in the UK in a way that just isn't in Australia.

WA Reds are using the lower leagues the best. Building a team ready for NRL. Don't know if CC, Wellington or anyone else is doing that.

Central Coast are using the lower leagues in the sense that the new team will be the current NSW Cup side, the North Sydney Bears, renamed and relocated to the Central Coast and playing a couple of games at North Sydney Oval (I think).

I'm not sure how 'live' the Wellington / Southern Orcas bid is anymore. Central Queensland is the other option and they have a team based in Rockhampton playing in the QCup as the CQ Comets.