One thing that has always struck me with RL is their weird obsession of supporting the sport beyond embarrassing levels.
RL fans refer to the sport as “we”, regularly spend time advocating how the game should be better “promoted” and yesterday, more embarrassingly, when a non-rl compliments the sport, hundreds of RL fans literally get a hard on. This why the sport is cheap and tatty.
Another one is the "greatest game". Saw Martyn Sadler tweet this morning about how there's 140,000 fans at the F1 today and he doesn't get it.
RL fans think RL is the best sport. But football, basketball, ice hockey, F1 etc think the same about theirs. Some RL people seem to think that people should like RL because it's better than other sports, but that's only their opinion.
Sadler can't stop saying these things.He's permanently mystified that the whole world doesn't watch and love the game of RL.He needs to accept it, that it isn't everyone's cup of tea and some find the game quite boring in fact.A player diving at the corner with one millimetre to spare is akin to a moon landing you would think, listening to him.
I watched the replay of the 2002 Widnes v Leeds game on Sky the other night: the standard and attacking intent of the teams was far superior to today's SL. I think this is a big problem in terms of attracting people to watch the game which has become more formulaic.
I don't get all this fawning over celebs watching RL etc, RL is essentially a sport that was created as a rebellion against the 'establishment' yet many supporters and prominent journalists seem obsessed with gaining the acceptance of the same establishment.
I watched the replay of the 2002 Widnes v Leeds game on Sky the other night: the standard and attacking intent of the teams was far superior to today’s SL. I think this is a big problem in terms of attracting people to watch the game which has become more formulaic. I don’t get all this fawning over celebs watching RL etc, RL is essentially a sport that was created as a rebellion against the ‘establishment’ yet many supporters and prominent journalists seem obsessed with gaining the acceptance of the same establishment.
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Absolutely true CJ 91. Until SL the game had pretty well remained amateur and honestly town against town. The introduction of contracts and big money broke that concept and led clubs to venture more money to gain an advantage. Maybe we are dinosaurs clinging to that memory and the game would have become fully professional at some point anyway.
Sky was going to gain massive expansion of the game by showing it to many who hadnever seen it, but that didn't seem to swell crowds outside or inside the heartland. True it has seen the rebirth of the game in France and that is encouraging. We could improve on that with Euro internationals of sorts. The SL clubs may argue that the quality isn't there in France, much like the Aussies see our game, but that juat ignores the possibilities of Trieze and Championship competition in addition to the top level.
In all honesty the Yorkshire crowds don't travel as they once did and that doesn't help our finances. I suggested a while ago that discounts could be offered to away team ST holders, via their clubs.
Just watching the Tour de France and nothing competes with that for public attendance year after year, not soccer, not motor racing, or anything else, every year.
Another one is the “greatest game”. Saw Martyn Sadler tweet this morning about how there’s 140,000 fans at the F1 today and he doesn’t get it.
How can the government allow 140,000 fans to attend the British Grand Prix, but only allow 40,000 RL fans at Wembley, on the same weekend?
Who are these "non-rl" embarrassing Cheerleaders?
Of course, whether you support rugby league, football, F1, basketball or any sport, is a matter of opinion. I grew up in Widnes near to Naughton Park, where there was and still is to a lesser extent I guess, an affinity to the local rugby league club. That was a time when the Challenge Cup and a chance to make the trip to Wembley was every supporter's dream.
The spread of tv coverage and ease of travel changed sport, with money coming in from advertising and sports like football, F1 and other sports becoming global events, generating millions in advertising income.
RL has always been a minority regional sport in the UK, but that should not be a barrier to those who love the sport wanting to bring the "spectacle" of the game to a wider audience. It has traditionally been seen as a working class sport and the game is still stuck with the "flat caps and pigeons" image of the Eddie Waring era, despite the over-hype of the Sky team, which has singularly failed to develop the game.
The key difference between the UK and Australia in the modern game is that in Australia, it is run by an Independent Commission free of the self interest of a few clubs, which also promotes a comprehensive community relations programme, utilising current and former NRL players to promote the game. That is the route that RL should be taking. Looking to reinvigorate the game at local level and building from those grass roots, a game that can have wider appeal.
In the meantime, rugby league has Johnny Vegas as a celebrity supporter - with his flat cap and working class image - and football has Tom Cruise and David Beckham as its celebrity supporters. I suspect that Johnny Vegas is more of a fan of the game.
I would welcome any "non-rl" comments extolling the delights of the fantastic game that is rugby league. Just my opinion and not to the extent suggested by Spike Island and I certainly do not see the game as "cheap and tatty". That would certainly not be an image that could promote the game beyond its traditional roots or indeed save the game at grass roots level.
Sadler can’t stop saying these things.He’s permanently mystified that the whole world doesn’t watch and love the game of RL.He needs to accept it, that it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and some find the game quite boring in fact.A player diving at the corner with one millimetre to spare is akin to a moon landing you would think, listening to him.
This is what is frustrating me, people believe expansion will transcend into world domination. I have worked around the country for years, people are aware of RL but they just don’t rate it, but these cranks believe putting a team in Newcastle or the midlands will automatically see the local inhabitants fall in love with the game.
RL isn’t even that big Wigan now never mind expansion.
I watched the replay of the 2002 Widnes v Leeds game on Sky the other night: the standard and attacking intent of the teams was far superior to today’s SL. I think this is a big problem in terms of attracting people to watch the game which has become more formulaic. I don’t get all this fawning over celebs watching RL etc, RL is essentially a sport that was created as a rebellion against the ‘establishment’ yet many supporters and prominent journalists seem obsessed with gaining the acceptance of the same establishment.
I agree having watched this game on sky, there appeared to be more space on the pitch for quick and flare players to excite. Now everything is congested, the team with the bigger and more powerful team Widnes 9/10.
And as for celebrities, it is utterly embarrassing, once they mention the word “Rugby League”, these RL die hards turn into massive fan girls and start with the “welcome to the greatest game alive” embarrassing.
I think the greatest game moniker came from Australia so naturally we had to copy it.Bit different though,the Aussies have a more confident and cocky approach than us and the game of RL is big in NSW and Queensland so they can get away with the claim.Not a minority sport with little coverage,played along the M62 and an image of pigeons, whippets, pies and string vests,like here.
Difficult to see how the game can change to be self sufficient without Sky or something similar.
The initial hope that Sky's input could save the game by saving bankrupt clubs and then widening its popularity somehow has faded into a cash cow for the few top clubs. It possibly did widen its appeal to some degree, but only on TV. The crowds didn't invade the grounds for a live experience and that left the game as a hostage of the media circus. As has been mentioned many times even hot bed clubs don't bring the travelling masses that Hull etc once did.
In truth it is very doubtful that even the World Cup will produce an opening to compete with 'Simply the Best' with the star actually there that the NRL has managed more than once for a big occasion!!! That doesn't bother me personally but youngsters are swayed by the presentation and the star content.
Regarding stadia, the maintenance costs of self owned stadia can become prohibitive, particularly when disasters on soccer grounds prompt the authorities to demand major action. Certainly the maintenance costs gave Widnes and Saints headaches before their change of venues. As often seems to happen we changed when all-seater was the rule, Saints benefitted from a loosening of the criteria.
Sadler can’t stop saying these things.He’s permanently mystified that the whole world doesn’t watch and love the game of RL.He needs to accept it, that it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and some find the game quite boring in fact.A player diving at the corner with one millimetre to spare is akin to a moon landing you would think, listening to him.
This is what is frustrating me, people believe expansion will transcend into world domination. I have worked around the country for years, people are aware of RL but they just don’t rate it, but these cranks believe putting a team in Newcastle or the midlands will automatically see the local inhabitants fall in love with the game. RL isn’t even that big Wigan now never mind expansion.
It's a fallacy that Wigan was/is a Rugby town, it never has been.
The number 1 sport in the town has always been football, whether that be Wigan Athletic, Man Utd, Man City, Everton, Liverpool, or even, Bolton Wanderers.
The only reason why RL in town isn't on life support yet is because the local youngsters love to play it, hence the reason why the grassroots amateur scene in the town is still flourishing.
However, despite the interest in playing the game in the town, The Warriors haven't seen the trickle down effect of new fans through the turnstiles at the DW.
And given Wigan's stature in RL, That's a massive worry for the long term future of the game.
I wouldn't go that far.Maybe Wigan has never been a rugby only town but saying it isn't a rugby town at all is a bit of a stretch.
I wouldn’t go that far.Maybe Wigan has never been a rugby only town but saying it isn’t a rugby town at all is a bit of a stretch.
I didn't say it wasn't a Rugby Town at all.
I said it wasn't the number 1 sport in the town, and it isn't.
Just how they would have fared without Lenehans regular cash injections is a moot point.
Our mangement that led to administration has, rightly, been heavily criticised. But management is not good if it exists only because it is regularly bailed out. Saints are apparently finding that competing for players on the open market is getting difficult. Lets face it even Premier soccer lives on massive debt at many clubs. You have to question just how long the RL game in the UK can move on without some very serious reorganisation.
Decisions are needed regarding the game's level in the grand scheme of things. How many teams can truly afford full time status. Very few without a Sky contract and even a reduced one might be doubtful in the future.