@vikingfox71 The Bulls CEO Jason Hirst gave an interview which was full of the most incredible waffle but in it he said that the Stock Cars had a long term contract at the stadium and that they are working on how to sort the corners out.
I can't find it now, it was on one of the rugby league sites earlier but it epitomised how to say a lot and at the same time say nothing.
@sandgroper I have read that a last minute decision was made by RFL to give £650,000 central funding to both York and Toulouse. Bradfraud will get the full central funding of £1.3m. No surprise there then!
This year, £1.5m was distributed between the 13 Championship teams and £300,000 between the 11 League 1 teams. I wonder who will pay for the additional central funding for the promoted teams?
Surely teams need to know now about the level of central funding in 2026, as this will be taken into account in financial projections for the year. But this s rugby league!!
Perhaps the Club should make a statement about the funding they expect to receive in 2026 and whether they are expecting additional sponsorship.
@vikingsinbradford lol I think it was gamecaller I read and he lives in his own world anyway !! Good luck to them I wonder what happens next year if they're the bottom 3 and London win the championship that'll be interesting then
Maybe jumping the gun a bit but if there are no funds for the Championship clubs are they still required to be supervised by the RFL or are they open to re-invent a part time league?
@pauliewalnuts tell us more about the SL investment
The Club had a number of investors (substantial monies), but they were not willing to invest in Championship RL, probably as there would be no return for them. Being in SL would have given them weekly exposure on Sky. They wouldn't get exposure in a non-televised Championship. I, and my fellow Fan Ambassadors were not privy to who they are/where.
Paulie xx
That just seems like a sponsorship deal to me, which is fair enough, but it wont be the saviour of the club
I suppose everything is a sponsorship deal, in reality. There's not many investors that don't want a 'kick-back' for their buck.
Paulie xx
True Paulie, but the wealthy supporters won't carry on pumping £1m plus every year just to make up the SL's failure to get a better deal.
People with money like to keep it and as McManus said of his input 'that can't go on'!!!
SL clubs will tighten their belts!!
True Paulie, but the wealthy supporters won't carry on pumping £1m plus every year just to make up the SL's failure to get a better deal.
People with money like to keep it and as McManus said of his input 'that can't go on'!!!
SL clubs will tighten their belts!!
I suppose it depends on the Owner's obsession, and gold reserves.
McManus may well be running out of funds, and for him it can't go on. The 'Big Noise' at Wigan is apparently a lot richer, and has much more to throw at 'Project Pie'. McManus can only really speak for himself. Beaumont never seems to have any issues about spending, that said, he has turned Leigh around, fills the stadium, puts on a show, and recruits some belting players. Lam obviously tells him who he would like, and maybe that's where Saints are failing. Their recruitment hasn't been the best of late, and they've kept the 'Old Guard' for too long. Crowds are down, they are trophyless for 3 years now, Wellens has been binned. The natives are restless.
Paulie xx
@pauliewalnuts Warrington have Middleton and Moran putting over £1m per season. Ken Davy at Huddersfield must have put in millions and millions over the years at Huddersfield. Beaumont has put in millions to get Leigh to the position they are in now. Credit to him, 10k fans for a small town with no train station. Kit made by Reebok and Jet 2 as main sponsors. Wakefield and Hull also have multi millionaire owners.
They won't see any return on this. Main thing for Beaumont is gets him known, otherwise for a decking company owner no one would have a clue who he was. A bit like Koukash and SOC when at Widnes.
The Obsession out weighs the need of a return from their investment. They're all different from McManus.
If you won a multi-rollover Euromillions, you could bankroll WV to your hearts content, and I doubt you'd be looking for any return on what you put in. Everyone is different.
Paulie xx
@pauliewalnuts That's why im interested to hear about the investment that formed part of our bid. Its like the chicken and the egg. Especially at a club like ours that has no money going into it.
York, Leigh, Wakefield and now London all invested in the clubs at Championship level to propel themselves to SL (London in 2027 after they win the 2026 Championship)
The 3 reasons given by the panel for Widnes not getting in are all down to investment. 1. Lack of investment into the club over recent seasons. 2. Not a suitable or big enough off field staff to support a SL squad. 3. Poor IMG ranking (19th place) they are all caused as a direct or indirect result of a lack of investment in the club. Thats why it puzzles me, you are not going to climb in IMG rankings or sign the better players to get promoted without money going in.
Im not blaming the club, if you try to you could end up like Featherstone or Salford we are operating at our current level but the investment only once in SL seems back to front to me.
@pauliewalnuts That's why im interested to hear about the investment that formed part of our bid. Its like the chicken and the egg. Especially at a club like ours that has no money going into it.
York, Leigh, Wakefield and now London all invested in the clubs at Championship level to propel themselves to SL (London in 2027 after they win the 2026 Championship)
The 3 reasons given by the panel for Widnes not getting in are all down to investment. 1. Lack of investment into the club over recent seasons. 2. Not a suitable or big enough off field staff to support a SL squad. 3. Poor IMG ranking (19th place) they are all caused as a direct or indirect result of a lack of investment in the club. Thats why it puzzles me, you are not going to climb in IMG rankings or sign the better players to get promoted without money going in.
Im not blaming the club, if you try to you could end up like Featherstone or Salford we are operating at our current level but the investment only once in SL seems back to front to me.
It is certainly a chicken & egg situation.
There's no way that you or I will find out who the Investors where, as the Board play their cards close to their chests, and probably won't divulge, unless somebody asks them on Monday Night (If any are in attendance).
Why would you recruit backroom staff in any business that are not required? If you had a SL squad, then yeah, I get it. I think that's a load of BS.
As for ending up like Salford/Fev, we would be more likely to achieve that by going for broke. But where is that money required coming from, the Owners (= the Board)?
You tell me.
Paulie xx
Initially the Sky money went to SL clubs to establish the game as an entertainment spectacle for Sky. If SL ignore the non SL clubs the game as a professional sport will die, Championship first and eventualiy even amateur.
A reduction in the number of 'professional' clubs (PT or FT) will be the opposite to expansion.
@pauliewalnuts I agree Paulie we can't afford to go for broke our current investment sees us 6-9 depending on injuries so if we could increase investment by 2/3 first team starters we would probably get into the top 3 so we need 60-90k (not sure what a decent player costs) that's the sort of investment needed for us to take the next stage
twinnys business club must have raised that but then we have taken on Tim and looking for a commercial manager so I would think we need another 400/500 on vip membership to make that difference so it's within our own hands instead of waiting for someone to do it for us
if we move to the next step finish top 3 you look a more promising investment surely
could the club not send emails to season ticket holders thanking them for their purchase and include a vip application?
With you 100% but I would guess that our present WVIPs are ST owners already and, like me, have been contributing for years. Many, again like me, are advancing in years and have a limited shelf life!!
When I see the quantity of beer consumed at home games, probably at extortionate prices, I can't see how the cost of a pint or two a month would hurt.
For those in unfortunate circumstances who genuinely can't afford it I sympathise, but if you can do it for your own sake!!!!
Maybe a cap for WVIP's to purchase (Harold Lynskey would have been onto it!)