All about 'sport' becoming a job rather that a hobby or pastime.
All of my 'heros' were amateurs. Derek Ibbotson trained on a local park because the road lighting was there, Gordon Pirie got a salesman's job so that he could adjust his training times et etc.
And the RL players were the same. Wigan players still wearing the coal dust and showering before the game etc etc., Widnes lads like Winstanley and Prescot working for the Council etc.
Times do change, often not for the better!!!
And now reported that Oldham are facing debts of £4m and a winding-up order from HMRC.
How long before other Clubs in SL and Championship go bust? Are the RFL in denial about the state of the game?
Rugby league was always a part time game and will eventually end up back that way as the game is just not big enough to support a full time set up. Most super league clubs are in debt and once Sky gets bored with it and pulls the financial plug super league will collapse - just a matter of time.......
And now reported that Oldham are facing debts of £4m and a winding-up order from HMRC.
How long before other Clubs in SL and Championship go bust? Are the RFL in denial about the state of the game?
Well if that’s true about Oldham, blows a complete hole into the championship and IMG gradings
WAKE UP rfl - you are overseeing shambles §!
People have been rolling out the 'Sky pulling the plug, when they get bored' for at least 20 years, now (albeit the funding has decreased since 1996).
They won't got bored of it while the Clubs keep signing the dotted line every 3-4 years.
SL has little options, as I don't think any other TV company are really interested. We'll see.
Paulie xx
I don't think Sky would pull the plug, they get decent viewing figures out of RL at times when there are no other headline sports on. What they will do though is keep reducing the deal, they know there's nowhere else for RL to go. No-one is interested. So, those SL clubs struggling now will continue to struggle, even more so probably.
As said, RL is a P/T sport, realistically it was much stronger (and interesting) when it was. RU isn't too dissimilar, apart from a few bankrolled clubs, most are skint, look at Wales.
We'll be lucky to get half a dozen games for our season tickets at this rate 😆
With the current deal soon to run out ,they've been in discussions regarding the broadcast rights ... apparently headed up by big nige and degsy ...one being DAZN who are reportedly interested....for once I'm on big niges side ...sky have been taking the pee in recent years and might have a genuine threat of losing the rights if they try and lowball a deal again
These 3 clubs have gambled big on either staying in, or getting to, Super League. To read that Oldham owe £4M to HMRC in a failed SL attempt, I mean, what's the point? They'd have only incurred further debt if/when they got there.
The whole RL model is broken.
@prisoner This may be right, but the fact is that they were served with a winding-up order by HMRC. To claim that they were unaware of the debt does seem a bit strange.
Their next published accounts for the current year, including the HMRC debt payment, should be an interesting read. They are surely not relying on the RFLC central funding to bail them out?
Well a new Salford emerges - debt free, playing at the same stadium, but no points deduction ?
and bbc says they will get the biggest funding as they were effectively number 1 in the championship ?
if it’s the same team it should be a points deduction, if it’s a new team, no funding and start at the bottom
fev must be fuming - us and bradfraud went into admin and restarted with points deduction - is it better you get dissolved then ?
also in the IMG gradings - if it’s a new team they have a zero rating ?
more questions than answers !
Surely we must question this with rfl ? How can they stay no 1 and gain the most finance by going bust and no points deduction complete farce yet again
Change of words on bbc site - now says if the team keep their number 1 status they will qualify for the biggestbfunding ( probably a3/6)