Well in all honesty looking back fax is not a major shock
would not be surprised to see a few more follow, particularly in cumbria
But the problem the game now has is how to make the championship work - it was a dogs breakfast from the start, but without fax lots of teams are losing 2 fixtures - the home one would probably be amongst their biggest gates of the season ( swinton,Rochdale for instance)
feel this is what the RFL wanted
Too many people in rugby league feel entitled to salaries that simply aren’t supported by the sport’s actual revenue. You’ve got part-time players asking for £50k, Super League players expecting hundreds of thousands, and clubs carrying bloated staff structures.
Clubs need to be run far more efficiently — leaner, better managed, and aligned with the financial reality of the sport.
Correct, and you can start right at the very, very top. The RFL board are delivering a managed decline across all areas of the game. SL, Championship, grassroots. In the main a shadow of their former self.
There are many reasons for this, but the highlighted point above is true. If the game was flourishing and they paid themselves well then you think yeah they've earned it, but when the game is struggling like mad and the wages, bonuses, payoffs etc. are big you ask what is going on.
Prime example being Nigel Wood. He got a severance package of £500k apparently & in 2018 was earning £314k a year. For what?
RL can't afford to pay that a year for one person to do a terrible job. Does that mean Halifax and the other clubs aren't to blame for their own demise? No. They need to manage, market and budget their clubs accordingly, but for a sport as a whole all revenue generated needs to be spent wisely and at the minute it's far from that.
But it's not just a championship problem salford were in super league , Wigan saints etc run huge losses even with sky money the game can't sustain full time reality needs to set in
rugby union lost clubs exactly the same it's not just rugby league unfortunately only football can be full time because of the exposure and tv money
For me the big problem in the Championship is allowing some clubs to run full time squads. That puts pressure on other clubs to spend money they don't have to try to compete.
The Championship should be part time only with a strict salary cap in place that is adjusted for season ticket sales. So if you are able to bring in more spectators buying season tickets then you can have X amount added to your salary cap.
This gives a more even playing field and also urges clubs to sell more passes.
Any club relegated to the Championship must also automatically become part time.
A slight compromise could be allowing each club to nominate 3-5 full time players, again as long as its within the cap
Just seen a press release (anyone tech savvy enough to transfer it onto here please?) saying..........
"The Rugby Football League can confirm Halifax Panthers have had their RFL Membership removed.
The club was placed into compulsory liquidation in a High Court hearing on Monday.
The RFL is committed to preserving professional rugby league in the town, and will continue working with interested parties to fulfill this."
They've already played twice in the league, so will those results now be expunged?
I mentioned earlier that 'Fax were our replacement fixtures following Fev's demise, so could we yet have Chemics v Lions this term?
It really is a sad state of affairs for the game that's been a massive part of my life for over six decades.
Spelly.
@torn-sock-1 Quite right about those running the game are being paid being paid for failure.
But fear not, big Nige has come up with long-term strategy to secure the future of the game - and his salary too no doubt. I would guess this will basically be, look after those clubs in SL and sod the rest, now he has managed to get Bradford up!
The only way that Wood and the rest of his ilk taking money out of the game, can hang on to their inflated salaries, is to promote SL and hope they can generate substantially more income from Sky. They have no interest at all in the game below SL and are happy to see the so called smaller clubs go to the wall.
Their RFL membership has now been withdrawn and game v Sheffield postponed.Inviting 'expressions of interest' by 18 Feb.A sorry state.
Oldham chairman made statement looking like they're are staying in stalybridge and saying 1400 fans not enough for boundary park or to have the level of team they have !! Urging fans to travel to staylbridge
well that’s the end of Oldham then - how can they pay all the players salaries on gates like that ?
sugar daddies lose patience, London are at the front of the queue for the promised land
stick where we are and try to enjoy a season of winning more than losing !
The loss of Halifax will be a loss to all other Clubs, as along with ourselves, and maybe Salford (until the novelty of getting pummelled wears off) they have a decent away following, that is a decent 'payday' for the lesser supported clubs. I know the adage that you can't rely on the Away Team's supporters to boost your attendance, but for those mentioned, especially WV, these are the Premium home fixtures. @spelly will confirm that the Swinton hierarchy, rub their hands to 3rd degree burns, when Widnes come to Sale.
Paulie xx
@7-vikingnomad just keep on as we are but hard to keep crowds up if opposition keeps folding!!!
The loss of Halifax will be a loss to all other Clubs, as along with ourselves, and maybe Salford (until the novelty of getting pummelled wears off) they have a decent away following, that is a decent 'payday' for the lesser supported clubs. I know the adage that you can't rely on the Away Team's supporters to boost your attendance, but for those mentioned, especially WV, these are the Premium home fixtures. *@spelly will confirm that the Swinton hierarchy, rub their hands to 3rd degree burns, when Widnes come to Sale.
Paulie xx
* Of course we do, which is why I hope you're our replacement / replacement games, although the 'Yeds might now be added instead, as we don't (currently) have them on our fixture list either.
Fax would've brought a few, to put some dosh in the Swinton till, so hopefully it will be Oldham or you, who become our "new Fev / Halifax money makers" but........
I repeat, it really is a sorry state of affairs when the prospect of a 'Faxless future for our game is more than a distinct probability!
Spelly.
agree with you there - a rugby league competition without Halifax and featherstone ?
unbelievable
what happens next ?
I assume it’s too late for fev to be accepted and a new fax would be really up against it - so is it new opponents as you alluded to, but the logistics of that are pretty hard as time is running out.
so will it be back to percentages ? We will await the brainstormed at the RFL to come up with another hair brained scheme.
agree with you there - a rugby league competition without Halifax and featherstone ?
unbelievablewhat happens next ?
I assume it’s too late for fev to be accepted and a new fax would be really up against it - so is it new opponents as you alluded to, but the logistics of that are pretty hard as time is running out.so will it be back to percentages ? We will await the brainstormed at the RFL to come up with another hair brained scheme.
Who knows what awaits eh mate?
Another problem I can envisage (unless I'm missing summat obvious) is that any new fixtures would have to be midweek, coz..........
If it's you mob who are our re-replacement games, when it's our bye weekend, you'll be already involved with whoever you had on the original calendar.
It really is a can of worms, but is it the RFL's fault that Fev, and 'Fax can't balance their books? I would strongly suggest that it's not!
Spelly.
It isn't but, let's face it, we're in a league no-one cares about; even the governing body. Whatever happens, it will peter out to something meaningless and then London will go up. It's not worth fretting about. As I said at the before the season, enjoy some rugby on a Sunday and a couple of pints in The Bowler. Taking it too seriously is pointless.
no it’s not the RFLs fault clubs can’t balance their books, but it is their fault with the structure of the league and the implementation of competition rules that change by the week - remember clubs were getting money for fevs fixture and a percentage league
then extra fixtures put in place so no money for clubs - Widnes get a local derby against goole Vikings , doubt the crowd will be anywhere near a fev crowd
now fax are gone - what do you reckon they will do ?
as you say it could be midweek fixtures, which very few clubs will break even on and given players are part time squads may not be as strong
i I have a strange feeling we will get midlands instead, another local derby but will play against a few old boys