Oldham are perhaps banking on the idea that if they won the Grand Final, it would put enough pressure on decision makers to let them in.
Remember Crusaders were high enough in the league that I think it made a difference for them.
I think that it is last chance saloon with Sky. They are paying more and more for Football (Prem and EFL), you've seen their Rugby Union stuff mostly go to TNT, they've cut back on Cricket in the winter. Be interesting to see how far they are willing to pay RL....
The women's soccer is on the way up, overwhelming SL for crowds media support etc
SL is piggy in the middle, struggling to spark interest with the 'Ashes' series, and hoping that Sky will boost their offer.
Without a big boost from Sky any clubs getting promoted will struggle financially to stay their.
A lot of the SL games are on the red button, which you can’t record and have to watch live, and often 2 matches on the red button at the same time. They usually only show 2 matches on a main channel (mix or action) one on a Thursday and one on a Friday, which makes a mockery of their slogan, watch every game live on Sky!
They show 3 Australian games on a main channel and have recently started showing 6 women’s Aussie matches, probably because they’re in the early hours of the morning over here, and there’s nothing else on.
SL seems to be getting less and less coverage on Sky, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they stopped showing it when the current contract runs out, then all the clubs would have to go back to being part time.
On a similar theme, why is anybody even talking about having French teams in SL?
One is bad enough, but to think about introducing another is complete madness.
Exactly what do they bring to the party? They are a luxury that the game cannot afford.
When everything considered, I dread to think how much money 'leaks' out of the sport over a full season because of this arrangement.
For what its worth, I think this is the last throw of the dice for RL to get it right, otherwise they are destined for complete failure and a return to from where we once came.
I don’t think the French teams get any money from sky but I understand your concern
but conversely what do salfraud bring - apart from putting the game into disrepute ?
On a similar theme, why is anybody even talking about having French teams in SL?
One is bad enough, but to think about introducing another is complete madness.
Exactly what do they bring to the party? They are a luxury that the game cannot afford.
When everything considered, I dread to think how much money 'leaks' out of the sport over a full season because of this arrangement.
*For what its worth, I think this is the last throw of the dice for RL to get it right, otherwise they are destined for complete failure and a return to from where we once came.
*But that's not the first, or second time words like that have been uttered is it mate?
Spelly.
I just weep for what has happened to this once great sport.
It had honesty and integrity, and a product that rarely disappointed on the field, which for me was pretty unique.
But since money became involved, it has gone backwards in almost every sense.
I wouldn't cross the road to watch a game now - not even if I was offered free tickets and a slap up meal at Mrs Miggins Pie Shop - such is its dull, repetitive and predictable nature.
Even sadder, is the fact that it doesn't ever have to be this way 😭
I just weep for what has happened to this once great sport.
It had honesty and integrity, and a product that rarely disappointed on the field, which for me was pretty unique.
But since money became involved, it has gone backwards in almost every sense.
I wouldn't cross the road to watch a game now - not even if I was offered free tickets and a slap up meal at Mrs Miggins Pie Shop - such is its dull, repetitive and predictable nature.
Even sadder, is the fact that it doesn't ever have to be this way 😭
Unlike you mate, I still love RL, and that'll never die!
Whilst the running of the game leaves a lot to be desired (but how long has the "normal" fan been saying that?) the entertainment on the park (in my opinion) remains.
There's genuine quality at SL level, with the likes of Mikey Lewis, Jai Field, and Bevan French. We have Arthur Morgue, and Junior Nsemba seeming to be developing into special players. Then mavericks like Jake Connor make (for me anyway) the game watchable for the "what if?" scenario. Mackenzie and I are going to the Piedome on Friday for the second v first showdown, and we're expecting fireworks.
Dropping a level or two, watching the Lions (and I suppose this applies to the vast majority of supporters) has its warts. But I wouldn't swap it for the world!
For example, a week ago, we went to Colwyn Bay and turned over the league leaders, yet today, we were try-less against a team that leaked fifty against 'Ornits last time out. As I've said a million times, it's never boring, coz you don't know which Swinton team is gonna turn up! But I'll still be there next time. and the one after that, and..................
Back to the top of our sport, as I mentioned on other threads, our tickets are booked for OT, and for all three tests, and we're hugely looking forward to 'em!
On the (debit) admin side, the frustration of not knowing whether 'Ornits at home in a fortnight, will be our last action of the campaign, or if the play-offs will actually happen, is hugely frustrating, of course it is. We should've known lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng since!
Similarly, the fact that two teams are gonna be picked / chosen / selected / elected (struggling for the right word) to SL, rather than them earning it on the park, is in a lot of people's (inc my) opinion not the way to go about it.
Both our clubs have enjoyed far better days that they're having at present, but it's in my blood, and I would find it impossible to walk away from summat that's been a massive part of my life for over six decades.
Spelly.