@gpo1971 It doesn't help that with the decrease in popularity/mis-management from up high the very communities who made/make the game also usually come from lower income areas and are affected more than most sports by cost of living issues.
This shouldn't be discounted for some of the decline in people coming. Some just can't afford it any more.
Ok so if next years SL line
up is based on IMG gradings, how do London with their massive crowds and lowly last years position get above hudds - with their double London crowds and better league placing over the last 2 years
thoughts ?
apart from it’s the RFL
I think gpo1971 has hit the nail on the head.
You cannot force people to like/watch something they are not interested in. Its a dead duck and is a waste of money to even try. How much cash does the game continue to waste with all these 'experiments' when it could be used much more effectively for the benefit of the whole sport.
Much better to build from the bottom up, rather than the top down. Its the only way to develop firm foundations.
Years ago, the sport was operated successfully by the two David's - Howes and Oxley - and they did a great job. The game was always skilful and exciting, had plenty of sponsored cup competitions, a proper Ashes series, a top eight play off, and they also managed to fill Wembley every year! They understood that RL was a regional sport at best, and didn't try to pretend it was something that it wasn't.
Regarding an earlier comment about the Magic Weekend. I hardly consider that to be a success either. It loses money, aggregate attendances are poor, and it dislocates the league structure by having the odd extra game.
I have said many times, the game needs a 'Back to the Future' approach by taking the best of what made the game so much more interesting and exciting and mixing it with today's modern business practices.
I think at least the sport may then have a chance.
Because the brown envelope RFL has increased the points for winning the Championship and the 1895 Cup thats how London get into SL simples.Ok so if next years SL line
up is based on IMG gradings, how do London with their massive crowds and lowly last years position get above hudds - with their double London crowds and better league placing over the last 2 years
thoughts ?
apart from it’s the RFL
I agree with Dart Vader here. The sport should be in rude health, and to build any business you have to be in the detail and have many actions in place. We have a game with no understanding of that detail and looking for the one or two solutions which will fix everything.
I remember David Oxley but I don't remember directors of this, committees of that. So many of the initiatives have been badly thought through or just a waste of time. The sponsorship from Stobarts, Magic Weekend, IMG, expanding SL and on and on.
The Championship clubs are not in a good place, but neither are the SL clubs and its too easy to say people can't afford it, or other external factors. Its because people don't value the game that they will spend money elsewhere, I get it that money is tight (me too). I can't see any change whilst we have the game run as it is, and I don't think the NRL intervention will resolve things, possibly delay pain with investment. I would not be surprised if we start to see clubs breaking away from the RFL, and whilst that would be hard to start off with, I can see them surviving.
I am very sorry Tim is moving on, and wish him all the best.
@prisoner there's no img points this year for winning the 1895 cup !! Another change lol