Wakefield and especially Leigh have done well will wealthy owners. The game is that skint a few million quid goes a long way. Leigh at Hilton Park achieved nothing for years with poor crowds. Now good crowds and Wembley appearances. Look at last time we got in, it was with SOC money if we are being honest.
Without 1.5m per season to put in SL is not viable and we are better off in the Championship. Lets hope somehow the RFL get a decent TV deal so its not down to owners having to put millions in to sustain a full time squad. And of course promotion is re-instated. I pay for SKY but hardly watch SL and I'm a big RL fan. What does that tell you about the game/product.
6 Year plan according to the Chairman at the Members' Monday after the IMG announcement in Oct 2024.
Paulie xx
Good post dan1!!!!! Like you, as far as SL is concerned it seems to have lost its value as the 'top' game. Very repetitive with only a select few featuring on TV and even then very few teams playing high quality rugby. Some of that is due to rules that have slowed the game down and officials who have difficulty keeping pace with the action.
Thinking today about Dennis Moran at Blackpool in our team hunting SL promotion - is there anyone in SL anywhere near to him these days? The quality of the Championship is its competitive quality throughout the league whereas SL has a select few top teams who are always on TV.
It's not good when the game is sold as a package at a giveaway price and so many clubs cannot put a team out without millionaire charity. The SL clubs handed the reins over to a management group that has failed.
The millionaire club owners realise that with the Sky connection failing they either have to re-invent the SL or it will fall apart.
It is doubtful that the Championship clubs could manage without a share of Sky cash and would have to fall back onto supporters. Our crowd base maybe lower than we would like but is certainly better than most in the Championship group.
Many 'top' Championship clubs have minimal loal crowd support and from our present situation it is hard to see just what can be done to re-establish the financial element of the game in its heartland never mind expansion.
Players whom have enjoyed fulltime contracts etc are unlikely to want to revert to part time rugby, but that may well become the option.
I don't get this 6 year plan unless we have a big money person like Wakefield, Leigh etc it is not viable. What in 6 years will change it unless got big sponsors and more fans to the games.
Good question for a members Monday. Details of the 6 year plan. If its to get into SL what are the markers for success and how do we track progress.
In terms of crowds, playing squad and money coming in, are we any further forward than this time 12 months ago??