2 replies to this topic

[Leaguesaint]

Hello all and happy New Year.

Over the years I've enjoyed watching how Rugby League has continued to develop outside of the "heartlands" of the game. Unfortunately, no longer living in England it's hard to get to many games during the course of the season and in the last couple of years I've started to lose touch a bit.

I just had a few questions about the progress being made in the Summer Conference:

1) How many teams now take part?
2) Are there then many other teams playing at a lower level (i.e. the merit leagues)?
3) Which clubs have the highest attendances and is there any estimates for what those attendances might be?
4) Are most clubs watched by just friends and family of the players or do most have a reasonable number of people from the local community coming to watch?
5) Do the clubs charge the attendees of games at this level?

Cheers

[bowes]

Hello all and happy New Year.

Over the years I've enjoyed watching how Rugby League has continued to develop outside of the "heartlands" of the game. Unfortunately, no longer living in England it's hard to get to many games during the course of the season and in the last couple of years I've started to lose touch a bit.

I just had a few questions about the progress being made in the Summer Conference:

1) How many teams now take part?
2) Are there then many other teams playing at a lower level (i.e. the merit leagues)?
3) Which clubs have the highest attendances and is there any estimates for what those attendances might be?
4) Are most clubs watched by just friends and family of the players or do most have a reasonable number of people from the local community coming to watch?
5) Do the clubs charge the attendees of games at this level?

Cheers

1) Roughly 100 but obviously changes year to year, nearly always in the upward direction though typically 5-10 teams drop out. Last year was particularly bad on the drop out and fixtures cancelled front so this year will probably not have the usual expansion.
2) There are 4 merit leagues (North West, Yorkshire, Midlands, London) and they all have about 10-12 teams in.
3/4) At Coventry we had I'd guess about 75-100 in the midlands premier which was the highest at that level, normally I saw more like 30-40. At the lower levels it probably is mostly friends and family. In the National Division at the Butts I'd expect bigger crowds for Coventry, last time we got up to perhaps 300-350 (my estimate not official figures) though we won it that year so that will have upped numbers and this was only for a few games so I wouldn't like to guess at next year's crowds.
5) We didn't charge the last couple of years in the midlands premier but we will be next year. Most clubs don't charge but a few do, Kent Ravens at one stage were charging £5 for the London League!

[Leaguesaint]

1) Roughly 100 but obviously changes year to year, nearly always in the upward direction though typically 5-10 teams drop out. Last year was particularly bad on the drop out and fixtures cancelled front so this year will probably not have the usual expansion.
2) There are 4 merit leagues (North West, Yorkshire, Midlands, London) and they all have about 10-12 teams in.
3/4) At Coventry we had I'd guess about 75-100 in the midlands premier which was the highest at that level, normally I saw more like 30-40. At the lower levels it probably is mostly friends and family. In the National Division at the Butts I'd expect bigger crowds for Coventry, last time we got up to perhaps 300-350 (my estimate not official figures) though we won it that year so that will have upped numbers and this was only for a few games so I wouldn't like to guess at next year's crowds.
5) We didn't charge the last couple of years in the midlands premier but we will be next year. Most clubs don't charge but a few do, Kent Ravens at one stage were charging £5 for the London League!

Thanks