20 replies to this topic

[The Daddy_merged]

The original point behind the super league concept was summer rugby, with harder grounds, more skill on show and making the sport more of an attraction for the casual sports fan, this is a concept we need to return to.

In the first season of super league the season began on March 29th which is a couple of days before April, we now start the comp in the coldest month of the year right at the begininng of Feb and in my opinion this is affecting the quality of product, the crowds, the ability for the casual sports fan to attend our sport.
Question is what sacrifices would need to be made in order to do this? This is simply not a summer league anymore.

[The Orford Postman]

Unless we cut the number of games then we cant do anything with the time we start and end the season. Getting rid of magic and the mid season test would be a start and getting rid of 1 week of the cup so sl clubs come in later could also be done?

[dogthebountyhunter]

Or we could continue the way we are and stop moaning

[gingerjon]

The Daddy_merged, on 06 February 2012 - 12:01 PM, said:

the ability for the casual sports fan to attend our sport.

And yet crowds seem to be on the increase.

[Just Browny]

gingerjon, on 06 February 2012 - 12:52 PM, said:

And yet crowds seem to be on the increase.

Not as many casuals though.

[gingerjon]

Just Browny, on 06 February 2012 - 12:54 PM, said:

Not as many casuals though.

Some of them are women and families too.

It is very disappointing to see rugby league shooting itself in the foot by increasing its support like this.

[Amber Avenger]

The Daddy_merged, on 06 February 2012 - 12:01 PM, said:

In the first season of super league the season began on March 29th which is a couple of days before April, we now start the comp in the coldest month of the year right at the begininng of Feb and in my opinion this is affecting the quality of product, the crowds, the ability for the casual sports fan to attend our sport.
Question is what sacrifices would need to be made in order to do this? This is simply not a summer league anymore.

This old chesnut again. The first season of Super League kicked off so late because of the shortened winter season in 1995 - have to give the players some time off!

Someone pointed out on a thread last week that SL kicked off in the first week of March 2002 - ie 10 years ago. However the Super League clubs played their first game of that year's challenge cup on the weekend of 9/10 February that year and played another round a couple of weeks later.

Does anyone know when the first round of the CC was for SL clubs in 96? Before the cup final moved to august we almost always had a few rounds of the cup before the league started.

EDIT: Just looking up, Super League II started a couple of weeks earlier on 14th March, yet by then the quarter finals of the cup had already been played with the season starting for SL clubs in that comp on 9th Feb. A lot of misremembering going on re: the season start

Edited by Amber Avenger, 06 February 2012 - 01:08 PM.

[gingerjon]

Amber Avenger, on 06 February 2012 - 01:03 PM, said:

Does anyone know when the first round of the CC was for SL clubs in 96?

Don't know about the round the SL clubs entered but the quarter final was on 24/25 February.  The semi finals then appear to have been played two weeks apart on 9 & 23 March.

[l'angelo mysterioso]

Just Browny, on 06 February 2012 - 12:54 PM, said:

Not as many casuals though.

that's because they were a phenomenon of the 1980s

[The Orford Postman]

Some clubs may hit financial difficulties if we have a big gap between Oct-March also.

[Errol Stock]

At risk of being shot at dawn...

I agree with the OP - The first weekend in March would be a good season start.

The season could run to end of November - that month is generally warmer than February..

[gingerjon]

Errol Stock, on 06 February 2012 - 01:21 PM, said:

At risk of being shot at dawn...

I agree with the OP - The first weekend in March would be a good season start.

The season could run to end of November - that month is generally warmer than February..

So we're playing internationals in December?

I have a lot of sympathy with the suggestion that it's too early but whilst we have 27 rounds, 3-4 weeks post season and a Challenge Cup to fit in ... and the crowds were actually pretty decent ...

[John Rhino]

gingerjon, on 06 February 2012 - 01:26 PM, said:

So we're playing internationals in December?

Quite. And who with? It certainly won't be the Aussies.

Anyway why does a February start prevent the casuals turning up in June, July and August?

[Just Browny]

This is such a daft thread.

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm looking outside here in Warrington and it's a beautiful, sunny, mild day with temperatures probably nudging 10 degrees. The reality is that a cold snap could kick in any time between early December and early March, we were unlucky on this occasion that it came on the opening weekend, for maybe three days. And yet, no games were called off and the game I attended was played in good conditions on an excellent pitch.

People who don't fancy going out in the cold can come out of their shells when it warms up a bit. As it is, 73,000+ attended the first weekend so it can't be all bad.

[Blind side johnny]

What's wrong with going back to winter rugby?

[barrowraiderskid]

The only way too have the season finish in october and start in late march would be too have more mid week games but this would result in the fall of attendances and fatigue. But on the plus side it would probably encourage teams to use their squads more which would enable more english talent to have a shot at SL. But in reality and I can't see the season being started and finished it the time the op suggested, and have internationals at the end of the season.

[foozler]

If you want a shorter season, then surely the answer is cut the number of clubs in Superleague and reduce the number of playoff places to top 3?

Edited by foozler, 06 February 2012 - 04:25 PM.

[gingerjon]

ldg, on 06 February 2012 - 05:11 PM, said:

nerfs.

That's me off to urban dictionary.

[deluded pom?]

foozler, on 06 February 2012 - 04:25 PM, said:

If you want a shorter season, then surely the answer is cut the number of clubs in Superleague and reduce the number of playoff places to top 3?

Not necessarily. Why, when we have a playoff system to decided the champions, do we need to play every other team home and away? The Aussies stick with a set 24 game season despite there being 16 teams in the league. Quality over quantity.

[1976PMJwires]

FFS!
Weather is unpredictable but the moaners are predictable
What ever next 20 games a season