11 replies to this topic

[Mad Mal the Mauler]

....that the offer of three games for the price of one this week Hornets v South Wales Scorpions, Hornets U23's v Teachers RL and Hornets v Gateshead Thunder weren't attended by more people than actually took up the offer? The chance to see some of the young guns that are attempting to break into the 1st team and making a good fist of it too. Will Chadwick has already made the transition and is now on the 1st team roster and there are a couple more not far off. Stanky is giving several of the U23's the encouragement by including them as he deems them ready and these lads need support from the Hornets fans too. If you didn't/couldn't get there you missed some good performances by individuals as well as the teams!

[Pugwash]

I was there at both games but didn't see the U23s game as I was flogging programmes but I'm really impressed at the way Stanky and the other coaches are bringing these lads on.

As you say Mal, three games for £12 is not a bad deal but it was very poorly taken up, I don't know why. If everyone in the town who likes Rugby League came to just 1 game per season we'd be very well attended if you add the fans who come multiple times to them.

Pugwash.

[Anita Bath]

Try some market research . . .my guess is rugby league fans are not all that interested in watching third tier rugby league and teams such as Gateshead, Wales whatever they might be called this season and yet another London team, but dont let the RFL allow that to make them think again about expanding even more to other teams nobody wants to watch. I am afraid you could remove all admission charges and you would not see the attendence rise much - its the product not the price.

Please be honest with yourselves, the standard of rugby in this division is pretty awful, and we know most of you will pay to watch the grass grow at Spotland if its red white and blue, and good for you - there is nothing wrong with that - you turn up no matter how bad the product is - but you are all getting older and not more numerous.

Lets try and break this down. Allegedly there is more money coming into the game than ever before. (Oh well done Mr 'new balls' Lewis) But there are more clubs in financial trouble with few if any making money. So outgoings have increased. Why, because someone decided they would make it full time professional for the top tier (madness) and then expand this tier (more madness). Of course to afford (or pretend to afford) this step they had to make sure this top tier got a greater share of the total money coming in, so the none top tier teams got even poorer - struggled to maintain player payments and the general standard of the rugby played in these tiers gets worse (and crowds fall further). So we expand that struggling tier as well (even more madness). So the gap between top and bottom increases continually but none do well financially.

To see one of the grossly one sided super league games - often involving London - and think the blokes on the field are so called full time professionals is mind boggling.

The greatest asset the game had, the challenge cup competition has been turned into a sideshow and the league championship is that Super it brings in zero sponsorship revenue - less than the british Ice Hockey and basketball leagues. We have a world cup and cannot seem to organise that without the monty pythonish awarding of games to non existent grounds and delays in announcing the schedule and venues until broadcasters decide when they want to telvise other sports first. So if we cannot find any snooker/racing/boxing . . . . . whippets and pigeons to broadcast we will fit in a rugby league world cup game.


Thank you Maurice Lindsay - your 1996 chickens have come home to roost. But you couldnt have done it without the collaboration of the most gullible set of clowns you could wish to meet - the club chairmen and women.How many voted against Murdoch's money? Lets name and shame, even if its our own.

Our clubs are broke, we havent won an international competiton since long before Man City last won the championship and no one is interested in the challenge cup.

RIP RL - And I do think its probably one of the greatest games in the world (when London arent playing anyway)

[fillipo del toro]

Some great points, but on the whole i do think its the product, not the cost. I read a great section somewhere last week from a Leyther who was stating how Leighs attendances have halfed in 5 years. There are so many factors contributing to this, far to many to go into now. The big thing at this level is that summer Rugby is doing this level no favors what so ever, in principal its a great idea. But life has changed with so many things to do on a sunny sunday compared to 10 years ago, family commitments, Sundays a massive day for premiership soccer etc, etc.
Im going to be controversial and say i feel £12 for third tier rugby is a bit much to ask, seen as though every family is getting hit hard financially yes we are inline with other clubs, and yes you will tell me to buy a season ticket. I paid £14 to stand behind the sticks at Halifax, but once people stop coming they get out of the habit, and thats a tough thing to get back.

I can't give you the solution, to all this. I think saying RIP to RL is a bit much, as i love the game more and more, and whilst we get pumped and brainwashed by the media that its football, football, football al the way, i am convinced we have a fantastic product on the pitch, the players are athletes and the RFL need to take a long hard look at how the sport is run at every level.
Hornets must have hundreds of floating fans, i get stopped in the street by Hornets experts for a chat who know everything thats going on at Spotland, but haven't been in 5-10 years? Hows that work?
I think the town itself contributes, just ask the Dale board, they have scratched there head for years as to why they cannot get the people through the gate.

[Hornets Nest]

Minutes from meetings held in 1994/95 will reflect that Rochdale Hornets opposed both summer rugby and sleeping with Murdoch much to the displeasure of Lindsay at the time, but yes we as everyone else did took the money that was on offer.

As for the crowds it seems spurious claims that folk were staying away from Hornets because of a succession of Boards was just complete nonsense perpetuated by people with agenda's.

The three game offer was an excellent idea, pity the Townsfolk did not. Apathy and Summer rugby did for Hornets and many others years ago. And there will always lye the problem.

[Mad Mal the Mauler]

I agree with many of the points above, but mainly apathy in this town is the main enemy of any or all sport, most folk prefer to sit with a can of Stella in one hand and the remote in the other. The club's offer of 3 for one was a great step to trying to get a few extra bums on seats, but they can shanghai folk off the street and make them take a seat? As Fillipo says "I don't have the answer" and neither do I, but the club can only keep trying to tempt the 'floating' fans back with offers like this costing £4 per game it was almost down to the average amateur game admission! Unfortunately even the few regulars we have seemed to be missing from Wednesday's game and the curtain raiser on Sunday where what could be the future of Hornets were on display with some good rugby was played.
I've just sent a letter to mailbag in the League Express in response to Mike Smith's article blowing the lid off on the forming of Super League and the devious, underhand way it came about between Uncle Mo and BSkyB. The RFL were, as they still are, just puppets and hardly architects in this Punch and Judy show.

[blackhawk]

I agree with many of the points above, but mainly apathy in this town is the main enemy of any or all sport, most folk prefer to sit with a can of Stella in one hand and the remote in the other. The club's offer of 3 for one was a great step to trying to get a few extra bums on seats, but they can shanghai folk off the street and make them take a seat? As Fillipo says "I don't have the answer" and neither do I, but the club can only keep trying to tempt the 'floating' fans back with offers like this costing £4 per game it was almost down to the average amateur game admission! Unfortunately even the few regulars we have seemed to be missing from Wednesday's game and the curtain raiser on Sunday where what could be the future of Hornets were on display with some good rugby was played.
I've just sent a letter to mailbag in the League Express in response to Mike Smith's article blowing the lid off on the forming of Super League and the devious, underhand way it came about between Uncle Mo and BSkyB. The RFL were, as they still are, just puppets and hardly architects in this Punch and Judy show.

it wasnt just mo ,hetherington,caisley,and Mcmanus, are all guilty of the same offence and should be hung out to dry for all the problems they caused,lets hope murdoch finally crash just like the news of the world did hes in a whole heap of trouble already lets just see how all this pans out,super league keep ur eyes closely on proceedings ,it could affect u in some grave manner , i certainly hope it does

[Anita Bath]

Mad Mal,

Please stop blaming the folk of Rochdale - I seem to recall there being around 8000 for a game with Oldham - my memory might be playing tricks but I think it was at Spotland so cant be that many moons gone. In the Frank Myler and Kel Coslett years (excellent exciting rugby, skilled players) the Athletic Grounds saw large crowds on a regular basis. The structure of the RFL prevents us, and teams like us, ever getting back to those days. We are trapped in the rugby league version of the poverty trap.

Third tier rugby league is not of interest to the paying public with everything else they can watch or do with their leisure time. The stadium is not located centrally and games are played on 'summer' sundays when public transport is at its worst. The football team got more than they deserved this year given the shambles the board created. I suspect their crowds were not even lower because of season ticket sales - who wont be there next season

Folks are not going to switch their allegiances with other more succesful, higher quality teams built over over many decades of Rochdale-based teams with little if any success.( "Oh I see Rochdale?Hornets are doing OK this year, I stoop watching Man C/Man U/Wigan/Saints after 15 years and go to Spotland"!) The football team have had eight seasons when they havent been in the bottom tier in over 100 years history. In three of those eight they finished dead last. The rugby team last won something soon after the world war - the first one I mean - who presented the cup - Lloyd George? And you blame them for not responding in their thousands to a 'pay full price for one game and we will let you in free for the next' offer. Given the quality of rugby in the third tier some may have been willing to pay more not to have to come agin (sorry - a joke, no offence intended).

[Mad Mal the Mauler]

Apathy in ALL sports in Rochdale Anita, not just Rugby League! I stand by my thoughts on the matter, but everyone's entitled to their view of course?

[Anita Bath]

"Minutes from meetings held in 1994/95 will reflect that Rochdale Hornets opposed both summer rugby and sleeping with Murdoch much to the displeasure of Lindsay at the time, but yes we as everyone else did took the money that was on offer."


According to Dave Hadfield in this month's RLW club chairmen "voted unanimously to accept Rupert Murdoch's 77million"

I am not suggesting you are wrong Hornets Nest, but it would be good to get some official clarification on the point. Are the minutes you refer to publicly available?

[Hornets Nest]

Given that the new lot hired a big skip and binned history three years ago then minutes maybe hard to come by but I ll ask around. Lets be quite clear we did not vote against taking the 77 million at the time but we did flatly reject the idea that summer rugby would ever work.

There was also major concern shown at the time by the Dale given the work done on the Spotland Pitch during the summer months.

[Anita Bath]

So the two positions are then probably consistent - voted for accepting Murdochs doh-ray-me, but voted against moving the season to Summer (as did perhaps some other clubs but not enough).

I expect if the vote had been against summer rugby Murdoch's money would have been withdrawn.