212 replies to this topic

[TaxiEgg]

In the Nw mens league there are eight 24-0 results this week end and noticably a couple of NCL reserve sides not putting teams out for the second week running ( 6 x 24-0 last week ) what was the RFL spin "Less cancelled games " quite clearly not the case.

Now are we as a sport frightened of saying maybe just maybe we got this wrong and avoiding revisiting the issue in case we upset the powers that be . Seems to me clubs are just apathetic to the issue and apart from Phil Johnson at Leigh East nobody is prepared to stick their neck out and take heed of the warning signs.

After 13 or so years playing rugby at pro level could anyone tell me how much the crowds have increased ?
Looking at the crowds at Championship level i would say based on figures in the RL press crowds are falling alarmingly.

Personally I think we do need to re think .

[l'angelo mysterioso]

it's only just started

on top of which it's had to start amidst opposition from the large constituency of reactionaries in amateur rugby.

[gillmeister]

Is there anything that can be suggested and discussed in this thread that hasnt already been done over and over and over and over? Its like Groundhog day

[Marauder]

it's only just started

on top of which it's had to start amidst opposition from the large constituency of reactionaries in amateur rugby.

The admin & concept has been in place for years all thats changed is the time of year they are playing and all the tweaking in the world will not get players/committee/supporters taking their holidays in the same couple of weeks in the summer and I'm sure that people will still be going to the coast and doing all the other things that they have always done if and when the sun is out.

I'd go as far as to say if the weather next summer is a lot better than this summer the player availability & crowds will go down even further.

[terryg]

If so many people are opposed either join your club committee, get a vote on what the club, not an individual wants.
Take the information to the NCL meetings and do it the bureaucratic way. (thank god for spell ckeck)

Who knows, the weather may stay at 20C all year round. no need for discussion.

[once a ref always a ref]

I reckon that by the third page this topic will have repeated everything that was said on the previous one.

For what it's worth, last season I watched a NCL game virtually every week, this season I have watched three that were played on Friday night . Simple explanation I have been involved with my local cricket team for over 50 years, guess what? They play in summer.

[sbull]

i thought the idea of summer was to improve the standards of the game, if this is proved not the case is it not as simmple to hold a meeting and Vote to go back to winter or am i missing something?

lets take out the equation that the gate receipts are down and the bar takings or down, from the reports on here and the gossip around the various grounds i think we can agree on that one.

reference playing

its basic common sense less players = less chioce = poor standards, with some clubs failing to turn a 2nd team out on a regular bases = no strength in depth,

summer rugby in principle is a great idea when you put forward the better weather bigger crowds BBQ ect, BUT reality check

no matter how much an individual player are spectator loves this graet game of our you will be hard pushed to find anyone who will put the game before his familly are freinds,
i cant foresee a sudden influx of wedding, stagdoe,s ect taking place in november december, Can you?

and before someone comments its just teathing problems we need to give it a chance, you have a valid point now answer mine, whats going to change next summer?

[TaxiEgg]

I reckon that by the third page this topic will have repeated everything that was said on the previous one.

For what it's worth, last season I watched a NCL game virtually every week, this season I have watched three that were played on Friday night . Simple explanation I have been involved with my local cricket team for over 50 years, guess what? They play in summer.

Mine is a genuine concern for the game and a couple of posts highlight my apathy points . We can all bury our heads in the sand and say everything is ok when quite clearly its not. I,m not a keyboard warrior like most who come on here i,m a coal face worker and have been for nearly 20 years.
We have moved with the times and I hope have made a differance but when people like me have concerns and get put down with " oh no not that old chestnut "it pisses me off especially when the posts are from the dreaded keyboard warrior .

[terryg]

Rather than base things on opinion read this report http://www.publicati...s/99/99ap06.htm

The switch to Summer Rugby battered attendances. it was only the Sky money which forced the change, we don't have that benefit.

[tim2]

From my club's perspective we have always played in the summer so there's nothing to compare it to, except my experiences with my kids playing Rugby Union.

In the RU days I remember horrible cold training nights, weeks of cancelled games and children close to hyperthermia one particularly nasty day in Pocklington.

We have been playing short summer seasons up to now but this year the U15s joined the Yorkshire Juniors for a longer season. We haven't had any problems since the first week or two (we have converted some RU players and we agreed to let them finish their season). I can't understand why junior teams are allegedly having issues - we haven't seen any other teams with low numbers (except one, who had an injury crisis) and we've always known about the summer break so you can plan it in. I do have concerns about Open Age in late July and August and i think this could be the killer for summer rugby, particularly in tier 4 heartland areas. If the non-heartland areas weren't so dependent on RU players I would suggest a split season down here, utilising March-mid July and September-November, throwing in some 9s and Touch tournaments to keep things ticking over.

[Marauder]

Rather than base things on opinion read this report http://www.publicati...s/99/99ap06.htm

The switch to Summer Rugby battered attendances. it was only the Sky money which forced the change, we don't have that benefit.

Has the amateur game going to summer had a bearing on attendances so far.

[del capo]

Rather than base things on opinion read this report http://www.publicati...s/99/99ap06.htm

The switch to Summer Rugby battered attendances. it was only the Sky money which forced the change, we don't have that benefit.

That piece of work was as long ago as 1999. Does anyone have much more up to date stats ?

[once a ref always a ref]

when the posts are from the dreaded keyboard warrior .

This dreaded keyboard warrior has stopped watching rugby because it is in summer so you don't need to preach to me, the gates at Miners and Easts have been down by one as well as the pie and pint money and I am not the only one. My point is that debating it on here is repetitive and probably pointless. Point scoring on here won't solve the problem. If clubs want to revert to Summer then tell the League they are in, it won't change anything just because about a dozen posters debate it on here.

Edited by once a ref always a ref, 20 August 2012 - 11:04 PM.

[LONGMAN]

Lets put this into perspective.
If were talking about summer rugby regarding the NCL teams i think it has been a success, and at the end of the season when the delegates weigh up the pros and cons i believe that all clubs will stick with it.

Regarding their reserve grade teams that could be a different kettle of fish.
I honestly believe that the RFL have got this all wrong and have shown no interest at all in running competative leagues(certainly in yorkshire).
This is where i think the NCL clubs will look at going back to winter.

[barbara henderson]

This dreaded keyboard warrior has stopped watching rugby because it is in summer so you don't need to preach to me, the gates at Miners and Easts have been down by one as well as the pie and pint money and I am not the only one. My point is that debating it on here is repetitive and probably pointless. Point scoring on here won't solve the problem. If clubs want to revert to Summer then tell the League they are in, it won't change anything just because about a dozen posters debate it on here.

And there was I thinking this was an open Forum for discussing and debating important issues. Ah well, got it wrong again!!

[samsung]

Lets put this into perspective.
If were talking about summer rugby regarding the NCL teams i think it has been a success, and at the end of the season when the delegates weigh up the pros and cons i believe that all clubs will stick with it.

Regarding their reserve grade teams that could be a different kettle of fish.
I honestly believe that the RFL have got this all wrong and have shown no interest at all in running competative leagues(certainly in yorkshire).
This is where i think the NCL clubs will look at going back to winter.

I agree with you Longman that the NCL has been successful - and also that the reserve grades have been a disaster! I believe most of the NCL clubs have struggled getting two sides out in the height of summer and, coupled with any RU recruits now going back to their game - it's left clubs very low on numbers.

Clubs are losing players because of the uncertainty of whether they're going to get a game on Saturday - and we've certainly lost players who have gone to 'pub' teams who only run one team and, consequently, always manage to get a game.

I've always felt that the summer game should have been piloted by the NCL only for a couple of years. If the NCL couldn't make it work, then I don't think anyone could. It would have left our reserve teams playing in winter (but still there for back up for NCL team shortages), and kept the ever-important money coming in all year round.

I envisage that the NCL will continue in summer - but the reserve grades will definitely move back to winter.

[chuffer]

I'd go as far as to say if the weather next summer is a lot better than this summer the player availability & crowds will go down even further.

So your saying player availablity goes like this......"Soz coach, may not be available on Saturday, depending on what t'forecast says........if it's ###### though, count me in"

[bowes]

I agree with you Longman that the NCL has been successful - and also that the reserve grades have been a disaster! I believe most of the NCL clubs have struggled getting two sides out in the height of summer and, coupled with any RU recruits now going back to their game - it's left clubs very low on numbers.

Clubs are losing players because of the uncertainty of whether they're going to get a game on Saturday - and we've certainly lost players who have gone to 'pub' teams who only run one team and, consequently, always manage to get a game.

I've always felt that the summer game should have been piloted by the NCL only for a couple of years. If the NCL couldn't make it work, then I don't think anyone could. It would have left our reserve teams playing in winter (but still there for back up for NCL team shortages), and kept the ever-important money coming in all year round.

I envisage that the NCL will continue in summer - but the reserve grades will definitely move back to winter.

They'll need some way of having reserves in summer as you can't be a reserve team at a different time of year. That may just be a short competition to fill in the Pennine and Hull off season, may be a reserve merit league or may be some setup whereby players can be farmed to tier 4 clubs?

[samsung]

They'll need some way of having reserves in summer as you can't be a reserve team at a different time of year. That may just be a short competition to fill in the Pennine and Hull off season, may be a reserve merit league or may be some setup whereby players can be farmed to tier 4 clubs?

Why on earth not?

[bowes]

Why on earth not?

It's not a reserve team if they're not there to draw players on. It would just be a separate winter side.