838 replies to this topic

[Padge]

However, what you can't claim as a benefit because of the "facts" are;

1 The overall balance at the gates. No real significant improvement across the game. I would need to see evidence.

Aggregate Attendance Pre-SL and SL
93/94 -- 1364056
2011 --- 1615939

Edited by Padge, 05 December 2012 - 04:25 PM.

[saints10coach]

When SKY first came in, I remember a statement which went along the lines of. The money should not be frittered away on players wages, but should be used to improve facilities. As there was promotion and relegation initially, the clubs did not have the greed they have now. The member clubs voted to deny promotion so they could keep the spoils for themselves. The gulf that has been created between the divisions is now so big it is almost insurmountable. It does not matter if we lose players else where. It just allows us to blood other new players, and this way we get a larger more talented pool of players. Look at Kyle Eastmond's departure to the dark side. He has not been missed at Saints, it just accelerated another talented individuals path to the first team.

[Padge]

When SKY first came in, I remember a statement which went along the lines of. The money should not be frittered away on players wages, but should be used to improve facilities. As there was promotion and relegation initially, the clubs did not have the greed they have now. The member clubs voted to deny promotion so they could keep the spoils for themselves. The gulf that has been created between the divisions is now so big it is almost insurmountable. It does not matter if we lose players else where. It just allows us to blood other new players, and this way we get a larger more talented pool of players. Look at Kyle Eastmond's departure to the dark side. He has not been missed at Saints, it just accelerated another talented individuals path to the first team.

Of course the clubs and SL put out a statement saying don't use it to pay players wages, the players had the upper-hand, they're not going to put out a statement saying come and join us the sky's the limit (no pun intended) we are awash with cash. But don't doubt it the money was handed over with a main purpose and that purpose was to fight off Packer by allowing the British game to be able to compete against him financially.

[saints10coach]

Aggregate Attendance Pre-SL and SL
93/94 -- 1364056
2011 --- 1615939

To balance the argument please can you publish the player wage bills which serviced the one full time professional club in 93/94 and the 14 full time professional clubs now?

[Padge]

To balance the argument please can you publish the player wage bills which serviced the one full time professional club in 93/94 and the 14 full time professional clubs now?

There weren't any full time professional clubs in 93/94.

[saints10coach]

There weren't any full time professional clubs in 93/94.

Not even Wigan?

[Padge]

Aggregate Attendance Pre-SL and SL
93/94 -- 1364056
2011 --- 1615939

Sorry those figures were for the top division only. For the whole league its:-

2011 --- 1,844,398
93/94 -- 1,679,897

This graph may help.

[saints10coach]

Sorry those figures were for the top division only. For the whole league its:-

2011 --- 1,844,398
93/94 -- 1,679,897

This graph may help.

So if you take the French team out of the equation there is not much difference at all. Except now you are paying 14 teams of full timers and then only one team of full timers.

[Padge]

Not even Wigan?

Correct, not even Wigan.

[Padge]

So if you take the French team out of the equation there is not much difference at all. Except now you are paying 14 teams of full timers and then only one team of full timers.

What are you wittering on about.

[saints10coach]

What are you wittering on about.

Hinting at the fact that attendances were not quite as high, but also wages would have been a lot lower. Oh by the way, Wigan were full time.

[Dave T]

So if you take the French team out of the equation there is not much difference at all. Except now you are paying 14 teams of full timers and then only one team of full timers.

What link is there between what you are paying and the attendances? You can't do all that and ignore all other factors like ticket prices, merchandise sales, sponsorship etc.

It's a reason I try and stay out of many of these debates as people simply spin things to suit their agenda, on both sides.

[Padge]

Hinting at the fact that attendances were not quite as high, but also wages would have been a lot lower. Oh by the way, Wigan were full time.

Ask Phil CLarke, full time student and joint owner of a sports clinic, Billy McGuinty, landlord or Andy Farrell apprentice joiner or any of the many others who weren't full time.

Wages were lower because people like the ones above had other income streams. Wages are irrelevant to attendance, unless you are trying ti show some bizarre link.

[Dave T]

Padge - on the aggregate numbers - how many games? Basically what was the average then and now.

[Padge]

Padge - on the aggregate numbers - how many games? Basically what was the average then and now.

I can give you the averages graph, but the question was are more people watching now than in the past.

Averages

[shaun mc]

I'm not sure that the Sky money was the saviour of the game either, The game perhaps wasn't as flush with cash as it is now (sic) in straight £'s. I'd contend that in comparative terms the clubs are still spending more than 100% of their income now as they were then. Its only the absolute numbers that are different due to inflation

There were decent income streams coming into the game as well in 1995 - not on the scale of Sky however.
Test matches revenues - in 1994 the 3 test attendance was 140,432
In 2003 the 3 tests attracted slightly more than half of that - 73,887
So nearly double the income if you assume some like for like parameters

[The Parksider]

Would either of you like to show us evidence or simply shout counter arguments without any basis either?

Your arguments didn't come with evidence.

The simple question was where would the game be today if it had refused the SKY money and the rich men had not come in??

[The Parksider]

I asked a question.

So did I, where would the game be today without the SKY money from the last 17 years and without the large private investment SL has had?

[The Parksider]

I agree we couldn't turn it down.

Nope. "Where would the game be today without the 17 years of SKY funding and the rich private investors money"

[The Parksider]

The game was in a very weak, very wounded state when he came along. The cash injected saved the game as far as I am concerned.

Well at least you can answer a straight question Mr. Keighley.

Usually people win a cigar for the right answer.

You my friend win promotion for a club of your choice.