105 replies to this topic

[jannerboyuk]

Pick a major UK sport that would launch any competition with the embarrassment of not having a sponsor, might as well get a twelve bore and point it straight at your shoes.

Everything is not rosy in this garden, but I suppose the happy clappy gestapo struggle with the concept.

FFS

lol

[Dave T]

I've no desire to engage in licensing discussion on a Championship launch thread.
There's plenty of threads knocking round about licensing.

[Lounge Room Lizard]

Looking forward to it and very hard to predict as usual. I would say the Championship is the best comp to watch in the UK. It may lack some of the standards a SL game might offer but you see some very close games and a bit more phsical stuff which I prefer at times. As with SL I dont agree with the top 8. The top 6 concept was about right as it was. I also dont think the Premiersports deal is that good especially when games are on a Thursday. Its OK if its a derby game like Dewsbury v Batley, Workington V Whitehaven or Doncaster v Shgeffield,but any club playing Thursday hosting Halifax, Leigh or Featherstone are likely to lose out big time financially as hundreds will be knocked off the crowd size

[sweaty craiq]

We aren't the problem though are we, we will support our clubs come what may. We will go the extra mile, sponsorships, season tickets, lottery, ISA etc

We know we watch a great comp, we know Thursdays/Premier contract are a joke, but how do we attract new/lapsed fans who say 'whats the point when you win it and go nowhere?'

[Ackydave]

We aren't the problem though are we, we will support our clubs come what may. We will go the extra mile, sponsorships, season tickets, lottery, ISA etc

We know we watch a great comp, we know Thursdays/Premier contract are a joke, but how do we attract new/lapsed fans who say 'whats the point when you win it and go nowhere?'

Spot on!

[Northern Sol]

Pick a major UK sport that would launch any competition with the embarrassment of not having a sponsor, might as well get a twelve bore and point it straight at your shoes.

Everything is not rosy in this garden, but I suppose the happy clappy gestapo struggle with the concept.

FFS

The Celtic League didn't have a sponsor for about the first five years and it's a full-time professional top flight competition.

[Northern Sol]

We aren't the problem though are we, we will support our clubs come what may. We will go the extra mile, sponsorships, season tickets, lottery, ISA etc

We know we watch a great comp, we know Thursdays/Premier contract are a joke, but how do we attract new/lapsed fans who say 'whats the point when you win it and go nowhere?'

You don't go anywhere when you win SL either - you stay in SL.

Championship is a great comp in its own right. Sheffield won last year, Fev the year before, odds are that we'll get a new champ again this year. Odds are that Leeds will be playing Wigan again in the SL grand final.

Edited by Northern Sol, 24 January 2013 - 11:10 PM.

[Matt J]

2013 is just the start for the lower leagues I think, I hope they find more clubs for C1.

Should be a good year this year,

[Northern Sol]

Cov Bears are joining C1 in 2014.

[keighley]

The geographical spread is impressive when you consider there are only 9 teams in CC1 as compared to 14 in SL. SL has only 2 teams outside the M62.

CC1 goes from Gateshead to Lancashire to North Wales to South Wales to Gloucester to Oxford to Hemel to London. Next season to include Coventry. There is also the new concept of two student based teams, not tried since Sydney University in 1908

What is missed is covered by CC. i.e.West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, York and Cumbria.

It would be great if there was some sponsorship money and there is always the fear that some one at these levels will not finish out the season but SL are not exactly covering themselves in glory in that area either.

I think its great and very promising even if my team are looking likely relegation candidates.

When the World Cup does roll around the commentators and presenters should make a big deal of mentioning all these diverse geographical members of the game and should plug the local CC teams in the area when covering the games in Workington, Rochdale, Leigh, Halifax, Wales and Bristol and even give Skolars and Hemel a plug along with Broncos when covering the semi finals from Wembley.

[foozler]

I don't know that one, but they get £300k+ from central and don't have to play big games on a Thursday night for no income.

Are things heading in a better direction now the Lewis era is over YES, are they great today NO. Will they become much better when we bin this Licence carp in March - VERY MUCH SO.
Are Championship fans in favour of the Premier deal - NO!!!!! You can't polish a ######, accept it's a ###### and build for something better. Recovery starts with acceptance, lets hope the building works.

Whilst the RFU don't have a problem lining up sponsors for the national side for obvious reasons, the RFU commercial director has publicly stated that it is currently very hard indeed to find commercial partners willing to sponsor the division. So if th RFU with all their commercial acumen and old tie networks are struggling to find a firm interested in their Championship, is it surprising that the RFL haven't found anyone yet?

[Wellsy4HullFC]

You don't go anywhere when you win SL either - you stay in SL.

Championship is a great comp in its own right. Sheffield won last year, Fev the year before, odds are that we'll get a new champ again this year. Odds are that Leeds will be playing Wigan again in the SL grand final.

You make it sound like Leeds play Wigan in a lot of finals...?

[RLDave]

I'm really looking forward to this season. The Championship should be even better with 14 teams this year and what better way to start than with the mighty Fax at the Shay!

Also looking forward to seeing who they get to sponsor the competition. It's great the RFL still have the pulling power to attract big names like Tetleys. The Emirates Championships will do me.

[Dave T]

You make it sound like Leeds play Wigan in a lot of finals...?

beat me to it! What a mental post from NS - when did Leeds meet Wigan at Old Trafford - wasnt it only the 1st grand final about 14 years ago?

[brooza]

beat me to it! What a mental post from NS - when did Leeds meet Wigan at Old Trafford - wasnt it only the 1st grand final about 14 years ago?

That's what I was thinking. More likely to be Leeds-St Helens

[marklaspalmas]

There is also the new concept of two student based teams, not tried since Sydney University in 1908

All Golds and...........?

[Gav Wilson]

Also looking forward to seeing who they get to sponsor the competition. It's great the RFL still have the pulling power to attract big names like Tetleys. The Emirates Championships will do me.

A sponsor is currently in due diligence for the Championships. Its a big company too.

[sweaty craiq]

You don't go anywhere when you win SL either - you stay in SL.

Championship is a great comp in its own right. Sheffield won last year, Fev the year before, odds are that we'll get a new champ again this year. Odds are that Leeds will be playing Wigan again in the SL grand final.

Are you trying to be funny with your first comment? Do you take folk to be thick or is it pure arrogance?

The spectacle that the championship delivers is great, but its played in a cul-de-sac. Its watched by an ageing hardcore. Sheffield won it with a fan base of 3 men and a dog, if that's considered a success in your world then somebody needs to shake your head, if you are just regurgitating the bull from RH then fair enough, they hadn't a clue when they used that phrase as well.

[sweaty craiq]

Whilst the RFU don't have a problem lining up sponsors for the national side for obvious reasons, the RFU commercial director has publicly stated that it is currently very hard indeed to find commercial partners willing to sponsor the division. So if th RFU with all their commercial acumen and old tie networks are struggling to find a firm interested in their Championship, is it surprising that the RFL haven't found anyone yet?

I'll take 300k this year and no sponsor.

[keighley]

All Golds and...........?

The Oxford team play at the Oxford univerity stadium and I thin have signed a few student players although not from OxBridge, but there is a very strong link to the university in the use of their ground, a former RU holy of holies.