Themed rounds

[steef]

Having watched the NRL highlight show most weeks since its been on I've noticed there seems to be some kind of themed round every few weeks, so far I've seen.

Heritage round- retro kits

Women in league round- pink kits/kits with pink flash

Rivalries round-derby games where posssible

Personally I think these are great ideas for a number of reasons, any new kits produced are bound to be collecters items and if made as limited editions, perhaps numbered also would sell easily enough providing clubs with extra money and maybe extra sponsorship. The biggest advantage to me though is it provides a marketing tool to both the competition and each club, the fact that there is a bit of a unique selling point to a game would surely help clubs promote particular game?

So do people think this is a good idea that could work over here and what themes would you suggest?

Some ideas I've had would be a charity round, either for local charities or all clubs could do the same (might be more of an impact that way) One off kits could be produced etc, free tickets for charity voulenteers.

Amature round, clubs perhaps adopt an amature club, local or otherwise, for a season and lend coaches etc. the amature club could be alloewed to play a curtain raiser at the game let all the amature clubs families etc in for cheap/free?

All the above is just ideas so feel free to be cruel/kind about it and add your own thaughts. would be curious to hear from any aussies to hear their views on how much of an impact the themed rounds have over there.

[Exiled Wiganer]

I think that is a superb idea and one that we should embrace with enthusiasm. I like the idea of a heritage round and I am sure the kits would fly off the shelves. We sort of have a local derby round over Easter, but another one at another time would be good. Women in league also sounds good to me. There should also be community rounds, where all the clubs have a game that celebrates the schools and clubs that play the game. We can leave moneybags Wood to come up with a few more...

[EastLondonMike]

completely agree.. the rivalry round is a great idea, a (good) marketing mans dream!.. i also think most fans would also love to see the heritage kits being used in a round of fixtures..

[rugby female]

I suggested something similar to Wigan 2 yrs ago cos i follow the NRL so obviously i see/hear many ideas for family events etc

But as you can see, nothing happened!!!

[no13benny]

I agree, and the Magic Weekend should be the heritage round. Putting them under an umbrella (like for example the derbies at Easter) can only help to market the weekends rugby, and make it seem more attractive to supporters. Something unique to go along and enjoy at your nearest club. Amateur clubs would probably latch onto it too.

[steef]

Thats my take on it, the press release's more or less write themselves wich should make the journalists job a bit easier and maybe get a bit more in the nationals too.

[hindle xiii]

Just like the directive this year for a match clock at every Super League ground, a Heritage round (among others) is such an obvious idea it's stunning to think it hasn't been done. Except this idea is rightly suggested all the time.

[Maximus Decimus]

Just like the directive this year for a match clock at every Super League ground, a Heritage round (among others) is such an obvious idea it's stunning to think it hasn't been done. Except this idea is rightly suggested all the time.

I completely agree, its so obvious that I don't see why we haven't followed suit. We're a sport with so much rich history we should celebrate it more.

The others sounds good, like has been pointed out it's a free form of marketing, gives the newspapers something to report on. It wouldn't cost a lot either.

[deluded pom?]

I totally agree with the concept. The one reservation I'd have is if every other round became a theme round. People would soon tire of it. Better to keep it to two or three rounds max per season.

[steef]

I totally agree with the concept. The one reservation I'd have is if every other round became a theme round. People would soon tire of it. Better to keep it to two or three rounds max per season.

I was thinking maybe 5/6 throughout the season, but yes overkill could lessen the impact. I suppose it depends on how well thaught out the themes would be.

[BringBacktheBiff]

Castleford actually released some retro jerseys a few years back which sold very well, The Challenge Cup winning years in the 60s and 80s i think. The rounds would definitely work but would people buy a new heritage shirt every year? Maybe if it was done once every 3 or 4 seasons?

[steef]

Castleford actually released some retro jerseys a few years back which sold very well, The Challenge Cup winning years in the 60s and 80s i think. The rounds would definitely work but would people buy a new heritage shirt every year? Maybe if it was done once every 3 or 4 seasons?

say a club did a run of 500 ltd edition shirts then the next season they choose a different retro kit. people don't have to buy the kits. I'm sure a clubs like Hull, Wigan etc could shift 500 extra shirts each year, smaller clubs could produce less, say 300 or so. The clubs could even use the kits as a free incentive for season tickets or at least offer a discount on them for season ticket holders. could be as big as the clubs want it to be.

[deluded pom?]

say a club did a run of 500 ltd edition shirts then the next season they choose a different retro kit. people don't have to buy the kits. I'm sure a clubs like Hull, Wigan etc could shift 500 extra shirts each year, smaller clubs could produce less, say 300 or so. The clubs could even use the kits as a free incentive for season tickets or at least offer a discount on them for season ticket holders. could be as big as the clubs want it to be.

Knowing Hull they'd pick the heritage shirt with the wrap around comedy shark on it.

[steef]

Knowing Hull they'd pick the heritage shirt with the wrap around comedy shark on it.

Greatest Hull kit ever, at least from an away fans perspective!

[HappyDave]

I was thinking of asking the same things on here other day. But is there enough money to do Theme Rounds in the SL?

Edited July 24, 2010 by HappyDave

[Riversiderontour]

No way

my Norweb puffer jacket has weeks of wear left in it yet.

[Bulletproof]

Dress like a pirate round.

[BringBacktheBiff]

Dress like a pirate round.

Hahaha, that post had me in stitches

[Pottsy]

How about a 'things was loads better in the old days' round?

[steef]

I was thinking of asking the same things on here other day. But is there enough money to do Theme Rounds in the SL?

see I don't think it would cost much, the RFL just needs to come up with the themes and the rounds they will happen on, the promotion of the themed rounds should be down to the clubs to do as much or little as they want with. Example. For the women in league round in the NRL Penrith played in an entirely pink kit, some teams just had a flash of pink in the kit some teams just had players with pink boots. Maybe a club could let women in half price for that round? The themes are just tools for the clubs to use however they see fit, but I honestly believe if done right they would increase media exposure of the game both locally and nationally as well as providing an oppertunity to get more fans through the gate, I'm struggleing to see any down sides to it.

[Clinton Baptiste]

Last night the Canberra Raiders played in a blue and white hooped strip to raise money for a mental health charity.All the shirts were to be signed by all the players and then to be auctioned off

St George plav in a pink V for the Women in league round to raise money for breast cancer awareness charity.

Rugby League in England has a fantastic history and something like this would be great for everybody involved in the game.

I would love a Blackpool Borough retro shirt,the tangarine one with the black and white band .

[steef]

Even the pirate day idea. Why not? Let fans in cheap if in fancy dress. I bet every local news bulletin would run a feature on it at least. Get a few players in a stupid costume to do a bit of publicity prior to the game. say 2000 fans get in a fiver cheaper it costs 10000 and you might get on the news before and after the game and could even see a bigger than normal crowd due to increased exposure. I appreciate there is an issue with season tickets etc but maybe give a voucher or somthing that can go against the next seasons ticket or for the club shop? with enough planning I'm sure it could be got around.

Plus thousands of people dressed as pirates would be a laugh. How about a magic weekend where fans can identify each others teams based on what fancydress they're in. Wigan fans all as pirates, leeds as cowboys etc?

[deluded pom?]

leeds as cowboys etc?

Leeds as a cowboy outfit. Yeah, I could see that

[EastLondonMike]

i think three rounds per season would be ideal.. heritage (magic weekend) round, rivalry round, Charity (RFL Can pick a different one each season or two) round and place them at certain points of the season and it gives each club a chance to build up towards each marker, and could even act as a way of reinventing the season if a club is struggling for form or something.. clubs dont need to make a shirt every year.. most clubs have three or four year kit deals with their manufacturers, so you produce one retro kit and keep it exactly the same, so the fans dont feel/get ripped off.. it would be so like a lot of RL clubs to see it purely as a money making venture and not as a way of paying respects to the players and teams of the past, which is what it is and what it should be. it should be the clubs first ever kit, or in some cases the most traditional kit..

and dont just make some modern version of the kits of old, make them look exactly the same, with traditional numbers (not squad numbers) and no names on the back, and maybe if it at all possible take off the sponsors names for the one match, although admittedly that might prove troublesome.

for the charity round (although i wouldnt call it simply the charity round) have people inside and outside the grounds collecting on behalf of the charity, encourage clubs fans to raise money for the charity, organise runs and other events, most councils would get involved with charitable events.. not only would it raise money and awareness for teh charity, it would also help raise awreness of rugby league within communities and possibly on a more national scale.. its win win for everyone.

all we need is someone at the RFL to try and implement it. and to be perfectly honest i don think they'd be able to do it in a season.. it would no doubt take at least three seasons for them to get it going.

[steef]

i think three rounds per season would be ideal.. heritage (magic weekend) round, rivalry round, Charity (RFL Can pick a different one each season or two) round and place them at certain points of the season and it gives each club a chance to build up towards each marker, and could even act as a way of reinventing the season if a club is struggling for form or something.. clubs dont need to make a shirt every year.. most clubs have three or four year kit deals with their manufacturers, so you produce one retro kit and keep it exactly the same, so the fans dont feel/get ripped off.. it would be so like a lot of RL clubs to see it purely as a money making venture and not as a way of paying respects to the players and teams of the past, which is what it is and what it should be. it should be the clubs first ever kit, or in some cases the most traditional kit..

and dont just make some modern version of the kits of old, make them look exactly the same, with traditional numbers (not squad numbers) and no names on the back, and maybe if it at all possible take off the sponsors names for the one match, although admittedly that might prove troublesome.

for the charity round (although i wouldnt call it simply the charity round) have people inside and outside the grounds collecting on behalf of the charity, encourage clubs fans to raise money for the charity, organise runs and other events, most councils would get involved with charitable events.. not only would it raise money and awareness for teh charity, it would also help raise awreness of rugby league within communities and possibly on a more national scale.. its win win for everyone.

all we need is someone at the RFL to try and implement it. and to be perfectly honest i don think they'd be able to do it in a season.. it would no doubt take at least three seasons for them to get it going.

agree with pretty much all of that.