UK RL fading into obscurity

[IM2]

I really feel that the game feels like its fading into obscurity. the competition structure clearly favours more games over anything else. fans and tv audiences are voting with their feet. stadiums look empty even for what have historically been huge games. some clubs scraping 2k attendances. 

 

press is almost non-existent. we should bypass print and focus on growing social media foot print. not sure we have that strategy. 

 

I've also lost track of what each game now means. i am confused and feel the last few weeks have been meaningless & teams going through the motions. tonights Hull v Wigan game looked poor, fatigued and error strewn.

 

i cant put my finger on it but i feel we need a change of energy in the game. probably starting at the top some new blood and ideas. the clubs need to get their heads together and brainstorm this and come up with some ideas and bring in some new blood into SL & RFL. 

 

when you watch the NRL v SL its a different game. yes its one of their main sports and way more money, but i dont think we are making the most of what we have. 

 

i also dont think the season is right. especially marquee events and venues. i would consider switching Magic and CCF in the calendar. Hull v Warrington  was awesome but 20k who should have been there missed out imo. May i think would help a lot. Magic is a TV event really so wouldn't harm it being August. I would also consider switching CCF to Old Trafford and SL GF to Wembley. GF is growing and selling out. CCF isn't.

 

anyway just a few thoughts.

[The Daddy]

You read my mind....I was going to post something similar with all of the points you made. I feel as though somehow, the excitement and anticipation has gone out of the weekly SL rounds. A thread has been posted recently about this but there are just way to many club games, all of which are supposed to matter but at some point along the way that excitement just diminishes.

I also feel that allowing Championship teams to play SL teams in the Super 8's takes the prestige out of actually being in SL. It's kind of counterproductive to have teams play SL teams to reach SL the following year.

The problem is that the RFL is run by an accountant and the mentality is that if you decrease the number of SL teams and increase the number of games add to that Magic Weekend then the clubs will break even. No other factors are taken into account such as viewing fatigue, or lack of excitement when the same teams play each other 3-4 times a year. And therein lies the other big problem, too much of the power of the game lies with the clubs and they are having an influence on decisions which affect the wider strategy and spread of the sport.

We should be playing less club games and England should be playing more, yes we know there aren't enough competitive nations but if they don't play games they won't develop its that simple. Look at where Italy, Japan and Argentina RU are now. They took their thrashings and now they're opening up that sport to new markets.

Crucially as had been mentioned on one or two other threads recently, the people who run the sport are reselling the sport and its events to the same small customer base and have made no significant or effective steps to increase the customer base and access new markets.

The other valid point is social media strategy, boxing is one sport that has benefitted greatly from social media reach communication. There are great boxing you tube channels and I've been watching them in the past few days to get the lowdown on the Brook/Golovkin fight. The content is fresh, current exciting, the people in that sport speak openly and candidly through these mediums and this generates excitement. I won't be able to find anything like this for RL. Right now, RL's social media/online presence is either non existent or just not very good. There is little to no thought about how the sport is communicated to the World Wide Web and the enormous potential in this.

The most important thing you mentioned was that the sport needs a fresh injection of blood, ideas and innovation. That is so true, and it needs to come from the top. I'm sorry I'm sure he's a nice guy but Nigel Wood is a bean counter he's not a visionary and importantly we need someone to stand up to the clubs and say look we need to develop the game as a whole in this country and having an exclusive focus on a regional completion for 90% of the time is not the way to go. Nigel Wood in my view is not that man. RL is falling even further behind other sports and this has happened during his tenure. Martyn Sadler is someone whose opinion I tend to agree with, even when it's not popular and he's identified all these issues a long time ago and it's all going downhill as predicted, time for change... new blood is needed.

[Niels]

I agree with a lot of what you say. The super league games seem repetitive and without the tension there used to be. Having said that, I enjoyed tonight's game.

However, I think the Championship clubs bring a refreshing change to the games. The middle eights have been the most exciting of the eights and have been fresh and interesting. I think this is because there really is something at stake.

[IM2]

for me i remember bulls v leeds, hull v hull kr and st helens v wigan of being way more exciting, packed and sport leading events

[Man of Kent]

In the longer term, SL should expand to 14 teams (here's looking at you, Toulouse and Toronto), increasing the length of the regular season but with a knockout, seeded playoff system a la the NRL.

In the short term, the Challenge Cup MUST remain at Wembley but be brought forward. Magic Weekend should be a Magic 9s tournament over two days including the top 4 Championship teams of the previous season (16 teams in all).

However, England are progressing and have the best possible coach in post, while Toulouse, Toronto and an improving London offer some interest outside the M62. Interesting times ahead

[Jim from Oz]

I have made this point on these forums till I am blue in the face, but I will say it again now: The 3x8 structure is absolutely ludicrous. You will not get a more fanatical supporter of British rugby league than me, but I have completely lost interest. Way too many games, and way too many meaningless games.

[Lobbygobbler]

I have made this point on these forums till I am blue in the face, but I will say it again now: The 3x8 structure is absolutely ludicrous. You will not get a more fanatical supporter of British rugby league than me, but I have completely lost interest. Way too many games, and way too many meaningless games.

Middle 8s is better than what we've had before for clubs below 8th, and it gives second tier clubs a chance for promotion. One up one down was never enough and there would be no chance for Toulouse or Toronto to make SL under this structure. I believe we'll see Toulouse go up to SL via the middle 8s next year

The top 8 needs a rethink. Why not just go to a straight top 5 playoff after the regular 12 team season - or a 14 team SL with a top 5 playoff and 2 up 2 down.

[BBR]

Middle 8 does not have the quality in depth. Could easily have regular season then top v bottom for that promotion place. I liked the format last year but this year it seems like a very long season and I'm struggling to tune in to several tv games

[Man of Kent]

The Super 8s are simply too long and familiarity is quickly breeding boredom.

There needs to be some form of elimination before the semis.

Perhaps the top 8 should start on zero points (League Leaders Shield decided after 23 rounds) but in the first two rounds, the top two finishers play the bottom two and the middle four play each other.

After those two rounds, the bottom two in the 8 are eliminated (teams level on points decided on regular season placings).

The remaining Super Six play each other over five rounds, and the top two go forward to the Grand Final.

Convoluted perhaps, but reduces the number of rounds and dead rubbers while giving a strong incentive to finish as high as possible in the regular season

[The 4 of Us]

There needs to be a clean out at the top of the sport. But the clubs keep voting for the current regime. Keep doing the same = nothing changes.

Completely independent and autonomous governing body is required but sadly it's down to probably less than half a dozen people having a phone call now and again.

[ELBOWSEYE]

We come up with too many excuses, the club's have to carry lots of the blame, if you can't sell the wire /Wigan game next week your not doing your job, regardless of how many times you have played each other this season. Last night's games at Warrington and Hull should have had much bigger crowd's. We are ready to blame everyone else (media, Rfl,structure) when the club's fail to sell their own games.

[Lobbygobbler]

Middle 8 does not have the quality in depth. Could easily have regular season then top v bottom for that promotion place. I liked the format last year but this year it seems like a very long season and I'm struggling to tune in to several tv games

Middle 8 is far better than a one off top v bottom (which SL will always likely win). Middle 8 offers lots of cross SL CC games and extra revenue. Fev have presumably made a fair bit and it was good for London to see some SL clubs at home

[bamfordsbeans]

The standard of SL this year has been the lowest for quite a number of years.

When you add the following areas of the game with major issues -we are certainly in need of some good news.

A disjointed international programme (although below the top level there are signs of encouragement).

Players leaving for the NRL and union.

Major financial issues at quite a number of Championship clubs.

Amateur clubs folding.

[The 4 of Us]

Middle 8 is far better than a one off top v bottom (which SL will always likely win). Middle 8 offers lots of cross SL CC games and extra revenue. Fev have presumably made a fair bit and it was good for London to see some SL clubs at home

But wouldn't it be better to have the actual games in each league more competitive to build up interest so that income is made across the season ?

[terrywebbisgod]

15000 at Headingley last night for a "meaningless" game.

Makes a me wonder why some of you bother with RL when all you do is drag it down and continually be negative about the game.

If you don't like it! @#$ off.

[Lobbygobbler]

Thursday games are a major problem. It doesnt have the same feel as a Friday TV game, and a lot of fans are working or cant make it

The other big problem is clubs not playing on weekends. Going head to head with a SL game on TV is daft and the RFL should ban it (soccer doesnt have tv games on Saturday at 3pm)

[terrywebbisgod]

Thursday games are a major problem. It doesnt have the same feel as a Friday TV game, and a lot of fans are working or cant make it

The other big problem is clubs not playing on weekends. Going head to head with a SL game on TV is daft and the RFL should ban it (soccer doesnt have tv games on Saturday at 3pm)

When your pay master is a broadcaster there's not a lot you can do about it.

No doubt we'll now get some genius saying "find a new pay master and get a new broadcaster"

Good luck with that one.

[Lobbygobbler]

When your pay master is a broadcaster there's not a lot you can do about it.

No doubt we'll now get some genius saying "find a new pay master and get a new broadcaster"

Good luck with that one.

We need to tell them that they are ruining their own product. Sat games are much better. RL is not big enough to pack stadiums out on Thurs

My second point has nowt to do with sky

[The Future is League]

I still maintain that the RFL could promote Rugby League better than is does for very little cost.

Why they don't is a mystery to me.

[terrywebbisgod]

We need to tell them that they are ruining their own product. Sat games are much better. RL is not big enough to pack stadiums out on Thurs

My second point has nowt to do with sky

What about the people who watch or play amateur rugby on a Saturday or those that watch soccer at any level that play on a Saturday. You'll probably get even lower attendances than you would for a Thursday night game.

[Kris]

Has anyone any stats for this and the last 5 years for regular rounds, and the major events as stand alones and the TV audiences

 

The odd thing is that the internationals seem to be better attended the CC was better attended and the GF will be a sell out again, Magic was the best ever

 

The super 8's as a concept is OK but there aren't any incentives to watch 6 games where you know its completely pointless

 

We have international expansion, and the BBC viewing figures have gone up, not sure about SKY

 

I feel deflated over the Super 8's, the qualifiers are brilliant, the rest is pointless - tail and dog wagging etc

 

I am and will be an exponent of an 18 team SL with the same system as the NRL - you may not play one team twice but you still get 25 matches

 

Top 8 play off system as we used to have

 

The expansion leagues below and the semi pro's then become a separate competition subject to minimum standards play off for promotion with bottom team in SL

 

As SL will have a Canadian team and two French teams in it that's 15 UK teams - London Bradford and Leigh to add at this time as full time teams

 

Its really very simple - I agree with JP on this one, we need to prioritise the SL to maximise sponsorship - I would even look at encouraging more French and American teams to enter and European teams through the lower league pathways

 

The reality is that brings new sponsorship to the game organically an we desperately need the cash injection - that's what has been so disappointing the lack of new sponsorship for me

[Allora]

Has anyone any stats for this and the last 5 years for regular rounds, and the major events as stand alones and the TV audiences

 

The odd thing is that the internationals seem to be better attended the CC was better attended and the GF will be a sell out again, Magic was the best ever

 

The super 8's as a concept is OK but there aren't any incentives to watch 6 games where you know its completely pointless

 

We have international expansion, and the BBC viewing figures have gone up, not sure about SKY

 

I feel deflated over the Super 8's, the qualifiers are brilliant, the rest is pointless - tail and dog wagging etc

 

I am and will be an exponent of an 18 team SL with the same system as the NRL - you may not play one team twice but you still get 25 matches

 

Top 8 play off system as we used to have

 

The expansion leagues below and the semi pro's then become a separate competition subject to minimum standards play off for promotion with bottom team in SL

 

As SL will have a Canadian team and two French teams in it that's 15 UK teams - London Bradford and Leigh to add at this time as full time teams

 

Its really very simple - I agree with JP on this one, we need to prioritise the SL to maximise sponsorship - I would even look at encouraging more French and American teams to enter and European teams through the lower league pathways

 

The reality is that brings new sponsorship to the game organically an we desperately need the cash injection - that's what has been so disappointing the lack of new sponsorship for me

 

 

Hi Kris.

Just out of interest, how long have you been following this great game?

[Mark S]

The standard of the games won't be helped by the fact we are flogging the players, they get no real time off at the end of the season, they then play far too many games and no doubt bring players back from injury too early. Sam Tomkins is a class player, but it looks like he needed a full season to recover from his injury.

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

The standard of the games won't be helped by the fact we are flogging the players, they get no real time off at the end of the season, they then play far too many games and no doubt bring players back from injury too early. Sam Tomkins is a class player, but it looks like he needed a full season to recover from his injury.

Good point - this season started on the first Thursday in February and will finally finish on 20th. November with the 4 nations final. Season 2017 will almost certainly start at the beginning of February again, giving no time for our leading players to have a decent break. They'll then be off to Oz in the autumn for the World Cup. How we solve this problem given that we have to provide Sky with a certain number of games in a season is another matter.

[dhw]

There needs to be a clean out at the top of the sport. But the clubs keep voting for the current regime. Keep doing the same = nothing changes.

Completely independent and autonomous governing body is required but sadly it's down to probably less than half a dozen people having a phone call now and again.

How is the current structure the same as before? How is admitting Toulouse into the English structure the same as what was done before? How is the inclusion of a Canadian the same as before when it has never been attempted before? The last world cup was hardly the same as before. How is having a presence in Media City the same as before?

 

Not many sporting governing bodies are autonomous or independent. Having a clear out will not in itself solve anything and most likely will cause more damage than having a positive effect.