Leigh are ready to embrace the challenge of their Championship return – on and off the pitch.
General manager Karen Roberts says plans are being made to ramp up the entertainment on offer on home match days and to maximise the potential of playing more Sunday-afternoon games than in Super League.
And she says new head of rugby Chris Chester is backing her bid to increase the interaction between players and both sponsors and supporters.
The former Wakefield coach was appointed in the wake of the Centurions’ third relegation after one season in Super League, this time with only two wins being accrued.
Having accepted their fate, Leigh are looking forward rather than back, and working to be in a position to mount a promotion mission in 2022.
“Because of Covid restrictions, we have been limited in what we can do around games, but things are opening up more,” explained Roberts in an interview on the club website.
“That will help us as we prepare to tackle a new set of challenges in the Championship.
“There will probably be fewer travelling supporters, but hopefully we can not only build back our fanbase after the pandemic, but grow it.
“Sunday is a popular day for playing matches with our supporters, so the regularity of those games will help, and we want to encourage people to visit what is a great facility in Leigh Sports Village.
“There’s certainly a feeling that our fans are ready to embrace being back in the Championship, and the return of the Summer Bash is appealing to them.
“The reaction of our sponsors after relegation has been encouraging also, and they have a positive approach to being back in the Championship.
“We want to work with supporters, sponsors and the community, and after some difficult times, we are able to do that again.”
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