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I cant believe people are constantly duped by reports in League Express

It's Schrödinger's legal action...

On this point - it would seem that the planned approach to address this was: 1. Modernise our broadcasting right by allowing coverage of all matches every week. 2. Improve presentation with big screens and electronic boardings to support commercial partnerships. 3. Widen reach of viewers and broadcasters with terrestrial partners through C4 and BBC for example 4. Improve the spectacle with better matchday offerings, bringing bigger crowds, more vibrant matches etc. All sensible approaches which in principle should enable you to strengthen your negotiation position. Obviously nothing is guaranteed and there are other external factors that are at play. But what shouldn't be part of that plan is internal battles, creating a self-inflicted narrative that Sport England and Sky are not happy with us. and proving that we are unreliable by moving the goalposts mid-contract.

I'm always amazed that certain gullible people see Nigel Wood as the answer to the games problems.

...and there it is! Den Perry Beaumont "knows far more about rugby league" which is of course the key criteria when assessing whether somebody is great at evaluating business growth strategy. The idea that tech billionnaires become billonnaires because they know a lot about tech is another version of exactly the same fallacy. It's probably their least important competency. Bill Gates bought his DOS operating system off some great tech guy. That's not what made Microsoft great. Martyn is so far up the backside of the Beaumont/Wood pie & peas cabal he's forgotten what sunlight is

And were back to ‘not a Rugby League’ person argument

This made me giggle

Genuinely laughed out loud at this

Knock yourself out. Personally I like these: "A tech billionaire may know a lot about tech, but I suspect that Derek knows far more about Rugby League." M Sadler. "When asked: “what do you think the attendance will be for the first Test at Wembley in the Ashes series between England Australia on 25 October?” the overwhelming number of readers voted 60,000 or less." C Walker.

Derek may know how to sell his club's matches to potential spectators in a rugby league town, but he thinks that's the blueprint for growing interest in rugby league much more widely, which it patently isn't. If you want more valuable TV deals and commercial partnership you have to drive interest across wider geographies and social groups, using the techniques and skills of IMG (or people like them) which Derek has publicly derided as a waste of money. There's more than one type of growth in any sport - particularly today - and it seems that those who favour a locally based, spectator first approach to growth are in the ascendent over those who want to try something more expansive. In my view it's clear that although the first approach can deliver some short term gains it has a low ceiling and that's a serious problem in the longer term, which someone like Danson can recognise.

"I've got the bigliest pyro, everybody says so... etc"

I'm talking about the Wembley ticket sales hit piece and your idiot reporter having no idea what the words 'overwhelming majority' mean.

I can't see or hear the game, but yes.

Because they get Triggered?

Rough rule of thumb - if you are on the same side as Gledhill then you are probably incorrect with your reporting

But matchday revenue will always have a low ceiling. Once you start running out of headroom on the volume of sales you can make (which is a good thing), your only real growth in that stream is through increased margin - and we know how RL supporters react to higher ticket prices - or significant, difficult and time-consuming investment in facilities. Exactly. We've spent far too long not thinking about how we add additional value to broadcasters, and expecting the broadcast revenue to increase "just because". Now other sports are eating our lunch, and the club owners (all of whom were stakeholders in RLC during that time) are now looking around going "whose fault is this?" and blaming the French.

To be fair i think we've been extremely quiet. Mick Gledhill and his made up Live IMG table on the other hand...

Mate, why do you feel the need to pick holes in everything the new mob are looking to do ? Can you draw a line under the past mismanagement and for once have faith that the the current incumbents will give it a good crack bringing learnings from past failings together with a fresh approach and strategy to bring London RL to life again.

Well, I'd politely suggest that the reasons are pretty b##### obvious surely? There's none so blind as those who will not see. I appreciate that Saint Nigel of Bradford walks on hallowed ground, and that a caravan decking millionnaire with a Den Perry main character complex knows more than a tech billionnaire, but perhaps - I mean, just perhaps - the leadership of the most successful club of the modern era may have some insight into what a sensible business strategy looks like. I mean, it's an outside possibility, right?

I do expect this is much ado about nothing in terms of legal battles/threats etc. I expect this is Wigan trying to influence people by making a more formal case, and the term legal letter is very vague - i expect its just a letter written and presented on legal letter head to make it look official. I expect nothing legal will come of this. And tbh, im not sure challenging on the grounds of a voting technicality is going to get people onside. That isnt how you influence minds. There clearly is an issue with clubs voting for stuff they dont understand - this is why clubs can't be trusted to run the game.to make such a major change without the detail is negligent.

Well after your start to the season and how we got the rare away win against you for it to come down to playing us at Odsal in the play offs is a massive turn around and achievement. taking nothing away from Sunday you was the better team for 70 minutes but we have a lot of players coming back this Friday and we must start faster. You lot are definitely doing it hard at the moment and seem to have come short when playing the so called bigger teams. i think with the players coming back and your injuries and suspension we should be to strong but it can be a strange game at times specially when it’s a back to back game like this one. whatever happens Friday good luck in the offseason and next year If you win then good luck in the plays offs hope for a big Friday crowd and a better game of rugby than Sunday was

Whilst I cant see any of the playoff contenders quaking in their boots at the prospect of playing us, I am over the moon. LLS and Challenge Cup in a season is an amazing achievement for us.

Very entertaining for the neutral. Congrats to Hull KR. Nice to see someone other than the usual suspects top the table. Hope the GF has a new winner too.

So says Charlie

Just because people have been successful in their own business, do not assume they have detailed knowledge or understanding of issues like governance and constitutions. Hence the issues with Sport England and now this letter from Wigan.

If Leeds manage to get past Saints, id much prefer us to be going to Hull KR in the semi rather than Wigan.

Not really a spat tbf, just someone not getting picked for a sentimental last game, as much as he deserves the send off. I’m more concerned about why Wales are playing Ireland in Featherstone.

When connected to Rugby League coming to England is a great way to avoid media attention.

Martyn's views are becoming more and more odd arent they?

GULLIBLE

indeed. If i were negotiating with a company and they continually change the parameters of the negotiation or (worse still) change the people negotiating I certainly wouldn't take them seriously.. there have been people acting in this way at work and I tend to walk away. if they start off that disorganised they would be a nightmare to work with and would continue to want to renegotiate throughout, basically costing you more in time to deal with them than is worthwhile (they also tend to be the ones that promise loads and delivery little, had one "we have loads of contracts pending" turns out they didnt and the ones they did get sounded big to them [great names] but in turnover/volume wise weren't).

The difference been that Keighley are a basket case club where as Wigan are the flagship for our competition.

Well, yes. But broadcast revenue isn't dropping in a vacuum, it's falling because of decisions we've made on how to develop the sport. And it seems that a majority of the club owners now want to double down on that with things like an unfunded move to 14.

I do subscribe to that idea so think that's probably fair and in line with what I'd expect in the men's game.

You really should suggest that because the overwhelming evidence is not that they pay attention and make serious, thought through, evidence based, decisions. Calling them mugs is a kindness.

You are simply putting in words how many true rugby league fans feel How did these bar stewards manage to steal our game?

Are you saying Mike Hunte could talk? Remarkable.

Good effort Wire. Well done HKR, well deserved, fresh start now for the playoffs, hope you can find your form again and go on to win it.

Did HKR fans just shout forward for a dummy.

A well backed Welsh team would do far more, we saw that with Celtic Crusaders.

For clarity this was the original article https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/sep/17/wigan-hull-fc-challenge-super-league-expansion-rugby

If London get a decent squad together and are competitive I can see crowds around 6000 will be getable.A few years ago now whilst at the stoop the squad was a quality team with players near the end of the careers but he crowds were still good with plenty of aussies in the crowd. Hopefully London will get put in as one of the fourteen and I am hopeful that is why Langer has put his money in as he might have been tipped the wink behind the scenes.Get a big name on board as a sponsor that resonates with Anzacs i.e Bundaberg Rum, that will be a good tie in for promotional work or even one fo the big airlines that fly to Australia. As for the squad , this is a list of NRL players without a contract for next season.Put a few of these together and i would think top 3 is reachable in the first season.Take your pick.Some might be on big money but I am sure with Langers credentials he could persuade a few. Broncos: Fletcher Baker, Jack Gosiewski, Kobe Hetherington, Delouise Hoeter, Jaiyden Hunt, Israel Leota Raiders: Albert Hopoate, Danny Levi, Jordan Martin Bulldogs: Drew Hutchison, Jake Turpin, Blake Wilson Sharks: Jayden Berrell, Mawene Hiroti, Will Kennedy Dolphins: Sean O'Sullivan, Michael Waqa Titans: Jacob Alick-Wiencke, Ryan Foran, Tony Francis, Ben Liyou, Harley Smith-Shields Sea Eagles: Gordon Chan Kum Tong, Daly Cherry-Evans, Aaron Schoupp, Tommy Talau, Siosiua Taukeiaho, Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega Storm: Ativalu Lisati, Lazarus Vaalepu Warriors: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper Knights: Adam Elliott, Jackson Hastings, Jack Hetherington, Mason Teague Cowboys: Jamal Shibasaki Eels: Haze Dunster, Wiremu Greig, Joey Lussick Panthers: Harrison Hassett, Daine Laurie, Soni Luke, Riley Price, Preston Riki, Luke Sommerton Rabbitohs: Thomas Fletcher, Siliva Havili, Jacob Host, Shaq Mitchell, Davvy Moale, Josh Schuster Dragons: Corey Allan, Raymond Faitala-Mariner, Viliami Fifita, David Klemmer Roosters: Zach Dockar-Clay, Tyler Moriarty Tigers: Josh Feledy, Justin Matamua, Brent Naden, Brandon Tumeth

He’s quality though, and we need quality players to beat them.

If 11 “pyros” is double. Who has 5.5 and how do they build half a “pyro”?

and if you want more TV revenue having a game that is not stable and that you cannot trust.. changing mid contract the structure of the tournaments etc... I am not sure is the way to do that. loads of good news stories from the season this week, that could have been used to help the negotiations but really what's going to overshadow it is all the changes at board and structure level that just shouts "unstable"

Doesn't stop him espousing on setting up our own broadcaster, which judging by his club's output and his business background, he knows less about than Danson does about RL (and we can fairly assume Danson listens to others in his club who certainly will know more.)

Whats gullible about it Q What is the games biggest problem? A. Nigel Wood

Right York deserve it more than anyone Bradford nah because of nigel wood and a sh--e ground toulouse no because they're in France and low crowds and London what a load of bo----s because of gary hethrington sh-te crowds again, Oldham win the playoffs but can't go up because of the bent ba------ds in the rl headquarters makes my blood boil and probably every rl fan, sorry for tant if I've upset anyone, soz

Disappointing from Wigan if true. Whether you think the move to 14 is going to save SL or be the death of it. The decisions been made. Get behind it. Even Keighley conceded defeat with IMG. It seems extreme action based on "I agree going to 14 but it should be done 12 months later" Doing this isn't going to achieve anything but damages the sport even more. There's been far bigger more controversial decisions (which Wigan have been a big part of) that's happened in the past than expanding the league by two teams.