gingerjon

I was trying to remember the last time I saw anyone playing in a pub and it's a fair old time. I must be going to the wrong pubs cos I enjoy a good game of attempting to hit the dart board. In terms of the survey, I was once, a few years back, one of those phoned randomly. And, from memory, they do prompt for what counts as activity and do stress it can be informal/not organised.

That'll be even easier for them to do this year. Remind me what the general sporting attitude to Thursday games is, by the way?

DAZN haven't broken through in the UK - but then, as a country, our sports streaming market has developed differently to most other places - but they do have a lot of rights and I do like that they also put things on YouTube and their own site for free to entice for the subscription offers.

I think you're right on that. The number of players about whom they're talking about 'tour card' (equivalent) is through the roof this year - and there aren't a huge number of spots.

I’ll bear that in mind the next time you say basketball or handball in Europe is small because look at their crowds! I think you can make the argument that the World Championship is a decently big event story-wise but I do think it’s quite revealing that they had the chance to move to a bigger venue and didn’t take it. It is definitely bigger than any individual thing that UK RL does. Overall, though, I honestly don’t think there’s much of a contest. RL is bigger.

I'm not remotely important. This forum is not remotely important. Darts is smaller than rugby league. Three truths there.

Replying isn't bullying and I don't actually think I've met anyone else on this thread IRL.

It is: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts/67884690#:~:text=In total 4.8 m people,a peak of 2.32m.

Do a little test then. How many people, total, do you think will be watching at Ally Pally across the whole tournament?

Bless. Well, we've more money, more players and more spectators at more events, but, sure, because the Dog & Duck has a dart board, but no teams any more, darts is bigger. Happy to see both sports use each other but let's not pretend it's only darts doing us a favour.

Did they go into administration or liquidation?

We’ve had Sky launches led by people from other sports - Bradley Wiggins for example - and people moaned. We do okay for using the dartists. Not sure there’s much more mileage for us given that RL is the bigger sport.

What was this opportunity? Because if it involved the foundation less zombie club that played in SL last year then there was no opportunity there.

If there is a downturn in the Sky money - and I do think, on balance, that that is possible - then we either need to retrench the sport further, which will be massively damaging even to the heartlands teams who think they'll be fine (or think their relative community strength will see them through), or successfully diversify. We can only diversify if the clubs in the best position to bring in that money are in the strongest position to do so.

Each individual bit seems to have its reasons but, cumulatively, it seems (and I'm aware of confirmation bias, here) to be more players having odd games and more players behaving in ways they usually don't. Maybe they're all noticing the scrutiny more this year? The vibe seems a bit off compared to previously. It's still fun and the standards mostly ludicrous but something doesn't quite feel right.

George Eastham https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/dec/21/george-eastham-england-1966-world-cup-squad-member-dies-aged-88

A lot of the players are acting really weirdly this year.

Not sure I understand how they have had to pander to the top clubs nor how the grading doesn't provide a framework for raising standards across the game?

"The introduction of the Invitational League in the last two seasons has helped to boost participation in Wheelchair rugby league, with almost 100 people now registered." They're mentioned in the statement so assume so.

Well, we wouldn’t want the ladies to get any ideas above their station.

Good to see Radlinski being so positive about the process.

A cynic might suggest that they're waiting on seeing how the Las Vegas game goes before deciding where to hide it.

And how is the bankrupt state of the game IMG's fault? Did buying something better than a UEFA standard big screen make someone go bust? Or has it shone a light on just how broke much of the game has become over the past decade or so?

Obviously, needs merging with the IMG thread. Equally obviously: IMG are having a positive impact on rugby league. Equally equally obviously: there is a long way to go. Equally equally equally obviously: there are still some blind folk who will never see, but regard their lack of visual capacity as a badge of honour.

In which case I’ve misunderstood your reason for posting! Never mind. We more or less agree.