redjonn

Thought was talking about the overall presentational aspects. Of course some may want other personalities but its still the same overall presentational aspects. I personally don't find the BBC's presentation boring, particularly as most of it is the game itself. I personally like John Kear teamed with Davies but again that's subjective but at least we don't have the jabbering twins of Sky rattling on. The studio guests are normally good, and most are just retired players. whom help understand aspects of the game. The studio non RL presenters to-date have been very good as is the current one. I'll look forward to a different approach from channel 4 but hopefully not gimmickry rubbish. It will really be tinkering around the edges as its the game itself that has to sell itself...

For me... copy the BBC RL... simples. The right commentators on the game, the right RL people in the studio with a relaxed presenter asking the questions of someone whom is still learning the nuances game... The focus on the game... One way to put off new viewers is to obsess over stats and intricacies. As I say the BBC get it right... obvious some on here may like particular experts or not but overall they are spot on for me.

I think what causes further confusion is: the part about the ground being available immediately before and after what ever event and subsequent work is being done but they, as in Leeds, have been scheduled to play away on those dates. I think they were hoping that the fixture list would have been kinder in having home games and hence the gap would not be so long. Whatever the reasons its for me a right pain in the ........as I like a regular routine of attending.

Good to see you promoting Huddersfield and I have no doubt I am missing the aspects you mention. Unfortunately The only time I go thorough is when the M62 is blocked and I have time to divert through Huddersfield. Following the signs to get towards Manchester when I normally crawling along and not seeing the best of the city. Of course the other time is going to a game and again probably not seeing the best side of the City. I used to go to a Tailor in Huddersfield many years ago to have my suits made... Sounds like I'll need to make a better effort to see more of Huddersfield in order to change my perceptions.

maybe but I would have thought the whole pressure from government and politicians to have public bodies or public supported like a public service broadcaster to move out to regions and not be so London centric is a bigger factor. Hopefully seeing more not just from a sport perspective but across the piece. Moving to the regions and seeing what's important to those local area's/regions. Of course it could be individuals... but me thinks its the wider agenda impacting public service broadcasting, Whitehall departments and public supported institutions. Mind you it doesn't stop any of us claiming "it was me"

oh I thought it was my letter...

Personally I'd like to see that "faster, much more open and skilful game". I guess the difficulty is how we get to that. Reasonable quickly or immediately at the junior community game and what rule changes are needed at the senior/elite level.

very droll... Must admit your comment had me expanding the picture to make out the sponsors...

I guess I'm in a minority of one but I can not ever see me making an effort to the visit the museum in Huddersfield George Hotel and I'm a keen RL fan. If I was involved I'd be looking at making a mobile complemented by a on-line visual museum. The mobile going around different stadiums making a big promotional push with the clubs at each one as well as taking it to appropriate events or towns to widen awareness. You can do remarkable displays in big artic's and portable building that can look impressive. Of course you could do mobile to complement a George hotel base but just think as it wouldn't be the priority it wouldn't get the investment. To me I just think as the years beyond its opening the George will not attract many visitors putting its commercial viability in doubt and it becoming a ongoing cost to whomever foots the bill.

One of (I think) of your other comments was that it was asking too much for same fans to be attending the number of games. The target of course is getting at least as may newbies to at least one game if not two... taking their younger members as well. So Nope I don't think its too many games... especially if we get the promotional aspects right... to be part of a great Northern celebration of a great originated Northern game that's now played in many parts of the world...

I know we all clamour for expansion, but another way to look at the planned fixtures is in relation to reality. That is we are really in a consolidation phase and their is a large/huge population of our Northern area's that don't take any interest in attending RL normally. Surely if we can focus on getting lots more of those people along to the World Cup and then targeting such to continue with club rugby that would be a big success. From which we can start being more ambitious in a growth plan.

I guess the key point is they have gained their success against the same backdrop of competing sports and entertainment market as RL. The 2nd point being how they achieved that and here I am assuming by having a strong CEO, a growth strategy, and then investing in the key components e.g. like a good marketing organisation or local organisation, additional formats, international game success, etc etc. Then being consistent and believing in the strategy which of course must be helped by buy-in across the sports administrators, administrations or organisations and volunteers, etc). Remember also that it is mainly a women's sport so they have only half the population to aim for with regards participation... although that may change.. RL has many of the components in place and so need to identify the missing parts and then the buy-in and enthusiasm leading to drive and consistency of effort.

I think we could do no worse than looking at how Netball has turned that sport into a growth sport with increased and wider participation with different formats. In additional an organisation driving social participation similar to five a side leagues. They have increased internationals, created a SL of clubs, created a new concept in Fast5, and through their marketing are growing in both spectators, participation plus sponsorship and TV deals. In fact I put the words of Netball CEO that highlights their main success and although not mentioned in extract below undoubtedly international England success has helped. CEO comments last Feb21. Netball’s meteoric rise in both participation and profile made it one of the success stories of the last decade in British sport. From 2010 to 2019, the number of girls and women playing the game at grassroots level doubled to 1.6m. Pre-pandemic, 236,000 adults were weekly netballers. That growth is partly down to England Netball offering a range of different ways to play, from Bee Netball for children to Walking Netball for the less mobile and Nets, a fast-paced, non-stop version of the sport played inside a netting cage. “We want every woman or girl to have the opportunity to participate in netball in a way that works for them, so we have a product whether you’re five or 85,” says Connolly. “I’m a strong believer that if you put the player or participant at the centre of everything and work backwards from that, any sport can achieve in the same way that we’ve grown. “I think it’s a case of really knowing your customers; something that’s really commonplace in business and less in sport. “We’ve always wanted to be a sports business with a heart. And by putting the participant first we believe the commercial revenue will follow that.”

yep have to agree the PTB for me is the biggest culprit with the multi tackle of 3 or 4 tacklers each slowly getting off...

maybe but I'm not sure your observations tally with what happens in the main, of course their are isolated incidents that we all mention. I've seen many short well forward passes being called by ref's - that would suggest it doesn't stop players doing it. Although normally its because the player receiving the pass has timed his run badly and the player making the pass not stopping. I don't see ref constantly penalising short passes only those that go clearly forward. One could take the opposite position and say that level should be rules out so as to make the ruling clear. I wouldn't be in agreement but another way to look at issues that require eye sight judgement and making it easier to ref and hence improving consistency. here I'm just putting a contrary point my main argument is above.

Maybe but that may be the starting point... then a few years on it becomes more than a minimum few millimetres/inches... I do not think ref's blow for a forward pass that is a few millimetres today, as they themselves could not tell with such accuracy... currently it has to be eye sight forward for a ref to blow... which ain't a few milli's

The whole concept of the game is backward passing... how can we ignore forward passing beats me. Why not completely redesign the whole game... a bit like the Americans did. to add.... can you imagine the consistency arguments, well that was an inch forward and was ok why not 2 inches... then on we go to 2 feet... OK ref's may miss a forward pass, but they don't decide oh well I'll ignore that one even though it went forward as the context of the game is such...

Another sport but when I've been to NFL games in USA. A jam packed large stadium a lot of people for most of the time ain't watching what's happening on the pitch, even when something is happening on the pitch... They have a product that suits the die hard fans and the casual spectators...

I would have thought its down to the marketing in getting the product right for those that attend/watch... of course the promotion of the product is important but you have to have a product that suits those your trying to attract and hence attract...

Basic marketing mix includes the 4 P's/5 P's... that is product is included in the P's. In the above comment Dunbar showed the improved performance of the club, that is the product improved matching what some spectators wanted... as the Americans would say its marketing 101... the very very basics. Anyway anyone that is a marketing professional would know wants being said in the opening post/twitter. The problem is most, maybe all clubs can not afford a fully professional marketing team.

Something that Leeds are consistent with... McGuire being the prime example when being injured early on and Leeds nearly got relegated... They are consistent with no real contingency planning with the halves... could give other examples but I guess the most recent is both full back and Gale - got away with full back with Myler being a surprise hit. I guess they are consistent in believing in utility or identifying players that can play well in other positions as distinct from it being by chance... nope I don't believe that its more a money thing I guess...

I get the explanation for why Midlands and why not the bears but I don't get the hurricanes... it just doesn't resonate with me any association with the Midlands or its heritage of the industry revolution which many would argue started in the Midlands... e.g. ironbridge gorge or other industry revolution sites in the midlands.

A slightly different point... regards player welfare. Yes the overall sport and hence RFL have a part to play but so do individual clubs. Their the ones who pick players and hence how many games or if they are injured but still picked. In fact if I take that logic then also individual coaches. Surely the targets for taking action against is both RFL and the clubs that may well have contributed more to the problem.

Whilst I think the salary cap needs adjusting and maybe abolishing I just can not see the logic that it will help the household name conundrum. When he himself was at his peak and maybe an household name the non RL sport arena was less competitive and hence more media interest in our sport. That is the major professional spectator sports in this country was RL, soccer and cricket. In the winter the media would be looking at two of those sports. Thus the sports media space was not so crowded and soccer was nowhere as high profile as it is today. So we have a significantly more high profile soccer world from both a league perspective and very much more international arena than ever existed back in his day. Plus others sports have grown and not least women's sport and the likes of cricket play far more international games of various sorts than ever, plus the significant growth of RU internationals as well as its own professional impact. In additional we have American sport that has more interest here than previously or in his time. Take the likes of what was a rather specialist F! even that has significantly grown. For me you can not ignore the far more competitive sporting arena and hence having to compete for media interest against a far different backdrop. Even just taking soccer on its own it in itself is light years ahead in its profile than it was back in his peak - gosh their seems to be internationals every month nowadays consuming media interest....

now then, t lasses colour them up ere t match t clogs on sundays...