Oldbear
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Posts posted by Oldbear
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1 hour ago, zylya said:
It's a 6 hour drive to Perpignan and a 7 hour drive to Toulouse. The longets journey in Elite 1 would be Avingnon at just under 8:30.
In Elite 2, the longest journey would be Lyon at 12 hours but would also feature a drive to Toulon at 10 hours.
To get from Valencia to the French border is around 5 and half hours drive - I assume a little slower on a coach and worse if there's traffic. That means, at best, you're looking at 6 hour drives to games - it'd be like having Newcastle and Newquay in the same league.
8 hour coach ride also means that you're either leaving at around 5am to arrive around 1pm for a 2:30 kickoff and assuming you get on the road at 5pm (leaving very little time to finish the game and get some food) you'll be getting home at 1am. If you stayed overnight, your costs would rise.
I'm not saying that you're wrong that it might be trying to attract UK fans to travel and that it might not be sustainable - I don't personally think the RFL structure is the right decision long term for Spanish clubs (a proper Spanish domestic scene would be the best thing in my mind) but at the moment there's no good competition for them to be in. If they go semi-pro and the rest of the Spanish clubs in the domestic comp they're forming now stay amateur then there's no competition. If they go to France, there's a huge travel burden for not much return. As strange as it sounds, the RFL system isn't strictly worse than their other options, and has the upside of the chance to play in comps like the Challenge Cup and, if they do well and invest right, the Championship and Super League.
I think it highlights just how much work is needed to develop RL on the continent - apart from a few small pockets, there's no infrastructure to allow clubs to grow in other countries.
Not totally disagreeing with your logic, but trips to Barrow, Whitehaven, Workington and West Wales will hardly be fun either, and in the case of the first 3 all they will probably have to show for it is a good hiding, hardly conducive to launching a new club. I know road trips in France are not fun, but I suspect that in a post pandemic world flying is probably going to be not so straightforward plus my feelings were that the French comp might be a more suitable standard for them, unless they plan on doing a Toronto and filling their team with higher priced journeymen imports and Championship players (in which case where’s the money coming from).
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3 hours ago, zylya said:
Which appropriate competition do you suggest they join?
I would have thought the French comp, logistically less hassle than flights, cheaper ( unless they have an airline as sponsor), and definitely a more appropriate standard than getting battered in Cumbria).
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I worry that the whole Valencia project is solely founded on attracting visiting UK fans, plus trying to appeal to British expats in the area, and it actually has no Spanish element to it at all. Surely they have to put down some roots first, and ideally play in an appropriate competition before even thinking about joining the RFL system. Otherwise it will end up being yet another false dawn, based on social media and one mans dream.
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It’s bizarre weather here. The past 2 days saw a massive quick thaw, then last night a ferocious ice storm which woke me at 5am. Took the dog out for her morning walk, not sure who did the best Bambi on ice impression, her or me!
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2 hours ago, Robin Evans said:
I genuinely and sincerely hope it comes off. The city needs it. The game needs it. BV is an absolute sheeitehole.... you know it, i know it. Its really does need serious redevelopment.
It has to be a money pit as well, and Wheldon Rd has to be for Cas too, so I’m sure the club would love an end to the saga, after all look how the cost of maintaining Odsal helped to screw up Bradford.
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5 hours ago, The Future is League said:
Charlton and Crystal Palace
Charlton and West Ham
Brighton and Gillingham
Birmingham and Coventry will be sharing for the foreseeable future
Not permanent shares though? If somehow Wakey and Cas did share then it would be permanent and I suspect that won’t end well.
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7 hours ago, The Future is League said:
My money would be on they will still be where they now in 4 years time.
Except if they still are then financially they are probably one step from meltdown, there’s no way they can keep the crumbling ruin safe without spending big time on upkeep, which will seriously impact the viability of the club. They may have skirted around things 20 years ago, now they know they have to do something to safeguard their future and are not messing around.
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1 hour ago, Whippet13 said:
I completely agree the game is in managed decline however and something meaningful has to be done. Unfortunately the current management team are not inspiring confidence in me.
Me neither.
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30 minutes ago, OMEGA said:
Let’s be totally honest then!
The sports with whom we compete closest may have declining participation but they start from a level of participation which dwarfs ours and they’re not at the critically low level that Rugby Leagues at. Also they are immeasurably stronger and richer in other areas of their sport.
The new magazine programme was welcome but it wasn’t on a par with those of other sports not even past programmes that Rugby League once enjoyed.
NRL coverage was at a high because the Super League was put on hold, as soon as we started playing games again the NRL coverage was pared back to almost nothing.
The 2019 Lions Tour was I’ll conceived and thrown together but I admit prior to the Tour I was excited to see a Lions Tour again. The experience of it didn’t live up to the expectation largely due to the ramshackle way it was thrown together and the disrespect shown by some toward the Lions traditions. The fact that I and so many were excited to see a tour surely shows that they are something we sorely need back on a regular calendar.
I really hope we can get regular 4 yearly Tours by the big 3 back on the Rugby League agenda. I’d love to see some club games as part of those tours though I recognise 13 or 14 games is a thing of the past but who could forget the unofficial 4th Test Vs Wigan and the amazing spectacles of Leeds, St Helens & Hull giving it to the Ausie midweek team. Likewise getting up at 5am to watch Great Britain take on Manly, St George and Parramatta.
Im glad to hear that Bet Fred are paying more for their sponsorship, let’s hope we can get the CC, Test matches and the lower divisions sponsored again.
Ive become the profit of doom in this thread which is far from my usual position.
I can relate to so much of your recent posts, and I’m an optimist so if you are the prophet of doom than I may be your side kick. The world is continually evolving, the sports that survive and thrive in the future will be those that evolve too.
I also miss Lions Tours, and also Kangaroo tours to the Northern Hemisphere. They were occasions, and gave a little something to players who put their bodies on the line each week, the reward of tests against the best, or a tour down under could not be measured in monetary terms but provided a nice bonus to a career which is all too short. I agree that we appear to be in decline, however can we manage the decline to keep the sport alive in the long term, or will we lose control, sadly as Whippet says, I have no confidence in the leadership to provide the tools to help the sport get through the coming years. Like you I don’t advocate kicking anyone out, I am and always will be, a believer that league structures should be decided on the field, however I suspect that broadcast partners don’t think that way any more, they know what they want to cover and want it to look good to attract viewers. Our problem is we are totally dependent on TV revenue, so they get to hold the cards and call the shots.
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4 hours ago, OMEGA said:
With no disrespect to Oldham, Championship 1 or even The Championship they aren’t the face of Rugby League that we present to the world at large on a weekly basis.
Its just my opinion but driven by the falling participation numbers and viewing figures I think the RFL and broadcast partners will realise they need to make big changes and be ruthless!
I suspect similar, except that the broadcast partners will hold the upper hand so will force change. Of course there are now a decent number of good looking stadia to choose from as well, so less need to compromise than there would have been say 10-15 years ago, therefore anyone wanting to remain in the top flight will want to be sure they don’t fall down in this area. In addition sponsors are becoming more choosy in what they want for their financial support, and entertaining clients in good quality facilities, looking out onto a decent stadium, is more likely to persuade them to part with the cash, and that’s something that our clubs need as much of as they can get their hands on.
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18 hours ago, OMEGA said:
Sliding doors eh?
And my mate directed that movie!
Actually though it’s a good comparison, the route taken those years ago has hamstrung Wakefield ever since, another reason why I would love to see some stadium progress there, if only to see what potential still exists.
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2 hours ago, OMEGA said:
The popular urban myth that Wakefield promised a new stadium is just that, a myth it is untrue, a falsehood often quoted by so called fans of the game who are ignorant of the facts.
You see this is what I don’t understand about the comments made by some of the games so called fans. If we are being realistic here what would Wakefield have to gain by even wanting to remain in a sub standard stadium given that
1. It will cost a fortune to keep meeting minimum safety standards
2. The current facilities make it difficult to grow the fan base
3. The current facilities may hurt sponsorship opportunities as corporate clients seek to entertain in better stadia
4. The current facilities make it hard to attract new players.
Given all that I’m pretty sure the club themselves really want a better ground, but again with no Tesco or other supermarket riding to the rescue and no cheap council land with unblocked planning permission then I’m not sure what other alternatives were open to them apart from what they are trying. Building new facilities without some major outside help is nearly impossible, it does make what Fev has done an even more impressive achievement but that was on the back of some great volunteers, not every club is so lucky.
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6 hours ago, PREPOSTEROUS said:
The current management are making the best of a poor situation. It may still not come off but it's a genuine attempt to improve, after all the poor stadium only hinders the club and costs more year on year to keep it up to the sub-standard state it is in now.
This is a key point, the cost of maintaining sub standard facilities only hamstrings the club further, so why would Wakey want this situation to continue, after all if you want to look at how playing for many years can affect a clubs finances I offer up Odsal for evidence. From my point of view the situation is
1. Wakey know Belle Vue has not been fit for purpose for some time, and have had a number of attempts at developing or relocating
2. They were not blessed with supermarket cash allowing a relocation a la Saints or even Warrington
3. The council has been at best unhelpful, at worst incompetent
4. The club is run as a tight ship so little spare cash is ever available
5. If they get this redevelopment done great, let’s celebrate an improvement in facilities instead of continually sticking the boot in. If not I suspect the ongoing cost of maintaining the current dump will hamstring the club further, which will be very sad.
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5 hours ago, dboy said:
Absolutely agree (but there's 1 or 2 who just burn with bitterness, isn't there?).
Whatever happens, you cannot fault the club, under Carter & Minards, for their efforts in trying to get this over the line.
I know it’s become sort of fashionable to bag the Belle Vue slum but the reality is that it’s not the fault of Wakeys fans, who themselves know things have to improve, and the board have seemed to try their best to address the issue, unfortunately not everyone has supportive councils and friendly developers with a major supermarket chain ready to wave the magic wand. I really, really hope that this time you can get things done, you fans deserve it!
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8 hours ago, GUBRATS said:
Much the same in Leigh at the moment , another 1 1/2 inch fell last night , not sure how we'll get to the shop ?
New Years Eve morning here and yes, more snow! At least it won’t disrupt people’s nights out, since we have just got a new provincial health order closing bars, restaurants and liquor stores from 8pm tonight. Just hope it doesn’t drive a bunch of parties underground.
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The last 10 days in West Kelowna have followed this pattern
1. Wake up, dig out the previous nights snowfall
2. Walk dog in knee deep snowdrifts
3. Manage to get car out for trip to hospital for treatment
4. Road grifters finally show up around 3pm
5. Four hours later snow starts again!
Repeat!
Nothing on the news, everyone’s too busy shoveling snow!
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1 hour ago, Kayakman said:
Merry XMas everyone from the Great White North...getting cold tonight and a small blizzard is moving in...have the moosemeat in the fridge thawing to eat tomorrow!
All the best!
1 hour ago, CanaBull said:And a Merry Christmas from the south end of the Great White North, only a slight covering of snow here but hopefully more on the was for a picture postcard day tomorrow.
Best wishes of the season to all!
Best wishes to both of you from the snowy Okanagan. Just got back from taking the dog for a walk (almost skate as there’s minimal road salting done in my part of West Kelowna) and jumped in the hot tub. It’s -10 outside and the hot tub was incredible! Can’t believe that I managed all these years without one!
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11 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:
Surely for the good of the game , it should be Leigh ?
Now that would be nice, however with the cards you guys were dealt in terms of less TV money plus a shorter timeframe to recruit I would settle for mid table respectability, I will be rooting for you guys, in fact anyone who is not one of the usual suspects. We need a new name on that trophy!
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Merry Christmas from Western Canada, it was -7 outside in Kelowna at 1pm today and we have a foot of snow. Very festive!
Hope 2021 is much better than 2020 for everyone on the board. Whoever you support you deserve credit for being a supporter of the game. My hopes for next year are1. that there will actually be a proper season at all levels
2. that when fans are allowed back, they come back in numbers
3. that Newcastle Thunder solidify a mid table spot in the Championship
4. that we get a new name on the GF trophy - I have a soft spot for Huddersfield but wouldn’t be upset if it really was Warringtons year!
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7 hours ago, Forever Trinity said:
For anyone interested the plans submitted by Trinity to the LA for planning approval
It’s Groundhog Day!
Seriously though Wakey have an awesome core of fans who deserve better than the current slum, so I hope this time everything goes through and the bureaucrats and their cronies are not able to interfere.
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We have a chain of bookstores in Canada called Chapters Indigo. All of the have a wall of names located near the escalators listing famous Canadians, many of whom are naturally assumed to be American because their careers were so successful in the US, people like John Candy, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Donald Sutherland, Jim Carrey and Ryan Reynolds. Sadly Justin Bieber is also on the list!
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On 16/07/2020 at 10:48, GUBRATS said:
Rounders
Except rounders players don’t eat during the game, take fewer steroids and look more athletic!
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When I moved out here in 2009 I really tried to get into baseball, after all it’s the major summer sport here. Eleven years later and I have given up trying. Too many games, too many stats, not enough action plus the players eat while they are playing! Sorry baseball, you and me will never be lovers.
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Just found this thread, I sell whisky in Vancouver. That allows me to sample some pretty rare malts including a lot of single cask bottling, sadly I don’t get to take them home and only make occasional purchases as whisky is really expensive in BC. I recently sampled the whole Tomatin range, from Legacy through 12year (great value), 14year, 15year, 18year and 36year (incredible whisky and beautiful package, but at a price that only a few of my customers can afford), and Wolfburn. Check them out if you can.
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Valencia
in The General Rugby League Forum
Posted
I see that, but what actually is the future for Valencia? Is it do try to do a TWP and race for SL, hoping that they can generate good crowds and local interest, if so that means $$$, and no doubt Josh McCrone and Darcy Lussick are waiting for the phone call. Is the plan to grow steadily and develop local juniors, in which case great, but would they be competitive in L1 (and yes I know they will bring over players as there is pretty much no locals to speak of as yet), can they afford to plan and steadily progress like Coventry, do they even see that as part of their plan? Problem is no one really knows. Plus one final point, can the existing L1 clubs afford to fly out to Valencia for games? It’s always struck me as being pretty hand to mouth down there, is there potential for an airline sponsor, if so it’s a pretty bad time to be looking for one, given the pandemics effect on travel.