Catalans refuse to pay Challenge Cup deposit (Merged Threads)

[Dave T 13,380]

Maybe if the RFL managed to get sponsors for this comp they wouldn't have these financial black holes.

[Oliver Clothesoff 2,696]

Is there any incentive for some clubs to even take part in the Challenge Cup now? If you make the final and win it and you’re not one of maybe five or six, there’s a decent chance you’re going to be asked for a bond next year and if it’s the same or similar price to the ransom the RFL are demanding from Catalans, it’s going to likely not be financially viable, so what’s the point?

[Clogiron 1,348]

35 minutes ago, Lowdesert said:

Genuine questions.  Could Rimmer make this decision alone?  Sure, he’s the Leader but wouldn’t it have included Barwick plus others?  

 

 

Does anybody on here know what Barwick actually does to earn his salary? I've seen him handing out the occasional medal but what part is he playing in any decision making prosess, was he charged with appointing Wood's sucessor and who else was involved in that shambles, there's a distinct lack of accountability around isn't there.

I don't seem to recall the NRL asking Melbourne or the Warrior's or even the Bronco's when they played in the Grand Finals staged in Sydney to cough up money for the privilege, granted they still sold out the games as any competant organisation would but I would like to have seen the reactions if they had!

[PREPOSTEROUS 233]

Maybe Knock Off Nigel could do the honourable thing with his 'well deserved' golden hand shake and cover Toronto, Toulouse and Catalans entry.

[CanadianRugger 1,118]

There is zero incentive for Toronto to take part in the cup.  For one, we get no home games and can therefore make no money off the competition.  Secondly, the RFL want us to underwrite the competition with a quarter of the salary cap?  Get real.

Glad Catalans, Toulouse and Toronto are standing firm on this.  Refuse to participate and focus on the regular season.  

[Dave T 13,380]

There is a lot of noise around this one on social media, pretty universal disbelief and anger. I don't see how the RFL can defend this or the CEO survive it.

This is a pretty major #######torm just before the season.

[DavidM 7,288]

They speak endless words about expanding the game and then cut those teams off at the knees and make them feel different and unwelcome . Catalans won the cup FFS , what a reward to have to pay for the privilege of defending it ! Shameful 

[Les Tonks Sidestep 1,322]

30 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I haven't been a fan of SLEs approach over the last 12m, but I do think there is a case for taking over the Cup as a Joint Venture with Champ and Amateur clubs, sharing the risk and reward, cut the RFL out of it.

This running things by a spreadsheet is a big problem.

As I've already said I'm sure this is all part of the 'plan'. At the time of Nige's departure there were a few on here warning those dancing a celebratory jig to be careful what they wished for. The chickens are now we'll and truly coming home to roost.

[winnyason 261]

Joke of a organisation. What's happening with new york bid ###### clowns 

[Padge 5,189]

9 minutes ago, winnyason said:

Joke of a organisation. What's happening with new york bid ###### clowns 

New York have been asked to pay a $1bn dollar bond and we are taking statue of liberty hostage just in case they win anything.

Edited January 4 by Padge

[Toby Chopra 737]

11 minutes ago, Dave T said:

There is a lot of noise around this one on social media, pretty universal disbelief and anger. I don't see how the RFL can defend this or the CEO survive it.

This is a pretty major #######torm just before the season.

I don't see much coming from the clubs themselves. The lower league clubs have no incentive to come to Catalans' defence and indeed have a much bigger stake in the RFL not losing money. The SL clubs will be happy to watch the RFL shrivel further, as it serves as a vindication of their breakaway. 

A broken governing body unfit for purpose. 

[dixiedean 779]

Hi folks. Took the close season off this forum to focus on other interests.

Had to return to say...

JESUS H CHRIST RFL!!!!??

[Oxford 3,526]

41 minutes ago, Dave T said:

This running things by a spreadsheet is a big problem.

I think you're wrong there Dave a spreadsheet sounds like too big an investment, a task of comprehension beyond their ken and appears too much an improvement on the present regime.

A piece of paper with the pros and cons  and counting ticks might be nearer the mark. Though they may need a consultant to explain the maths of more.

[winnyason 261]

8 minutes ago, Padge said:

New York have been asked to pay a $1bn dollar bond and we are taking statue of liberty hostage just in case they win anything.

Haha i reckon so

[Dave T 13,380]

3 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

I don't see much coming from the clubs themselves. The lower league clubs have no incentive to come to Catalans' defence and indeed have a much bigger stake in the RFL not losing money. The SL clubs will be happy to watch the RFL shrivel further, as it serves as a vindication of their breakaway. 

A broken governing body unfit for purpose. 

The problem is that turning the Challenge Cup into a farce, risking sponsorship and tv income is not in anybody's interests.

[winnyason 261]

Imo its time for superleague clubs to breakaway along with few other select clubs. 

[Damien 7,035]

46 minutes ago, Dave T said:

This running things by a spreadsheet is a big problem.

Its certainly impossible to grow a game that way. Indeed it arguably will only result in an inevitable managed decline and ever declining revenues because you aren't even trying to grow the pie and essentially have to maintain what you have to the maximum. We have seen what happens when the RFL cant maintain what it has and meet its projected revenues in the decline in revenues as a result of last year's Challenge Cup Final crowd. The consequences are now to be seen in that the RFL have cut back the scale and scope of the competition and its attractiveness to fans and sponsors. This is a vicious cycle which only goes one way.

[Jinking Jimmy 37]

37 minutes ago, PREPOSTEROUS said:

Maybe Knock Off Nigel could do the honourable thing with his 'well deserved' golden hand shake and cover Toronto, Toulouse and Catalans entry.

Great idea but don’t hold your breath.

[MidlandsJohn 10]

At this rate, in a few decades time when people ask "who killed French RL", the Vichy regime will be knocked down to 2nd place by the RFL!

Seriously, the knock-on effect could be disastrous. Catalans and Toulouse are the main pipeline for French players to get top-level match exposure, and for France to (maybe) regain some of the prestige that it had in the international game - so the governing body's response is to destroy this because a foreign club dared to win the Cup?

Speaking of France, it becomes even more of a joke when you consider the football Coupe de France involves teams from the overseas territories and this is seen as exciting and/or exotic by the fans. French football gives a chance for teams halfway round the world to participate in their flagship competition, yet English RL is spooked by a team a short flight away.

 

In a dream world, you could have a Challenge Cup covering the UK, alongside Catalans, Toulouse, Toronto,. Red Star, give the Lord Derby winners a place, Elite 1 champs get a place, weaker nations like Spain and Germany get to send a rep. national team ("Federation 13" or something). Key word of course being "dream"

[Dunbar 6,121]

Well I think it is fair to say that I have given the RFL the benefit of the doubt many times on this board and pointed out that it is difficult to run a complex organisation with multiple stakeholders etc etc....

Not this time. This is a disgrace and is the very definition of short-sightedness.

This decision should be reversed and announced immediately and Toronto, Toulouse and Catalan should be welcomed back into the fold with a very sincere apology.

[MidlandsJohn 10]

I should also add the Perpignan RU are marooned at the bottom of the Top 14 and is severe relegation danger, so you'd think RL would be able to steal some of their thunder. In a way it has - for all the wrong reasons!

[Leeds Wire 624]

5 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Well I think it is fair to say that I have given the RFL the benefit of the doubt many times on this board and pointed out that it is difficult to run a complex organisation with multiple stakeholders etc etc....

Not this time. This is a disgrace and is the very definition of short-sightedness.

This decision should be reversed and announced immediately and Toronto, Toulouse and Catalan should be welcomed back into the fold with a very sincere apology.

Great post.

I've ploughed through this thread and as far as I can tell there is 100% agreement on this. 

Does anyone want to defend the RFL?

[headtackle 267]

This really is beyond a joke. As above each of Catalans, Toulouse, Toronto, Red Star etc should be welcomed in for the impact they have on the profile of the competition alone.

If the RFL are going to seek a bond from clubs that would not fill Wembley have they also sought a bond from Salford, Huddersfield, Wakefield, London, Widnes etc etc 

On a serious point can the RFL not insure against possible losses to take away this ridiculous situation?

[barnyia 1,027]

So what happens if salford play London in the final and Swinton v Rochdale in the new curtain raiser cup, would they fill the stadium? 

[barnyia 1,027]

It's a bit embarrassing as for years here in France I've been saying" don't be stupid the rfl aren't  against the catalans winning "" it makes no difference to them, no way would the refs cheat so the catalans don't win". I know the refs don't cheat but the French will believe it even more now! What happens if the catalans make old Trafford this year? Another 500,000 caution to play super league as well as 500000 to play in the cup.