Creating a positive vibe.

[Dave T]

One of the things that is clear as an RL fan is the amount of negativity within the game and a real shortage of positive stories and experiences. 

I think it would be great if the game focused on delivering at least one 'wow' event each month - look at the buzz created from the Nou Camp experience. As a game I think it'd be great if we tried to co-ordinate efforts to create a series of events that are pretty much all about creating a buzz and positive headlines.

Feb - Season Launch - derbies worked well this year.

Mar - France/Spain marquee game

Apr - Easter - Big Weekend

May - Magic Weekend

June - Cup Semi Final Double Header

July - Challenge Cup Final

August - UK marquee game (Double Header - major stadium)

September - Playoffs, huge push

October - Semis and Grand Final

Literally every effort should go into making each of these things hugely successful, rather than us limping along. At the moment after the season launch we see a big decline in positivity. Good Friday is always a positive, but then nothing until Magic Weekend, which this year is quite negative. Semi Finals took a positive boost last year, but needs to grow and grow. Cup Final at Wembley has been a bit of a curse in recent years, focus on turning that around. The Playoffs have been ruined in recent years, hopefully a return to top 5 will help, and the GF is always a good one.

Along side these, you then have the Challenge Cup on the BBC which needs bigger crowds to maintain positivity, particularly on the BBC games. Maybe the TV games should be free admission (or a nominal fee) and funded from sponsorship and a central pot?

In other sports there are loads of negative things going on, but they are drowned out by the hugely positive things. If we can create more positive events, people will soon get over 1000 people at a London game on a Thursday night, or the empty seats at Huddersfield.

Thoughts?

[fighting irish]

You've got to accentuate the positive,

Eliminate the negative, 

Latch on to the affirmative, 

Don't mess with Mr In-Between.

I can't remember who said this, but i'm sure its not a new idea?

[Oliver Clothesoff]

There are loads of big events in Rugby League already, I just don’t think we make the most of them. Take Saints v Warrington the other month, the two early pacesetters and a game which could have brought Warrington much tighter on Saints’ heels but as a club, Saints did little to generate much more interest in it than normal (granted it was a Thursday/Friday night and this makes it a little more difficult) and Super League didn’t seem to do much either, though doing clubs’ marketing and advertising isn’t exactly in their remit. 

We have a Magic Weekend this weekend, a big event anyway but looking at the games, some are pretty big. Leeds v London is arguably the biggest of the weekend, massive in fact, Catalans v Wakefield is 3rd v 6th and two points separate them and Wigan v Warrington is a repeat of last year’s Grand Final. I think that sometimes we don’t need to force a big game or big event because they naturally happen over the course of a season anyway. Just because they’re not played at shiny, rented out football stadiums, it doesn’t mean we don’t have big games. 

[RP London]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

 

In other sports there are loads of negative things going on, but they are drowned out by the hugely positive things. If we can create more positive events, people will soon get over 1000 people at a London game on a Thursday night, or the empty seats at Huddersfield.

 

This, This and 1000 times this!

 

[Dave T]

13 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

There are loads of big events in Rugby League already, I just don’t think we make the most of them. Take Saints v Warrington the other month, the two early pacesetters and a game which could have brought Warrington much tighter on Saints’ heels but as a club, Saints did little to generate much more interest in it than normal (granted it was a Thursday/Friday night and this makes it a little more difficult) and Super League didn’t seem to do much either, though doing clubs’ marketing and advertising isn’t exactly in their remit. 

We have a Magic Weekend this weekend, a big event anyway but looking at the games, some are pretty big. Leeds v London is arguably the biggest of the weekend, massive in fact, Catalans v Wakefield is 3rd v 6th and two points separate them and Wigan v Warrington is a repeat of last year’s Grand Final. I think that sometimes we don’t need to force a big game or big event because they naturally happen over the course of a season anyway. Just because they’re not played at shiny, rented out football stadiums, it doesn’t mean we don’t have big games. 

Yes, my point isnt necessarily about new events, it is about us being focused as a game to make the most of them. You are right that the battle between the league leaders should be an event, not unlike in football when certain weekends get some fancy branding from Sky.

This is about focus our efforts as a game. At the moment some of these events are actually painting negative pictures of our game, and damaging the brand at times. That needs to change.

We need to swamp out the bad news.

 

[Just Browny]

I like the thread although I would be reluctant to have the France/Spain game earlier than May - we have seen some pretty wild weather in Perpignan even for Easter games, and the nice weather is likely to be a big pull factor for UK-based fans.

We have said this before but, as well as the events, we need to push our best players into the limelight too. Players like Connor, Roby and Clark are as interesting as they are skilful, and they are all genuine athletes whose highlights reels would impress even a non-rugby fan. As fans we fret too much about a clean play the ball and not enough about the key moments in a game which get people excited.

[One F in Wakefield]

43 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

I like the thread although I would be reluctant to have the France/Spain game earlier than May - we have seen some pretty wild weather in Perpignan even for Easter games, and the nice weather is likely to be a big pull factor for UK-based fans.

We have said this before but, as well as the events, we need to push our best players into the limelight too. Players like Connor, Roby and Clark are as interesting as they are skilful, and they are all genuine athletes whose highlights reels would impress even a non-rugby fan. As fans we fret too much about a clean play the ball and not enough about the key moments in a game which get people excited.

Yeah exactly, I (and i suspect most people) watch rugby for the big hits, skilful handling, powerful running and acrobatic tries.

I dont give a flying one about whether or not a player touched the ball with his foot at the PTB.

I think we need to find a way to make the hard northerner thing work for us, I can understand why its not a fashionable game but surely we have the ability to turn that round somewhat.

[Dave T]

One of the main reasons I started this thread was that I was genuinely buzzing after watching the Nou Camp game on TV and it felt a really positive thing.

I also really enjoyed Summer Bash. 

I did wonder why these clashes and didnt complement each other.

And then the week later we get Magic where it looks like it will underwhelm. None of our major events should miss the mark. They are all outstanding things in their own right, and should get people excited, get the media along writing about it, and broadcaster excited to cover it. But too many are missing the mark.

I don't think positive momentum can be underestimated. But that wont be created for us, we need to stimulate that.

[Sparse Attendance]

I have to admit im quite negative when it comes to RL. If im talking to someone who doesn’t really know that much about the game (which is most people in the U.K.), i’ll talk it up. But when im with people who follow the game then its back to being negative again, because they have the same views.

Who can blame League fans for being negative when we’ve had the likes of Wood & Rimmer, running the game. Yet despite Wood’s failure the game continue to employ people like him. 

[Kayakman]

20 minutes ago, Sparse Attendance said:

I have to admit im quite negative when it comes to RL. If im talking to someone who doesn’t really know that much about the game (which is most people in the U.K.), i’ll talk it up. But when im with people who follow the game then its back to being negative again, because they have the same views.

Who can blame League fans for being negative when we’ve had the likes of Wood & Rimmer, running the game. Yet despite Wood’s failure the game continue to employ people like him. 

You should come over for a game.....it is a very positive vibe over in North America when it comes to League.

[Reverend Ram]

5 hours ago, fighting irish said:

You've got to accentuate the positive,

Eliminate the negative, 

Latch on to the affirmative, 

Don't mess with Mr In-Between.

I can't remember who said this, but i'm sure its not a new idea?

The Andrews Sisters sung it but not sure who wrote it! Maybe use it as RL’s alternative to the NRL’s Simply The Best! Or is that for a new thread?!

[EssexRL]

I have to say I’m feeling pretty positive at the moment for good reason - the success of Barca, Betfred extending sponsorship, new clubs on the way, the continued success of TWP, Bradford’s rebirth, the women’s game, the LD league, even reading Adam Hills raving about RL in a Metro I picked up on a train in London today....so yes I agree with the OP. Positivity is cumulative.  

[Clogiron]

Positivity, nah, it will never catch on, the game's built on 125 years of being miserable bas***ds,  all this change isn't good for you, stick to what you know

[Futtocks]

4 hours ago, Dave T said:

And then the week later we get Magic where it looks like it will underwhelm.

Seeing as we've never had a Magic Weekend at Anfield, but you're already predicting disappointment, maybe a positive mental attitude could be applied directly to that exact spot.

[Dave T]

30 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

Seeing as we've never had a Magic Weekend at Anfield, but you're already predicting disappointment, maybe a positive mental attitude could be applied directly to that exact spot.

That is spectacularly missing the point. This isnt about us fans being positive. This is about the game doing stuff to create positivity.

SLE have been telling the media that they expect 50k, which would be the lowest ever. Don't blame me for being underwhelmed with that.

[Man of Kent]

Rugby league is clearly on the up be it Super League, the Championship, the NRL, the international game, the Pacific, you name it. And then we have the home WC in 2021.

Who knows, we may soon even get recognition as a proper sport like armwrestling, fistball and sleddog!

[Kayakman]

53 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Rugby league is clearly on the up be it Super League, the Championship, the NRL, the international game, the Pacific, you name it. And then we have the home WC in 2021.

Who knows, we may soon even get recognition as a proper sport like armwrestling, fistball and sleddog!

I don't know if we will ever catch a good team of sled dogs...they can move!

[Exiled Wiganer]

Are we on the up? Attendances are static in the NH. Toronto offer potential, but for what, overseas players? Barcelona took a lot of people from Wigan and France, but for what, so Guasch can buy more overseas players?

On and off the pitch we are a second rate game up here, with virtually no headline stars, no influx from other sports and a constant player drain from the NRL. Unless and until we can generate enough money to be competitive with the NRL and union, we will continue on our slow downward spiral. 

[Adelaide Tiger]

3 minutes ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

Are we on the up? Attendances are static in the NH. Toronto offer potential, but for what, overseas players? Barcelona took a lot of people from Wigan and France, but for what, so Guasch can buy more overseas players?

On and off the pitch we are a second rate game up here, with virtually no headline stars, no influx from other sports and a constant player drain from the NRL. Unless and until we can generate enough money to be competitive with the NRL and union, we will continue on our slow downward spiral. 

So what do you suggest?

[RP London]

17 hours ago, Dave T said:

One of the main reasons I started this thread was that I was genuinely buzzing after watching the Nou Camp game on TV and it felt a really positive thing.

I also really enjoyed Summer Bash. 

I did wonder why these clashes and didnt complement each other.

And then the week later we get Magic where it looks like it will underwhelm. None of our major events should miss the mark. They are all outstanding things in their own right, and should get people excited, get the media along writing about it, and broadcaster excited to cover it. But too many are missing the mark.

I don't think positive momentum can be underestimated. But that wont be created for us, we need to stimulate that.

Well I’m looking forward to about 5 hours time when I get in my car and start driving over to Liverpool!! De mob happy!!

[Dave T]

7 minutes ago, RP London said:

Well I’m looking forward to about 5 hours time when I get in my car and start driving over to Liverpool!! De mob happy!!

I am already regretting my plans for this weekend that do not involve Magic, despite being 15 miles down the road for a change. 

A 3 year old doesn't really need her dad at her birthday party does she???

[RP London]

21 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I am already regretting my plans for this weekend that do not involve Magic, despite being 15 miles down the road for a change. 

A 3 year old doesn't really need her dad at her birthday party does she???

Nah you’re very much surplus to requirements

[Steve May]

22 hours ago, Dave T said:

One of the things that is clear as an RL fan is the amount of negativity within the game and a real shortage of positive stories and experiences. 

I think it would be great if the game focused on delivering at least one 'wow' event each month - look at the buzz created from the Nou Camp experience. As a game I think it'd be great if we tried to co-ordinate efforts to create a series of events that are pretty much all about creating a buzz and positive headlines.

Feb - Season Launch - derbies worked well this year.

Mar - France/Spain marquee game

Apr - Easter - Big Weekend

May - Magic Weekend

June - Cup Semi Final Double Header

July - Challenge Cup Final

August - UK marquee game (Double Header - major stadium)

September - Playoffs, huge push

October - Semis and Grand Final

Literally every effort should go into making each of these things hugely successful, rather than us limping along. At the moment after the season launch we see a big decline in positivity. Good Friday is always a positive, but then nothing until Magic Weekend, which this year is quite negative. Semi Finals took a positive boost last year, but needs to grow and grow. Cup Final at Wembley has been a bit of a curse in recent years, focus on turning that around. The Playoffs have been ruined in recent years, hopefully a return to top 5 will help, and the GF is always a good one.

Along side these, you then have the Challenge Cup on the BBC which needs bigger crowds to maintain positivity, particularly on the BBC games. Maybe the TV games should be free admission (or a nominal fee) and funded from sponsorship and a central pot?

In other sports there are loads of negative things going on, but they are drowned out by the hugely positive things. If we can create more positive events, people will soon get over 1000 people at a London game on a Thursday night, or the empty seats at Huddersfield.

Thoughts?

My thoughts are that this is spot on.   Absolutely spot on.

My build on it would be that it should run into the autumn to cover the international season.

Which, incidentally, I would explicitly brand as the “Rugby League International Season”  and fold everything from England v Australia to Germany v Netherlands into it.

Other sports get this rhythm of the year right.    There’s a lot of power in it as it allows you to use your communications to build a tradition.

And I think there’s great value in sticking with a single World Club Challenge match between SL and NRL champions as a kind of Charity Shield.    That gives you a January event/story as well.

 

 

[Kenilworth Tiger]

20 hours ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

There are loads of big events in Rugby League already, I just don’t think we make the most of them. Take Saints v Warrington the other month, the two early pacesetters and a game which could have brought Warrington much tighter on Saints’ heels but as a club, Saints did little to generate much more interest in it than normal (granted it was a Thursday/Friday night and this makes it a little more difficult) and Super League didn’t seem to do much either, though doing clubs’ marketing and advertising isn’t exactly in their remit. 

We have a Magic Weekend this weekend, a big event anyway but looking at the games, some are pretty big. Leeds v London is arguably the biggest of the weekend, massive in fact, Catalans v Wakefield is 3rd v 6th and two points separate them and Wigan v Warrington is a repeat of last year’s Grand Final. I think that sometimes we don’t need to force a big game or big event because they naturally happen over the course of a season anyway. Just because they’re not played at shiny, rented out football stadiums, it doesn’t mean we don’t have big games. 

absolutely spot on

[Exiled Wiganer]

56 minutes ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

So what do you suggest?

We absolutely have to reach a point where the game can generate enough money to get within, say, 25% of the NRL cap. Everything else is moving the deck chairs on the Titanic. Moreover, expansion clubs must satisfy 2 criteria - they must pay for themselves at least, and they must lead to stronger international sides/more players for the country they are based in. Otherwise, all we have shown is that we can offer english and SH players more countries to play in. 

My end goal would be to re-structure the game internationally, so that we have global tournaments every 2 years - our wonderful existing World Cup and an 8 team Confederations Cup. With France being very competitive at the Samoa/PNG level. Which we could already have achieved if Guasch had spent his money on French talent. 

Domestically, as the decline in interest in the Cup, and Magic shows, everything is far from rosy. I don’t know how to get there, but I firmly believe that a 18/20 team SL, either in 2 tiers with cross group games, or else in conferences is achievable, and would transform the game here. Toulouse, Toronto and Catalans each have strong cases. Add, say, Bradford, Leigh and Widnes, all of whom produce great players and have won championships on my watch, and you have the potential for something special. When faced with Wigan Warrington 5 times a year, the prospect of gong back to Odsal is very tempting.