29 matches is too many

[Big Picture]

42 minutes ago, TBone said:

I’d love there to be a return to  (12 club) 22 games per season with no P&R or even 14 club with P&R. Sadly I don’t think either will happen until the amount of money in the game increases.

For the amount of money in the game to increase, its top tier needs a spread of cities which can attract a lot more money than is possible when most of the top pro teams are in small towns in such a small area as the M62 heartland.  No broadcasters or sponsors are ever going to pay big time money for what in essence is a small time regional sport with limited attraction to outsiders and newcomers.

As we know, the existing top tier is too bound up with that small time regional setup to evolve into what the game needs to attract the sort of money needed to change its downward course, so only something totally new and separate could possibly attract it.

[GUBRATS]

2 hours ago, TheReaper said:

Most are owned by city or provincial governments, or universities, or some combination. I think Winnipeg is the only team with some sort of ownership stake, although most are managed/operated by the CFL owners. 

They get used by other sports teams (pro, University), community use, concerts, monster truck shows, etc. For example Tim Horton's Field was built to host the PanAm games, is home to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Forge FC, has had recent uses by Rugby Canada, and PLL touring lacrosse league. It's also used by amateur soccer and football organizations,  and other event like cancer research fundraiser runs.

 

So completely different to over here 

[GUBRATS]

2 hours ago, CanadianRugger said:

Quality post.  Rugby League needs to work on filling their stadiums every game.  CFL average attendance is triple what Super League is.  Less is more sometimes!

What do you suggest they do that they don't already ?

Is there sports in Canada that don't fill stadiums ?

[GUBRATS]

2 hours ago, Lowdesert said:

State of the art presentation, City ownerships,  back page coverage in every newspaper, shedloads of marketing budget and some of the highest earning sportplayers in the world helps raise the profile.

 

How much revenue does it bring in from outside the US ?

[GUBRATS]

1 hour ago, TBone said:

29 has always been too many... SL started with 12 teams playing home and away, with the winner declared after 22 rounds. The aim was to decrease the demands on the players so that the quality of the play increased. This was to work in tandem with the clubs really marketing the game hard and, thus improving crowd numbers.

Sadly few clubs managed to achieve the increases and in an attempt to even up the competition a salary cap was introduced, at first the minimum of £x mil or 50% of turnover. This still allowed the successful (£) clubs to dominate. so a flat rate cap was introduced whilst, along the way the number of regular season games increased to reach the (pre-SL) club mantra of 15 home games (28 rounds and magic round). At the same time IMO the quality of players and, consequentially, the games diminished.

I’d love there to be a return to  (12 club) 22 games per season with no P&R or even 14 club with P&R. Sadly I don’t think either will happen until the amount of money in the game increases.

 

Do you follow a UK club ?

[GUBRATS]

1 hour ago, Big Picture said:

For the amount of money in the game to increase, its top tier needs a spread of cities which can attract a lot more money than is possible when most of the top pro teams are in small towns in such a small area as the M62 heartland.  No broadcasters or sponsors are ever going to pay big time money for what in essence is a small time regional sport with limited attraction to outsiders and newcomers.

As we know, the existing top tier is too bound up with that small time regional setup to evolve into what the game needs to attract the sort of money needed to change its downward course, so only something totally new and separate could possibly attract it.

Still waiting for you to stump up the start up cash ?

[TIWIT]

FWIW, the Toronto Argonauts barely outdraw the Wolfpack and have crowds half the size of Toronto FC in the same stadium.

The CFL operates the Montreal Alouettes since the owners threw the keys on the table and walked away.

[paul hicks]

6 hours ago, DoubleD said:

The quality in certain games suggest otherwise 

Hopefully an increase in tv money from Toulouse/Toronto will support it

ah hopefully  so many times rugby league has been the prisoner of such a word

[paul hicks]

5 hours ago, TheReaper said:

NFL is 8 home games, September to December regular season.  CFL is 9 home games, June to November.  Those both work out fine.

 

so a 4 month season . whoopee such excitement  

[GUBRATS]

6 minutes ago, TIWIT said:

FWIW, the Toronto Argonauts barely outdraw the Wolfpack and have crowds half the size of Toronto FC in the same stadium.

The CFL operates the Montreal Alouettes since the owners threw the keys on the table and walked away.

So what are the Argonauts doing about improving poor crowds ?

[GUBRATS]

3 hours ago, CanadianRugger said:

Quality post.  Rugby League needs to work on filling their stadiums every game.  CFL average attendance is triple what Super League is.  Less is more sometimes!

What are the Argonauts planning to do to improve their poor attendances ? , Maybe the UK clubs can do whatever they decide ?

[GUBRATS]

3 hours ago, CanadianRugger said:

Quality post.  Rugby League needs to work on filling their stadiums every game.  CFL average attendance is triple what Super League is.  Less is more sometimes!

What are the Argonauts planning to do to improve their poor attendances ? , Maybe the UK clubs can do whatever they decide ?

[paul hicks]

3 hours ago, whatmichaelsays said:

Firstly, the players are already having their wages reduced by a salary cap that doesn't keep pace with inflation. 

Secondly, the 'theory' isn't that less games = bigger crowds. The theory is that we should play less games and that clubs should be more proactive in growing their crowds. 

The bigger crowds won't just come because we want them to, in the same way that a bigger TV deal won't come because we ask for one. The clubs simply have to get better at promoting themselves and getting paying punters through the door. It's not unreasonable to place that expectation on them. 

good luck with that even clubs that are proactive are not getting brilliant gates s what else could say Warrington or Leeds do that they don't do now. as for a club like say Wakefield or indeed Castleford how do you massively increase a crowd in a small stadium . a ground that has a 10,000 limit and gets 8500 now only has such much growth 

[GUBRATS]

3 hours ago, CanadianRugger said:

Quality post.  Rugby League needs to work on filling their stadiums every game.  CFL average attendance is triple what Super League is.  Less is more sometimes!

What are the Argonauts planning to do to improve their poor attendances ? , Maybe the UK clubs can do whatever they decide ?

[GUBRATS]

3 hours ago, CanadianRugger said:

Quality post.  Rugby League needs to work on filling their stadiums every game.  CFL average attendance is triple what Super League is.  Less is more sometimes!

What are the Argonauts planning to do to improve their poor attendances ? , Maybe the UK clubs can do whatever they decide ?

[Kayakman]

1 minute ago, GUBRATS said:

What are the Argonauts planning to do to improve their poor attendances ? , Maybe the UK clubs can do whatever they decide ?

The Argos are a unique animal and so any comparisons are sort of irrelevant except for one.  In Toronto people want and expect their teams to be in the top flight.  Argyle has done well as have the Wolfpack...but the real growth will come with an inclusion in SL...then the flower will bloom.

[GUBRATS]

2 minutes ago, Kayakman said:

The Argos are a unique animal and so any comparisons are sort of irrelevant except for one.  In Toronto people want and expect their teams to be in the top flight.  Argyle has done well as have the Wolfpack...but the real growth will come with an inclusion in SL...then the flower will bloom.

So there is a 2nd tier in CFL ?

[Big Picture]

8 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

What are the Argonauts planning to do to improve their poor attendances ? , Maybe the UK clubs can do whatever they decide ?

Realistically there's very little the Argos can do to improve their crowds.  Most Torontonians think that their city outgrew the CFL long ago now, it's a minor league in their eyes whereas Toronto's a major league city.  The same could likely be said about Montréal now too.

[GUBRATS]

3 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

Realistically there's very little the Argos can do to improve their crowds.  Most Torontonians think that their city outgrew the CFL long ago now, it's a minor league in their eyes whereas Toronto's a major league city.  The same could likely be said about Montréal now too.

Right , so like say Leigh fans believe they belong in SL , but if they aren't allowed in because it's a closed shop , they don't go watching them in the Championship ? , A bit like that ?

[Big Picture]

1 minute ago, GUBRATS said:

Right , so like say Leigh fans believe they belong in SL , but if they aren't allowed in because it's a closed shop , they don't go watching them in the Championship ? , A bit like that ?

Not really, no.  Toronto's a big major league city, Leigh's a small town not even 1/4 the size of Regina.

[GUBRATS]

1 minute ago, Big Picture said:

Not really, no.  Toronto's a big major league city, Leigh's a small town not even 1/4 the size of Regina.

Obviously not in NFL terms it isn't , other than that it's all just relative 

[Big Picture]

1 minute ago, GUBRATS said:

Obviously not in NFL terms it isn't , other than that it's all just relative 

Not in any terms.  Big time pro sport is a big city phenomenon nowadays and has been for a long time now.  A small town like Leigh has only been able to stay near the top of the RL pecking order due to the sport's small time ways and small footprint.

[whatmichaelsays]

44 minutes ago, paul hicks said:

good luck with that even clubs that are proactive are not getting brilliant gates s what else could say Warrington or Leeds do that they don't do now. as for a club like say Wakefield or indeed Castleford how do you massively increase a crowd in a small stadium . a ground that has a 10,000 limit and gets 8500 now only has such much growth 

 

44 minutes ago, paul hicks said:

 

It's not supposed to be easy to do. But the survival of every club depends on their ability to attract new audiences, and too few clubs are proactive enough at doing that. 

Shrugging your shoulders, saying its too hard to do and accepting what we have is a recipe for disaster. 

Every club employees media and marketing staff - if what those people are trying isn't working, they should try something new. blockquote widgelockquote widget

[The British Lion]

Until there's co-operation between the NRL and The Rfl/Superleague on a 'whole game' approach, this will be a continuous merry-go-round for UK fixtures being as they are. No space for meaningful internationals, growth for the sport, new audiences. 

Short sighted, self interested. You cannot continually expect players to play at the highest level at the end of a domestic competition each year, and get a quality product each time.

Space, mid-season, for a mid-season break in SL and NRL, should be made. Revenues from matches, percentages awarded to clubs who produce international players for the teams to make up shortfalls of loop fixtures being binned. Grow the game and revenue.

Are the RFL thick?! Look at sport the world over Rimmer, I hope you read these threads. Domestic sport flourishes through International competition being the flagship!

[GUBRATS]

2 minutes ago, The British Lion said:

Until there's co-operation between the NRL and The Rfl/Superleague on a 'whole game' approach, this will be a continuous merry-go-round for UK fixtures being as they are. No space for meaningful internationals, growth for the sport, new audiences. 

Short sighted, self interested. You cannot continually expect players to play at the highest level at the end of a domestic competition each year, and get a quality product each time.

Space, mid-season, for a mid-season break in SL and NRL, should be made. Revenues from matches, percentages awarded to clubs who produce international players for the teams to make up shortfalls of loop fixtures being binned. Grow the game and revenue.

Are the RFL thick?! Look at sport the world over Rimmer, I hope you read these threads. Domestic sport flourishes through International competition being the flagship!

Is it his fault we've nobody to play ?