Super 9s in the UK - what to do with it?

[Gerrumonside ref 1,641]

Great action, but not really a great crowd unfortunately.

What would you do with the 9s concept and why?

[whatmichaelsays 583]

A poor crowd for an international event in Sydney? Colour me shocked. 

[Oliver Clothesoff 2,696]

I think there’s a general consensus in the UK, one which I agree with, that we have too many regular round games in Super League. From a business perspective, I can’t see it changing dramatically in the next couple of years, so I cannot see how we could fit in another event into what is already a heavily congested calendar. 

I also think that ticketed events, your non-season ticket games, are poorly attended here, like the Challenge Cup, play-off games etc so I’m not sure why we’d add in another event and hope it would work. 

I also think there’s other areas of the game that are more important at present than a different format of the game. 

 

[whatmichaelsays 583]

3 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

I think there’s a general consensus in the UK, one which I agree with, that we have too many regular round games in Super League. From a business perspective, I can’t see it changing dramatically in the next couple of years, so I cannot see how we could fit in another event into what is already a heavily congested calendar. 

I also think that ticketed events, your non-season ticket games, are poorly attended here, like the Challenge Cup, play-off games etc so I’m not sure why we’d add in another event and hope it would work. 

I also think there’s other areas of the game that are more important at present than a different format of the game. 

 

I think the point of nines is that is appeals to a different audience. The YouTube / Instagram generation might not be interested watching two packs batter each other for 80 minutes, but could be interested in the tricks and flicks that the flair players have room to show off. This isn't (or shouldn't) be about tapping the same well. With that in mind, I do hope that SL think carefully about the venue and try and tap into younger audiences. Don't play it safe at a heartland RL venue. 

Also, nines is discernibly different to the usual RL product for your current fan. Team A vs Team B in the Challenge Cup is not different enough to the three or four editions of the same fixture in the regular Super League. Nines very much is. One would hope that would be a point of difference that would encourage enough of the usual fan base to dust the cobwebs off their wallet. 

[Gerrumonside ref 1,641]

5 minutes ago, whatmichaelsays said:

I think the point of nines is that is appeals to a different audience. The YouTube / Instagram generation might not be interested watching two packs batter each other for 80 minutes, but could be interested in the tricks and flicks that the flair players have room to show off. This isn't (or shouldn't) be about tapping the same well. With that in mind, I do hope that SL think carefully about the venue and try and tap into younger audiences. Don't play it safe at a heartland RL venue. 

Also, nines is discernibly different to the usual RL product for your current fan. Team A vs Team B in the Challenge Cup is not different enough to the three or four editions of the same fixture in the regular Super League. Nines very much is. One would hope that would be a point of difference that would encourage enough of the usual fan base to dust the cobwebs off their wallet. 

I think this post has hit the nail on the head for me.

I didn’t attend a Super League game this year despite being on the doorstep of Wigan and Saints.

But if this new Super 9s is done in a way I’ll enjoy, I’ll certainly make the effort and will probably take a few non fans too.

Edited October 18 by Gerrumonside ref

[GUBRATS 2,397]

2 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I think this post has hit the nail on the head for me.

I didn’t attend a Super League game this year despite being on the doorstep of Wigan and Saints.

But if this new Super 9s is done in a way I’ll enjoy, I’ll certainly make the effort and will probably take a few non fans too.

So what live RL did you watch ?

[Gerrumonside ref 1,641]

Just now, GUBRATS said:

So what live RL did you watch ?

Lots and lots of Super League, NRL and Toronto via Sky and the BBC.

With commuting to and from work,  I just about scrape a live broadcast, but getting to a live match is not easy.

Sundays were out though due to family commitments so I missed out on the Championship too.

 

 

[GUBRATS 2,397]

1 minute ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Lots and lots of Super League, NRL and Toronto via Sky and the BBC.

With commuting to and from work,  I just about scrape a live broadcast, but getting to a live match is not easy.

Sundays were out though due to family commitments so I missed out on the Championship too.

 

 

So , none ? , You don't watch live RL ?

[Gerrumonside ref 1,641]

Just now, GUBRATS said:

So , none ? , You don't watch live RL ?

I couldn’t this year and I’ve explained why.

Is that a big deal for you?

 

[GUBRATS 2,397]

Just now, Gerrumonside ref said:

I couldn’t this year and I’ve explained why.

Is that a big deal for you?

 

No , enjoy your 9s 

[Gerrumonside ref 1,641]

Just now, GUBRATS said:

No , enjoy your 9s 

Not like it yourself?

[GUBRATS 2,397]

1 minute ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Not like it yourself?

No 

[Gerrumonside ref 1,641]

Just now, GUBRATS said:

No 

Why’s that?

[GUBRATS 2,397]

2 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Why’s that?

Don't know really , just prefer to watch the club I support play a single game for a couple of hours then go home or for a beer , not really interested in hanging around all day for reserves and juniors 

[Gerrumonside ref 1,641]

Just now, GUBRATS said:

Don't know really , just prefer to watch the club I support play a single game for a couple of hours then go home or for a beer , not really interested in hanging around all day for reserves and juniors 

Beer and Leigh.  Who can argue with that combo!

Ive even done it myself in the dim and distant past at Hilton Park.

 

[Mr Plow 705]

What do people want from magic weekend? Is it there to promote and grow the game or is it just a ###### up for regular fans?

If you want to use it to attract new audiences then maybe a 9s tournament could work

[scotchy1 4,524]

as i said on the other thread

concept clearly works, really poor organisation. Absolutely mental decision to play a third of the games on a friday afternoon/Morning. A weekend of fun suddenly needs to be crammed in. 

In the hope that it carries on, plenty for england to work on. Tomkins is absolutely suited to 9s. Dummy half running not really much use, being able to shift it from the ruck creates gaps, Speed and offloading more important that power. Hall and McGilvery have proven themselves fantastic 13s wingers for england, clearly didnt work at 9s. I thought Handley showed up well, strange that we didnt play pretty much any centres at any stage. 

Personally i thought this looked like a format that hadnt really been stretched tactically, it all looked very primitive from all sides, but thats kind of a good thing if England want to take the lead in the format and become a champion side. 

Its crazy that we wont be doing this for another 4 years, honestly crazy. If the RFL had any sense they would be running international comps, even if the majority of those international players come from Super League. You could put out decent squads for most sides or get close to it and only have to fly a few over. Tonga have the likes of Hurrell, Lolohea, Taia, Langi, Moa, Fifita, BMM, Akauola, Fonua, already over here.  There are plenty of Aussies, plenty of kiwis, plenty of PNG players, plus, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Italy, lebanon, Serbia, USA, Jamaica could all probably put out a squad. 

Super League 9s with the 12 SL clubs, A championship select side, Jamaica select side, USA select side, Serbian select side. 4 groups of 4. Top 2 go through to quarter finals. 3rd in to a plate comp. That will give us about 14 hrs of competition (alloting 25mins per game). . Add in another 4 hours for a womens comp, 10am to 8pm saturday, 10am 6pm sunday. Start the season hold it somewhere hot in February.  

Same format international 9s in the UK mid summer, possible August bank Holiday now the CC final has moved. Same format international 9s France October post grand final.  Then RLWC wherever the autumn internationals are being held. Every year. 

[Marty Funkhouser 226]

47 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

Its crazy that we wont be doing this for another 4 years, honestly crazy. If the RFL had any sense they would be running international comps, even if the majority of those international players come from Super League. You could put out decent squads for most sides or get close to it and only have to fly a few over. Tonga have the likes of Hurrell, Lolohea, Taia, Langi, Moa, Fifita, BMM, Akauola, Fonua, already over here.  There are plenty of Aussies, plenty of kiwis, plenty of PNG players, plus, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Italy, lebanon, Serbia, USA, Jamaica could all probably put out a squad. 

Super League 9s with the 12 SL clubs, A championship select side, Jamaica select side, USA select side, Serbian select side. 4 groups of 4. Top 2 go through to quarter finals. 3rd in to a plate comp. That will give us about 14 hrs of competition (alloting 25mins per game). . Add in another 4 hours for a womens comp, 10am to 8pm saturday, 10am 6pm sunday. Start the season hold it somewhere hot in February.  

Same format international 9s in the UK mid summer, possible August bank Holiday now the CC final has moved. Same format international 9s France October post grand final.  Then RLWC wherever the autumn internationals are being held. Every year. 

Why leave it to the RFL to get all the rewards scotchy1? Pencil in your star studded teams from "Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Italy, lebanon, Serbia, USA, Jamaica" etc , get the players (and the relevant clubs permissions of course) to agree to participate, take it all and sell it to the TV companies or other media behemoths. The World Series of  9's. They will be falling over themselves surely, happy to back a true visionary and fund all that expense in Dubai, Rio and wherever in return for a massive global audience or millions of pay per views. Which sane individual wouldn't pay good money to watch Sam Moa, Ben Murdoch-Masila, Dragan Jankovic, Danny Addy or Liam Finn play like they were having a kids game in the park again?  The players (and clubs) of course would be happy to get their nice big share of the pot for the extra demands it places and when Australia and New Zealand have played their 27th consecutive final you can just tweak the rules to give the others a chance. The public will be queuing up as they just have been this weekend in the sports number one nation.

You could easily become the first modified/novelty Rugby League multi millionaire. The Kerry Packer of TotalRL.  

[scotchy1 4,524]

17 minutes ago, Marty Funkhouser said:

Why leave it to the RFL to get all the rewards scotchy1? Pencil in your star studded teams from "Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Italy, lebanon, Serbia, USA, Jamaica" etc , get the players (and the relevant clubs permissions of course) to agree to participate, take it all and sell it to the TV companies or other media behemoths. The World Series of  9's. They will be falling over themselves surely, happy to back a true visionary and fund all that expense in Dubai, Rio and wherever in return for a massive global audience or millions of pay per views. Which sane individual wouldn't pay good money to watch Sam Moa, Ben Murdoch-Masila, Dragan Jankovic, Danny Addy or Liam Finn play like they were having a kids game in the park again?  The players (and clubs) of course would be happy to get their nice big share of the pot for the extra demands it places and when Australia and New Zealand have played their 27th consecutive final you can just tweak the rules to give the others a chance. The public will be queuing up as they just have been this weekend in the sports number one nation.

You could easily become the first modified/novelty Rugby League multi millionaire. The Kerry Packer of TotalRL.  

What's the matter? not enough distressed former pit towns to make it attractive?

 

Edited October 19 by scotchy1

[Marty Funkhouser 226]

7 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

What's the matter? not enough distressed former pit towns to make it attractive?

 

As the "distressed former pit towns" would be represented across half a dozen of the teams I wouldn't think that would be an issue.

[Sir Kevin Sinfield 1,069]

Turning magic weekend into a 9’s tournament has been suggested before. Worth trying it imo 

[Oliver Clothesoff 2,696]

I’m not sure we’re going to grow the game or attract many new fans to Super League 9s. It really needs to be an International 9s competition.

Ideally, if we’re hosting it, it needs to be mid-season. January or November just isn’t anywhere near as attractive as say, June or July. I just cannot see anyone this side or the other side of the hemisphere agreeing to it. 

[welshmagpie 633]

The IRL need to settle a 7 week international calendar each year.

Year 1&3

May - Northern 9s (England, France, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, USA, Jamaica).

Southern 9s (Australia, NZ, Samoa, PNG, FIji, Tonga, Lebanon, Cook Islands)

The following weekend Round 1 for a European Cup, Asia-Pacific Cup, MEA Cup and Americas Cup.

Round 2 in June.

Round 3 in July.

October/November is international finals season I.e Federation Cup (top 2 from Europe and Asia-Pacific) and Federation Shield (3rd in Euro Cup, 3rd Asia-Pacific, 1st Americas, 1st MEA).

Year 2

Repeat continental championships in May, June, July.

Oct/Nov for a World Cup 9s

Year 4

Friendlies in May and June.

Oct/Nov for a full World Cup

- 

Northern 9s alternates between Leeds, Cardiff and Toulouse.

Southern 9s alternates between Parramatta, Port Moresby and Auckland.

World 9s put out to applicants to host.

[Luxembourger 22]

It sounds like Perth are paying quite a bit to host next years’ NRL nines. In future, would they be interested in hosting a SL nines in late Jan? Would surely get 5k to 10k travelling support....given SL is now spread over 2 continents is having a comp on another continent such a strange idea...?

[Oliver Clothesoff 2,696]

Why not have three World Nines in one year, with trophies for each round and then an overall table at the end for the overall winner? 

January in somewhere warm, a tournament in June/July in UK or France and one in October/November in Australia/NZ.