Amnesia in the Sunday Times

[The Rocket 1,508]

2 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

In the years following the Murdoch coup, the phrase "Rugby Super League" was frequently in our media. Changing the name of our competition made no difference over here to the general assumption that the game was called "Rugby", now played in a Super League.

"Super League" has been adopted by many sports in many parts of the world as the title for their premier competition. Type it into a search engine and, alongside RL, you`ll get multiple results for Soccer, Cricket, etc. Only with the word "Rugby" in there somewhere can you specify that you want RL Super League. Without that distinguishing factor, over time our entries would probably slip further and further down the pages.

Good example in the UK is women`s sport. Our RL top division is called Super League. Unfortunately our top women`s Soccer comp is also called the Super League, and there`s a regular BBC programme covering it. If you said "Women`s Super League", 99% of the populace would think you meant Soccer. And in a "Women`s Super League" Google search, you`ll struggle to find anything RL-related amid all the Soccer content.

I take your point, damn shame, thought we might have had something there, of course it`s all hypothetical because there`s no way or extremely unlikely the ARLC would give up the name NRL a) having invested so much in it, b) being so recognisable already and c) League being in the dominant position over here anyway, although having said that you would think that would be the best time for a rebranding exercise rather than waiting until your desperately trying to forge your own image because you re in danger of being swamped. I am sure there must be something though.

Couple of other things you asked me earlier that I`ve meaning to get back to you on: Leichardt is considerably more like an amphitheatre than either Brookvale or Kogarah, which are very similar: 40m is probably realistic for Oz not 50; and I bumped into Gerry Harvey in town today billionaire owner of Harvey Norman the former sponsor of SOO and current sponsor of the Women`s Comp, wife Katie Page current ARLC Commission Board member. He was in town having a look over one of his stores working his way down the coast after attending `Magic Millions` race horse sales, told me he sold 130m worth of horses over the weekend. Asked him if he was still involved in League and he told me he leaves most of it to his wife these days, I thanked him and told him to thank his wife as well, he was well chuffed and we talked for about 20 minutes. Any way not everyday you meet a billionaire who loves League and I like to let these people know that your average mug punter, like myself, appreciates their support.

 

[Oxford 5,174]

2 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

In the years following the Murdoch coup, the phrase "Rugby Super League" was frequently in our media. Changing the name of our competition made no difference over here to the general assumption that the game was called "Rugby", now played in a Super League.

"Super League" has been adopted by many sports in many parts of the world as the title for their premier competition. Type it into a search engine and, alongside RL, you`ll get multiple results for Soccer, Cricket, etc. Only with the word "Rugby" in there somewhere can you specify that you want RL Super League. Without that distinguishing factor, over time our entries would probably slip further and further down the pages.

Good example in the UK is women`s sport. Our RL top division is called Super League. Unfortunately our top women`s Soccer comp is also called the Super League, and there`s a regular BBC programme covering it. If you said "Women`s Super League", 99% of the populace would think you meant Soccer. And in a "Women`s Super League" Google search, you`ll struggle to find anything RL-related amid all the Soccer content.

This is because of two things 1) the sport itself was neither the owner of the Brand nor the narrative that needed to follow.

Beyond the immediate shock value news of changing to Summer things stayed exactly as they had been for decades.

SL was not made solely the property of SL so the narrative and brand were lost as opportunities to further the game. This was no different from not making our WC an owned Rugby WC, The parallels are deafening to everyone but the hard of hearing.

Talking about a google search as indicative of anything other than our sport's incompetence in taking charge really is the stuff of MAGA & Brexit nonsense.

[Oxford 5,174]

10 hours ago, The Rocket said:

One name that I have always liked, I thought it was a great name from the first time I heard it, and you`ll probably laugh given its` somewhat tarnished image, is `SuperLeague`.

Unfortunately another boat missed this one, it is a good Brand Name but now all too confusing in the Market Place.

Also SL as a name only causes problems in the Land Down Under.

Truth is we have as much right to the term rugby but it serves us so badly in the market place.

The trouble is when it comes to anything like historic passions, loves & habit is that the sport clings to them like a flotsum and jetsum from the Titanic, the icy water's killing you but there's no way you're letting go!

One day we'll drag our sport kicking & screaming into the "20th" century and then the hard work'll begin.

Edited January 21 by Oxford

[unapologetic pedant 952]

1 hour ago, The Rocket said:

I take your point, damn shame, thought we might have had something there, of course it`s all hypothetical because there`s no way or extremely unlikely the ARLC would give up the name NRL

and I bumped into Gerry Harvey in town today billionaire owner of Harvey Norman the former sponsor of SOO and current sponsor of the Women`s Comp, wife Katie Page current ARLC Commission Board member. 

 

I quite like the way "NRL" is used as a description of the game on the field. As in "Play NRL" emblazoned on the junior gala awnings, particularly in the affiliated States. Everybody seems to get the message that it refers to more than just the title of the governing body. Same thing with "AFL".

Whether this could ever cut through in the rest of the world is doubtful. Americans understand NFL to mean "Football" played in a National League. Perfectly logical that they should similarly understand NRL to mean "Rugby" played in a National League. This is one reason why I wish Aussies would never omit "Union" when referring to RU.

Some fabulously rich people can go a bit Howard Hughes reclusive, so it`s encouraging to hear you`re getting out and mixing with your fellow billionaires. I`ve seen Katie Page in promotions for the Dragons` women`s team and Women in League round.

[unapologetic pedant 952]

1 hour ago, Oxford said:

Talking about a google search as indicative of anything other than our sport's incompetence in taking charge really is the stuff of MAGA & Brexit nonsense.

If Google`s algorithms are entirely the product of RL incompetence, you are privy to information I am not.

Don`t understand the relevance of your political references.

[Oxford 5,174]

53 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

If Google`s algorithms are entirely the product of RL incompetence, you are privy to information I am not.

Don`t understand the relevance of your political references.

I didn't I said they were indicative of a state of affairs that plagues RL.

Just pick  bit of nonsense and the people who believe it in spite of the evidence and you'll be fine.

[Oxford 5,174]

1 hour ago, unapologetic pedant said:

Whether this could ever cut through in the rest of the world is doubtful.

Where there's no will there's no way, very simple.

[Oxford 5,174]

2 hours ago, Oxford said:

One day we'll drag our sport kicking & screaming into the "20th" century and then the hard work'll begin.

 

[Oxford 5,174]

One of the things that's come up consistently in discussions of the media on here is there are two basic interpretations of why our sport lacks media coverage & the distance between two sides once again.

I have no intention to make out one side is wrong, I've already made my feelings on this clear.

If you believe it can't be altered in any way, then why are we even bothering to post about such a hopeless cause? If that's the case shouldn't we just be enjoying it while it's still here and to hell with all this moaning, groaning & depressing reading?

Edited January 22 by Oxford

[unapologetic pedant 952]

On 21/01/2021 at 09:12, Oxford said:

One day we'll drag our sport kicking & screaming into the "20th" century and then the hard work'll begin.

 

4 hours ago, Oxford said:

 and to hell with all this moaning, groaning & depressing reading?

21st century schizoid man.

[Oxford 5,174]

20 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

 

21st century schizoid man.

T-Rex Marc Bolan !

 

[unapologetic pedant 952]

9 hours ago, Oxford said:

T-Rex Marc Bolan !

Knew I could rely on you. Let`s tie up all the loose ends.

"Cat`s foot iron claw,

Neuro-surgeons scream for more,

At paranoia`s poison door,

I`m your toy, your 20th century boy."

[The Rocket 1,508]

4 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

Knew I could rely on you. Let`s tie up all the loose ends.

"Cat`s foot iron claw,

Neuro-surgeons scream for more,

At paranoia`s poison door,

I`m your toy, your 20th century boy."

Bloody Hell !!!!

[Oxford 5,174]

Thing is that social media has provided us with a platform for division rather than conversation, all its early promises sadly mistaken and we have made it worse by our best efforts.

In some ways legacy media is a victim of all the change but that is well earned by its general political and social standpoint and make-up.

It would always be pro-establishment which could never include a sport that blew off that very group in the most public and pointed way possible.

When you add to this the very reductionist focus on the Capital or Westminster as really the only news that matters and the revolving door betweem media and political jobs centered around the home counties and TGG was always on a hiding to nothing.

The question will always be: What could RL possibly do to even combat never mind defeat what is clearly a wall of bias and indifference?

 

 

 

[unapologetic pedant 952]

On 20/01/2021 at 22:18, The Rocket said:

Thus we could have `SuperLeague Australasia, eventually `SuperLeague North America`, SL Africa, I think it works. People could then abbreviate it to League when talking about the game, because abbreviating is what people do.

 We are a global sport played across different continents with a Global brand name to match.

For the reasons we`ve gone through, NRL will be the calling card in SH and Asian regions where Aussies are instrumental. In parts of the world like North America and Africa where English people will have more influence, Super League could have resonance, but only as a competition name.

It`s then crucial to inculcate everywhere the need to call the game on the field "Rugby League", only ever shortened to "League", never to "Rugby". And therein lies the problem since "Rugby" is so ingrained in the culture any would-be English evangelist will have grown up with.

I reckon you could play a RL version of "Take Your Pick" with Northern English contestants where the object of the game was to avoid saying "Rugby". They`d all be gonged off. Our Treiziste friends would be even worse. They wouldn`t win anything. Not a saucisson.

Edited January 23 by unapologetic pedant

[The Rocket 1,508]

On 24/01/2021 at 00:06, Oxford said:

The question will always be: What could RL possibly do to even combat never mind defeat what is clearly a wall of bias and indifference?

You go round it, over it and under it. Apparently you have to have ` Social Media Influencers` retweeting your carefully crafted `Tweets`, even if you have to pay them, and sharing your `professional quality snaps and images` on `Instagram`. Also have your own Facebook page where fans can go and post and share news. That I believe is the new way of reaching the wider and younger audience.

An example I imagine might be having a Russell Crow, Adam Hill or some carefully chosen `celeb` retweeting to their no doubt millions of followers tidbits of League news, gossip whatever you put on these platforms, might go like `did you see that Bevan French try on the weekend #RL`.

I know very little about the whole thing and would love to know more.

[Oxford 5,174]

9 hours ago, The Rocket said:

You go round it, over it and under it. Apparently you have to have ` Social Media Influencers` retweeting your carefully crafted `Tweets`, even if you have to pay them, and sharing your `professional quality snaps and images` on `Instagram`. Also have your own Facebook page where fans can go and post and share news. That I believe is the new way of reaching the wider and younger audience.

An example I imagine might be having a Russell Crow, Adam Hill or some carefully chosen `celeb` retweeting to their no doubt millions of followers tidbits of League news, gossip whatever you put on these platforms, might go like `did you see that Bevan French try on the weekend #RL`.

I know very little about the whole thing and would love to know more.

Sounds a bit like the ad lib history of RL Rocket I was thinking of something alot more organised than that I have to say.