Millions! Buy a top club, buy a sleeping giant or invest in new or emerging?

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

2 hours ago, ShropshireBull said:

My own choice (because I am ambitious/deluded to think I can make RL an international game) would be build North Wales Crusaders a 6000 capacity 3g stadium and home for Welsh Rugby League.

Tell RFL and Super League what I am going to do and once built start regularly holding events there.  Boxing Day Wales vs Eng 9's, annual Wales vs Jam international on Challenge Cup final day.  After one year,  say to SL and RFL that if you lock us into SL on a Leigh type deal 13 of matchday squad will be Welsh eligible. 

Then gang up with RFL, Jamaica and France to do a annual 4 nations tournament on FTA (bar world cup years). 

Use money from fta deal and sponsors to set up three academies. One in Wrexham, Merthyr and Swansea.

Have proper international calender, transform the sport and terrify the other code as they cower behind their paywall. 

You wouldn’t need to build a new stadium you could just buy the Racecourse Ground. 

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

8 hours ago, Scubby said:

This is a question that I have often thought about. If I wanted to plough millions into a club to make them into an absolute giant (that could dominate and win WCCs) then what is the best course of action?

I don't want to start a club from scratch just to burn a #### load of cash and have an amazing and fulfilling ride.

• Buy out an existing big team (e.g. Wigan, Warrington, Saints) and just watch them go
• Pile money into a sleeping giant like Bradford
• Invest in an emerging place like London, Toulouse, Newcastle, Sheffield (the Melbourne Storm approach)

Would the game in the UK only allow me to have success via route one? Is route 2 (e.g. Bradford) even difficult with the petty politics - would it exhaust me? And would anybody at all within the game welcome me if I was option 3? Or would they fight me to the death for self preservation? 

If I had millions I was happy to spend on Rugby League I’d want to put it into either Edinburgh or Dublin Melbourne Storm style. 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

2 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

If I had millions I was happy to spend on Rugby League I’d want to put it into either Edinburgh or Dublin Melbourne Storm style. 

I've heard figures of 100 million Aus dollars. I guess that's 50 million quid? Don't think you'd need that

[The Future is League]

It would be London Broncos for me. London has a population of over 9 million there has to be many many thousands of kids out there who could play our game to high standard, which would obviously mean having a lot more community clubs. 

A London team in Super League full of Londoners would be a terrific boost for the game and take away out cloth cap, whippet owning image

 

[Rupert Prince]

2 hours ago, ShropshireBull said:

The salary cap is the same for every team mind so just rewards clubs who spend wisely and have an academy.

Thats what feels like a waste under Koukash.  If he had set up an academy in Manchester there would be a dozen players off the production line every year. 

Indeed the TV money should pay for players within the cap, plus allowing for some attendance money.

To create a club you then need to sustain an infrastructure involving many many people and some construction around them.  And that cost has to keep going for ever more.  If our fictitious benefactor has built as stadium then that stadium has to be maintained, even if it can be used for other money making events.

Its not easy making a profit for many types of football clubs.

So our benefactor will not get far without all the leading clubs working together to create an environment within which it can prosper. 

[daz39]

None, i would hate to see Rugby League dominated by nothing more than money as the premier lesgue has become. The thought of the team with the richest owners being the 'champions' sickens me and frightens me, let's put any money into the game as a whole rather than individual clubs.

[bigbaldnmad]

11 hours ago, JM2010 said:

I'd be boring and invest in the community game

Near enough 20 years ago, I was the treasurer at my local club, where I was still playing. Back then, to run 2 open age men's teams and 6 or so junior side's cost in excess of £15k, per season, so you are probably looking at in excess of £25k now. 

Unfortunately we seem to think the way to develop RL is from the top down, which after 25 year of abject failure hasn't produced the anticipated, nay promised, results.... 

We will always lag behind Australia until we have re-built solid foundations, and stop following 'The Aussie way'... but there are so many, especially on this forum, that think that will be achieved by 'Pie in the sky' expansionism, rather than investing in the grass roots.

Only by having having a solid junior setup, and strong community game, will we produce the athletes required to compete in the modern game. Expanding the pro game, without the infrastructure below just dilutes the quality coming through, and it shows.

If you don't have solid foundations, the structure above will crumble....

Sorry

[JM2010]

7 hours ago, bigbaldnmad said:

Near enough 20 years ago, I was the treasurer at my local club, where I was still playing. Back then, to run 2 open age men's teams and 6 or so junior side's cost in excess of £15k, per season, so you are probably looking at in excess of £25k now. 

Unfortunately we seem to think the way to develop RL is from the top down, which after 25 year of abject failure hasn't produced the anticipated, nay promised, results.... 

We will always lag behind Australia until we have re-built solid foundations, and stop following 'The Aussie way'... but there are so many, especially on this forum, that think that will be achieved by 'Pie in the sky' expansionism, rather than investing in the grass roots.

Only by having having a solid junior setup, and strong community game, will we produce the athletes required to compete in the modern game. Expanding the pro game, without the infrastructure below just dilutes the quality coming through, and it shows.

If you don't have solid foundations, the structure above will crumble....

Sorry

I completely agree with you. Expansion to me is growing the community game,  especially at junior level.

If I had the money I would work with all the regional leagues to help strengthen existing clubs and start up new clubs. Maybe a tiered approach. 

Funding for the already strong clubs to help them with running costs and any upgrades to allow them to remain sustainable and continue to produce players

Funding for existing clubs that may not be as strong and need new or upgraded facilities and development work to help them recruit players so they have good numbers at each age group

Funding to help set up new clubs, expanding the leagues outwards from the strong areas.

I think the first two would be my first target then bringing new clubs in to grow the league would happen afterwards.

I wouldn't just target leagues in non heartland areas. I'd make sure that the NW, Yorkshire, Hull and District and Cumbria were given plenty of money

[The Blues Ox]

13 hours ago, ShropshireBull said:

The salary cap is the same for every team mind so just rewards clubs who spend wisely and have an academy.

Thats what feels like a waste under Koukash.  If he had set up an academy in Manchester there would be a dozen players off the production line every year. 

That's the main problem with unatural growth. Agents see someone flashing cash and you end up with a bunch of mercenaries that ultimatley won't challenge for any titles. It would be Leeds of the 90's all over again, washed up players just going there for one last pay cheque.

[PREPOSTEROUS]

Only one answer for me, buy Trinity and make them into what I feel they could be resourced sufficiently. After that setting up a new club and watch it grow. I see little gratification in making a successful club more successful, and reality it doesn't help the sport either. 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

11 hours ago, The Future is League said:

It would be London Broncos for me. London has a population of over 9 million there has to be many many thousands of kids out there who could play our game to high standard, which would obviously mean having a lot more community clubs. 

A London team in Super League full of Londoners would be a terrific boost for the game and take away out cloth cap, whippet owning image

 

We have lots of southern talent playing rugby league and a lot are coming up through the squad now. In fairness the one advantage of not beinh in SL is that this happens quicker now

[Cumbrian Mackem]

23 hours ago, JM2010 said:

I'd be boring and invest in the community game

Correct answer!!!

Id set the goal of having a grassroots club setup in every city and town in England or at the very least one grassroots club within 20-30 minutes drive for every youngster in England.

Id also pump money into developing and running regional academies like the West Midlands, East Midlands, Merseyside, West Country and Hampshire etc to compete against the likes of established clubs like wigan, St. Helens and Leeds etc.

[Casually]

People have said the obvious, so I'll do an outside suggestion at a team based over in Ireland. Obviously league's rather small there, but I reckon there's enough to go around. 

Assuming I won the euromillions or what have you, I'd try and get league into schools, get it on television, just try and get youths interested in and playing the sport. I think there's a potential goldmine with the GAA, as they're an amateur sport so there's no financial draw for them, and they tend to develop excellent ball skills. Would be a very slow start but I'm rich in this timeline so I can wait. Once it starts growing I'd fund the setup of mens, womens, 9s, touch, all that good stuff. Only once there's a base to build on would the Dublin Wolfhounds be launched, initially probably relying on foreign players, the goal would be to bring in natively grown players. Longterm this would hopefully make Ireland itself into a somewhat competitive team on the international level.

Give me 30 years and funding and combined with the other poster's plan for Wales and there'll be the grounds for real, competitive international matches up north.

[GUBRATS]

I'd buy a big yacht

[Moominman]

I'd invest heavily in the amateur and youth set up in Cumbria, to provide the basis for a super league presence in the county.

[Cumbrian Mackem]

2 minutes ago, Moominman said:

I'd invest heavily in the amateur and youth set up in Cumbria, to provide the basis for a super league presence in the county.

Cumbria doesn’t have the population unfortunately.

[GUBRATS]

1 minute ago, Cumbrian Mackem said:

Cumbria doesn’t have the population unfortunately.

He'd buy them as well 

[hindle xiii]

Another sanctimonious answer but one with much more thought and genuine reality...

Hopefully, though, this wouldn't be necessary as clubs already have them but my first port of call would be to ensure a defibrillator at every amateur club and heart screening for every club. I think that would cost more than people realise.

Secondly, help fund the head injury assessment research, whether it is the saliva tests or the gum shield trials or any other in future.

And run good old fashioned junior summer camps to hone skills.

[Scubby]

14 minutes ago, hindle xiii said:

Another sanctimonious answer but one with much more thought and genuine reality...

Hopefully, though, this wouldn't be necessary as clubs already have them but my first port of call would be to ensure a defibrillator at every amateur club and heart screening for every club. I think that would cost more than people realise.

Secondly, help fund the head injury assessment research, whether it is the saliva tests or the gum shield trials or any other in future.

And run good old fashioned junior summer camps to hone skills.

Boo that is far too sensible (and worthy btw). Not redeveloping Odsal then?  Dust off those old superdome artists drawings.

[hindle xiii]

3 minutes ago, Scubby said:

Boo that is far too sensible (and worthy btw). Not redeveloping Odsal then?  Dust off those old superdome artists drawings.

No need. That's definitely happening soon. Marc Green said.

[Oldbear]

Invest in an area that can add to our player pool, as mentioned earlier if Wales had a club with a decent 6-10,000 capacity stadium, plus facilities for junior development then it would be an attractive option. Invest wisely in development officers and over time it will bear fruit. Our problem is we are too short term and wanting the fast track approach, that kind of thinking needs to change.

Failing that, just buy a nice boat!

[Oldbear]

12 minutes ago, Oldbear said:

Failing that, just buy a nice boat!

I typed that as I sat on my deck, looking out over Lake Okanagan, there sure are some nice ones out there today! Millionaire playthings.

[Harrogate Fire Ants]

I would invest in India creating a link up with Kabbadi teams and developing the newly created ISL (India Super League) that has no salary cap and plays from November to January. Then once that is setup. Build a £50million stadium for teams in Harrogate. But then I don't play the lottery so these can remain dreams. 

[Saint Toppy]

Personally if I had a massive lottery win on the Euro's I couldn't see myself investing in anything other my home town club of Saints.

However given i'm no club administrator and currently don't have an intimate knowledge of how a successful club is run i'd probably steer clear of trying to make instant changes, particularly around players, coaching etc. I'd be much more interested in trying to build the clubs financial position by investing in outside income streams. Things that will bring in revenue outside of the game itself which then gives them the protections from fluctuations in things like sponsorship, crowds & TV income. I always thought things like the Leagues Clubs that the NRL have was a good idea (though not necessarily based around gaming). Then other things like property would also give them a fairly steady year round income.

Not very glamorous I know but given the opportunity this would by my preferred route to investing. 

[steve oates]

On 17/04/2021 at 10:45, Scubby said:

 If I wanted to plough millions into a club to make them into an absolute giant  then what is the best course of action? I don't want to start a club from scratch just to burn a #### load of cash and have an amazing and fulfilling ride. Is route 2 (e.g. Bradford) even difficult with the petty politics - would it exhaust me? 

Oh it has to be Bradford, if you can rebuild Odsal into the actual Wembley of the North and fill it with five figure crowds again then you'll be idolised and you can just let your large and capable staff deal with the mundane stuff whilst you take all the adulation. What have you currently got spare to spend?