So What's The Plan From Here?

[GUBRATS]

2 hours ago, westlondonfan said:

I agree.

Perhaps worth remembering now that had Toronto Wolfpack been given another year or two in the Super League then Sonny Bill Williams would have been playing in the Super League ?

' given ' ? , They financially fell apart ( and I said they should have had the SKY money ) 

[westlondonfan]

55 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

' given ' ? , They financially fell apart ( and I said they should have had the SKY money ) 

Three of the most successful clubs in Super League, Leeds, Catalans and St Helens felt differently apparently?

[JohnM]

It seems to me that in common with other sports and other businesses, short term survival, players and workers well being and  spectator covid risk control would be the top priority.

[Liverpool Rover]

The main priority at the moment IMO is Super League, as that is the competition that brings the most money into the game. However before a plan is made to address the issues that Super League has the first thing that is needed is for somebody or somebodies to be given free reign to do what they think is best without being overruled by the clubs. 

Rugby League is a much bigger sport in Australia which is why the NRL generates the amount of money it does but also looks to me like it is run more as a business than Super League and if SL wants to improve its revenues then it needs a proper business plan with some hard nosed decisions. Which clubs provide the games Sky wants to show? Which clubs have the potential to pull in 10k crowds? Which clubs are taking youth development seriously? Which clubs outside of SL can add more commercial value?

[Oxford]

On 29/07/2021 at 13:04, iffleyox said:

You do now get people who only watch or play 7s at the top level.

That's fascinating like people who only watch One day cricket.

I used to love league sevens but a bit like many other ideas never could be as good as the real thing.

[iffleyox]

2 minutes ago, Oxford said:

That's fascinating like people who only watch One day cricket.

I used to love league sevens but a bit like many other ideas never could be as good as the real thing.

I genuinely think 7s only hasn't killed RU because of the size of the RU playing/spectating pool being large enough to accommodate it - I would expect any halfway decent 9s circuit to do huge damage to proper RL, certainly in terms of siphoning off players. It might take 15-20 years, but I think it would happen.

By the way, I think I've said before that there are some fans of Pro RU clubs who will only watch their amateurs, not the pro side, so there are many varieties of spectator madness out there.

[MattSantos]

There isnt a plan. At all. The sport is an utter shambles. 

[westlondonfan]

2 hours ago, Liverpool Rover said:

The main priority at the moment IMO is Super League, as that is the competition that brings the most money into the game. However before a plan is made to address the issues that Super League has the first thing that is needed is for somebody or somebodies to be given free reign to do what they think is best without being overruled by the clubs. 

Rugby League is a much bigger sport in Australia which is why the NRL generates the amount of money it does but also looks to me like it is run more as a business than Super League and if SL wants to improve its revenues then it needs a proper business plan with some hard nosed decisions. Which clubs provide the games Sky wants to show? Which clubs have the potential to pull in 10k crowds? Which clubs are taking youth development seriously? Which clubs outside of SL can add more commercial value?

Apart from youth development I would of thought Toronto Wolfpack would of fit the criteria you set out very nicely actually. 

[tiffers]

23 hours ago, iffleyox said:

I genuinely think 7s only hasn't killed RU because of the size of the RU playing/spectating pool being large enough to accommodate it - I would expect any halfway decent 9s circuit to do huge damage to proper RL, certainly in terms of siphoning off players. It might take 15-20 years, but I think it would happen.

By the way, I think I've said before that there are some fans of Pro RU clubs who will only watch their amateurs, not the pro side, so there are many varieties of spectator madness out there.

It was interesting hearing the end of the GB Olympic Men's team interview on the BBC. The player (cant remember his name!) stated quite clearly that 7s is not working in RU. Then went on to describe a whole load of issues that we quite often use to evaluate RL. Largely around turning up to places like Singapore/HK/London because organisers have popped pins in a map. The lack of a commercialisation strategy and ultimately there not being enough money in the game/sport to keep players in the 7s game and to compete with RU proper.

Sounds familiar to our conversations doesnt it?

I dont see how a 9's RL competition solves any of the 13 a-side game's problems... I think it becomes a huge (potentially expensive) distraction.