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Is it possible that Leeds Rhinos are suffering a bit as Leeds United are now back in football’s top flight?

I know the hardcore fans for either side will always be there (for both sides), but there must be some crossover for some people in Leeds and West Yorkshire which says they’ll spend more money and time on whatever’s more successful.

That might mean jibbing off Leeds, Cas or Wakey for either a LUFC ticket or even a Sky/BT subscription as I imagine the football season tickets are already like gold dust over there.

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19 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Is it possible that Leeds Rhinos are suffering a bit as Leeds United are now back in football’s top flight?

I know the hardcore fans for either side will always be there (for both sides), but there must be some crossover for some people in Leeds and West Yorkshire which says they’ll spend more money and time on whatever’s more successful.

That might mean jibbing off Leeds, Cas or Wakey for either a LUFC ticket or even a Sky/BT subscription as I imagine the football season tickets are already like gold dust over there.

Yeah, massive club Leeds having to open all parts of Elland Road again while their loyal glory hunter fans flood back must have had some impact. 

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8 hours ago, Eddie said:

Not disastrous, but not great either, especially if Cas took a few. 

Cas's turnout was pretty disappointing tbh. Way down on previous years where there end would normally be packed. As the photos show possibly half or less of what they would usually bring (for their grand final too 😉 )

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It’s not just attendances at Leeds United that are a factor.

I imagine there are quite a few now investing their time and money into following this current Leeds United team via Sky/BT subscription and will have jibbed off their focus on their rugby league team now or at least made them secondary.

People only have so much time, money and bandwidth for leisure pursuits.  It’s an exciting time for Leeds United and hopefully Leeds Rhinos can respond in their own way.

 

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50 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Is it possible that Leeds Rhinos are suffering a bit as Leeds United are now back in football’s top flight?

I know the hardcore fans for either side will always be there (for both sides), but there must be some crossover for some people in Leeds and West Yorkshire which says they’ll spend more money and time on whatever’s more successful.

That might mean jibbing off Leeds, Cas or Wakey for either a LUFC ticket or even a Sky/BT subscription as I imagine the football season tickets are already like gold dust over there.

If it's impacting the Rhinos it will be impacting others as well. As Johnoco says, I'm always surprised by how many fans of other rugby league teams are probably first and foremost Leeds United fans.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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14 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

If it's impacting the Rhinos it will be impacting others as well. As Johnoco says, I'm always surprised by how many fans of other rugby league teams are probably first and foremost Leeds United fans.

Indeed, I always laughed at my old club teammates who would sing "we all hate Leeds ####" at Cas on a Friday night then post  "All Leeds Aren't We #MOT" on a Saturday afternoon for LUFC.

Leeds United are the biggest sporting institution across West and significant parts of North Yorkshire. The RL clubs are all fighting for second place in their relevant areas, and given there are 11 of them in West Yorkshire (and Huddersfield Town and Bradford City), most are actually fighting for 3rd 4th or 5th.

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6 minutes ago, M j M said:

I'm sure there is some impact but I doubt it's huge. Leeds have their own segment and appeal and the attendance fall-off is not out of line with other SL clubs.

If - big if - there is an impact my suspicion would be that it would be in merchandise sales like jerseys at Christmas for kids.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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39 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Yeah, massive club Leeds having to open all parts of Elland Road again while their loyal glory hunter fans flood back must have had some impact. 

They were still getting 27,000+ in League 1 whilst charging premier league prices. If you have read the "what is the point thread", multiply that sentiment by about 5, plus consider what Bradford Bulls fans must think on top as a near equivalent, and you'll see what impact the last 16 years have had on the LUFC fanbase.

A lesson for League perhaps is that being part of a good story is a great way to get people motivated, whilst the opposite is true in reverse.

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4 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

So we’re agreed then.

Quick whip round to buy out LUFC.

Then dissolve them

How did you know that what my post lottery winning plan was?

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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11 minutes ago, Johnoco said:

Yes, I used to work in Scarborough (and still keep in touch with former workmates from there) and there was a significant number of Leeds United fans there - and they were not doing great then. I don’t understand it personally but it’s the way it is. 

Ironically the lack of serious footballing pedigree and success in North, West and East Yorkshire, is probably caused by the prominence of RL, at least in the latter two of those places.

Its especially stark when you see that South Yorkshire has 5 consistent Football League teams whereas the other 3 combined have at best had 6 at any one time. York and Harrogate flitting between the EFL and Non League and Middlesbrough on the very fringes.

That has enabled LUFC, with help of success, the all white kit and white rose/Yorkshire branding, to stake a claim as "Yorkshire's club" and get fans from all over.

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10 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

So we’re agreed then.

Quick whip round to buy out LUFC.

Then dissolve them et voila fans back at RL grounds?

You jest but that is not dissimilar to what happened in reverse with Holbeck Rugby League club and Leeds City.

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Just now, Johnoco said:

I think there’s a lot in that. Don Revie changed to the all white kit to emulate Real Madrid and build a bit of a dynasty. Quite a few fans relish the ‘dirty Leeds’ tag and generally being outsiders or pariahs.

Although to be fair this latest iteration has actually become a favourite of the neutrals as Leeds are playing a high octane style of football that is easy on the eye.

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1 minute ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Although to be fair this latest iteration has actually become a favourite of the neutrals as Leeds are playing a high octane style of football that is easy on the eye.

No.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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6 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Ironically the lack of serious footballing pedigree and success in North, West and East Yorkshire, is probably caused by the prominence of RL, at least in the latter two of those places.

Its especially stark when you see that South Yorkshire has 5 consistent Football League teams whereas the other 3 combined have at best had 6 at any one time. York and Harrogate flitting between the EFL and Non League and Middlesbrough on the very fringes.

That has enabled LUFC, with help of success, the all white kit and white rose/Yorkshire branding, to stake a claim as "Yorkshire's club" and get fans from all over.

I'd need someone with the history to go into the details but those strong South Yorkshire clubs were essentially why rugby league didn't expand southwards. Some had started playing rugby (or already were) but then one or two of the stronger ones at the time returned back to football to the association rules and we lost our foothold.

(Similar to what happened with Manningham becoming Bradford City just in a more damaging way for early expansion).

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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To get back to rugby league, personally I’m still interested in the Catalans story and I’m emotionally invested in Saints as someone who has followed them home and away in the past for a short period.

But it does seem that there’s a real turnoff happening elsewhere unless some of these attendance figures are one offs.  What’s causing it?

The loss of the Rugby League World Cup is a real buzzkill and an embarrassment too if you were trying to get others interested.

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3 minutes ago, Johnoco said:

I think there’s a lot in that. Don Revie changed to the all white kit to emulate Real Madrid and build a bit of a dynasty. Quite a few fans relish the ‘dirty Leeds’ tag and generally being outsiders or pariahs.

Indeed, which given the slightly snooty disdain a segment of the RL fraternity show to LUFC/football (not dissimilar to what we accuse RU fans of feeling towards RL), only fuels that relished tag. Being a LUFC fan in say Hull or other parts of West Yorkshire came with bit of a tag and the legacy of that is still with us.

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1 minute ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Not think so?  I thought that was conventional wisdom from last year.

It probably was and I’m sure (know) they are great to watch but I’d happily see them lose every match 26-0 so I refuse to accept other people feeling differently.

Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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2 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Not think so?  I thought that was conventional wisdom from last year.

It is except for people not grown up enough to admit it or with such a blind hatred it literally leaves them blinded.

Indeed plenty of Leeds fans don't know how to react given how for the previous 50 years the reaction has been overwhelmingly negative.

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8 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

I'd need someone with the history to go into the details but those strong South Yorkshire clubs were essentially why rugby league didn't expand southwards. Some had started playing rugby (or already were) but then one or two of the stronger ones at the time returned back to football to the association rules and we lost our foothold.

(Similar to what happened with Manningham becoming Bradford City just in a more damaging way for early expansion).

There's a good Tony Collins podcast on it I'm sure. As much as West Yorkshire was the home of RL and its missionaries, South Yorkshire was the same for Association football - and had a 20 plus year head start on the Northern Union.

Indeed South Yorkshire is almost a classic 19th century sporting landscape with football and cricket being the dominant games.

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