moorside roughyed Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 If Oldham went pop I'd be proper cheesed off. I'd probably support my local amateur club (Saddleworth) even more by doing a little volunteering with them etc. There's no chance of me following the likes of Rochdale or Swinton. I could even follow a superleague club as there's a few within easy travelling distance from Oldham. Who knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Shepherd Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 RL wouldn’t hold quite the same appeal if Fev didn’t exist. However, I’d probably watch York or Batley. Certainly not Wakey, Cas or The Whinos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo5 Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 10 hours ago, iffleyox said: As I suggested, Thursday nights are a function of the Sky money. I would however suggest that more coffers would be swelled if more matches were played on more Saturdays. Not all of them. A lot of RL fans go & support amateur teams on Saturday afternoons mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iffleyox Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 1 hour ago, Davo5 said: A lot of RL fans go & support amateur teams on Saturday afternoons mind. Totally get that - maybe they could swap and the amateurs play Sunday for the locals and the pros play Saturday so more people from around the country can go and watch? I can see all sorts of reasons why that won't work (or would be resisted) obviously, but if you were trying to have a joined up sport you wouldn't start from amateurs in the prime slot and pros playing on the margins.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo5 Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 41 minutes ago, iffleyox said: Totally get that - maybe they could swap and the amateurs play Sunday for the locals and the pros play Saturday so more people from around the country can go and watch? I can see all sorts of reasons why that won't work (or would be resisted) obviously, but if you were trying to have a joined up sport you wouldn't start from amateurs in the prime slot and pros playing on the margins.... But amateur RL has always been played on Saturdays with the professional game pre Superleague predominantly on Sunday afternoon,you change it and an already struggling amateur game could die off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerjon Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 Didn't we move from Saturday to Sunday so as to avoid losing fans to football? That position has not changed. 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) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iffleyox Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 26 minutes ago, Davo5 said: But amateur RL has always been played on Saturdays with the professional game pre Superleague predominantly on Sunday afternoon,you change it and an already struggling amateur game could die off. I did say I can think of the reasons why not to do it! On the other hand, what if the already struggling professional game dies off because it isn't played in the peak times when people can watch it? I would actually be really interested to see the venn diagrams of the average fan watching pro rugby league and either watching or playing amateur (now, not they played in the past). Not because I'm trying to prove a point, but because I'd genuinely like to know what the reality is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iffleyox Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 25 minutes ago, gingerjon said: Didn't we move from Saturday to Sunday so as to avoid losing fans to football? That position has not changed. I agree it's a big issue. On the other hand, nothing is more defensive and 'we'll hold what we've got and that'll do' than moving days so no one's forced to choose. Unfortunately the pro game, in setting itself up to stay afloat, also makes it as difficult as possible for anyone not from the heartlands who discovers it to watch it live. So the circle goes round again, and every year more of the existing fans peel off to do something else or die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padge Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 13 hours ago, iffleyox said: Oh well in which case Super League fans won’t mind if their teams are replaced with big city franchises - Wigan, Saints etc will still exist, they will just operate in a different structure… If its necessary then get on with it. Visit my photography site www.padge.smugmug.com Radio 5 Live: Saturday 14 April 2007 Dave Whelan "In Wigan rugby will always be king" This country's wealth was created by men in overalls, it was destroyed by men in suits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogledd Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 I started as a fan, volunteered at our formative Wheelchair RL team, became a Trustee for the Wheelchair RL Charity, started a Supporters Trust for North Wales Crusaders and I'm now on the Board of Directors - all this happened because I, and a lot of like minded people wanted Rugby League to continue in North Wales when the Crusaders RL Super League franchise crashed. We gone from winning League 1 in 2013 and getting promoted to being 'restructured' out of the Championship because the RFL wanted less teams in SL and consequently less teams in the Championship...the budget that North Wales Crusaders set to remain in the Championship was consequently an anchor round our necks for 3 years. I can't remember one year in the last ten when we knew exactly what the League 1 competition would be - how many teams, would there be a League 1 Cup (and if so any prize money) how many home games, would we play home and away....every year has been a huge change and frankly I'm amazed that League 1 Clubs have manage to survive so far...but now we're threatened with a massive cut to our budgets, following a year where we've virtually been working full time to cope with Covid protocols....I'm astonished that the RFL could do this to Clubs that have worked so hard and managed to produce one of the most competitive seasons I can remember. If North Wales Crusaders did fold (and folks, thats NOT on our plans for 2022) I would become a casual fan, I already follow Catalans Dragons in SL .....but still carry on playing Masters RL, which I really enjoy after taking it back up at the age of 62!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robthegasman Posted October 6, 2021 Share Posted October 6, 2021 I don’t think we will lose League 1 as such. Will we lose some clubs outside of Super League(and dare I say possibly a Super League club or two)sadly yes I think we will. Now the consensus suggests that there will be two divisions of 10 Super League clubs(SL Elite and SL1/Championship) I think the clubs outside of the top 20 that survive will form some sort of division be it a Championship division or reformed League 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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