After 40 years have we finally given up on cracking the London market?

[THE RED ROOSTER]

On 30/01/2022 at 18:44, crashmon said:

Widnes are a mid table team (will finish around 5th-8th). They are not Leigh, Fev, fax or Bradford who are all superior.  And we (2 years ago in Super League) are saying that losing to a mid table championship team by 7 tries to 3 at home was a good result.   Maybe for the squad we have, but for the club, its a long long way back to super league if we are happy losing 7 tries to 3 to a team at home who at best will finish 5th. And if we are not planning a return to super league why then are we paying so much for super league facilites

I'm really happy for the attendance today, but that will be the highest this season. Lets see what happens in two weeks, needs to be at least 1.5K for the already 4 pointer vs Haven

 

I would not disagree with that, if they get get higher attendances that will be because Bradford or Leigh will be gunning for Super League and will bring a few with them. Given the advert campaign, the free tickets to communuty clubs and the uber cheap tickets for Wimbledon FC fans. It's not that great an attendance. The  closest comparitor was the first game back rebranded as London Broncos at the Stoop in 2012 which pulled in 4,924.  Every single time the club has re-launched the opening crowd has got smaller and dropped off dramtically afterwards as the cycle of failure continues on the field and it is on the field that counts..

Watched London Broncos since 1996, as a genuine southern RL fan, albiet one who has spent some time in Australia and New Zealand where the game is much bigger, and have got all the home programmes from 1996 to the pandemic. Do not have to worry about that though as they no longer produce programmes...

I am done with the club now and have become a fan of RL as a game instead, I will still watch the NRL (NRL tipster supreme on TRL in 2021), select Super League games, Internationals and finals and maybe even Skolars if diary commitments allow but not this shell club.

 

[watcherofRL]

On 30/01/2022 at 18:18, Twickbronc said:

We were there today. Firstly I will mention the crowd and atmosphere. 2,182 both stands were virtually full. Lots of Wimbledon fans there who seemed to enjoy it and I heard a few mention they were looking forward to coming back and seeing how the season panned out. Atmosphere was great and there was definitely a feel good factor.
 

Now to the game.

We lost it in the first 10-15 mins. We were very slow off the Mark and made plenty of errors. Twice Juma attempted an intercept during to an overlap and they strolled in the corner, which is amateur defending. Two high tackles lead to back to back pens in which they scored from repeat sets. We didn’t have an attacking set in their half until about 20 mins in! 
Leyland failed to kick on the 5th two sets in a row when we were putting the pressure on and killed our momentum.  
 

2nd half we were much better and there wasn’t much between the two teams. We were held up on the line a couple of times and also knocked on in the act of scoring. That said the ref made some bizarre called to prevent Widnes from scoring a couple so the score line reflects the game. 
 

We played well when Parata bienek palumbo tuliatu were on the field. 
Not to be rude but Greenhalgh is overweight and shouldn’t be playing for us, no surprise he got took off in the first half and never returned. 
 

We need siti, Curran and Ulberg in ASAP to steady the ship as we lacked that quality and experience.
 

Considering it was our first competitive game v Widnes who started preseason in October and comfortably beat Batley, it wasn’t a bad effort. 
 

We will improve with more experienced heads coming in over the next couple of weeks. 
 

Bring on Haven in a couple of weeks!

The game

loose carry first set from Blakemore led to momentum for Widnes and missed tackle in middle - first score! Lwft edge was poor playing too narrow! Once is an error but 4 is unforgivable.  Leyland was playing full back and considering he ran attack on both sides throughout the game but didn’t get the ball apart from when Coates was indecisive and gave it late left  little option! Not bad outcome to finish set on try line to play out from. Put him And Horsman in at halves - carry to line as attacking threat and play shape rather than relying very predictable and slow play. The kick through leading to first try came from a set where both Horsman and Leyland attacked the line resulting in quick plays and culminated in score - easy conversion missed! Parata scored as result of quick play and use of momentum but again an easy conversion missed. Game became more even in second half but fitness showed in end! SomE strange red decisions on both sides and too many pens against LB

[watcherofRL]

6 hours ago, Jughead said:

Where’s the nearest junior/amateur club to Wimbledon?

Brixton Bromley or Elmbridge I guess 

[dead man inc]

56 minutes ago, THE RED ROOSTER said:

I would not disagree with that, if they get get higher attendances that will be because Bradford or Leigh will be gunning for Super League and will bring a few with them. Given the advert campaign, the free tickets to communuty clubs and the uber cheap tickets for Wimbledon FC fans. It's not that great an attendance. The  closest comparitor was the first game back rebranded as London Broncos at the Stoop in 2012 which pulled in 4,924.  Every single time the club has re-launched the opening crowd has got smaller and dropped off dramtically afterwards as the cycle of failure continues on the field and it is on the field that counts..

Watched London Broncos since 1996, as a genuine southern RL fan, albiet one who has spent some time in Australia and New Zealand where the game is much bigger, and have got all the home programmes from 1996 to the pandemic. Do not have to worry about that though as they no longer produce programmes...

I am done with the club now and have become a fan of RL as a game instead, I will still watch the NRL (NRL tipster supreme on TRL in 2021), select Super League games, Internationals and finals and maybe even Skolars if diary commitments allow but not this shell club.

 

Skolars would appreciate your support. They are undoubtably going through a tough time themselves with the recent central funding decimating cuts & loss of so many players, but at least it is giving a lot of young southern based Skolars juniors a pathway to the professional game & the opportunity to play in League 1. You can also chat to the board & the players in the bar afterwards.

[EssexRL]

9 minutes ago, dead man inc said:

Skolars would appreciate your support. They are undoubtably going through a tough time themselves with the recent central funding decimating cuts & loss of so many players, but at least it is giving a lot of young southern based Skolars juniors a pathway to the professional game & the opportunity to play in League 1. You can also chat to the board & the players in the bar afterwards.

Well said. Skolars have worked so hard to build the club and sport in this part of London. They’ve also been competitive more seasons than not in recent years. The loss of so many players to LB and the funding cuts are going to make it very hard. I’d urge anyone within striking distance of new river to come along and support the club. (The beer is very good and local). 

[Pie tries]

On 28/01/2022 at 14:45, ShropshireBull said:

Unless you have a franchise or we expand SL so an investor could come in and make it more likely they get there I´m not sure what we are supposed to do now. The amount of money to even part own somewhere so they aren´t constantly at the mercy (Broncos this is) of being shuffled has now disappeared since price explosions since 2000.

So unless the RFL is going to get on the phone to every borough in London to find a 5000 capacity facility they can joint own bring up to standard then the ship has sailed I feel. Without infrastructure , all the rest is worthless. 

Agree. RFL needs to ‘find’ a long term home to own and develop in London

[RL Sonja]

Even for the short time they were around, a London derby was always envisaged by the game.

Thus Acton & Willesden and Streatham & Mitcham were born.

I suspect they were on to something. 

No-one could doubt the Premier League benefits from London derbies. 

Rugby league would as well. 

[EssexRL]

6 hours ago, RL Sonja said:

Even for the short time they were around, a London derby was always envisaged by the game.

Thus Acton & Willesden and Streatham & Mitcham were born.

I suspect they were on to something. 

No-one could doubt the Premier League benefits from London derbies. 

Rugby league would as well. 

Well if Skolars and L1 survive next season you might get one! 

To be fair when we’ve played Broncos in friendlies there’s always been a decent crowd at New River. You could try to get a bit of media coverage on the back of it - even see if Kate fancied popping along.

[Archie Gordon]

Broncos vs Whitehaven. They now seem to have closed the away stand and have u18 tickets for £2. Adult tickets for one section of the ground are £2 more if you're a home supporter than an away supporter (huh?). It's indicative of a club without an actual plan.

[The Future is League]

Have we given up on Manchester after 126 years?

[steve oates]

On 30/01/2022 at 15:31, Big Picture said:

That's how things ought to work, but they can't work that way due to the lack of money in the game.  Neither the RFL nor SL has any money to spare to spare for it, let alone the sort of money needed to do it successfully.  

That's also why they're constantly pulling the plug on expansion efforts when they don't take off in short order, they simply don't have any money they can afford to use to support them.

Money Money Money?

Your indicating that “expansion” away from the M62 would happen if we poured £Millions into it over many years. Funny thing is that London took the field in 1980 and many millions have indeed been poured into it and wasted by Clay, Brisbane Broncos, Richard Branson and David Hughes

You just cannot set up a product, a service, or an entertainment and throw millions at it, over 40 years and then excuse the lack of interest on the basis that you didn’t throw even £Millions more at it.

The problem is glaringly obvious, Rugby Union is king in London. Londoners prefer the established union game.

[crashmon]

2 hours ago, Archie Gordon said:

Broncos vs Whitehaven. They now seem to have closed the away stand and have u18 tickets for £2. Adult tickets for one section of the ground are £2 more if you're a home supporter than an away supporter (huh?). It's indicative of a club without an actual plan.

Not seen any marketing of this game (at least for Widnes they had some).  They need to pick up from what they did for Widnes, and continue. They can't just sit back and think people will return, they need to be promoting this game daily right now on Social Media etc

There is a real chance they might be less that 1K for the haven game which would lose all momentium gained from the 2K in the first game

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

On 31/01/2022 at 16:42, Quinskolar said:

I am a southern based RL fan of 60 years standing, having moved south in 1980. I  supported Fulham/Crusaders/Broncos for 40 years but the Wimbledon move was the straw that broke the camel's back. We are back at year zero, where brave statements are made and yer another football club/area is the new saviour of the club. David Hughes has put in untold millions into the club with increasingly fewer returns. The failure of the RL to but give the Broncos the TWP place in SL was the final straw. I will continue to support the Skolars who although have few resources dogged attempt to build and do more for youth development than many northern teams. As for the Broncos they will be lucky to avoid a relegation dogfight.

Pretty much me too.....door to door after parking it's 1 hour 50 for me....it would be £66 for me and wife/young kids......to watch part time sport for 80 mins and nothing else included in the match experience 

I'd rather pay the same and drive an hour more and watch SL quality games/experience for similar price 

After last Sunday I might make 2 other Broncis games alone this season (might bring a self funding mate too).  If we sign some decent quality then I'll be back more often. Stick a five quid kids ticket in and I might bring my family again too

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

1 hour ago, crashmon said:

Not seen any marketing of this game (at least for Widnes they had some).  They need to pick up from what they did for Widnes, and continue. They can't just sit back and think people will return, they need to be promoting this game daily right now on Social Media etc

There is a real chance they might be less that 1K for the haven game which would lose all momentium gained from the 2K in the first game

Unless things change (signings and pricing) I doubt we'll have many four figure crowds from March. I also bet in 2 years we will not be playing at our 'new home'

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

1 hour ago, steve oates said:

Money Money Money?

Your indicating that “expansion” away from the M62 would happen if we poured £Millions into it over many years. Funny thing is that London took the field in 1980 and many millions have indeed been poured into it and wasted by Clay, Brisbane Broncos, Richard Branson and David Hughes

You just cannot set up a product, a service, or an entertainment and throw millions at it, over 40 years and then excuse the lack of interest on the basis that you didn’t throw even £Millions more at it.

The problem is glaringly obvious, Rugby Union is king in London. Londoners prefer the established union game.

More than anything we need a purpose built RL ground in London. Even a 3/4000 boutique Sheffield Eagles sized place is fine. Make it Broncos/Skolars branded. Generate money and interest from a permanent base we own

Pipe dream I know 

[Big Picture]

1 hour ago, steve oates said:

Money Money Money?

Your indicating that “expansion” away from the M62 would happen if we poured £Millions into it over many years. Funny thing is that London took the field in 1980 and many millions have indeed been poured into it and wasted by Clay, Brisbane Broncos, Richard Branson and David Hughes

You just cannot set up a product, a service, or an entertainment and throw millions at it, over 40 years and then excuse the lack of interest on the basis that you didn’t throw even £Millions more at it.

The problem is glaringly obvious, Rugby Union is king in London. Londoners prefer the established union game.

I'm not suggesting that the lack of interest in only due to the lack of money to support the venture well.  I suggest that it's also due to their opponents coming from places which with the odd exception Londoners have never even heard of, let alone rate as being worth their time and money to make an effort to go and watch.  The sport having a name which will lead to some confusion about what it even is wouldn't have helped either.

RU isn't king in London, not by any means.  London is big enough for a good few pro sports, but at present RL doesn't offer something which can cut through there.

[Damien]

2 hours ago, steve oates said:

The problem is glaringly obvious, Rugby Union is king in London. Londoners prefer the established union game.

Football is king in London. Vast swathes couldn't give a damn about RU either.

[crashmon]

football is King pretty much everywhere outside of Cumbria (possibly Bradford / Halifax). My brother lives in warrington. When we go to visit him we see lots of people wearing Man U / Man C / Liverpool tops, very few wire tops in comparison. Same in Widnes / St Helens etc you will lots more Football tops the RL tops dotted around the streets

[westlondonfan]

I haven’t seen anything about the Whitehaven game yet and they have my email address and I am following the relevant pages on social media. AFC Wimbledon’s stadium is nice but it will take more than that to make this totally unnecessary move a success.

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, crashmon said:

football is King pretty much everywhere outside of Cumbria (possibly Bradford / Halifax). My brother lives in warrington. When we go to visit him we see lots of people wearing Man U / Man C / Liverpool tops, very few wire tops in comparison. Same in Widnes / St Helens etc you will lots more Football tops the RL tops dotted around the streets

Hull also? 

[ATLANTISMAN]

3 hours ago, steve oates said:

Money Money Money?

Your indicating that “expansion” away from the M62 would happen if we poured £Millions into it over many years. Funny thing is that London took the field in 1980 and many millions have indeed been poured into it and wasted by Clay, Brisbane Broncos, Richard Branson and David Hughes

You just cannot set up a product, a service, or an entertainment and throw millions at it, over 40 years and then excuse the lack of interest on the basis that you didn’t throw even £Millions more at it.

The problem is glaringly obvious, Rugby Union is king in London. Londoners prefer the established union game.

Disagree with that RU is king in a small part of West London and thats pretty much it.

 

Paul

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

3 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Pretty much me too.....door to door after parking it's 1 hour 50 for me....it would be £66 for me and wife/young kids......to watch part time sport for 80 mins and nothing else included in the match experience 

I'd rather pay the same and drive an hour more and watch SL quality games/experience for similar price 

After last Sunday I might make 2 other Broncis games alone this season (might bring a self funding mate too).  If we sign some decent quality then I'll be back more often. Stick a five quid kids ticket in and I might bring my family again too

Just seen the club have made a great move for families interested in going

£2 ticket for juniors....very good move and I'll be booking in more games with my kids now

Well done 

[Man of Kent]

24 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Just seen the club have made a great move for families interested in going

£2 ticket for juniors....very good move and I'll be booking in more games with my kids now

Well done 

Yes, and a £4 bring a mate offer too 

[Eddie]

2 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Yes, and a £4 bring a mate offer too 

They’re paying people £4 to bring a mate? 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

3 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Yes, and a £4 bring a mate offer too 

Yes saw that too. Good move