McNamara blasts Huddersfield after IMG discussions

[glossop saint]

20 minutes ago, clogdance said:

They're not even getting 4K a game at the moment. Struggling championship outfit Widnes get bigger crowds.  

If only we had licensing... 

[Guest]

47 minutes ago, binosh said:

No. He wants 2 leagues of 10 with closer levels of funding between the 2 and more french teams added when they can demonstrate there is an appetite for a french TV deal and international games. He believes more funding should go to UK clubs and academies.

Nope, that was the second option he gave. The 14 team option is his preference because it would give Leigh 3 or 4 years of Super League.

[Oxford]

There is little point in being a Rugby League fan because no matter how well your club does on the paddock self-interest will dress itself up so it looks like for the good of the game.

And we're a sport so divided by the minute differences between us that we're looking round for who and which clubs we can jettison.

Well I hope it's not my club. Better be yours. See, I've joined in.

 

[DI Keith Fowler]

49 minutes ago, clogdance said:

They're not even getting 4K a game at the moment. Struggling championship outfit Widnes get bigger crowds.  

We really don't. If we were challenging we'd be pushing 4k average but right now we're not announcing attendances. 

[The Future is League]

1 hour ago, Harry Stottle said:

You tell him!

I would.

[GUBRATS]

3 hours ago, JohnM said:

Irrelevant. That's not the point of the discussion. Which Championship clubs get anything like full houses? 

I give up , it's like arguing with a pigeon 

[clogdance]

14 minutes ago, DI Keith Fowler said:

We really don't. If we were challenging we'd be pushing 4k average but right now we're not announcing attendances. 

That's unfortunate, was hoping to upset a few of the many lovers of anything French on here. 

[GUBRATS]

1 hour ago, binosh said:

No. He wants 2 leagues of 10 with closer levels of funding between the 2 and more french teams added when they can demonstrate there is an appetite for a french TV deal and international games. He believes more funding should go to UK clubs and academies.

They only read/listen to the bits they want to Binosh , it's like on here , some reply to the poster , not the post , their minds are already made up , they don't actually ' read ' what's written and digest it , it's just an automatic knee jerk response

[JohnM]

8 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

I give up , it's like arguing with a pigeon 

Promises, promises.

[JohnM]

5 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

What ? , Explain that one ?

You would not understand, either wilfully or because you lack the commercial nous. 

[GUBRATS]

I truly give up on this one , it seems some clubs are beyond even comment , nobody is criticising the French clubs , just pointing out commercial facts , that's all that has happened at this IMG meeting , which is what the purpose of the meeting was for , nobody has suggested they be thrown out 

Absolutely bonkers 

[JohnM]

For the avoidance of doubt, I previously posted this in its proper place. However, since this topic has descended into a pit of defending the indefensible by the Poor Oppressed  Leigh massive , I repeat it here.

Disclaimer: LSV looks to be a good stadium in a good location, and Leigh itsself seems to have improved hugely since we lived in Atherton 1968 -1970. However,  it would be a shame to miss an open goal.

it's the owner and his acolytes that's the issue.

[Tommygilf]

3 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

I truly give up on this one , it seems some clubs are beyond even comment , nobody is criticising the French clubs , just pointing out commercial facts , that's all that has happened at this IMG meeting , which is what the purpose of the meeting was for , nobody has suggested they be thrown out 

Absolutely bonkers 

Saving for future reference (and maybe a bet).

[Tommygilf]

7 hours ago, gittinsfan said:

I would suggest that if Batley became under the umbrella of,say,Leeds, Huddersfield or Wakefield,then Batley as a club would be completely destroyed.

Fair, but how much has rugby league in Batley, ie Batley Boys etc, come under those clubs already?

[Tommygilf]

5 hours ago, Niels said:

Yes.

I think it is also very arguable that we are much better managed than most of those clubs. 

To answer Tommy's point respectfully, we have never been relegated to league 1, in 22 years now, I think. So that isn't a level we would wish for. 

My point rather was Niels that a League 1 style environment, where nobody is kidding themselves about being Full Time Super League clubs, could be what the likes of Batley, Dewsbury, Swinton etc find themselves in. It may be that this is the second tier or the third come the other side of 2023.

Batley have been the gold standard for a semi pro sustainable community rugby league side for quite some time now, something not to be disparaged at all. I hope IMG see the value in that and how that can be replicated all over the country at that level. 

[gittinsfan]

3 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Fair, but how much has rugby league in Batley, ie Batley Boys etc, come under those clubs already?

I don't know TBF. But it's not just Batley.Any club becoming a "feeder club" or "second team" to a SL club would lose their identity and probably their fan base.

[Tommygilf]

Just now, gittinsfan said:

I don't know TBF. But it's not just Batley.Any club becoming a "feeder club" or "second team" to a SL club would lose their identity and probably their fan base.

I see that argument. I suppose my point was that if cuts were to come swinging, could Leeds for example take responsibility as a pro side for the activities of pro sides in say Batley, if they don't already. Same can be said for the game in Calderdale (ie Siddal). 

I've intimated on this thread before that we may end up with a "RFL British Championship" or similar as the highest point of purely domestic RL in this country. That could be somewhere Batley thrive in as a semi pro community focused club.

[Guest]

41 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

They only read/listen to the bits they want to Binosh , it's like on here , some reply to the poster , not the post , their minds are already made up , they don't actually ' read ' what's written and digest it , it's just an automatic knee jerk response

You are wrong. He has a tweet laying out both proposals. Acting like your being oppressed.

[glossop saint]

29 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

I truly give up on this one , it seems some clubs are beyond even comment , nobody is criticising the French clubs , just pointing out commercial facts , that's all that has happened at this IMG meeting , which is what the purpose of the meeting was for , nobody has suggested they be thrown out 

Absolutely bonkers 

Steve Mc obviously seems to think that people, specifically Thewlis, are being critical of Catalan Dragons.

And the comments made do not seem to be facts, more opinions, as they are being disputed by SM with him claiming Catalan have done more in the last 15 years than other clubs in the last 100 (another opinion). No one has actually stated any commercial facts on here, unless I've missed them.

[gittinsfan]

16 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I see that argument. I suppose my point was that if cuts were to come swinging, could Leeds for example take responsibility as a pro side for the activities of pro sides in say Batley, if they don't already. Same can be said for the game in Calderdale (ie Siddal). 

I've intimated on this thread before that we may end up with a "RFL British Championship" or similar as the highest point of purely domestic RL in this country. That could be somewhere Batley thrive in as a semi pro community focused club.

I don't see how a club can become the responsibility of a SL club without losing their identity no matter what terminology it is given.

I suppose we will have to wait for IMG to work their magic and hope the less fashionable clubs are not thrown on the scrap heap.

[WakefieldCityLoyal]

1 hour ago, Oxford said:

There is little point in being a Rugby League fan because no matter how well your club does on the paddock self-interest will dress itself up so it looks like for the good of the game.

And we're a sport so divided by the minute differences between us that we're looking round for who and which clubs we can jettison.

Well I hope it's not my club. Better be yours. See, I've joined in.

 

Agree it’s a sad state of affairs,  what’s happened to the Rugby League family.

[Tommygilf]

25 minutes ago, gittinsfan said:

I don't see how a club can become the responsibility of a SL club without losing their identity no matter what terminology it is given.

I suppose we will have to wait for IMG to work their magic and hope the less fashionable clubs are not thrown on the scrap heap.

Like I say I was thinking more the game in that area, rather than the club itself. Though that could follow, and indeed in regards to the amateur game it may only be confirming what has already taken place.

I think there is little for the Batley's of this world to fear tbh from IMG. They're sustainable community based clubs.

The problems will be when some SL or SL ambitious clubs are told they aren't in that picture and need to become more like Batley/Keighley/Swinton etc.

[Tommygilf]

2 minutes ago, WakefieldCityLoyal said:

Agree it’s a sad state of affairs,  what’s happened to the Rugby League family.

Never existed mate.

The RL old boys club however is 127 years old this year, and thats a long time to sharpen some knives.

[Oxford]

7 minutes ago, WakefieldCityLoyal said:

Agree it’s a sad state of affairs,  what’s happened to the Rugby League family.

Well, I don't know if it's just how the whole country is now but if we can't agree on anything and we have no sense of US there won't be a point to TGG. It'll be just another sport like all the others. I don't agree with Tommygilf above there was a time when we knew what was important and who our friends were and whose side we were on.

[David Dockhouse Host]

3 hours ago, binosh said:

No. He wants 2 leagues of 10 with closer levels of funding between the 2 and more french teams added when they can demonstrate there is an appetite for a french TV deal and international games. He believes more funding should go to UK clubs and academies.

He did originally but now feel a 14 team super League would be better.