Run In 2022

[Blind side johnny]

3 hours ago, Bat Lad said:

Yeah I agree its not good for the HW area if the Rams go down, will be difficult to get back up too.

Hope you can turn this around, although it ain't going to be easy, good luck.

If the mooted changes to the league structure come about there will be no possibility of getting back up. That could conceivably see the demise of the club, along with some others in the same situation.

I reckon this is why Keighley are lashing the money around in order to be in the lifeboat when the ship sinks.

Edited August 1, 2022 by Blind side johnny

[Wakefield Ram]

There's no change planned. And if Rugby League think the answer to anything is having 2 x leagues of 10, which means the fewer teams playing each other even more often, then they are asking the wrong questions.

[Blind side johnny]

1 hour ago, Wakefield Ram said:

There's no change planned. And if Rugby League think the answer to anything is having 2 x leagues of 10, which means the fewer teams playing each other even more often, then they are asking the wrong questions.

IMG will be presenting a report, probably in early 2023, setting out proposals for a new vision for RL in this country. A part of this will be some form of restructuring. This will coincide with the attempts to negotiate a new broadcast deal for RL in the UK, either with Sky or someone else.

Changes are being planned - by some, and they are likely to be the most influential

[Wakefield Ram]

The earliest any changes could come in would be 2024. 

If the gist is 2 x 10, then we will be in 3rd division along with half of the other Championship teams. 

Edited August 2, 2022 by Wakefield Ram

[Blind side johnny]

3 hours ago, Wakefield Ram said:

The earliest any changes could come in would be 2024. 

If the gist is 2 x 10, then we will be in 3rd division along with half of the other Championship teams. 

If that is what comes about, yes. Also being mooted, however, is the end of promotion to the upper divisions and zero central funding for those clubs who have effectively been excluded.

This is a worst-case scenario but, nowadays, too many of those have a tendency of coming to fruition.

[KC Ram]

If the worst case senario does come to fruition those teams excluded could seek their own deals or create a separate pay to view streaming service. Maybe highlights or weekly tries like the superleague show. I expect those teams will have access to the knowledge to do this. 

[Outside view]

Imo something needs to change,I appreciate a lot of people won’t like this but the championship is getting to the stage where you’ve got too big of a disparity between those at the top and those at the bottom.

Those at the top end of the table are more than likely spending over the million pound a year mark on wages has opposed to those at the bottom who’s budget will be closer 150k for the entire team. 
it’s hardly any wonder we are seeing blow out scores week in week out. Some will point to Batley and how they have done it but imo they won’t be able to sustain it has their better players will demand more money and to get it many will have to move on. Tom Gilmour I’m told has signed for Widnes on a 60k deal and Luke Hooley will also be in demand. 
The question that needs to be asked should be do you want a team struggling year in year out in the championship surviving on scraps and the odd win or a competitive team in league 1 with a chance to build and have something to play for other than relegation. 
It sounds harsh but that’s the reality without substantial investment. 

[Fevrover]

22 hours ago, Wakefield Ram said:

There's no change planned. And if Rugby League think the answer to anything is having 2 x leagues of 10, which means the fewer teams playing each other even more often, then they are asking the wrong questions.

It's bad enough now seeing same teams without even more regularly!

[Blind side johnny]

2 minutes ago, Outside view said:

Imo something needs to change,I appreciate a lot of people won’t like this but the championship is getting to the stage where you’ve got too big of a disparity between those at the top and those at the bottom.

Those at the top end of the table are more than likely spending over the million pound a year mark on wages has opposed to those at the bottom who’s budget will be closer 150k for the entire team. 
it’s hardly any wonder we are seeing blow out scores week in week out. Some will point to Batley and how they have done it but imo they won’t be able to sustain it has their better players will demand more money and to get it many will have to move on. Tom Gilmour I’m told has signed for Widnes on a 60k deal and Luke Hooley will also be in demand. 
The question that needs to be asked should be do you want a team struggling year in year out in the championship surviving on scraps and the odd win or a competitive team in league 1 with a chance to build and have something to play for other than relegation. 
It sounds harsh but that’s the reality without substantial investment. 

All very true OV.

The third option, that most people avoid, is the worrying one: clubs closing one by one due to semi-pro RL being completely unsustainable for some based purely upon gate money and sponsorship. As clubs will, inevitably, be unable to pay even the relatively low amounts that they presently are then the attraction of moving away from an amateur club diminishes rapidly.

Funding sources for individual clubs and the division as a whole is vital and we have to be concerned about the abilities of many clubs to adequately generate them. A strategic approach is required and this is something that IMG are working upon. I fear, however, that their strategy may exclude many clubs such as ours.

[Keep The Faith]

12 minutes ago, Outside view said:

Imo something needs to change,I appreciate a lot of people won’t like this but the championship is getting to the stage where you’ve got too big of a disparity between those at the top and those at the bottom.

Those at the top end of the table are more than likely spending over the million pound a year mark on wages has opposed to those at the bottom who’s budget will be closer 150k for the entire team. 
it’s hardly any wonder we are seeing blow out scores week in week out. Some will point to Batley and how they have done it but imo they won’t be able to sustain it has their better players will demand more money and to get it many will have to move on. Tom Gilmour I’m told has signed for Widnes on a 60k deal and Luke Hooley will also be in demand. 
The question that needs to be asked should be do you want a team struggling year in year out in the championship surviving on scraps and the odd win or a competitive team in league 1 with a chance to build and have something to play for other than relegation. 
It sounds harsh but that’s the reality without substantial investment. 

60k… Widnes throwing money about they’ll be back with the begging buckets out again then as they’ve not made the the top 6 for the third season running… 

imagine if nothing changes in the next 3 year clubs will be running themselves into bankruptcy 

[Outside view]

20 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

All very true OV.

The third option, that most people avoid, is the worrying one: clubs closing one by one due to semi-pro RL being completely unsustainable for some based purely upon gate money and sponsorship. As clubs will, inevitably, be unable to pay even the relatively low amounts that they presently are then the attraction of moving away from an amateur club diminishes rapidly.

Funding sources for individual clubs and the division as a whole is vital and we have to be concerned about the abilities of many clubs to adequately generate them. A strategic approach is required and this is something that IMG are working upon. I fear, however, that their strategy may exclude many clubs such as ours.

I believe the long term plan will be for league 1 to continue has a starting point for expansion clubs has it’s almost their now. 
Nothing wrong with been in a league like that but the travelling for fans and players may become a little tedious if it goes on for years,certainly the travelling will have a say in which players decide to stay and which move on or retire from the game. 

[Rambo]

On 01/08/2022 at 16:40, Blind side johnny said:

If the mooted changes to the league structure come about there will be no possibility of getting back up. That could conceivably see the demise of the club, along with some others in the same situation.

I reckon this is why Keighley are lashing the money around in order to be in the lifeboat when the ship sinks.

The demise of our club commenced 3 or 4 seasons ago TBH and will only be hastened by whatever IMG put out there.

Both on and off the field no real investment has been made. Not just investment in the playing squad but  little or no efforts made in Marketing or Community work in School’s, Lotteties or on ground improvements.

No official speeches made after games and only the minimum efforts made on Social media marketing.

The drop off from around 1k supporters a few years ago to what will be around 300 at the end of the season will make for very little resistance from the few stalwarts that remain to whatever Mr Sawyer has planned next.

All very sad…

 

 

[Blind side johnny]

1 hour ago, Rambo said:

The demise of our club commenced 3 or 4 seasons ago TBH and will only be hastened by whatever IMG put out there.

Both on and off the field no real investment has been made. Not just investment in the playing squad but  little or no efforts made in Marketing or Community work in School’s, Lotteties or on ground improvements.

No official speeches made after games and only the minimum efforts made on Social media marketing.

The drop off from around 1k supporters a few years ago to what will be around 300 at the end of the season will make for very little resistance from the few stalwarts that remain to whatever Mr Sawyer has planned next.

All very sad…

 

 

You seem to suggest that this is unique to our club - it is an issue throughout this league and the game as a whole.

[Wakefield Ram]

It will be interesting to see the proposed new structure. Will TV viewers want to watch fewer SL teams playing each other even more often? I stopped watching SL years ago. Teams in the bottom half of SL will be worried they'll get relegated into SL2 and similar for those in bottom half of Championship. 

Ending promotion would be a death knell for the game. There's not enough money for 20 FT teams. And cutting 15-20 clubs loose is not going to make the game stronger. Shuffling the deckchairs on the Titanic by changing the league structure won't make any difference.

They've got to make the game more entertaining. Less of the one man drives and "arm wrestle" and kicks down the field. Frankly, it's boring to watch as an outsider.

 

 

Edited August 2, 2022 by Wakefield Ram

[Crown Flatter]

For what it’s worth, I have now added London’s remaining fixtures to this thread’s heading.

[J Phil Loxton]

I thought the idea of having IMG was to improve the game and bringing the sport together. If they dilute it any more by getting rid of clubs then it becomes more insular. In my view the Super League should be fourteen with a league of sixteen below it. A third division for expansion and top amateur teams might be the way forward.

[Wakefield Ram]

1 hour ago, J Phil Loxton said:

I thought the idea of having IMG was to improve the game and bringing the sport together. If they dilute it any more by getting rid of clubs then it becomes more insular. In my view the Super League should be fourteen with a league of sixteen below it. A third division for expansion and top amateur teams might be the way forward.

I'm old enough to remember "Framing the Future" report which never really went anywhere other than to stop teams being promoted.

Any report will come up against the same vested club interests. 

[Rambo]

4 hours ago, Blind side johnny said:

You seem to suggest that this is unique to our club - it is an issue throughout this league and the game as a whole.

I was speaking with our club in particular in mind (though I appreciate other clubs may have similar problems).

With relegation a near certainty for us, the reduction in funding and the current state of the club. Our situation appears to be more stark than that of most of our peers.

 

Edited August 2, 2022 by Rambo

[Piggy's mate]

Too much doom and gloom on here! I appreciate you are in a dark place at the moment, but you have the perfect set-up on Owl Lane, with very good facilities and access to an expanding local fan base. The only thing you need to get going is a good coach. You've hung on to poor coaches too long. A fine example is Diskin at our place. Get a good coach and the rest will follow. RL is a team game and the best managed teams are up there!

[Wakefield Ram]

28 minutes ago, Piggy's mate said:

Too much doom and gloom on here! I appreciate you are in a dark place at the moment, but you have the perfect set-up on Owl Lane, with very good facilities and access to an expanding local fan base. The only thing you need to get going is a good coach. You've hung on to poor coaches too long. A fine example is Diskin at our place. Get a good coach and the rest will follow. RL is a team game and the best managed teams are up there!

I called for Greenwood to go in July last year, but Mark Sawyer does show loyalty to his coaches and if LG had gone 10 games earlier think we'd be in a much better position. 

But next season should mean we have a chance of winning something.

[NickD]

1 hour ago, Wakefield Ram said:

 

But next season should mean we have a chance of winning something.

A game would be a good start

[Blind side johnny]

20 hours ago, Wakefield Ram said:

It will be interesting to see the proposed new structure. Will TV viewers want to watch fewer SL teams playing each other even more often? I stopped watching SL years ago. Teams in the bottom half of SL will be worried they'll get relegated into SL2 and similar for those in bottom half of Championship. 

Ending promotion would be a death knell for the game. There's not enough money for 20 FT teams. And cutting 15-20 clubs loose is not going to make the game stronger. Shuffling the deckchairs on the Titanic by changing the league structure won't make any difference.

They've got to make the game more entertaining. Less of the one man drives and "arm wrestle" and kicks down the field. Frankly, it's boring to watch as an outsider.

 

 

I don't think that many people subscribe to Sky for RL so the impact upon subscribers will be minimal. I can see Sky ditching RL altogether.

As a counterpoint I find RU really boring to watch, particularly club games, yet they persuade people to attend. Maybe it is much more fundamental than the reality of the product, more its perception.

[Blind side johnny]

19 hours ago, J Phil Loxton said:

I thought the idea of having IMG was to improve the game and bringing the sport together. If they dilute it any more by getting rid of clubs then it becomes more insular. In my view the Super League should be fourteen with a league of sixteen below it. A third division for expansion and top amateur teams might be the way forward.

I found the introduction of IMG to be somewhat opaque and certainly never had a real understanding of their objective. They are supposed to become "stakeholders" though, benefitting only through the successful implementation of their vision and sharing in its reward. (No, I don't really understand how that works either.)

[Wakefield Ram]

58 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

I found the introduction of IMG to be somewhat opaque and certainly never had a real understanding of their objective. They are supposed to become "stakeholders" though, benefitting only through the successful implementation of their vision and sharing in its reward. (No, I don't really understand how that works either.)

Have worked with some of the Big Four consultancies, I hold out little hope they'll come up with anything meaningful. Usually just a set of very expensive PowerPoint slides. Expect they'll hope that they will be employed to implement any of the "media" recommendations. If so, this would be a clear conflict of interest, but again no surprise there. 

Edited August 3, 2022 by Wakefield Ram

[Blind side johnny]

Just in case anyone missed the original announcement:

RFL and Super League announce strategic partnership with IMG (rugby-league.com)