Batley Bulldogs don’t meet Super League criteria

[Mumby Magic]

Main point. I was a volunteer there for 18 month in the office etc. I asked the then CEO what there long term plans were. He said SL. The current chairman was the chairman at the time too. 

The slope. It is 9 foot. I believe corner to corner. The bottom right hand corner is or was known as the 9 ' oil (SPL)

As most will know there is room for more terracing ore seating on the left hand side of the ground.

Finally, will they go up. No.

[Kirmonds pouch]

20 hours ago, Blind side johnny said:

PT/FT isn't just about the players. Most fans fail to understand this, having a superficial understanding of how successful clubs/ businesses operate.

You are peeing against the wind, but you are right.

Trinity have just spent 10 million rebuilding two sides of the ground, new pitch, new floodlight and a permanent big screen and we will only just meet criteria. Without this we would be out, without question. This will give us a capacity of 8000+, just enough to be viable, however we will now have full off field facilities that allow us to run as a 7 day a week business.

Without the latter we would have no chance to compete in the future. Due to the community/corporate nature of the new East stand and existing clubhouse and boxes and a 40 hours a week hybrid pitch, it's feasible that within a few years we will earn less money on some match days than we do as a service leisure provider during the week. This is a model for most smaller clubs but it does require a big investment, 11 million in our case.

Batley would need to at least level the pitch, add TV floodlights and find a few thousand more places in the ground.

However we also run a full academy set up, two shops, a community trust, a women's team, a disabled team, and so on and so on. We run with a fairly slim staff, probably the lowest in SL, but not including players and coaches we employ 20+ people.

I can't imagine Batley are even close to that at present. This is a huge leap to make in effectively 4 month and would bankrupt any club without a sugar daddy or a large supporter base that may support them.

I'm afraid this is the flaw in P&R these days, like it or not.

[GUBRATS]

10 minutes ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

You are peeing against the wind, but you are right.

Trinity have just spent 10 million rebuilding two sides of the ground, new pitch, new floodlight and a permanent big screen and we will only just meet criteria. Without this we would be out, without question. This will give us a capacity of 8000+, just enough to be viable, however we will now have full off field facilities that allow us to run as a 7 day a week business.

Without the latter we would have no chance to compete in the future. Due to the community/corporate nature of the new East stand and existing clubhouse and boxes and a 40 hours a week hybrid pitch, it's feasible that within a few years we will earn less money on some match days than we do as a service leisure provider during the week. This is a model for most smaller clubs but it does require a big investment, 11 million in our case.

Batley would need to at least level the pitch, add TV floodlights and find a few thousand more places in the ground.

However we also run a full academy set up, two shops, a community trust, a women's team, a disabled team, and so on and so on. We run with a fairly slim staff, probably the lowest in SL, but not including players and coaches we employ 20+ people.

I can't imagine Batley are even close to that at present. This is a huge leap to make in effectively 4 month and would bankrupt any club without a sugar daddy or a large supporter base that may support them.

I'm afraid this is the flaw in P&R these days, like it or not.

I think you're being a bit optimistic about the pitch , 40 hours usage a week ?

[Agbrigg]

2 hours ago, Mumby Magic said:

 

The bottom right hand corner is or was known as the 9 ' oil (SPL)

 

Thats a new one on me. The old Crown Flat ground of Dewsbury definitely had a 9 oil. I never knew Batley used the same term. 

[DEANO]

2 hours ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

You are peeing against the wind, but you are right.

Trinity have just spent 10 million rebuilding two sides of the ground, new pitch, new floodlight and a permanent big screen and we will only just meet criteria. Without this we would be out, without question. This will give us a capacity of 8000+, just enough to be viable, however we will now have full off field facilities that allow us to run as a 7 day a week business.

Without the latter we would have no chance to compete in the future. Due to the community/corporate nature of the new East stand and existing clubhouse and boxes and a 40 hours a week hybrid pitch, it's feasible that within a few years we will earn less money on some match days than we do as a service leisure provider during the week. This is a model for most smaller clubs but it does require a big investment, 11 million in our case.

Batley would need to at least level the pitch, add TV floodlights and find a few thousand more places in the ground.

However we also run a full academy set up, two shops, a community trust, a women's team, a disabled team, and so on and so on. We run with a fairly slim staff, probably the lowest in SL, but not including players and coaches we employ 20+ people.

I can't imagine Batley are even close to that at present. This is a huge leap to make in effectively 4 month and would bankrupt any club without a sugar daddy or a large supporter base that may support them.

I'm afraid this is the flaw in P&R these days, like it or not.

Your 1st paragraph states you’d be out without the improvements. So why have you been in all these years. Or are these new rules

[Blind side johnny]

1 hour ago, Agbrigg said:

Thats a new one on me. The old Crown Flat ground of Dewsbury definitely had a 9 oil. I never knew Batley used the same term. 

They bought the name when Crown Flatt was closed.

[Damien]

2 hours ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

You are peeing against the wind, but you are right.

Trinity have just spent 10 million rebuilding two sides of the ground, new pitch, new floodlight and a permanent big screen and we will only just meet criteria. Without this we would be out, without question. This will give us a capacity of 8000+, just enough to be viable, however we will now have full off field facilities that allow us to run as a 7 day a week business.

Without the latter we would have no chance to compete in the future. Due to the community/corporate nature of the new East stand and existing clubhouse and boxes and a 40 hours a week hybrid pitch, it's feasible that within a few years we will earn less money on some match days than we do as a service leisure provider during the week. This is a model for most smaller clubs but it does require a big investment, 11 million in our case.

Batley would need to at least level the pitch, add TV floodlights and find a few thousand more places in the ground.

However we also run a full academy set up, two shops, a community trust, a women's team, a disabled team, and so on and so on. We run with a fairly slim staff, probably the lowest in SL, but not including players and coaches we employ 20+ people.

I can't imagine Batley are even close to that at present. This is a huge leap to make in effectively 4 month and would bankrupt any club without a sugar daddy or a large supporter base that may support them.

I'm afraid this is the flaw in P&R these days, like it or not.

You haven't half changed your tune now Wakefield have finally started to redevelop Belle Vue.

[dboy]

4 hours ago, Mumby Magic said:

Main point. I was a volunteer there for 18 month in the office etc. I asked the then CEO what there long term plans were. He said SL. The current chairman was the chairman at the time too. 

The slope. It is 9 foot. I believe corner to corner. The bottom right hand corner is or was known as the 9 ' oil (SPL)

As most will know there is room for more terracing ore seating on the left hand side of the ground.

Finally, will they go up. No.

9'oil was Crown Flatts, Dewsbury (?)

[dboy]

2 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

I think you're being a bit optimistic about the pitch , 40 hours usage a week ?

You've tried poo-pooing this before and been shot down already. You tried to compare it the the decade old carpet at LSV.

The manufacturers standards state 30-40 hours of usage per week.

Do yo know more than them or not?

[dboy]

36 minutes ago, DEANO said:

Your 1st paragraph states you’d be out without the improvements. So why have you been in all these years. Or are these new rules

The club have only owned the ground for 2 years.

Remarkable progress in that time, I'm sure you'd agree.

Or did you want them to spend £12m upgrading someone else's property?

[idrewthehaggis]

For me Batley are a classic example of all the strengths and weaknesses of RL.

Strengths in that they seem the epitome of a well run club, rooted in the community, built on all the positives our Game historically has flourished on.

On the other hand, they also appear to have some basic facilities and may  not have the finances to compete at the top level. 

It is a dilemma. But  I wish them all the best as I suspect plenty in RL will be conspiring against 

[distantdog]

8 hours ago, PEANUT HEAD said:

Let's face it wants bulldozing  and used to level that pitch.

You could be right on the pitch, but you are completely ignorant about the ground.

[GUBRATS]

43 minutes ago, dboy said:

You've tried poo-pooing this before and been shot down already. You tried to compare it the the decade old carpet at LSV.

The manufacturers standards state 30-40 hours of usage per week.

Do yo know more than them or not?

You do know what a hybrid pitch is don't you ? , It's grass , I'd be amazed if it could stand that sort of workload 

Is it a hybrid , or is it a synthetic ? 

[dboy]

4 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

You do know what a hybrid pitch is don't you ? , It's grass , I'd be amazed if it could stand that sort of workload 

Is it a hybrid , or is it a synthetic ? 

The surface Wakey are laying is hybrid (I think I read 80% grass).

So, again, are you saying you know more about it's properties than the manufacturer?

THEY say 30-40 hours usage per week.

Are they lying?

Do they not know their own product?

Are you calling them liars?

[GUBRATS]

8 minutes ago, dboy said:

The surface Wakey are laying is hybrid (I think I read 80% grass).

So, again, are you saying you know more about it's properties than the manufacturer?

THEY say 30-40 hours usage per week.

Are they lying?

Do they not know their own product?

Are you calling them liars?

No , fair enough , as you say , they know their product 

The ' carpet ' at the LSV gets no more than 6 hours use a week 

[HawkMan]

1 hour ago, dboy said:

You've tried poo-pooing this before and been shot down already. You tried to compare it the the decade old carpet at LSV.

The manufacturers standards state 30-40 hours of usage per week.

Do yo know more than them or not?

That's the trouble with poo-poo, people try to poo-poo others poo-poo, and before you know it the forum  is overrun ....by poo-poo!

[Ragingbull]

12 minutes ago, dboy said:

The surface Wakey are laying is hybrid (I think I read 80% grass).

So, again, are you saying you know more about it's properties than the manufacturer?

THEY say 30-40 hours usage per week.

Are they lying?

Do they not know their own product?

Are you calling them liars?

Jees someones getting their knickers in a twist. Chill out.

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

15 minutes ago, dboy said:

The surface Wakey are laying is hybrid (I think I read 80% grass).

So, again, are you saying you know more about it's properties than the manufacturer?

THEY say 30-40 hours usage per week.

Are they lying?

Do they not know their own product?

Are you calling them liars?

Whether it will stand that usage is irrelevant. Getting bookings to actually make use of it is the issue - see eg Dewsbury's all weather facilities

[David Shepherd]

58 minutes ago, dboy said:

The surface Wakey are laying is hybrid (I think I read 80% grass).

So, again, are you saying you know more about it's properties than the manufacturer?

THEY say 30-40 hours usage per week.

Are they lying?

Do they not know their own product?

Are you calling them liars?

Realistically, what is the probability of Wakey being able to get paying customers for 30-40 hours per week?  And how much does that translate to in cash?

[DEANO]

3 hours ago, dboy said:

The club have only owned the ground for 2 years.

Remarkable progress in that time, I'm sure you'd agree.

Or did you want them to spend £12m upgrading someone else's property?

So if it was not fit for purpose before but you got away with it why change now

[dboy]

10 hours ago, David Shepherd said:

Realistically, what is the probability of Wakey being able to get paying customers for 30-40 hours per week?  And how much does that translate to in cash?

No idea David.

What it's usage capacity is and what they can realise may be two different things.

[Tommygilf]

12 hours ago, idrewthehaggis said:

For me Batley are a classic example of all the strengths and weaknesses of RL.

Strengths in that they seem the epitome of a well run club, rooted in the community, built on all the positives our Game historically has flourished on.

On the other hand, they also appear to have some basic facilities and may  not have the finances to compete at the top level. 

It is a dilemma. But  I wish them all the best as I suspect plenty in RL will be conspiring against 

Good summary that mate.

[Tommygilf]

15 hours ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

You are peeing against the wind, but you are right.

Trinity have just spent 10 million rebuilding two sides of the ground, new pitch, new floodlight and a permanent big screen and we will only just meet criteria. Without this we would be out, without question. This will give us a capacity of 8000+, just enough to be viable, however we will now have full off field facilities that allow us to run as a 7 day a week business.

Without the latter we would have no chance to compete in the future. Due to the community/corporate nature of the new East stand and existing clubhouse and boxes and a 40 hours a week hybrid pitch, it's feasible that within a few years we will earn less money on some match days than we do as a service leisure provider during the week. This is a model for most smaller clubs but it does require a big investment, 11 million in our case.

Batley would need to at least level the pitch, add TV floodlights and find a few thousand more places in the ground.

However we also run a full academy set up, two shops, a community trust, a women's team, a disabled team, and so on and so on. We run with a fairly slim staff, probably the lowest in SL, but not including players and coaches we employ 20+ people.

I can't imagine Batley are even close to that at present. This is a huge leap to make in effectively 4 month and would bankrupt any club without a sugar daddy or a large supporter base that may support them.

I'm afraid this is the flaw in P&R these days, like it or not.

Exactly, were asking Batley to go from being a business that runs like a local family owned restaurant or even a volunteer shop, to a Super Market. In 4 months. In a way that means when they most likely go back down to that lower level they don't go bust.

The gap between Super League and most of the Championship, as businesses let alone in playing squads, is massive.

[Kirmonds pouch]

19 hours ago, Ragingbull said:

Jees someones getting their knickers in a twist. Chill out.

Usually you so why not give someone else ag?

[Kirmonds pouch]

20 hours ago, Damien said:

You haven't half changed your tune now Wakefield have finally started to redevelop Belle Vue.

In what way, do elaborate.