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London Broncos Matchday Experience in 2023

Jughead

By Jughead
in The General Rugby League Forum

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3 hours ago, Londonbornirishbred said:

As my name would point to, I have a bit of knoedge about London Irish. 

During shamateurism, they were always one of the wealthiest clubs in Britain. Whilst professionalism has been cruel to them, they're safe from Reading and back nearer home. They're 40 million in debt is more than covered by their assets and they're in the process of changing hands for no money, as Crossan, like many owners before him, has done what he did for love of the game/club. Fortunately for them, the exiles cam fall back on a huge dispora as well as wealthy supporters back home in Ireland and they're never short of people willing to invest. 

I believe the figure offered a few years back (2013?) Was £80,000,000 for their training grounds...the amateur club are the guardians and they will never sell it.

So yes. The exiles are in debt [as are most sports clubs], but there's is manageable and in no danger of being called in. The tax man isn't owed anything.

As for London Broncos. It would b3 fair to estimate that their debt to Hughes must now be closer to £30,000,000. Alas, they've nowt more than a name and a website to show for it.

Lomdon Irish are dependent on the good will of Brentford.


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4 hours ago, crashmon said:

Yea, the reason we stay where we are is both my parents are eldery and live near us(they moved down with me 22 years ago, as they could not get a Job in Bolton both being over 50 at the time, within 3 weeks of being down with us they both had jobs). 

As both now have health problems we can't really move even though we have 1) paid off mortgage and 2) no longer need to live near heathrow as travel is no longer needed for my job post covid.

Although its unlikely we will move all the way north when my parents pass, its more likely it will be cotswalds somewhere as my wife has her heart set on that

Ditto. Although Norfolk probably when the time comes. 

Londonbornirishbred

Londonbornirishbred

Posted
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19 hours ago, NW10LDN said:

Lomdon Irish are dependent on the good will of Brentford.

In the same way many clubs are dependant on their soccer landlords. That said, Brentford and London Irish started discussions before a sod was turned at Kew Bridge and there seems to be an increase in gates in this early part of the season this year. I know of a few Brentford fans who are now exiles regulars too.

Meanwhile, back to the Broncos. 

Anyone who thinks there's anything behind this "effort" needs to ask haw club recruitment for staff to carry out these activities is going. Last season the club belatedly begged for volunteers to help, but then realized that the group that used to help, the LBSA had been side stepped with the clubs own official supporters group, the members of which weren't keen on helping out other than supping ale with the commercial manager [until he left].

I believe there are 26 home games left for the Broncos to hit the 5,000 target Mr Hughes set in early 2022. Does anyone here think a matchday birianni on a bouncy castle will deliver that?

As I've said. IMG should buy london and show everyone else how it's done.

 

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Just now, Londonbornirishbred said:

In the same way many clubs are dependant on their soccer landlords. That said, Brentford and London Irish started discussions before a sod was turned at Kew Bridge and there seems to be an increase in gates in this early part of the season this year. I know of a few Brentford fans who are now exiles regulars too.

Meanwhile, back to the Broncos. 

Anyone who thinks there's anything behind this "effort" needs to ask haw club recruitment for staff to carry out these activities is going. Last season the club belatedly begged for volunteers to help, but then realized that the group that used to help, the LBSA had been side stepped with the clubs own official supporters group, the members of which weren't keen on helping out other than supping ale with the commercial manager [until he left].

I believe there are 26 home games left for the Broncos to hit the 5,000 target Mr Hughes set in early 2022. Does anyone here think a matchday birianni on a bouncy castle will deliver that?

As I've said. IMG should buy london and show everyone else how it's done.

 

Just a few. I know a lot of fans who want them out. IMG shouldn't buy London. It would be waste of money. Broncos are a tarnished brand and the man responsible refuses to let go. 

Londonbornirishbred

Londonbornirishbred

Posted
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2 hours ago, NW10LDN said:

Just a few. I know a lot of fans who want them out. IMG shouldn't buy London. It would be waste of money. Broncos are a tarnished brand and the man responsible refuses to let go. 

I lived in TW8 for close to 20 years. A 9 iron from the centre circle at GP and I am delighted to be able to call many hundreds of my best mates Brentford FC fans (as well as say that in 20 years I never watched them once). I can assure you, those who have been supporting the club through many MANY dark years appreciate the income the Exiles bring. Those that think the Bees will be challenging City and Arsenal if the pitch wasn't ripped up by egg chasers aren't living in the real world.
 

Funny you should mention the owner. Today (in the UK) is the 9th anniversary of the beginning of the end. It was on December 13th 2013 that the club agreed to move to the Hive after Hughes had spat his dummy out after a Challenge Cup Semi-final hammering at the hands of Wigan and let all the players go, threatening the RFL with pulling his support. I am still in awe at how little is ever made of the £100,000 "marketing budget" paid to the Barnet owner by the SL clubs/RFL to facilitate this move, but needless to say, the 2014 squad was assembled in 6 weeks managed 1 win on the way to relegation. The fluke that was promotion wasn't enough to wash away the "damned spot" of guilt that Hughes should feel for the utter destruction of the club.

London can support a SL club, but unlike the NRL, the RFL/SL Clubs don't have the stomach for the level of investment needed. As such, when Hughes leaves, the mantle passes to the Skolars and as you can see from recent activities on that front, there's little life left there either.

A new entity, owned by IMG and not constrained by financial anchors like the cap could achieve a regular 10,000 gate in a stadium like PL or Brisbane Road, but it would take a HUGE investment over at least 2 decades to build and maintain/retain that audience. Remember, Hughes inherited 5k fans in 2007......he left with 3,500 fewer 5 years later.

"It takes a second to lose a needle in a haystack, but a lot longer to find it again"

 

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35 minutes ago, Londonbornirishbred said:

I lived in TW8 for close to 20 years. A 9 iron from the centre circle at GP and I am delighted to be able to call many hundreds of my best mates Brentford FC fans (as well as say that in 20 years I never watched them once). I can assure you, those who have been supporting the club through many MANY dark years appreciate the income the Exiles bring. Those that think the Bees will be challenging City and Arsenal if the pitch wasn't ripped up by egg chasers aren't living in the real world.
 

Funny you should mention the owner. Today (in the UK) is the 9th anniversary of the beginning of the end. It was on December 13th 2013 that the club agreed to move to the Hive after Hughes had spat his dummy out after a Challenge Cup Semi-final hammering at the hands of Wigan and let all the players go, threatening the RFL with pulling his support. I am still in awe at how little is ever made of the £100,000 "marketing budget" paid to the Barnet owner by the SL clubs/RFL to facilitate this move, but needless to say, the 2014 squad was assembled in 6 weeks managed 1 win on the way to relegation. The fluke that was promotion wasn't enough to wash away the "damned spot" of guilt that Hughes should feel for the utter destruction of the club.

London can support a SL club, but unlike the NRL, the RFL/SL Clubs don't have the stomach for the level of investment needed. As such, when Hughes leaves, the mantle passes to the Skolars and as you can see from recent activities on that front, there's little life left there either.

A new entity, owned by IMG and not constrained by financial anchors like the cap could achieve a regular 10,000 gate in a stadium like PL or Brisbane Road, but it would take a HUGE investment over at least 2 decades to build and maintain/retain that audience. Remember, Hughes inherited 5k fans in 2007......he left with 3,500 fewer 5 years later.

"It takes a second to lose a needle in a haystack, but a lot longer to find it again"

 

Not as many Bees as you think.

IMG would be fools to take on ownership of a club in London and it would be unfair on the other SL clubs who they have been contracted to help as well. Hughes might be keeping the club alive but sometimes it is better to let it collapse and let something else rise no matter how long it takes. 

Gav Wilson

Gav Wilson

Posted
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13 hours ago, NW10LDN said:

Not as many Bees as you think.

IMG would be fools to take on ownership of a club in London and it would be unfair on the other SL clubs who they have been contracted to help as well. Hughes might be keeping the club alive but sometimes it is better to let it collapse and let something else rise no matter how long it takes. 

It wouldn't be much different from News Corp owning the Storm to be fair. 

@GavWilson

Man of Kent

Man of Kent

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, Londonbornirishbred said:

London can support a SL club, but unlike the NRL, the RFL/SL Clubs don't have the stomach for the level of investment needed. As such, when Hughes leaves, the mantle passes to the Skolars and as you can see from recent activities on that front, there's little life left there either.

A new entity, owned by IMG and not constrained by financial anchors like the cap could achieve a regular 10,000 gate in a stadium like PL or Brisbane Road, but it would take a HUGE investment over at least 2 decades to build and maintain/retain that audience. Remember, Hughes inherited 5k fans in 2007......he left with 3,500 fewer 5 years later.

Previous Broncos crowds and international attendances in London show it can be done but first and foremost it needs a team worth watching. It's no coincidence that gates have declined as the performances on the field worsened. 

That's where the investment needs to be, pretty much everything else is now in place.

Ivarr the Boneless

Ivarr the Boneless

Posted
Posted

Sorry I disagree. The club remains a shell behind the scenes. The structure off the field needs changing if the club is to thrive.

As does the attitude their and approach towards spectators or they'll just burn off another generation of fans. Some fans certainly left due to a declining product however a fair chunk left / became irregular attenders due to feeling alienated from the club. 

Bedfordshire Bronco

Bedfordshire Bronco

Posted
Posted
20 hours ago, Londonbornirishbred said:

In the same way many clubs are dependant on their soccer landlords. That said, Brentford and London Irish started discussions before a sod was turned at Kew Bridge and there seems to be an increase in gates in this early part of the season this year. I know of a few Brentford fans who are now exiles regulars 

I went to an Exiles game few weeks ago....they moved my mates season ticket away from the end he's normally in....crowds have been down...the Montpellier game crowd was awful 

Bedfordshire Bronco

Bedfordshire Bronco

Posted
Posted
13 minutes ago, Ivarr the Boneless said:

Sorry I disagree. The club remains a shell behind the scenes. The structure off the field needs changing if the club is to thrive.

As does the attitude their and approach towards spectators or they'll just burn off another generation of fans. Some fans certainly left due to a declining product however a fair chunk left / became irregular attenders due to feeling alienated from the club. 

There is also a lot of fans who say they are leaving as they have been 'burned'/'forgotten' but then still turn up.....especially when we are winning (like second half of last season )

Nothing succeeds like success 

A good season this year will cement the Plough lane move and I think 1500 plus will be the norm...I'm ever hopeful 

Bedfordshire Bronco

Bedfordshire Bronco

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Ivarr the Boneless said:

1500 would still leave a substantial number of ex regulars who haven't returned. More than have returned I'd suggest.

Yep of course....just think it's a realistic number for now......top 3 success would be more 

DI Keith Fowler

DI Keith Fowler

Posted
Posted
21 hours ago, NW10LDN said:

Not as many Bees as you think.

IMG would be fools to take on ownership of a club in London and it would be unfair on the other SL clubs who they have been contracted to help as well. Hughes might be keeping the club alive but sometimes it is better to let it collapse and let something else rise no matter how long it takes. 

I mean I'd argue they've not been contracted to do this, but to grow the game as a whole. If part of their strategy* was that it required a strong, subsidised London presence I don't think fairness on other clubs would be a consideration.

*I highly doubt it is as it would require money that they're not down to provide. 

I was born to run a club like this. Number 1, I do not spook easily, and those who think I do, are wasting their time, with their surprise attacks.

Sports Prophet

Sports Prophet

Posted
Posted

Agree with recent posters on this thread.

The Broncos are a shell of an organisation. To say all they need is success is glossing over the very basics of a “club”.

Hughes has been a disaster for the club. He has made terrible recruitment decisions and advanced the club to the a polar opposite of what any sports investor would be interested in. There is no legacy for the Broncos. The business is hardly worth £10.

 

Archie Gordon

Archie Gordon

Posted
Posted
10 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

Agree with recent posters on this thread.

The Broncos are a shell of an organisation. To say all they need is success is glossing over the very basics of a “club”.

Hughes has been a disaster for the club. He has made terrible recruitment decisions and advanced the club to the a polar opposite of what any sports investor would be interested in. There is no legacy for the Broncos. The business is hardly worth £10.

 

I'm with you on all of that but - for some balance at least - all the steps taken in the off season so far are positive.

Scholarship is back for 2023.

Matchday experience is being improved.

Website/social media is improved.

Promised closer ties with the London Junior League seem to be happening.

These are all very much basic things - and it seems odd to applaud the club for getting back to this minimum level of operation - but several activities that stopped happening for one reason or another post-Trailfinders are now coming back to life.

westlondonfan

westlondonfan

Posted
Posted

I think a 1500 average would create a good atmosphere at Ealing unfortunately I don’t think that it ever will at Wimbledon.

A year ago there was talk of a target of 5000 in the next three years I think. I haven’t heard anything about that recently?

Around the time that Danny Ward left he said there was no plan for London. I have not seen anything to prove him wrong on this. Simply moving into a much bigger stadium is not progress for me. I really think we should of stayed at Trailfinders for another 5 or 10 years and then reviewed things again. 
iMG are not going to solve all of the Broncos problems in a million years. 

Londonbornirishbred

Londonbornirishbred

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, ShropshireBull said:

Sorry what assets do they have? Irish own no stadium and if the training ground will never be sold then it doesn´t have an accounting value especially if it is held by the amatuer not professional club (like Wasps) . Brentford want Irish out as they have that sweet prem cash (it was bad timing for Irish that brentford were promoted the second the stadium opened so eliminating the need for them). 

He said he would give it away for free and noone has come in because noone wants to have that eye-watering debt. Everyone else within Union seems to think Irish are in trouble too. 

No need to say sorry. When you're wrong, it's better to just admit it.

London Irish Holdings, the company that owns London Irish RFC, owns Hazelwood. It is close to 63 acres of ground with multiple pitches, a large club house and bar and facilities that I believe are leased/rented on an annual basis by visiting NFL sides.
This property was purchased with some of the funds raised from the sale and part development of The Avenue, where houses now change hands for 7 figures plus. The facilities at Hazelwood cost about 10 million I believe.

London Irish amateurs LIARFC play there, but they do not own it. 

 

Archie Gordon

Archie Gordon

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/london-broncos-super-league-img-28743680?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar

This has been known for years. As has the conundrum that folk living in and around London enjoy RL in good numbers but, for their own reasons, have no time for the Broncos/Skolars.

A successful solution to this problem doesn't have to involve the club game.

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