West Wales

[Gomersall]

25 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

I must have imagined York going to the wall and the RFL helping them to get back on their feet.....

Or taking on the lease for Odsal.

[Stuff Smith]

26 minutes ago, DEANO said:

We need to accept it’s by and large a northern sport for northern people.

This is a local sport for local people. There's nothing for you here.

[DEANO]

Ok I accept defeat. It’s a roaring success all over the country and is hugely popular everywhere it’s been tried

[Guest]

https://www.rugby-league.com/article/61311/west-wales-raiders-withdraw-from-rfl-competitions

At the end of the article, the RFL recommends a video of them losing 102-4 to Rochdale.

Nice touch.

[OriginalMrC]

37 minutes ago, DEANO said:

Every club has had its hardships it’s how you bounce back. I don’t recall the rfl helping out

You'd never have bounced back the way you did without all the great work by Jon Flatman (check his background). When issues like clubs winding up happen the RFL provides ongoing support, negotiating with interested parties, resolving disputes and influencing local authorities. A number of clubs (mostly northern based) wouldn't exist now if it hadn't been for the RFL. You continue with your narrative about them killing off northern clubs though

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

You'd never have bounced back the way you did without all the great work by Jon Flatman (check his background). When issues like clubs winding up happen the RFL provides ongoing support, negotiating with interested parties, resolving disputes and influencing local authorities. A number of clubs (mostly northern based) wouldn't exist now if it hadn't been for the RFL. You continue with your narrative about them killing off northern clubs though

"The RFL plans to hold discussions with Wales Rugby League early in the New Year regarding a more sustainable and effective approach to the promotion and development of the sport in South Wales."

[Jughead]

58 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

Overall games against WW were significantly loss-making for most clubs, particularly when you take into account the costs of the away fixture. Financially it won't be a loss but may well impact upon the ability to sell season tickets and upon the spirits of players only facing an 18 match (plus cup) season.

I never said they were profitable but it’s likely a loss of income nonetheless for many. Plus there’s clubs who are likely to pay to use venues for x amount of weekends with a blank weekend now. 

 

[Blind side johnny]

22 minutes ago, Jughead said:

I never said they were profitable but it’s likely a loss of income nonetheless for many. Plus there’s clubs who are likely to pay to use venues for x amount of weekends with a blank weekend now. 

 

Its not an issue in C1 as far as WW were concerned. The matches lost money.

(BTW please explain that not being profitable isn't important but losing income is?)

[Jughead]

1 minute ago, Blind side johnny said:

Its not an issue in C1 as far as WW were concerned. The matches lost money.

(BTW please explain that not being profitable isn't important but losing income is?)

Again, who said that last bit? You’re assuming a lot. 

 

[Blind side johnny]

3 minutes ago, Jughead said:

Again, who said that last bit? You’re assuming a lot. 

 

You said "I never said they were profitable but it's likely a loss of income nonetheless for many". What am I assuming about that which is incorrect?

[Midlands hobo]

6 hours ago, Toby Chopra said:

So if WWR do call it a day and sell up (although what do they really have to sell?)

Aspirations. Duhhhhh

[Midlands hobo]

1 hour ago, DEANO said:

We need to accept it’s by and large a northern sport for northern people. We’ve had a 100 plus years and lots of experiments with different areas. It simply doesn’t work or we would be nationwide like yawnion. Massive shame because for my money it’s the best sport in the world and would love it to be global

The reasons it isn't nationwide are too long to type on here but how about being put down by the establishment. Such as being banned in the UK military until the 90s on the basis there was no appetite for RL among all those northerners joining up.

[Whippet13]

2 hours ago, DEANO said:

We need to accept it’s by and large a northern sport for northern people. We’ve had a 100 plus years and lots of experiments with different areas. It simply doesn’t work or we would be nationwide like yawnion. Massive shame because for my money it’s the best sport in the world and would love it to be global

We dont "need" to accept anything of the sort. Trying "experiments" is why expansion has so often failed, an endlessly repeated random approach lacking any strategy whilst often being undermined by elements within the game. Having said that, WWR appear to have been an ongoing train wreck largely of their own making.

[Oxford]

2 hours ago, DEANO said:

This way they can gradually kill of the clubs they don’t want without taking the blame 

Although I'm not sure you're correct in this instance I do think this may become a common theme quite soon.

[del capo]

The struggle of semi pro clubs at the bottom of the pile is nothing new. The reasons for failures ( ie WWR ) and successes ( ie Coventry ) are I feel well understood by the powers that be.

Largely down to overheads - players wages and travel costs- without suitable income generation  together with a lack of proper clubhouse and junior infrastructure . It's not rocket science.....

We have been here before.

RFL once did a deal with the NCL to accommodate some semi pro clubs- new President  Lindsay Hoyle's Chorley then being one of them - that had financial benefits for the Community clubs in Tier 4 ( they have nearly none at present ).

It may now be time to have a renewed in depth look at the RL ladder .or rather lack of it , between Tier 3 and 4 .

Meanwhile who is to take the place of WWR in the CC?  Another Community club ?

My preference would be a select side from  the  otherwise  non involved South Wales clubs . Travel costs are unlikely to be an issue......

[ATLANTISMAN]

Sad to see them go however not surprising, to be honest i was very surprised they managed to get though their fixtures last season.

Paul

 

[chisholm]

13 minutes ago, del capo said:

The struggle of semi pro clubs at the bottom of the pile is nothing new. The reasons for failures ( ie WWR ) and successes ( ie Coventry ) are I feel well understood by the powers that be.

Largely down to overheads - players wages and travel costs- without suitable income generation  together with a lack of proper clubhouse and junior infrastructure . It's not rocket science.....

We have been here before.

RFL once did a deal with the NCL to accommodate some semi pro clubs- new President  Lindsay Hoyle's Chorley then being one of them - that had financial benefits for the Community clubs in Tier 4 ( they have nearly none at present ).

It may now be time to have a renewed in depth look at the RL ladder .or rather lack of it , between Tier 3 and 4 .

Meanwhile who is to take the place of WWR in the CC?  Another Community club ?

My preference would be a select side from  the  otherwise  non involved South Wales clubs . Travel costs are unlikely to be an issue......

Hi Del Capo,

please  keep banging the drum for the NCL and community clubs, without support from the RFl the future is bleak.

 

[Man of Kent]

Struggled to see the benefit of West Wales Raiders TBH. Wouldn’t money be better spent on Welsh men/women/youth leagues?

[Bearman]

7 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Struggled to see the benefit of West Wales Raiders TBH. Wouldn’t money be better spent on Welsh men/women/youth leagues?

What money?

There isn't any to spend

[Man of Kent]

17 minutes ago, Bearman said:

What money?

There isn't any to spend

Oh. I thought there was some central funding albeit reduced. 

[Omott91]

Perez should buy this licence too.

[Gomersall]

1 hour ago, Man of Kent said:

Oh. I thought there was some central funding albeit reduced. 

There is but do you really expect the other L1 teams to simply waive the money WWR were getting to finance Welsh development when they (L1 clubs) need every penny they can get, even more so after the loss of a home fixture.

[Gomersall]

3 minutes ago, Omott91 said:

Perez should buy this licence too.

There are no licences. 

[Roughyed Rats]

1 hour ago, Man of Kent said:

Oh. I thought there was some central funding albeit reduced. 

£12k last season

[JohnM]

14 hours ago, DEANO said:

Time to concentrate on the heartlands. The RL does have a strategy. Invent clubs with no support far away to help kill off already struggling clubs. This way they can gradually kill of the clubs they don’t want without taking the blame 

The RFL does concentrate on the heartlands, though. For example, the time, effort and money the RFL has put into Bradford Bulls is evidence of that.

Probably off the topic but the withdrawal of WW has triggered these thoughts. I trust that the sport does go for licencing / franchising because done properly, the RFL would have direct input and if necessary control over the running of clubs - proactive driving of adherence to licence /franchise terms - in return for active marketing for the whole sport and  marketing co-op ( money, collateral,  execution, campaigns etc) for individual clubs, typically on a matched funding basis. In my view, that sort of approach would be more attractive to clubs, especially at Championship and D1 level.

Is no use the RFL issuing licences and then leaving clubs to their fate. The licencees  need active management by the licensor.

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by JohnM