IMG Grading Unveiled

[Harry Stottle]

16 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Plenty in Hull speak like that 

I did a lot of work in Hull and was so pleased that I could download the Humberside App on Google Translate.

[Guest]

25 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

The problem with that is that there isn't enough money available to be had from those heartlands, that's why there's no real money in the game.  In addition, in the era when multinational competitions like the Champions League, Europa League and Heineken Cup are seen as standard fare the regional M62 league which is all the game can offer as it is can't attract sufficient interest from elsewhere to bring in the necessary money from other places either.

And without a lot more money in the game, it will just fall further and further off the pace set by soccer and RU.  If Sky conclude that the game in its current incarnation has no chance of expanding its audience, they'll walk away and Michael Carter's suggestion that it could all be part time again could come to pass.

The game hasn't penetrated into new areas because what it can offer the public there now isn't something of interest to them.  That does not mean it can't be done though, because the NFL has succeeded in penetrating not only London but indeed all across Britain with their London series.

It just means that the public in areas outside the heartland has to be shown something capable of attracting and then keeping their interest, presented in a top quality manner.  That unfortunately is beyond the capability of the game's current setup.

Would the big clubs stick around if it went part time again? That may be the one thing that leads to union and league reuniting. The GAA in Ireland is amatuer but it was created under unique circumstances and is a national obsession for the country. RL will never be able to replicate that at the part time level.

[Harry Stottle]

8 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

And without a strategy to change that.

What asking Scousers to forsake football?

That would be like going into a papal conclave and convincing them to switch to the Yiddish religion.

[Big Picture]

Just now, Harry Stottle said:

What asking Scousers to forsake football?

That would be like going into a papal conclave and convincing them to switch to the Yiddish religion.

Why would they have to forsake anything?  They're not limited to liking only one sport you know.

[Harry Stottle]

2 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

Why would they have to forsake anything?  They're not limited to liking only one sport you know.

No, so if they have Sky Sports they can watch it, but I doubt they subscribe to that platform for Rugby League no football no subscription, and how many I wonder would have enough money to follow both?

[Jughead]

2 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

No, so if they have Sky Sports they can watch it, but I doubt they subscribe to that platform for Rugby League no football no subscription, and how many I wonder would have enough money to follow both?

Plenty have enough money to follow Saints and Liverpool, Everton, City, United, Blackburn, Tranmere, Burnley, Wigan Athletic and Bolton (I personally know season ticket holders at all of the above clubs and others who follow non-league clubs). I’m not sure what you’re suggesting that people with an L postcode wouldn’t be able to follow another sport, if they so wished. 

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

What asking Scousers to forsake football?

That would be like going into a papal conclave and convincing them to switch to the Yiddish religion.

Most people who watch sport in the UK like more than one.

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

52 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Plenty in Hull speak like that 

There’s definitely less than 26 letters in the Hull dialect, let alone the 74 that lot have 

[redjonn]

12 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

He didn’t say it would reduce it, but would it add to it?

Yes if we follow the argument some would say about Derby games and the added promotional aspects of that.

[bobbruce]

5 hours ago, Derwent Parker said:

that's nit picking grand final is currently what counts.

I personally dont agree with that.

The old way was better you win the league that's the biggee - used to be over 30 matches.

winning 3 games for GF is not as good. Premiership trophy fair enough.

Theoretically 

saints could go unbeaten and have a chaotic injury crisis at season end and lose GF - that's just wrong.

The old way is the grand final. 

[Madrileño]

8 hours ago, Hull Kingston Bronco said:

The only viable option would be Cambodian, and how many people in Wigan or Leeds speak that?

 

It can't be many... a sizeable percentage struggle with basic English. 

[Tommygilf]

10 hours ago, Hull Kingston Bronco said:

Even if we did it in the Russian alphabet we'd still be 3 letters short. The only viable option would be Cambodian, and how many people in Wigan or Leeds speak that?

Hullish is its own world, but we need not look further than English and the letters we have given up.

Æ Þ ï œ З etc...

[GUBRATS]

Always thought the area around Stoke would have been good for expansion 

The Trent valley ' Ducks '

[Bostik Bailey]

11 hours ago, Big Picture said:

How exactly can St Helens reach into Liverpool?  What makes you think that Liverpudlians will ever care about a club which represents one of Liverpool's suburbs?

Liverpudlians don’t care about anything east of Huyton, north of Crosby or south of Speke. 
 

[redjonn]

36 minutes ago, Bostik Bailey said:

Liverpudlians don’t care about anything east of Huyton, north of Crosby or south of Speke. 
 

funny how things change, when I was a lad Huyton or I should say Huyton-with-Roby wasn't seen as Liverpool and for sure not a suburb of. Next I'll be getting told Whiston, Prescot are Liverpool and then why not Widnes... its an ever growing city for sure.

 

[fighting irish]

10 hours ago, Hull Kingston Bronco said:

There’s definitely less than 26 letters in the Hull dialect, let alone the 74 that lot have 

Ha Ha, my wife's from the Black Country and they have fewer letters too.

The strange thing (to me) is that they have more vowel sounds (achieved by mangling the original ones) and about half the consonants.

When I first met her and her teenage son, he said a sentence which lasted about 4 or 5 seconds without any consonants at all !

How are you? translates to Owamya? and a Zebra is a stripy'oss.

[Tommygilf]

25 minutes ago, redjonn said:

funny how things change, when I was a lad Huyton or I should say Huyton-with-Roby wasn't seen as Liverpool and for sure not a suburb of. Next I'll be getting told Whiston, Prescot are Liverpool and then why not Widnes... its an ever growing city for sure.

 

This is the way of things.

I certainly think Liverpool is particularly unique as a city in its views on the towns surrounding it, but they aren't insurmountable. 

I've said before that if Magic Weekend was to get the boot I'd like to see clubs targeting the big cities and stadiums near them for "big games" once a season. Saints and Liverpool, Wigan and Manchester, Catalans and Barcelona for example. Hull FC kind of do this with the Derby but it would be nice to see them come close to those crowds for a game against different opponents. Not only would this boost the attendance averages, but it would diversify the footprint of the fanbase of teams and show to broadcasters that there is a wider potential in teams than just the towns they play in.

[Route66]

47 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

This is the way of things.

I certainly think Liverpool is particularly unique as a city in its views on the towns surrounding it, but they aren't insurmountable. 

I've said before that if Magic Weekend was to get the boot I'd like to see clubs targeting the big cities and stadiums near them for "big games" once a season. Saints and Liverpool, Wigan and Manchester, Catalans and Barcelona for example. Hull FC kind of do this with the Derby but it would be nice to see them come close to those crowds for a game against different opponents. Not only would this boost the attendance averages, but it would diversify the footprint of the fanbase of teams and show to broadcasters that there is a wider potential in teams than just the towns they play in.

Definitely think the game should try a round of games at individual large stadiums but as a game we seem reluctant to attempt to try and engage with new supporters instead time and time again trying to sell to the same faces. As a footnote just read that Everton's ladies football team are expecting over 20000 at goodison tonight for the Merseyside derby in the wsl 

[Chrispmartha]

The biggest thing hindering the expansion of the sport in this country is the lack of internationals.

[gingerjon]

35 minutes ago, Route66 said:

Definitely think the game should try a round of games at individual large stadiums but as a game we seem reluctant to attempt to try and engage with new supporters instead time and time again trying to sell to the same faces. As a footnote just read that Everton's ladies football team are expecting over 20000 at goodison tonight for the Merseyside derby in the wsl 

Maybe it will be different this time but playing club games at big stadiums was a feature of the early days of Super League and it was a complete disaster. Not saying it couldn't work but without a huge effort it's set up to fail.

[Tommygilf]

2 hours ago, Route66 said:

Definitely think the game should try a round of games at individual large stadiums but as a game we seem reluctant to attempt to try and engage with new supporters instead time and time again trying to sell to the same faces. As a footnote just read that Everton's ladies football team are expecting over 20000 at goodison tonight for the Merseyside derby in the wsl 

I certainly think there is a lot to be learned from the WSL. A small cult following for 90% of games but with a broader base to get for bigger well advertised matches.

I suppose for us it would be like getting the same crowd who turn up to follow a team at a Cup final or Grand Final to a venue each year.

[Tommygilf]

2 hours ago, gingerjon said:

Maybe it will be different this time but playing club games at big stadiums was a feature of the early days of Super League and it was a complete disaster. Not saying it couldn't work but without a huge effort it's set up to fail.

I think it has to be the right teams at the right stadiums, and that is not to say that every team has this potential either.

[gingerjon]

Just now, Tommygilf said:

I think it has to be the right teams at the right stadiums, and that is not to say that every team has this potential either.

Scarcity and FOMO is the key here.

It has to be a big game - the kind to make home fans wince that it's not at home - and the venue has to be on board and used properly.

To respond to another point: My personal view is that by and large the WSL gets this wrong but because it has other positives - it's always going to be a record crowd right now for example - they can get away with it a bit, plus they have the in-built advantage that a lot, lot more people like football and so it's a bit fish-in-a-barrel in some ways. (That said, Everton and Liverpool are doing an excellent job with the build up to tonight's game, especially given how little the game really means in terms of titles, Europe places etc.)

[Tommygilf]

Just now, gingerjon said:

Scarcity and FOMO is the key here.

It has to be a big game - the kind to make home fans wince that it's not at home - and the venue has to be on board and used properly.

To respond to another point: My personal view is that by and large the WSL gets this wrong but because it has other positives - it's always going to be a record crowd right now for example - they can get away with it a bit, plus they have the in-built advantage that a lot, lot more people like football and so it's a bit fish-in-a-barrel in some ways. (That said, Everton and Liverpool are doing an excellent job with the build up to tonight's game, especially given how little the game really means in terms of titles, Europe places etc.)

I generally agree, though not necessarily that it has to be a big game. It would certainly help and make things easier, but other factors including the following of the other club could be considered (I'm drawn to Leeds vs Hull KR at Elland Road a few years ago for example).

On the WSL I agree that they have these advantages, but Arsenal for example have been able to have a big home gate at the Emirates and whilst averaging a fraction of that at Boreham Wood. 

I wouldn't insist on it for every club, but perhaps if loop fixtures are to remain, Magic is to go, and/or the cup is revamped to guarantee a number of home fixtures, there is scope for some clubs collaboratively to work on a "Big Match". Say Elland Road, Anfield/Bramley Moor Docks, Etihad, Camp Nou, the big Stadium in Toulouse and the KCOM (what a range), averaging 25 to 35k across these sorts of venues doesn't strike me as an impossible target once a year (especially if Magic goes). This isn't making Wakey play at Oakwell.

I also think this plays well into IMGs catchment and Fandom categories, by making clubs actually work for the areas they will claim.

[Big Picture]

8 hours ago, gingerjon said:

Scarcity and FOMO is the key here.

It has to be a big game - the kind to make home fans wince that it's not at home - and the venue has to be on board and used properly.

To respond to another point: My personal view is that by and large the WSL gets this wrong but because it has other positives - it's always going to be a record crowd right now for example - they can get away with it a bit, plus they have the in-built advantage that a lot, lot more people like football and so it's a bit fish-in-a-barrel in some ways. (That said, Everton and Liverpool are doing an excellent job with the build up to tonight's game, especially given how little the game really means in terms of titles, Europe places etc.)

The problem there is that with an M62-based league comprised of clubs in smallish, unfashionable, economically disadvantaged towns which are not the sort of places the public associates with big time major pro sport, there aren't any big matches, certainly none big enough to draw a big enough crowd to make it look good in a big stadium.  Sorry to say, the plain truth is that the likes of Wigan and St Helens aren't big enough draws and the rest (with the possible exception of Leeds) are even less saleable to the broader public.