What do SL execs think about Catalan making OT

[Toby Chopra]

17 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

I also think Catalan could do more in the UK. They are regular challengers for finals but do they have a UK supporters club? Are they interested in pushing for UK fans to get behind them? If they had something along those lines, I would sign up for it this week. I'm sure others might too. Catalan need to be recognising the opportunities.

Seriously? They're basically carrying the future of French rugby league on their shoulders, and you want them to do more to rescue the English game? If there's any international opportunity for them it would be in Catalunya.

[Dave T]

It is what it is, we do actually see this happen in other sports, crowds will absolutely vary for finals where the make-up of teams is more challenging. 

Catalans are a major part of SL. If it means getting 45-50k in the final instead of 65k, that's life. 

It is what it is. 

[GUBRATS]

3 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

That's precisely the point - there is no pull. But why shouldn't there be a push?

What would Catalans benefit from ? 

[Archie Gordon]

Just now, GUBRATS said:

What would Catalans benefit from ? 

Seriously? What would Catalan gain from having a UK supporter base that they could activate? You can't think of anything?

[Spidey]

2 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

What would Catalans benefit from ? 

For me nothing. A uk based supporters club would end up benefiting uk based clubs more than Catalans themselves. Better they concentrate efforts closer to home. 

Edited October 7, 2023 by Spidey

[Mumby Magic]

This is RL all over. Technically this thread shouldn't even be a thread if that makes sense. It should be marketed and priced to make it near capacity each year and not relying on certain teams to get to the final. However RL bring RL we sway from the fact that a French team has got there and in addition hoe big it should, and I really mean should be for the sport in France.

Edited October 7, 2023 by Mumby Magic

[Archie Gordon]

5 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

Seriously? They're basically carrying the future of French rugby league on their shoulders, and you want them to do more to rescue the English game? If there's any international opportunity for them it would be in Catalunya.

Point missed. 

[Toby Chopra]

1 minute ago, Dave T said:

It is what it is, we do actually see this happen in other sports, crowds will absolutely vary for finals where the make-up of teams is more challenging. 

Catalans are a major part of SL. If it means getting 45-50k in the final instead of 65k, that's life. 

It is what it is. 

It is what it is, but we're so cash strapped that it does seem that some clubs have already factored in that extra cash distribution, however small. We need to make sure clubs view any such distribution as an extra, rather than a given, as it really does depend on who makes finals, as this year's CCF (with two English teams) also shows.

[GUBRATS]

Just now, Spidey said:

For me nothing. A uk based supporters club would end up benefiting uk based club more than Catalans themselves. Better they concentrate efforts closer to home. 

If it benefitted UK clubs then that would help against the argument they bring nothing 

[Dave T]

1 minute ago, Archie Gordon said:

Seriously? What would Catalan gain from having a UK supporter base that they could activate? You can't think of anything?

I do get where you're coming from, and an overseas members pack including a shirt/t-shirt, badge, cap etc. could be nice and some meet the player events at away matches etc. but I think in reality it's a really niche offering that would die off pretty quickly. 

[GUBRATS]

1 minute ago, Mumby Magic said:

This is RL all over. Technically this thread shouldn't even ge a thread if that makes sense. It should be marketed and priced to make it near capacity each year and not relying on certain teams to get to the final. However RL bring RL we sway from the fact that a French team has got there and in addition hoe big it should, and I really mean should be for the sport in France.

Yes it should , but it doesn't 

[Dave T]

1 minute ago, Mumby Magic said:

This is RL all over. Technically this thread shouldn't even ge a thread if that makes sense. It should be marketed and priced to make it near capacity each year and not relying on certain teams to get to the final. However RL bring RL we sway from the fact that a French team has got there and in addition hoe big it should, and I really mean should be for the sport in France.

In any sport, if a finalist brought 2k instead of 15k to 20k it would hit the crowd number. 

I agree that there shouldn't be criticism of Catalans for this, but it is a nonsense to just expect us to replace 15k fans with others. 

[Spidey]

1 minute ago, GUBRATS said:

If it benefitted UK clubs then that would help against the argument they bring nothing 

I get if they had exhausted all avenues at home I guess they could tap into a market here. But they’re not close on that front. Even then it’d just increase “away” fans for them over here. Not long till some clubs here would say. Stop stealing our fans

[Archie Gordon]

Just now, Dave T said:

I do get where you're coming from, and an overseas members pack including a shirt/t-shirt, badge, cap etc. could be nice and some meet the player events at away matches etc. but I think in reality it's a really niche offering that would die off pretty quickly. 

It wouldn't cost much to set up and run. It would naturally ebb and flow interest-wise but Catalan could make a bomb this week and to everyone's benefit. Anyway, I'm crawling back under my rock.

[Dave T]

2 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

It is what it is, but we're so cash strapped that it does seem that some clubs have already factored in that extra cash distribution, however small. We need to make sure clubs view any such distribution as an extra, rather than a given, as it really does depend on who makes finals, as this year's CCF (with two English teams) also shows.

On your first line - what is the evidence? If that really was the case and it was such an issue, wouldn't we offload Catalans? 

This is brought up by fans on boards like this and the odd owner every now and then who want an English game. 

[Spidey]

3 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I do get where you're coming from, and an overseas members pack including a shirt/t-shirt, badge, cap etc. could be nice and some meet the player events at away matches etc. but I think in reality it's a really niche offering that would die off pretty quickly. 

For one offs it works. I’m a proud owner of a Catalans for a day t-shirt

[GUBRATS]

3 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

It is what it is, but we're so cash strapped that it does seem that some clubs have already factored in that extra cash distribution, however small. We need to make sure clubs view any such distribution as an extra, rather than a given, as it really does depend on who makes finals, as this year's CCF (with two English teams) also shows.

In theory all clubs should rely on purely their own income through turnstiles, but business and life isn't like that , especially Sport business 

[GUBRATS]

2 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

It wouldn't cost much to set up and run. It would naturally ebb and flow interest-wise but Catalan could make a bomb this week and to everyone's benefit. Anyway, I'm crawling back under my rock.

How would they " make a bomb " ? 

[Keep The Faith]

So the rfl should make the clubs from top to bottom sell tickets with a 10% for every ticket sold plus run a coach or over night trip etc 

I’ve only seen one club say they are running a trip to old Trafford and that was wakey 

[The Masked Poster]

19 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

There is nothing to stop anybody following the Dragons at their matches in the UK , but hardly any do , it's just not part of the UK sports culture 

European football competitions were once not part of the uk sports culture and up till recently something like the Champions League would have been dismissed (and was) as “not fair” or “not genuine champions”. I’d argue now that more and more football fans would actually prefer to win the CL than domestic trophies. 

Attitudes change, UK sports culture is not set in stone. 

[OriginalMrC]

The sort of nonsense discussed here and on social media winds me up. We had the same rubbish when Hull KR ane Leigh got to the Challenge Cup final.

What do people expect? That only Saints, Leeds, Warrington or Wigan should get to finals? Why don't we just get rid of all the other teams in the league?

In what should be moment of celebration seeing a French team reach the grand final there's loads of negative spin as usual. It's pretty depressing 

[Toby Chopra]

17 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

Point missed. 

Fair enough, I haven't had my coffee yet 

[GUBRATS]

10 minutes ago, Keep The Faith said:

So the rfl should make the clubs from top to bottom sell tickets with a 10% for every ticket sold plus run a coach or over night trip etc 

I’ve only seen one club say they are running a trip to old Trafford and that was wakey 

Should ' make ' , as in if you dont sell them you still have to pay for them ? 

[GUBRATS]

11 minutes ago, The Masked Poster said:

European football competitions were once not part of the uk sports culture and up till recently something like the Champions League would have been dismissed (and was) as “not fair” or “not genuine champions”. I’d argue now that more and more football fans would actually prefer to win the CL than domestic trophies. 

Attitudes change, UK sports culture is not set in stone. 

And that would be great if the sport was played at a similar level in half a dozen countries across Europe 

Can you see the problem ? 

[Toby Chopra]

13 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

In theory all clubs should rely on purely their own income through turnstiles, but business and life isn't like that , especially Sport business 

I'm not saying clubs shouldn't include distributions from finals, they certainly should, I'm just saying they should ensure that they don't budget for something that isn't guaranteed to happen and is completely out of their control. If the distribution ends up being higher, add it to reserves or the season after's budget.

(Also, as an aside, I'd say only having turnstile income shouldn't be an aim for any sport, it's a sign of weakness in the modern world. Our aim should be TV deals and international revenues that dwarf our spectator income.)