Eddie Hearn talking SL again......

[graveyard johnny]

7 hours ago, Dave T said:

 

George Williams could score a hattrick and win the Ashes for England 

theres more chance of him beating Luke Littler in the PDC  world final

[EggFace]

9 hours ago, Ackroman said:

 I do wonder why Eddie Hearn cares about RL and why we should listen to him. The best story has been the efforts of Sir Kev and it's been capitalised on as much as you can with the breadth of the TV and media landscape these days. The only story that could outstrip his efforts is a world cup win for England because that team will have the stars that could do something that hasn't been done for over 50 years! it's the most glaring and obvious story in the waiting. All the other stuff around SL "stars" going on SAS who Dares wins (remember Sam Burgess?) or Celebrity Master Chef or whatever, will just generate a passing interest. 

I think the only other story that could possibly top that would be a merger of the two codes. I'm not sure which of the 2 is the least likely.

Seeing the likes of Marcus Smith playing a unified game might help matters and seeing the likes of Mickey Lewis play for England in the 6 Nations might get few more eyes on the tv screen but go go ahed laugh, cry and stamp your foot at what I just said.

[Dave T]

I do find it a bit sad that the RL media are writing articles about another sport getting a new TV deal and somebody not involved in RL telling us the sport is dying.

Are any other sports as insecure and self-harming?

[gingerjon]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Are any other sports as insecure and self-harming?

I should introduce you to cricket some time.

[dkw]

3 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I do find it a bit sad that the RL media are writing articles about another sport getting a new TV deal and somebody not involved in RL telling us the sport is dying.

Are any other sports as insecure and self-harming?

I've said before on here, the worst person to ask about any good things about RL is an RL fan. 

[RigbyLuger]

40 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I do find it a bit sad that the RL media are writing articles about another sport getting a new TV deal and somebody not involved in RL telling us the sport is dying.

Are any other sports as insecure and self-harming?

Clickbait. Do they try and work out why it could be, or just use it as a piece to kick RL with and no analysis?

[JohnM]

I don't think it's clickbait in the perjoritive meaning of the word. I guess it's just as difficult running an RL media business in these changing times as it is running a rugby league club in these changing times, and subscriptions and copies have to be sold or we won't have L.E.

Fortunately, League Express is about much more than the headline topics on this forum. I don't know the financial issues around running this forum: is the advertising revenue greater than the running cost? Do the opinions and discussions fuel League Express content? 

My particular issue, though, is that at times, hidden amongst the well-reasoned and informative  editorial content, there is an undercurrent of antipathy to the current administration of the game here

This is in my opinion, best illustrated by the regular podcasts, where no opportunity to damn with faint praise is ever missed, or " I really want this to succeed but..."

At times, there seems to be no analysis or understanding of the difficulties of running our sport and our clubs. That's ok for us, we're (passionate?) fans and don't or won't see the whole picture. LE editorial should rise above that.

Yes, there is plenty to have a go at in our sport, just as in other sports, but when having a go becomes a way of life, it becomes counter-productive. 

I can understand it from some  anti-establishent fans, but is LE presenting Hearn as the new Messiah when in fact he's just a very naughty boy? Sure, it's very appealing to imagine that he could bring the success our sport clearly deserves  - instantly.  Shouldn't L.E. be just as critically analytical over him as with the Re-imagining Rugby League project?

 

[Dave T]

https://tbrrugbyleague.com/news/eddie-hearn-explains-the-drastic-actions-super-league-and-british-pyramid-require-to-save-dying-sport/

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/eddie-hearn-sends-clear-message-9859322

https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/rugby-league-is-dying-claims-leading-sports-promoter-eddie-hearn-100641/

https://www.totalrl.com/eddie-hearn-gives-brutal-assessment-of-dying-rugby-league-in-the-uk/

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/eddie-hearn-delivers-brutal-dying-assessment-of-british-rugby-league#:~:text=And Hearn%2C speaking to the,Bad.”

In the week the UK season commences with the Challenge Cup, why are so many in the world of RL media pushing this narrative?

When will we see articles about how the RFL believe Snooker ain't what it used to be.

[JohnM]

Help required. Who is that, pictured in these virtually identical articles  alongside Edward Hearn? He looks vaguely familiar.

[RigbyLuger]

So many things in RL to write about. With all the moaning about Sadiq Khan's list, you'd think those who ignore women's RL (not LE and selected others) would not be so hypocritical! 

[Damien]

Get past this being about RU, it's pretty much what many have said about Rugby League. Other sports are failing in this area like Rugby League is:

'Stoic sport'

Maher urged rugby to break its self-imposed shackles, saying: "We are a very stoic sport in a way. I would love to see more personalities in the men's game.

"You see it a little bit with a player like (former England prop) Joe Marler, but I can't think of many others who have that. I wish they could show that more.

"There is a culture in rugby we need to shift. It's an amazing sport, but also an old sport where the same things have been happening for years.

"We keep talking about how do we get young people into the game. Those people are online. We have to shift our mindset if the sport is going to evolve."

"More women need to use it to get themselves out there," said Maher. "I went into the Olympics (she was part of the USA's sevens squad) knowing people are made by it -- (gymnast) Simone Biles, (swimmer) Michael Phelps.

"I went into Paris knowing I had the chance to make myself and went in with a plan to post loads of videos. Can we go into the World Cup with a plan for players to post more videos?

"I want to show you can do both -- play good rugby and post good videos. We all have a responsibility to capitalise on this World Cup."

Maher added: "Putting yourself out there is how you get connections with people... If we want this to grow, it is on us. We have to do more, that is just the simple fact of it."

https://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/social-media-star-ilona-maher-says-rugby-union-must-do-more-to-grow-game-f105f8f4-9f1a-4887-bcfa-3c66648fe8f2

[48C North Stand]

Hearn hinted at why RL won't be subjected to the 'match room' formula:

A lack of personalities - this almost certainly arises from the lack of exposure with most major RL restricted to Sky broadcasting. 

I would also suggest the Hearn's have succeeded in non-team sports where singular personalities are simpler to market. 

RL back on the beeb every week is the answer. 

[Just Browny]

13 minutes ago, 48C North Stand said:

Hearn hinted at why RL won't be subjected to the 'match room' formula:

A lack of personalities - this almost certainly arises from the lack of exposure with most major RL restricted to Sky broadcasting. 

I would also suggest the Hearn's have succeeded in non-team sports where singular personalities are simpler to market. 

RL back on the beeb every week is the answer. 

We've got 22 live games on the Beeb this year; we will have more personalities than we can shake a stick at then.

[AB90]

28 minutes ago, 48C North Stand said:

Hearn hinted at why RL won't be subjected to the 'match room' formula:

A lack of personalities - this almost certainly arises from the lack of exposure with most major RL restricted to Sky broadcasting. 

I would also suggest the Hearn's have succeeded in non-team sports where singular personalities are simpler to market. 

RL back on the beeb every week is the answer. 

That’s a key point that doesn’t get brought up with the Hearn scenario.

Hearn has a great track record on individual based sports however there is no real evidence he or Matchroom could do the same in a team based sport. Do we think it’s a complete coincidence that he’s never tried?? Probably because it’s considerably harder to do!

It’s much easier to create stars & personalities when the individual is the entity you are coming to see and being pushed by the media as opposed to a rugby league, union, cricket team etc. You can’t make Jack Welsby or Mikey Lewis bigger than Anthony Joshua when’s it’s ’Anthony Joshua’ vs X as opposed to ‘Saint Helens vs Hull KR’. 

[Dave T]

26 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

We've got 22 live games on the Beeb this year; we will have more personalities than we can shake a stick at then.

Indeed. We've never been off the BBC. One of the very few sports that have been ever present there.

 

[Dave T]

Just now, AB90 said:

That’s a key point that doesn’t get brought up with the Hearn scenario.

Hearn has a great track record on individual based sports however there is no real evidence he or Matchroom could do the same in a team based sport. Do we think it’s a complete coincidence that he’s never tried?? Probably because it’s considerably harder to do!

It’s much easier to create stars & personalities when the individual is the entity you are coming to see and being pushed by the media as opposed to a rugby league, union, cricket team etc. You can’t make Jack Welsby or Mikey Lewis bigger than Anthony Joshua when’s it’s ’Anthony Joshua’ vs X as opposed to ‘Saint Helens vs Hull KR’. 

Yep, I made this point (I think early in this thread). If you were asking people around awareness, it really would be closer to compare Wigan Warriors against Anthony Joshua as they are what gets sold on the fixtures.

Completely different things.

[JohnM]

To what extent does the panel think that at least some of affection for the idea of  Hearn's involvement is driven by an "Anything but RFL/IMG" sentiment?

[gingerjon]

6 minutes ago, JohnM said:

To what extent does the panel think that at least some of affection for the idea of  Hearn's involvement is driven by an "Anything but RFL/IMG" sentiment?

There’s that but we’ve had people dazzled by the Hearns before. They are very good at marketing themselves and seem able to pull a Jedi mind trick if helping people forget their failures and convince all that they will be on the PDC side of the inevitable divide, and not the BDO.

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, Just Browny said:

We've got 22 live games on the Beeb this year; we will have more personalities than we can shake a stick at then.

Is that 22 SL games, or does that include challenge cup and test matches? 

[Just Browny]

26 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Is that 22 SL games, or does that include challenge cup and test matches? 

It's domestic games so includes challenge cup but not test matches.

[JonM]

On 14/01/2025 at 10:35, JohnM said:

Help required. Who is that, pictured in these virtually identical articles  alongside Edward Hearn? He looks vaguely familiar.

The. non-executive director of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), currently working as advisor to the RFU and Premiership Rugby to stabilise their finances ?  Or are you referring to someone else?

[The Masked Poster]

2 hours ago, Just Browny said:

We've got 22 live games on the Beeb this year; we will have more personalities than we can shake a stick at then.

22 live games is pretty decent. I just hope they advertise them a bit and don't hide them away.

[JohnM]

I'm sorry. I have a cold.

Someone else 

Edited January 17 by JohnM

[JohnM]

14 minutes ago, JonM said:

The. non-executive director of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), currently working as advisor to the RFU and Premiership Rugby to stabilise their finances ?  Or are you referring to someone else?

Is he now or has he ever been a member of the rugby league hierarchy? 

[Archie Gordon]

6 minutes ago, The Masked Poster said:

22 live games is pretty decent. I just hope they advertise them a bit and don't hide them away.

https://www.rugbyleagueontv.com/bbc

That suggests we are getting a Saturday afternoon BBC1 slot. That seems like a huge improvement on last year.