Re: Lenighan blames West Yorkshire mafia : Sat Sep 15, 2018 6:43 pm  

Agree re repeat loop fixtures but there’s far from enough quality players to have 16-20 teams, not to mention them being viable businesses. 14 tops, though we’re scraping the barrel at 12!

Re: Lenighan blames West Yorkshire mafia : Sun Sep 16, 2018 6:20 am  

The Ghost of '99 wrote:

The reserve team I agree on, not because Hetherington's approach is wrong in practice but because of the destructive effect it has on the league below in using dual reg for a de facto reserve teams.

But the excuses being made that the 8s is the root of all problems is laughable. Is it too much jeopardy for too many SL teams? Possibly. But it's enlivened that end of the table and the championship. On the other hand the short notice of fixtures is a definite challenge so it has its weaknesses. But changing format isn't going to suddenly make viable all those clubs which aren't viable. Grasping a bit more money at the same time would have, slightly, but that seems to have been fought off.

Going all in to save the 8s is probably not what I'd have bothered with if I were running Leeds as, frankly, it doesn't really make much difference to the end of the table we generally swim in. But standing up for the interests of the rest of the game is something I do applaud Hetherington for.

This is where you I disagree - the best interest of the game is to generate as much external revenue as possible - this can only happen if the elite competition is of a standard that attracts suitable TV and external sponsorship. To do this we need to improve the quality on the field and increase participation neither of which the Championship really contribute towards.

Re: Lenighan blames West Yorkshire mafia : Sun Sep 16, 2018 7:26 am  

Sal Paradise wrote:

This is where you I disagree - the best interest of the game is to generate as much external revenue as possible - this can only happen if the elite competition is of a standard that attracts suitable TV and external sponsorship. To do this we need to improve the quality on the field and increase participation neither of which the Championship really contribute towards.

Destroying the championship clubs for relatively trivial amounts of money is not productive. The fans of those clubs are core rugby league consumers, who buy sky subscriptions, have kids who play the game and who go to big events like internationals or the grand final. The stuff coming out of the arrogant mouths of lie likes of Lenagan is pushing all those people away.

The game has ripped itself apart over money and arbitrary divisions for the past two decades. It isn't healthy and I strongly believe that those clubs who have been lucky enough to be at the top table when the music has stopped have no right to destroy the futures of clubs, many historically larger, who are not top flight right now.

Growing the game is essential. Not destroying the existing game and a large segment of the existing fan base is also essential.

Re: Lenighan blames West Yorkshire mafia : Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:37 am  

The Ghost of '99 wrote:

Destroying the championship clubs for relatively trivial amounts of money is not productive. The fans of those clubs are core rugby league consumers, who buy sky subscriptions, have kids who play the game and who go to big events like internationals or the grand final. The stuff coming out of the arrogant mouths of lie likes of Lenagan is pushing all those people away.

The game has ripped itself apart over money and arbitrary divisions for the past two decades. It isn't healthy and I strongly believe that those clubs who have been lucky enough to be at the top table when the music has stopped have no right to destroy the futures of clubs, many historically larger, who are not top flight right now.

Growing the game is essential. Not destroying the existing game and a large segment of the existing fan base is also essential.

In what way are the championship clubs being destroyed. I understand the funding is to remain the same until the next tv deal is negotiated. What happens after that is in the air in any case.

Are you in Hetherington’s fan club by any chance?

Re: Lenighan blames West Yorkshire mafia : Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:44 am  

The Ghost of '99 wrote:

Destroying the championship clubs for relatively trivial amounts of money is not productive. The fans of those clubs are core rugby league consumers, who buy sky subscriptions, have kids who play the game and who go to big events like internationals or the grand final. The stuff coming out of the arrogant mouths of lie likes of Lenagan is pushing all those people away.

The game has ripped itself apart over money and arbitrary divisions for the past two decades. It isn't healthy and I strongly believe that those clubs who have been lucky enough to be at the top table when the music has stopped have no right to destroy the futures of clubs, many historically larger, who are not top flight right now.

Growing the game is essential. Not destroying the existing game and a large segment of the existing fan base is also essential.

You say “I strongly believe that those clubs who have been lucky enough to be at the top table when the music has stopped have no right to destroy the futures of clubs.” They are not lucky! They are where they are due to hard work, development, investment and success on the field.

Re: Lenighan blames West Yorkshire mafia : Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:45 am  

The Ghost of '99 wrote:

Destroying the championship clubs for relatively trivial amounts of money is not productive. The fans of those clubs are core rugby league consumers, who buy sky subscriptions, have kids who play the game and who go to big events like internationals or the grand final. The stuff coming out of the arrogant mouths of lie likes of Lenagan is pushing all those people away.

The game has ripped itself apart over money and arbitrary divisions for the past two decades. It isn't healthy and I strongly believe that those clubs who have been lucky enough to be at the top table when the music has stopped have no right to destroy the futures of clubs, many historically larger, who are not top flight right now.

Growing the game is essential. Not destroying the existing game and a large segment of the existing fan base is also essential.

These clubs offer very little - their core support is pathetic given the legacy of many of these clubs - their facilities are - on the main - embarrassing I fail to see what investing in this sector actually brings that spending that amateur clubs would not. The numbers are so small the impact on Sky revenues would be minimal even if they all downed tools and quit SKY if some of these clubs were merged with others.

If Hunslet merged with Leeds do you really think the numbers of kids playing at Parkside would be diminished - kids play RL primarily because of peer pressure/need to be part of a gang.

The problem with the game is two fold: participation and the standard of the professional game - neither of which can be addressed by increased investment in the Championship and its clubs.

Re: Lenighan blames West Yorkshire mafia : Sun Sep 16, 2018 2:35 pm  

I've no strong views on the league structure, Seen 16 team playoffs through to 4 up, 4 down and everything in between , I suspect this current version will only last a few years.

Lenaghan, Elstone and co have their wish of ending super 8's - to help market games, draw in crowds and attract sponsors.

Just one minor issue, they have replaced it with loopy fixtures which they cannot yet explain who will play who and when. I suspect they will be very keen to manipulate this to help bring in coin - so expect a saints / Wigan game and hull Derby as 2 certain loopy games.

If wood or now rimmer had come up with a new structure that is not explainable to the fans, media, tv companies or sponsors they would have been rightly slaughtered by Lenaghan and co.

Pretty pathetic from Elstone and all the supposed genius business brains of the 11 SL clubs that they have agreed a new structure that is half baked.

Re: Lenighan blames West Yorkshire mafia : Sun Sep 16, 2018 3:18 pm  

What’s wrong with having a franchise structure where every 3 years any clubs can apply and be considered along with every other club? Why does someone have to drop out of the top division for someone else to be accommodated?

If it really is for monetary terms then those running the clubs and the game need to decide if they are doing it for he good of the game or for the good of themselves.

Re: Lenighan blames West Yorkshire mafia : Sun Sep 16, 2018 6:27 pm  

batleyrhino wrote:

What’s wrong with having a franchise structure where every 3 years any clubs can apply and be considered along with every other club? Why does someone have to drop out of the top division for someone else to be accommodated?

If it really is for monetary terms then those running the clubs and the game need to decide if they are doing it for he good of the game or for the good of themselves.

I agree. Franchise is the way to go. 14 teams inside next 2 years. Expand further if lower league clubs get the infrastructure right and have some money behind them.

Re: Lenighan blames West Yorkshire mafia : Mon Sep 17, 2018 1:38 pm  

Seems to me like we are going backwards. We used to have a twelve team league and then contrived extra fixtures . before that a 14 team league . All of these have been tried and then deemed as failures. No one coming up with any thing new . We have had a franchised system before , that didn`t work either.