Moving from The Stoop to The Hive : Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:43 pm  

As proposed on the Wes Naiquama (sp?) thread, here you go.

(Apologies for any corrupted quotes, mouse is playing up.)

Paddock Punter wrote:

I have to say that the move to the Hive has been bonkers. If we go on the official figures then we have dropped about 1500 people per game which would surely cover the rent at the Stoop.

jbuzza wrote:

Planned and executed properly the move could have worked. What we actually had was a deal that saw TK taking no risk and DH chucking our SL chances under a bus. Any idiot should have seen that crowds would nose dive with such a pitiful squad. The intended format of the deal was never likely to survive the first season. So much for laying roots in a new home .

Lets not forget that without the seemingly obsessive distraction of the move (which even then only materialised at the 11th hour) we could have perhaps assembled a squad that would have retained our Super League status and maintained (if not grown) our crowds.

Sorry if some people don't find that interesting but it is management ineptitude of the highest order. The organ grinder remains in place.

Re: Moving from The Stoop to The Hive : Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:49 pm  

Personally speaking The Hive is a better fit for our fanbase.

Even pre Gus decimation.

Re: Moving from The Stoop to The Hive : Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:57 pm  

We didn't have a choice due the utter miss-management from 2012/13 and I have no issues with the Hive and enjoy going there.

Re: Moving from The Stoop to The Hive : Tue Sep 02, 2014 9:00 pm  

BroncOnIon wrote: As proposed on the Wes Naiquama (sp?) thread, here you go. (Apologies for any corrupted quotes, mouse is playing up.) Paddock Punter wrote: jbuzza wrote: In December 2013 we were told that: The agreement between the two clubs will also cover the 2015 campaign. by =the BBC. My comments regarding 2015 are not derisive against the Hive (I've not been there......I am assured it is a tidy little ground and perfect for Championship RL....which was strange this year but obviously well planned by MacKay/Hughes) but of the bare faced lies that were told and swallowed regarding the deal. In 2014 the club has been bankrolled by the SKY money and David Hughes input (if any) with all other income streams delivered to our host/partner/landlord. In 2015 the Sky money is down by over 40% and the host/partner/landlord has declared that the 2014 agreement will not be in place. Hughes will again be "lurking" with his chequebook, but the reality is that if the club don't accept whatever demands the host/partner/landlord makes for the season, then they will be homeless. As smoke and mirror acts go, I take my hat off to the salary thief that was MacKay and the "it's my club" arrogance of Hughes.....between them they have a handful of unimportant fans left and the husk of what was a decent RL club.....employing over the hill Aussies and journeymen in a division that even if they win every game, they have very little chance of getting out of.....all whilst binning the development work that was starting to deliver players. Outstanding work!

BroncOnIon wrote: As proposed on the Wes Naiquama (sp?) thread, here you go. (Apologies for any corrupted quotes, mouse is playing up.) Paddock Punter wrote: jbuzza wrote: In December 2013 we were told that: The agreement between the two clubs will also cover the 2015 campaign. by =the BBC. My comments regarding 2015 are not derisive against the Hive (I've not been there......I am assured it is a tidy little ground and perfect for Championship RL....which was strange this year but obviously well planned by MacKay/Hughes) but of the bare faced lies that were told and swallowed regarding the deal. In 2014 the club has been bankrolled by the SKY money and David Hughes input (if any) with all other income streams delivered to our host/partner/landlord. In 2015 the Sky money is down by over 40% and the host/partner/landlord has declared that the 2014 agreement will not be in place. Hughes will again be "lurking" with his chequebook, but the reality is that if the club don't accept whatever demands the host/partner/landlord makes for the season, then they will be homeless. As smoke and mirror acts go, I take my hat off to the salary thief that was MacKay and the "it's my club" arrogance of Hughes.....between them they have a handful of unimportant fans left and the husk of what was a decent RL club.....employing over the hill Aussies and journeymen in a division that even if they win every game, they have very little chance of getting out of.....all whilst binning the development work that was starting to deliver players. Outstanding work!

Re: Moving from The Stoop to The Hive : Tue Sep 02, 2014 9:24 pm  

Very sad tale indeed. The Hive is indeed a fine ground for Championship RL and, for this season, for Broncos SL games (albeit not complying with RFL regulations - though not the only one so to do). For me, it's a pain to travel to/from, but so was The Stoop on some occasions.

We seem not to have been b*ggered about by Barnet's requirements, unlike last season when a number of fixtures were disrupted by Quins' needs and priorities.

Judging by the investment in new players, DH appears to be interested again. But for how long?

Next season for sure will be more fun than this but after that ... who knows?

Re: Moving from The Stoop to The Hive : Tue Sep 02, 2014 9:34 pm  

BroncOnIon wrote:

Next season for sure will be more fun than this but after that ... who knows?

...and this is the #1 priority that the club need to be making plans for now. The RFL will furnish us with 900k in 2015, but there after, the level of investment from the TV pool will be nowhere near that received by the SL clubs. With no fans, no sponsors and no other investor interested, we will have to run on the smell of an oily rag.

Re: Moving from The Stoop to The Hive : Tue Sep 02, 2014 10:43 pm  

gutterfax wrote:

...and this is the #1 priority that the club need to be making plans for now. The RFL will furnish us with 900k in 2015, but there after, the level of investment from the TV pool will be nowhere near that received by the SL clubs. With no fans, no sponsors and no other investor interested, we will have to run on the smell of an oily rag.

Unless we get promoted? Could be argued that we're throwing our eggs into that basket with these good signings. Would the new TV deal be enough to fund us as a SL club?

Re: Moving from The Stoop to The Hive : Tue Sep 02, 2014 11:03 pm  

richie166 wrote:

Could be argued that we're throwing our eggs into that basket with these good signings.

David Hughes has "form" on this front, having spent heavily on players in the hope that they'd perform and in turn attract the crowds to games.

I take it a reminder of how that panned out isn't needed?

As for promotion.

The bare facts are that if the team can finish in the top 4 of the Championship next year then they will have to win 4 from 7 and then a 5th....beating a SL side TWICE in the process.

When was the last time a Championship side knocked out a SL side in the Cup? 2006 HKR v Wire?...remind me how they fared in the next round?
Remember, these mid-8 games will not be "challenge cup" ties, but full on SL clubs/players playing for their livelihood's against a team of players not deemed good enough to be signed by SL clubs.
London Broncos 2013 side.....the worst in SL that year based on results saw off the top 2 teams in the championship last year.....we really were crap last year, regardless of the "soward" effect.

Promotion will be dependant on a SL club imploding (or worse)......other than Dr M walking out on Salford (he's just spat his dummy out again BTW) or Wakefield wobbling again, I really can't see it ever happening under this 888 MODEL

Re: Moving from The Stoop to The Hive : Wed Sep 03, 2014 7:55 am  

gutterfax wrote:

David Hughes has "form" on this front, having spent heavily on players in the hope that they'd perform and in turn attract the crowds to games.

I take it a reminder of how that panned out isn't needed?

As for promotion.

The bare facts are that if the team can finish in the top 4 of the Championship next year then they will have to win 4 from 7 and then a 5th....beating a SL side TWICE in the process.

When was the last time a Championship side knocked out a SL side in the Cup? 2006 HKR v Wire?...remind me how they fared in the next round?
Remember, these mid-8 games will not be "challenge cup" ties, but full on SL clubs/players playing for their livelihood's against a team of players not deemed good enough to be signed by SL clubs.
London Broncos 2013 side.....the worst in SL that year based on results saw off the top 2 teams in the championship last year.....we really were crap last year, regardless of the "soward" effect.

Promotion will be dependant on a SL club imploding (or worse)......other than Dr M walking out on Salford (he's just spat his dummy out again BTW) or Wakefield wobbling again, I really can't see it ever happening under this 888 MODEL

Which, of course, as the entire purpose behind the 'change' - be seen to be doing something while actually making very sure that the status quo is maintained. I've actually seen all the leading Championship teams except Leigh (who I'll see on Sunday) play this season and even in our currently debased state we'd beat all of them - probably quite easily.

Re: Moving from The Stoop to The Hive : Wed Sep 03, 2014 9:37 am  

I think the Hive is a better facility than the Stoop for a club that isn't going to attract 5k+ any time soon. I also doubt that the move lost us many fans: we were on a downward trend at the Stoop in terms of crowds and, if we'd played out 2014 there, we'd also be attracting no more than 1-1.5k right now.

That said, I'm massively disappointed that at the same time as we're putting together an exciting Championship squad for 2015, we're not capitalising on these new player announcements by selling seats for 2015. This strikes me as 'same old, same old' from the Broncos management. The Bradford game would have been an ideal opportunity to unveil a player (live) and sell season tickets/memberships to a captive audience. Opportunity lost.