Re: Neil Hudgell : Sat Aug 04, 2018 9:27 am  

To truly expand we need to see ALL levels on TV it is no good seeing the same half dozen teams week after week. If you live outside the heartlands you probably are not even aware of other teams around the country. You build from the bottom up not the top down. There have been some fantastic championship and div one games this season but how many people have actually seen them. The extra income would also help the smaller teams develop. SKY or any other channel if SKY are not interested could advertise it as ' Rugby league grass roots games - excitement . passion and a will to win. Tune in and watch don't miss this new venture be in at the start. Once seen soon gripped.' After all how many of us were gripped after one game. we were for sure

Re: Neil Hudgell : Sat Aug 04, 2018 6:17 pm  

The Championship is definitely of a quality to be on tv or streamed (at least games involving the top half of the competition).

Streaming may play an important role in growing the sport.

Re: Neil Hudgell : Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:07 pm  

Having watched ince rose bridge on premier sport, you certainly don’t want all levels of the game shown.
Again have to throw the question out there, trying to expand a sport where the established clubs can’t support themselves, worth it or not?
RFL providing development for set ups like oxford? Oxford was never really going to thrive unless someone threw millions at it, aka Toronto.
Until there is a revolution in the game expansion is a pipe dream! If Toronto don’t make SL and languish in the championship let’s see if they survive.

Re: Neil Hudgell : Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:26 pm  

But for the WC take the development games to development areas, Bristol proved that can work, that game even in the rain was cracking, with an excellent atmosphere.

Re: Neil Hudgell : Sat Aug 04, 2018 9:43 pm  

Two things.

1. Why was Oxford never going to work? The break even crowd in season 1 was 400. They weren't far off that. Then 2 things beyond their control did for them. Oxford Uni RU told them they couldn't play at home for two months (which ORL handled appallingly tbh.) Also the RFL demoted clubs who were far too good into the third tier. A combination of too many mismatches and home games being played in the likes of Hertfordshire and Gloucestershire put them on the back foot. The move to Abingdon ensured they were done for. As someone who watched them for 5 seasons I strongly disagree with the statement they were always doomed. They were badly run and the RFL treated them appallingly. It could have worked, arguably should have worked, but both the club and governing body stuffed it up spectacularly.

2. Bristol is a cracking example of how not to expand. Bristol Sonics folded this season due to a lack of players and some key people getting so alienated by the RFL and All Golds that they walked away. Many of them are returning next season to try and save RL in Bristol. Good luck to them. What happened in Bristol should be a key learning point for those running the next World Cup. A massive missed opportunity.

Re: Neil Hudgell : Sun Aug 05, 2018 5:42 pm  

So the oxford argument, comparison with Toronto, no home ground for 2 months at oxford, no home ground for Toronto for half of season, one is thriving ne is gone! Why? Money.
Bristol sonics, why are they not playing this year? Why did bristol RL before the sonics stop playing, why did Bath fold (yes there was a Bath team) why do Swindon stutter. Simple, it’s a minority sport that relies on dedicated individuals to organise and run n, usually one person, when they go the teams fold for a while until the next one turns up. Taking Eng NZ international to a town is not going to change that cycle

Re: Neil Hudgell : Sun Aug 05, 2018 6:26 pm  

Believe it or not but I am well aware of the Bath RL side, I've seen them play. Never seen Swindon but am well aware of them as some of their players tried to step up to C1 with Oxford.

The big issues at Bristol Sonics were RFL caused, with an assist to All Golds. One of the main men wrote the story up in the RL press.

I totally agree dumping a random WC game in a new town won't leave a legacy. As such the it possible argument for doing so is financial. Given I paid a fiver to get in at Bristol, it seems likely that one failed that test too.

As for why aren't Oxford still here. Easy, too many broken promises from the RFL, too many poor decisions by the RFL and too many poor decisions by the club. Your statement hat it was never going to work is however erroneous,. It was in big trouble by the middle of season two and doomed by about halfway through season three. Before that it was salvageable.

Re: Neil Hudgell : Sun Aug 05, 2018 9:30 pm  

Stick by my words, as you say yourself poorly decisions by the club meant it was doomed to failure, sad but true. Without a solid base it’s never going to work, Hemel and skolars at least have a home, Oxford never really did.
Not knocking it, wish they were still around as I can’t see any real future in the new proposed Bristol venture.
Again reality, until the established game base is sorted out, expansion is always going to be a challenge

Re: Neil Hudgell : Mon Aug 06, 2018 7:54 am  

Expansion will always be a problem until the RFL get the basics right and start working with all clubs, treating all clubs as though they matter and no bending the rules to make things happen, start talking to the customers i.e. the fans to get ideas. Years ago a woman at the game said to me they should stop their tongues wagging in the breeze and make constructive conversation, instead of just hearing words they should listen properly to what is being said, open their eyes and most importantly open their minds to the future and things may then happen. Whilst they just go blindly forward without any real idea or structure nothing will emerge apart from heartlands rugby.

Re: Neil Hudgell : Mon Aug 06, 2018 11:45 am  

northernbloke wrote:

Not knocking it, wish they were still around as I can’t see any real future in the new proposed Bristol venture

I'm no longer in direct contact with any of those behind the new Bristol team however the last I heard was that it was all but dead in the water as one of the key financiers had dropped out.

Sadly some of those behind Oxford were so alienated by what the RFL did to the club you won't see them aiding another club until there has been a fundamental reform at the RFL and a few heads have rolled.