: Fri Jul 18, 2008 10:31 am
wire-quin wrote:
Not having a go at Cas as they are a traditional heartlands club but are they really what the future of RL is all about.
Forget tradition, forget history(why you ask), the future of RL is about clubs spread far and wide in modern stadiums with big crowds.
Where are these clubs you speak off? When they turn up and offer more than Cas currently do it might be time to consider the future of town clubs like Cas.
Cas will be in a modern stadium playing in front of big crowds (we already have decent crowds despite a crap stadium and no real success) within the next couple of years, our geographical location in a congested heartland is of no relevence provided we can compete and offer more than any alternative.
Does having 10 NRL clubs from the Sydney area (some with equally poor stadiums as our own clubs) stop that competition being vibrant or hold the game back over there?
wire-quin wrote:
Has a smallish town in Yorkshire surrounded by other RL teams got that potential?.
It hasn't stopped smallish town teams in Lancashire and Merseyside from being the best club sides in the world at points in the games recent history.
What can you see on the horizon that makes you think northern towns won't have the potential to be successful in the long term?
wire-quin wrote:
If you compare RL with football traditional teams have dropped divisions over time and the game has moved on. Big crowds, nice stadiums , plenty of sponsorship etc That is the blue print for success in the premier league.
The Premiership is a multi-billion pound industry where one club's profit, turnover, fanbase and tv revenue is worth more than the entire sport of Rugby League.
Rugby League is a sport with limited appeal in certain parts of the country and manufacturing clubs just so we can attempt to show the world we're a national sport played and supported nationwide by significant numbers is worthless and has a provern track record of failure.
Let them come, let them build and let them leave northern town teams for dead, until them let's cherish what we have before wanting them to be killed off.
wire-quin wrote:
I really cant see the likes of Hudds, Cas, Wakey etc all being in the top league in the future. Maybe this time, but longer term, I'm not sure.
Why not? and do you include Warrington or any other northern town teams in that group?
wire-quin wrote:
We may disappear as well, who knows where the game will go.
You may, but i'm not arrogant enough to dissmiss your club like many others frequently do and i wish you nothing but continued growth for the sake of the game.