: Wed Jun 03, 2009 4:23 pm  

gutterfax wrote:

Catalan have NEVER had a home fixture moved.......Catalan have always played on their, their local police, their local council and the best day...Saturday.

I reckon that possibly the most successful route you could take would be to try and get the Catalan club to veto changes to their home fixtures, based on police/French TV commitments. Not sure that they would. especially for our derby rivals, but they are probably the most effective source to tap into here.

: Wed Jun 03, 2009 4:32 pm  

belgianxiii wrote:

I reckon that possibly the most successful route you could take would be to try and get the Catalan club to veto changes to their home fixtures, based on police/French TV commitments. Not sure that they would. especially for our derby rivals, but they are probably the most effective source to tap into here.

The whole process wasn't designed to stop anything from changing.....just making sure that the other 12 UK based SL clubs were made aware of what SKY were up to......
Mr Levy was on the list (hope his English is better than my French) and he will be able to do the maths.....90% fans bu99ered, 2,000 wire fans last year become 200........= Mon Diou!!!!!(sic)

: Wed Jun 03, 2009 6:39 pm  

Seems I'm the only person not to receive a reply. I wrote to SKY Sports, Boots N All, RFL, Ady Spencer, Total Rugby and Paul Blanchard. Total Rugby replied imemdiately as they want to print my mail and Paul Blanchard responded. Others - well what a surprise - nothing.

: Wed Jun 03, 2009 8:20 pm  

Seems the club sanctioned the fixture so Craig Spencer said on the radio tonight

They said they didn't expect many to be travelling-cheers Quins

: Wed Jun 03, 2009 8:25 pm  

Is that Paul Branchard a scouser?

He was on the radio tonight talking sh*t about the away game.

: Wed Jun 03, 2009 8:28 pm  

what was said. I was watching Boots N All where we were completely ignored even though they had received a number of emails from fans

: Wed Jun 03, 2009 8:55 pm  

wire-quin wrote:

Is that Paul Branchard a scouser?

He was on the radio tonight talking sh*t about the away game.

Don't know but Paul Blanchard maybe . To be fair the club can do nothing apart from tell the RFL they didn't like it. However it was concerning that the RFL chap said that the club had raised concerns but then said there wouldn't be many traveling. I would be very disappointed if the club said that but maybe it is the RFL putting some spin on it.

Still a deafening silence from Sky - why don't they say why it can't be on the Saturday! Have they only got one set of cameras?

: Wed Jun 03, 2009 8:56 pm  

Briali1 wrote:

what was said. I was watching Boots N All where we were completely ignored even though they had received a number of emails from fans

I watched the 6 o'clock and fell asleep it was that interesting.

: Wed Jun 03, 2009 8:58 pm  

daftdad wrote:

Here is the reply I got from the RFL - sod the supporters welcome to armchair viewers:

Thank you for your e-mail regarding the change of date of the Catalans Dragons versus Harlequins RL fixture.

We appreciate the disruption this may have caused you and would like to apologise.

All fixtures published by the RFL at the start of the season are subject to change and as host broadcaster Sky Sports has the right to choose any game to show live and at this time in the season must give clubs involved at least four weeks notice. In this case they gave both clubs involved six weeks notice.

In previous seasons Sky Sports has initially chosen 11 Friday games and

22 Saturday games, however this season they have chose the first 14 rounds at the start of the season. This is so that they can choose games which are more competitive and a spectacle for TV viewers.

Once again, apologies for any inconvenience this fixture change may have caused.

Kind regards

Craig Spence
RFL Communications Manager

I got the same 'standard letter' from Mr Spence. I've emailed him back with this (for all the good it will do )

Dear Craig

Thank you for your reply. I note that you have sent a similar response to other supporters who have complained and to the club in the form of an RFL statement.

Unfortunately these apologies are not enough to placate me or any other Quins RL supporters who are out of pocket because of the fixture switch. You have apologised for any 'inconvenience' caused but for the supporters that have wasted money on flights and accommodation this goes way beyond mere 'inconvenience'.

Sky's decision to switch a Catalans fixture in this way is unprecedented and I find it inconceivable that the sport's governing body, supposedly guardians of the game, can allow the broadcaster to act with impunity with regards to this fixture. Would you have meekly sat back and apologised for the inconvenience if a couple of thousand of Leeds or Wigan supporters had been mistreated in this way? I doubt it.

Rather than fine words about contractual arrangements and periods of notice I suggest that you and your partners at Sky TV, together with the management of Harlequins RL and Catalans, look at ways to compensate the fans that have lost out. At the very least you could arrange for free tickets and hospitality at the ground for those who do still manage to travel - I won't hold my breath waiting for an announcement on this though!

I fear that you and your partners have seriously underestimated the PR damage done to the RFL and to Quins RL, and as a consequence to our game here in London, by this debacle.


Yours sincerely ...

: Wed Jun 03, 2009 8:59 pm  

daftdad wrote:

Here is the reply I got from the RFL - sod the supporters welcome to armchair viewers:

Thank you for your e-mail regarding the change of date of the Catalans Dragons versus Harlequins RL fixture.

We appreciate the disruption this may have caused you and would like to apologise.

All fixtures published by the RFL at the start of the season are subject to change and as host broadcaster Sky Sports has the right to choose any game to show live and at this time in the season must give clubs involved at least four weeks notice. In this case they gave both clubs involved six weeks notice.

In previous seasons Sky Sports has initially chosen 11 Friday games and

22 Saturday games, however this season they have chose the first 14 rounds at the start of the season. This is so that they can choose games which are more competitive and a spectacle for TV viewers.

Once again, apologies for any inconvenience this fixture change may have caused.

Kind regards

Craig Spence
RFL Communications Manager

I got the same 'standard letter' from Mr Spence. I've emailed him back with this (for all the good it will do )

Dear Craig

Thank you for your reply. I note that you have sent a similar response to other supporters who have complained and to the club in the form of an RFL statement.

Unfortunately these apologies are not enough to placate me or any other Quins RL supporters who are out of pocket because of the fixture switch. You have apologised for any 'inconvenience' caused but for the supporters that have wasted money on flights and accommodation this goes way beyond mere 'inconvenience'.

Sky's decision to switch a Catalans fixture in this way is unprecedented and I find it inconceivable that the sport's governing body, supposedly guardians of the game, can allow the broadcaster to act with impunity with regards to this fixture. Would you have meekly sat back and apologised for the inconvenience if a couple of thousand of Leeds or Wigan supporters had been mistreated in this way? I doubt it.

Rather than fine words about contractual arrangements and periods of notice I suggest that you and your partners at Sky TV, together with the management of Harlequins RL and Catalans, look at ways to compensate the fans that have lost out. At the very least you could arrange for free tickets and hospitality at the ground for those who do still manage to travel - I won't hold my breath waiting for an announcement on this though!

I fear that you and your partners have seriously underestimated the PR damage done to the RFL and to Quins RL, and as a consequence to our game here in London, by this debacle.


Yours sincerely ...