Re: Takeover ratification? : Mon Oct 21, 2013 11:58 am  

Bulliac wrote:

Bit uncalled for TT.

I don't think you'll find it much different on any individual club's board to be fair. Let's be honest the vast majority on here come on to discuss Bull's matters and would naturally tend to have their metaphorical 'Bradford hat' on when they do so. I mean it's not the VT..[ ]

I don't know why not. You are right though, the vast majority of clubs have fans who put their own clubs before RL in general & international RL specifically. Although I do not have the answer to London's SL problem, I am pretty certain that without a SL club the chances of attracting the next generation of youngsters is low to non-existent.

[Bulliac]

Re: Takeover ratification? : Mon Oct 21, 2013 12:07 pm  

Whether the SL club is the 'be all and end all' as regards amateur players I don't know but it's likely to make a fair difference. No Broncos equals no local pathway into the pro game, so it will screw up the elite end in the southern counties, that's for sure. For those who are only looking at a recreational level maybe not as much, but I wouldn't put money on it.

Re: Takeover ratification? : Mon Oct 21, 2013 12:30 pm  

Ahhh the London question...

Honestly, I think they would benefit from a few seasons in the Championship.

Let's face it, we all know that a certain amount of your fanbase as a sporting club is attracted to, and will only show up for, a winning side. It's an ugly sporting truth that we'd all rather didn't exist, but true none the less.

So here we have the (almost) perennial cellar dwellers of SL, and if they're not bottom, they're there or there abouts. That's not going to attract fans, or local interest. And without a Salford-esque influx of players and cash, this isn't going to turn around any time soon.

However, put them in the Championship where (with no disrespect to the Championship sides) the standard is a bit more thier pace. All of a sudden you have a team that's much more competative. Fair enough, they might not be competing for silverware at top level, but if they're WINNING silverware at another level, surely this is going to be better for them as a club? Not only that but if they start winning more games per season than you can count on one hand, as a Londoner surely you're going to start paying a bit more attention. SL or not, I would imagine it's more appealing to support a team who's winning and competing, than attempting to fight off the wooden spoon every year. And if they manage to win promotion to SL at a later date, good on 'em.

I'm not sure, however, what you'd do with the gap they've left in SL, or what Sky would do in terms of cash, but as a club that would be London's best bet in my opinion.

Re: Takeover ratification? : Mon Oct 21, 2013 12:48 pm  

I disagree, Sombrero.

Outside of the heartlands, there is no rugby (of the good code) between Super League and the amateur game - at least that is the perception.

Re: Takeover ratification? : Mon Oct 21, 2013 1:44 pm  

And all those successful heartland clubs struggling to attract 1,500 doesn't support your argument.

Re: Takeover ratification? : Mon Oct 21, 2013 1:54 pm  

Stul wrote:

I disagree, Sombrero.

Outside of the heartlands, there is no rugby (of the good code) between Super League and the amateur game - at least that is the perception.

But the whole experiment with London in SL isn't working. Surely the best way to develop RL outside of the heartlands is to generate interest by having teams outside the heartlands competing for silverware and honors?

If you're a new, developing team which would you prefer, getting tonked week in week out in SL, or winning the Northern Rail Cup? Which is going to boost your profile more and attract more interest in your local area?

It's the whole thing about success breeds success.

Re: Takeover ratification? : Mon Oct 21, 2013 2:02 pm  

tigertot wrote:

And all those successful heartland clubs struggling to attract 1,500 doesn't support your argument.

No, but my argument is about London, a team with a potentially huge fan base in complete isolation. Rather than a team in the heartlands where there are only so many people and a lot of clubs to choose from. How many people who live in/around Leigh are Wigan fans etc etc. I'm not saying it would work for all clubs, but I think it would do London some good.

Edit: Well, relative isolation considering London Skolars. But much more isolated than the other clubs.

[Bullseye]

Re: Takeover ratification? : Mon Oct 21, 2013 3:28 pm  

I don’t think London have ever had the right kind of backing, both from the RFL and from whoever was bankrolling them. Their brief period with Branson in charge threatened to put them on the map but that fizzled out. What they need first is someone with some money to spend who’s prepared to bankroll them. They need serious London weighting in the salary cap to attract the best talent, not the poor excuse they have at the moment and they need some expert marketing to get them on the up. They also need to play in London and not bloody Barnet or some other place out on a limb.

Things seem to go around in circles. They’ve played all over the capital and beyond and never really put serious roots down (Fulham, Hendon, Crystal Palace, Brentford, The Valley, The Stoop etc). It hasn’t helped at all. Then there’s the name. They were Fulham for a while and everyone said they should be called London as being Fulham excluded other Londoners. Well that didn’t help much either. Being associated with Quins was a mistake and associated them with a monied elitist brand. They need some clued up marketeers to put some serious hours in to sort out things like this once and for all.

IMO the option of letting them go to the championship might sound like the kindest thing to do looking at their current position. However the game needs a top flight presence in the capital. Otherwise it looks like a small time minority sport. If we want to go back to part time rugby league and forget about ever competing with NZ and Australia ever again then fine.

Re: Takeover ratification? : Mon Oct 21, 2013 3:29 pm  

SombreroBu11 wrote:

If you're a new, developing team which would you prefer, getting tonked week in week out in SL, or winning the Northern Rail Cup?

Haven't they just binned the NRC? Until the RFL confirm what the league structure actually is, its a moot point discussing who should be in it.

Re: Takeover ratification? : Mon Oct 21, 2013 3:54 pm  

SombreroBu11 wrote:

If you're a new, developing team which would you prefer, getting tonked week in week out in SL, or winning the Northern Rail Cup? Which is going to boost your profile more and attract more interest in your local area?

Kids are initially not that bothered about success. The first thing they want is to be associated with something perceived as cool. No-one can convince me that anyone going to watch yawnion has much of an idea what's going on, ditto American Football. But it doesn't stop them getting huge crowds on the back of great marketing & a sympathetic media. There would be zero profile if London were in the Northern Rail Cup. Regular Sky & national newspaper coverage has to be a key ingredient. That will only come from SL.