WiganWarriorsFans.com

The heartlands are what will keep this game going... We shouldn’t neglect it!

Gerrumonside wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:56 pm The heartlands are what will keep this game going... We shouldn’t neglect it!

In all fairness, the heartlands have had over 100 years to get it right ! The world is not the same as previous decades, it has become a global village (Covid excepted, naturally). The game needs to shift from where it's at to make any progress if it is to get rid of the M62 image we show the world.

Nezza Faz wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 10:32 pm

Gerrumonside wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:56 pm The heartlands are what will keep this game going... We shouldn’t neglect it!

In all fairness, the heartlands have had over 100 years to get it right ! The world is not the same as previous decades, it has become a global village (Covid excepted, naturally). The game needs to shift from where it's at to make any progress if it is to get rid of the M62 image we show the world.

Before COVID hit, I was about to setup a NYC Super League fans group with the goal of arranging watch parties in local bars around the city. NYC has its own RL competition and was about to supplement that with its first professional club who were (are?) bidding to enter the pro leagues in 2022. Every bar in the city has supporters groups, some for overseas minority sports, who decorate the place with team colours, watch their matches and spend their money at the bars and on merchandise from the clubs. They help to grow a community feeling for lots of the other minority sports in the US, like cricket and RU. Add a local RL team competing in a meaningful international league and the potential for setting up an RL community and generating new money coming into the game is huge in these markets. Traveling support is only a small fraction of how revenue is generated in sport these days.

Its largely COVID's fault that we'll never see whether any of this was possible - without that Toronto would still be in the league, Ontario would be playing in the RFL leagues in the next season and NYC would be bidding for 2022 membership. We'll never know what we could have made from all that potential because of bad timing.

Mike wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:29 pm

nathan_rugby wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:18 pm

the pieman wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 8:43 pm

i personally think this is why London or a London presence can only be good for the game as virtually all the major media outlets are based there.

Despite what many may think the grassroots game has grown massively in London over recent years, but without a developed amateur and professional team (s) to provide a pathway i am assuming that the majority will be lost to the sport or picked up by a RU team

What did it bring last time London were in the Super League?

A chance of nationwide press coverage, increased exposure out of the heartlands, increased viewing figures out of the heartlands, therefore a potentially larger TV contract. To get those outcomes you need to maximise the potential of one or more London based clubs which the sport has not been able to do. If you maximise the potential of Leigh, you don't get any of those things.

Its really looking like a return to the Lancs and Yorks leagues to minimise travel costs in 10 years to me.

Haven’t London been in the Super League around 75% of the time since it started?

All of the above sounds great but where is the evidence it’s happened so far? What impact and success did it have ? And what makes you think this time would have been different?

For the record, I wanted London or Toulouse. I’m just being realistic and looking at history. Not aimed at you but someone very smart once said “the definition of stupid is repeating the same thing over and over and expecting the results to be different”.

What plan did London, Super League and the RFL have that is different to the last time?

I agree with the sentiment round London - the idea that if you build it they will come doesnt ring true

I know i say this every time a topic like this comes up but places and teams do not grow a sport people do it doesnt matter where you put a team to increase the profile of a sport you need players to transcend it otherwise expansion will never work

nathan_rugby wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 7:54 am

Mike wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:29 pm

nathan_rugby wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:18 pm

What did it bring last time London were in the Super League?

A chance of nationwide press coverage, increased exposure out of the heartlands, increased viewing figures out of the heartlands, therefore a potentially larger TV contract. To get those outcomes you need to maximise the potential of one or more London based clubs which the sport has not been able to do. If you maximise the potential of Leigh, you don't get any of those things.

Its really looking like a return to the Lancs and Yorks leagues to minimise travel costs in 10 years to me.

Haven’t London been in the Super League around 75% of the time since it started?

All of the above sounds great but where is the evidence it’s happened so far? What impact and success did it have ? And what makes you think this time would have been different?

For the record, I wanted London or Toulouse. I’m just being realistic and looking at history. Not aimed at you but someone very smart once said “the definition of stupid is repeating the same thing over and over and expecting the results to be different”.

What plan did London, Super League and the RFL have that is different to the last time?

Thats true, but if you remove London your chance of achieving those things drops to 0% from perhaps 10%.

end of the season bottom clubs needs to go and York, London & Toulouse need to be brought in, Bring the franchise system back but give clubs 5 years instead of three

Mike wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:29 pm

nathan_rugby wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:18 pm

the pieman wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 8:43 pm

i personally think this is why London or a London presence can only be good for the game as virtually all the major media outlets are based there.

Despite what many may think the grassroots game has grown massively in London over recent years, but without a developed amateur and professional team (s) to provide a pathway i am assuming that the majority will be lost to the sport or picked up by a RU team

What did it bring last time London were in the Super League?

A chance of nationwide press coverage, increased exposure out of the heartlands, increased viewing figures out of the heartlands, therefore a potentially larger TV contract. To get those outcomes you need to maximise the potential of one or more London based clubs which the sport has not been able to do. If you maximise the potential of Leigh, you don't get any of those things.

Its really looking like a return to the Lancs and Yorks leagues to minimise travel costs in 10 years to me.

but it didnt happen

medlocke wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 6:35 pm end of the season bottom clubs needs to go and York, London & Toulouse need to be brought in, Bring the franchise system back but give clubs 5 years instead of three

I agree with you.

pedro wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 6:40 pm

Mike wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:29 pm

nathan_rugby wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:18 pm

What did it bring last time London were in the Super League?

A chance of nationwide press coverage, increased exposure out of the heartlands, increased viewing figures out of the heartlands, therefore a potentially larger TV contract. To get those outcomes you need to maximise the potential of one or more London based clubs which the sport has not been able to do. If you maximise the potential of Leigh, you don't get any of those things.

Its really looking like a return to the Lancs and Yorks leagues to minimise travel costs in 10 years to me.

but it didnt happen

Correct but if you stop trying, then failure is certain.