750K to be a Major Sponsor?



I Know that Manly were getting that from Pepsi a decade ago + bonuses.

Its a sign of things to come.

Are you experienced enough or competent enough to give such a strong opinion?





Isn't the recent Sky deal the best we've ever had? Aren't there rumblings that companies in France may soon be in a position to want to pay for SL because of the RFL's investment in bringing Catalans over? Do you know the difference between viewing figures and viewing demographics?



As for the sponsorship, it was voted for by the clubs. If you're going to start comparing to RU, then you're always going to be disappointed. It's not because of the people they have in charge. It's because they are established, have influence, etc. If you think life and business are just that easy, you will always vote for a "complete rethink" because you don't appreciate how difficult it is and never will.





So who would you have had in? You've just cut three clubs there. Name three clubs in the Championship that would offer more?

How many clubs do you think could handle the drop in this economic climate? And you want it to happen every year?





Crusaders was a farce, I'll give you that. That is the "odd blip" for me.





They won't develop the sport or improve it? Are you just wearing SL glasses? What about participation figures? New areas playing the game at amateur? New semi-pro clubs coming in? Changing the seasons? Bringing BARLA together with us? Setting up the RLEF which has seen the game spread all over Europe (and beyond)?



The RFL have done f'ing loads. Loads. But one or two of the more high-profile decisions have gone bad and it's their fault. In fact, one or two of the high profile incidents haven't even got feck all to do with the RFL yet people blame them because they are sheep and it's just the easiest/laziest thing to do. It's always someone else's fault.



Some decisions are good. Some decisions are bad. Some people choose to focus on the good ones. In Britain, more people are obsessed with the bad ones.

They make mistakes yes, but everything they do is in the best interests of the game as a whole.



Unlike the chairmen of the Super League clubs (and championship clubs to be even) who only look after their own interests.



As Andy Gilder said, there should be a test before people can vote and comment on this thread.

IMG.

Yes they should have demanded that Apple Inc sponsored the Super League for a billion pounds.

Being quite geographically disconnected from the ‘heartlands’ of Rugby League and without any connections whatsoever in the higher echelons of the sport, I cannot comment with any authority whatsoever on whether the behaviour of the senior staff at the RFL is ‘good and honourable’. Therefore I decline to vote



Although, having said that, I usually find that a good rule of thumb on these matters is to take whatever Saddened! says and the opposite is normally true

The only worthwhile and accurate comment so far.



Saddeneds speech, no matter how passionate, shows the greatest lack of understanding I've read in a long time. He seems to think that Richard Lewis pulls all the strings, makes the clubs overspend, can force sponsors to come to the table with billions, and make Sky give us a massive increase every season.



However, in the real world Richard Lewis is the Chairman. He delegates jobs to other members of the board - this is what the Chairman of any oganisation does. I'm sure some of the blame can be laid at his door, but to claim he's the sole cause is laughable. Similarly, it's the clubs themselves that spend the money, not the RFL.

Sure, if the sponsors were fighting over the rights to sponsor RL there would be more money in the game to cover some of these debts, but the simple fact remains that this situation only exists in the minds of fantasists like Saddened who believe that we have the most in demand product in the world. I hate to bring this news to you all.... we don't. RL is still very much a niche product, and doesn't have any great commercial potential.

Similarly, Sky may get better value from us in terms of viewing figures than they do from the RU, but that isn't what counts - what counts is the amount of money Sky can get from advertisers during our games. The last I was aware, the RU games shown on Sky were of a much higher commercial value than those watching RL. Why is this? Quite simply because the game isn't seen as being followed by fans with as much spending money as RU.

It's not because Sky are ripping us off, it's what their commercial department will be telling them we're worth.





Oh, hang on..... I'm wrong.



It's Richard Lewis' fault after all.







Sigh.

When you look at where the game was in 1995, crumbling stadiums, woeful crowds, almost at deaths door, the progress to what we have today is amazing. Yes, the Skye deal has been huge but careful stewardship from the RFL especially since Lewis came on board,has seen the Skye contract renewed, attendances skyrocket in SL, player development come on in leaps and bounds, the 4 nations and world cups slowly recussitating the inernational game. The geographical spread of the game via the summer conference is also amazing. I have issues with the RFLs ringfencing of super league and the neglect of the championships but, in recent times they seem to have some plan for the future and the expansion of the championships. There have been some hiccups, Crusaders, Paris, Wakefield and Bradford come to mind and the refusal to give Keighley their rightful place in SL at the very beggining also annoyed me greatly but the overall graph of RL progress, despite some minor dips has been a gradual incline upwards. I think next years World Cup could be a massive catalyst to further positive progress for the game in this country and the way the RFL are going about organising it is more planned and structured than the four team excuse for a competiton which took place in my youthful years. I think the RFL are doing an excellent job for the most part.

They're doing a largely excellent job, unlike some of our clubs chairmen and owners.

Whatever the right answer is, my non-heartland friends who are also sport enthusiasts have no interest in the game because it all seems a bizarre carry on to them

Gradually the RFL will de generate our game into one of insignificance with very little marketing and media presence. Richard Lewis did the same thing with British Tennis around 2003 were he turned the sport into 3rd world status.

The RFL are very good at changing the rules to sweep things under the carpet, the franchise system is basically a "glossy brochure" with deep problems under the surface.

What the "voiced clubs" are concerned about is how are they supposed to generate backers and sponsorship when the RFL themselves cannot market the game and increase media stature. The Stobart deal promising (Wood) benefits to the game of £2.5 million is just make believe.