Candidly

They could stop spending the full salary cap on first team players.
Clubs like Leeds that actually contribute to the sport in some meaningful way are massively held back by the smaller clubs who have, for decades, spent every penny on players.
Bradford is a perfect example. Spent far more money than they could afford on players for years, cost Leeds some trophies, then go bust.
If they’d been building over time by occasionally improving their crumbling stadium instead of looking for silver bullets then the whole game would be better off.

Until the game forces clubs to invest in their infrastructure and forces them to even attempt to grow their revenues then the sport will be stuck where it is.
Add in the Toronto/Leigh debacle and we’re just a mid-sized fish in a rapidly shrinking puddle of sick outside a sh|t northern nightclub.

Why question the word Candidly, read what it means in the dictionary, you will find that the word was correct in the way it was used.
If you are going to question the words I use, I will question your education, if of course you had any

Instead of the governing bodies "forcing" clubs to improve stadia and facilities how about the governing bodies helping them to do it?

If SL decide to return to liscensing/Franchise as is likely imo
and that the criteria for grounds is upheald
Would clubs like Castleford and Wakefield get in?

Both of these clubs have been promising for years that they would meet the criteria but never have.
In defense of Wakey they have been right royally shafted by the developers Newcourt, that were supposed to have funded Wakeys new ground

Castleford meanwhile have done absolutely jack 5hit in building a new stadium in that area apart from moving rubble from one side of the field to the other before then changing the desied location of the new stadium to another location .

York have now got a fantastic new stadium so alarm bell should be ringing for all clubs to meet the standards this time around or else

Cas yes, easy - they deliver to the competition in lots of other areas than stadia which I don't think will be the same obsession going forward.
Wakefield, nope - they frankly offer little more to the competition than Leigh and, much as I still enjoy our local rivalry, as things stand they would not be massively missed if they were replaced.

I am not sure what Cas actually contribute - they don't develop young players tend to pinch off other clubs e.g. Trueman

Where did Watts, Eden, Massey, Holmes, Shenton, Milner, Clare, O'Neill, Peachey etc come from?

The area of Cas contributes so much to RL in this country in terms of talented players. The club's academy though is poor considering the amount of young players in the area.

Unfortunately we haven’t got many rich benefactors in our game, I mentioned only last week that SKY look at RL on the same footing as Darts, the NFL, basketball and netball. The only way to make the game better in the long run is money. Local authorities could help teams build new stadiums for the SL clubs, possibly ground share between Wakefield and Castleford, trying to get money from the council for one stadium is hard enough , but asking for two stadiums is out of the question.
What would be the issue with having currently two terrible grounds or the possibility of one excellent stadium.

I can understand their supporters wanting their own grounds, but is it going to happen.

Let’s start with franchise again, no relegation for a period of 5 years, thereafter we need minimum standards including ground improvements, I am sure with the threat of losing their SL status the clubs will quickly come around to ground share.
The issue here is previously we had a blueprint of what was expected and the threat of not working to the blueprint yet the RFL and SL was too frightened to see it through. This time no idle threats either deliver or your out. I enjoy the games between Leeds and Wakefield, and Cas, but we simply cannot carry on without change and enforcing change.

The governing body is the very same as those who don't/can't spend money on facilities i.e. the CEO's of the clubs.

It would appear that half the clubs in SL will not spend to the cap - what does that say to its main sponsor - falling standards - worse entertainment a devalued product. This is just a downward spiral back to a semi-pro sport.

The governing body could do a lot to help clubs recieve grants, lottery funding, private funding, investments.

As i always say its easy for us as fans of a big city club with sponsors queueing up and a massive catchment area on our doorstep to comment on other clubs spending, facilities, and crowds. A lot of these do far better than we do in comparison

The Hearns wanted to get involved but also said they would need to take control (i think) so were slowly ushered out of the door. The narrow mindedness from the Rugby League authorities is what is killing the sport. Most of the fans can see what is needed but if you haven't been to university then your opinion is clearly irrelevant. Not taking the advice of people like Barry and Eddie Hearn who have an unrivalled success in turning failing sports into top level tv ratings then the sport will continue to be doomed to fail. That was the opportunity and that ship sailed last year while all the Rugby League authorities stood on the cliffs waving them off.

This would of been anathema to me five years ago, but now I really hope the NRL takes a stake in SL.

The Hearns would have upset quite a few folk with what they would want to do with the game - I imagine.

But perhaps a complete overhaul on how things are done is what is required to take rugby league to the next level.

100% correct in your comments, that is why we are shown on TV as a second rate sport, limited to the M62 corridor. Unfortunately the RFL are also supported by a number of owners from SL who simply want the money without the pain of change, they knowing that any change will effect their clubs. They are so short sighted it is unbelievable, no wonder the game is on a knife edge for survival.

Thats all fine but when they change the game to an hour long and 10 a side with no ref and half an hour interval would you be happy . That might not be quite the path , but i have no doubt massive changes would be made if they had total control which is what they wanted

The hernias can sell a big night out for boxing or darts where they get to choose the venue. TV money follows accordingly. Not sure whether that successful model would transfer to some of super leagues less salubrious settings. And unlike snooker, they couldn't take the game on a world tour.

Sorry, hearns

But wouldn't you like them to try + improve our game?

I mean, what's the alternative? Continue paddling the canoe hoping we don't fall off the waterfall?

I don't see any way they could. Or rather I do but no way would club chairmen put that kind of control their way

Why do you say that? They didnt make major change to the way darts, snooker, boxing or pool was played. They are still the same sports with major sponsorship, prize money, crowds and tv deals from what i can see.

Toronto would still be here if the Hearns had control. I can tell you that.

The thing with sports like snooker and darts is that you can ‘lift and shift’ them to different locations. Plenty of promotion and you can pull in crowds.
The crowds don’t really ‘support’ anyone in the way they do with a team, so it’s easier to do.
With a team sport with local fan bases that’s not possible.
But the game does need investment and better publicity.
But it’s a fine line between expanding the game and losing its soul.
Not sure about the Hearns - that don’t have the game in their blood, which is important.

I think you need someone like that, someone different. Someone with a different view on the game. Someone who doesn't have any history with it at all. More chance of trying new ideas that may work. Tried and tested has been done. The game needs a complete overhaul.