Quote ="RLBandit"We need this. My only concern is that we go into it half baked, in a kind of 'start small and see if we can improve it' way, which risks a dissappointing start and then two opposing camps from day one: "scrap it, its rubbish'' and " we've got to stick with it and hope it improves", both of whom are half right and half wrong. What we must desperately avoid is a flop which kills the concept for another generation.
It can't be beyond the wit of man to design a really meaningful international club competition right from the off. Not a silly couple of games pre or post season, but a proper competition that spices up the season over an extended time frame and helps keep RL in the news *regularly* ( not a couple of times a year ). Like the Champions League and Heineken Cup. Do that, and I'll be firmly in the 'give it time' camp.
Even group stages can be done without insane travel - you just play your two overseas away games ( assuming 4 teams per group, two SL, two NRL ) in one single overseas trip.'"
That's my issue with this.
Is it me, or do we just not have ANYONE within the RFL who understands what needs to be done to create an event?! I mean, don't get me wrong, I've seen some good signage, promotional material, etc. at games (Magic Weekend, Challenge Cup, Grand Final, etc) but they don't seem to understand what to do to make an event (other than a final) interesting.
Internationals, the Challenge Cup semi finals and the World Club Challenge should be A LOT bigger than they are, but because they are so short-sighted in their approach to the planning, they are just above average events at best. Not must see. It's frustrating because I see what they're doing with the RLWC and think that's near the level of build up they should have for every international series, and every WCC.
Wow, you really hate rugby league don't you?!
