Hello,

I didn't know if this was the right place to ask but I have seen these types of topics on here before and just wondered if anyone could help. I am in my 3rd year at Coventry University and doing Sports Management degree and its all a bit of a shambles to be honest. We have to do a Sports Project/Dissertation of only 7000 words using only 2 or 3 sources for the literature review.

Now I was hoping to do something on Rugby League as it's something I'm very interested in and I would be the only one looking at RL. However not one of my lecturers knows anything about RL and I hardly ever see any pieces of academic work on the sport.

My idea was to take the Financial Fair Play system that is being implemented by UEFA in Football, and see if it is a concept which could be implemented in other sports, mainly Rugby League. As I say it is just an idea and I don't know if there are any academic works looking at the salary cap in Rugby League, as I have struggled to find some.

Can anyone help?

It's a difficult one.

Would it not be best to look at literature regarding salary restrictions in sport in general, using a variety of opinion, and try and compare this to rugby league and come to your own conclusion based on that?
The salary cap information is on the RFL's website in the operational rules somewhere.

Not sure how else I could help though. I'm just glad uni is over and I don't have to worry about this anymore!

Thanks for the response! If I could not find any specific literature on Rugby League then that was definitely a route I would consider going down and probably one I will have to take. But then again with my lecturers lack of knowledge in RL and me having to form my own conclusions on top of that, it could be a big risk to take.

This paper on the SL salary cap was published in 2008, probably useful if only for the reference sources listed at the end.... www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.ph ... /1453/1399

This paper on the SL salary cap was published in 2008, probably useful if only for the reference sources listed at the end.... www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.ph ... /1453/1399

Quote ="Derwent"This paper on the SL salary cap was published in 2008, probably useful if only for the reference sources listed at the end.... www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.ph ... /1453/1399'" Thanks, a few of the references at the end do look very useful indeed. I will check them out.

Quote ="Derwent"This paper on the SL salary cap was published in 2008, probably useful if only for the reference sources listed at the end.... www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.ph ... /1453/1399'" Thanks, a few of the references at the end do look very useful indeed. I will check them out.

I got a 2:1 for a dissertation on aggression in RL last year, dunno if i can help tho...

Bloody tax dodgers , get a job

My dissertation was on historical and cultural factors in the growth of the sport for an MA this year. Main authors around RL in general where- Denham (Modernisation), Collins(History), Thomas (Economics), Falcous (Super League). Hope this helps...

Salary cap
Franchising
Being regional rather than [truly national or having a foreign team in the league.
Union/League divide and the benefits and disadvantages over other sports

Interesting topics for a dissertation

I completed my degree this year. I did a paper looking at the SL Franchise system. Collins and Flacous are the two main guys you want to sift out.

I did mine a couple of years ago, think it was entitled 'Is disproportionate media coverage preventing rugby league developing into a truly national sport?'

Anyway, there is some good literature out there on RL. You may have to invest in some though, I don't know how well they stock up on it down in the libraries of the Midlands! I appreciate that your proposal will be mainly academic, but your actual project should look to branch away from the usual books and journals and some real thoughtful research should see you hit the higher marks! Good luck mate!

I completed my dissertation this year, looking into the effects of Super League and the licensing system on the future of rugby league in Cumbria. The lack of relevant sources and texts was the main source of frustration for me, although the Howarth paper already mentioned was pretty useful. Bits and pieces by Dave Hadfield were also good to read, not particularly useful in an academic sense but gave a good perspective on attitudes and feelings amongst supporters etc. Aside from that, anything by Tony Collins is an interesting and insightful read and may give you a few ideas on potential topics/research questions.

Tony was my dissertation tutor at Leeds Met until he left the University at Christmas and he was very knowledgeable and passionate about any rugby league research, not to mention extremely well connected in the world of rugby league. He now works at De Montfort University, I reckon it might be worth trying to get in touch with him as he'll definitely steer you in the right direction.

I'll have a scan over my reference list & sources at some point and give you a shout if anything else pops up.

I second that!

dont worry about risks. dissertations are all about forming your own opinions, providing your research is sound and presented properly, and of course supports your conclusions. your tutors lack of RL knowledge should not be a barrier in this sense.
go for it. it cant be anymore painful then mine was

You could do a textual analysis of RL's media coverage, in comparison to say two other sports. The content is on the web.

- How many words have been written on Rugby League in the national press in the last 12 months? How many have been written about perhaps Rugby Union and Athletics
- What are the most commonly used adjectives and verbs used in those articles (i.e. "fast", "exciting", minority"icon_wink.gif, and do they indicate the national press's opinion towards the game? Do same exercise with the other sports, and compare the results.

Or look at the web sites for the SL teams and again analyse the text to assess the image they portray of themselves. You could compare this with the web sites for the RU premier teams.

I'm currently doing a Major Independent Study (Dissertation) on:

Investigating the Effects of Blocked and Distributed Practice on the Development and Retention of an Acquired Motor Skill in Rugby League Playing and Non Rugby League Playing Adolescents of the Same Age

Obviously applications for coaching RL and teaching/coaching other sports but further implications for rehabilitation, physical therapy, learning for the mentally impaired, Parkinsons Disease etc

would love a media student to do research on media bias against RL!

Ooooh! That sounds interesting.

If you are after any info on RL to do with the Salary Cap your first stop should be the operational rules. Go direct to the RFL and speak with them. The makeup of the cap and what can and cannot be considered part of it are in this tome.

You will need to look at the economic side of the clubs involved as some would struggle to meet the top level of the cap without sponsorship as matchday revenue over the season would not provide enough cash to cover full time wages.

You are lucky, my dissertation is investigating whether or not a very large organisation has the computer literacy skills to admin themselves using e-HRM. Not a bloody rugby ball in sight.

Thanks for all the helpful responses its definitely giving me a lot to think about. I have had a look at Collins and Falcous and these two look as if they will play a big part in my dissertation and have lots of very useful information.

As mentioned in the previous post some clubs will struggle to meet the top level of the cap without sponsorship so in this instance implementing a sort of Financial Fair Play would not work. I know a few of the clubs aren't paying up to the full salary cap, but is their any evidence of this out there? With this information and news on Sponsorship deals and TV deals which I already have would help me a huge amount.

CW, may I suggest you go to Companies House? All the clubs are businesses and have to register (I believe) with it and declare their annual financial information. On top of that you could ask the RFL via a freedom of information request if necessary. Don't ask for the actual makeup of the amounts spent on wages per player, stick to the total amount as this will tell you who spends what.