Perhaps now it's easier to understand why Sale still haven't posted a profit. They are doing a Bradford. cheap admission prices, huge crowds, but still unable to be solvent.

Is that what we really want our club to do?

1,500 Sale 'floaters' aren't going to start supporting Salford, 1% of that number might. I of course agree with what you say about Salford increasing our support but Sale moving into Barton will have no positive impact on that and it is baffling that a sensible poster thinks it will. The mere fact we are looking to Sale to solve our ills is proof enough of our own poor management.

We aren't solvent either.

Have you actually looked at their price structure? My seat would cost me £549 if I wanted to watch Sale - more than double what Salford charges.

I suspect the £99 deal is simply intended to provide an entry level for new customers.

We aren't going to convert swathes of Sale fans; it's a fallacy that anybody who watches a game of Super League is instantly converted.

People who choose to watch Sale play rugby union do so because they like Sale and they like rugby union; the same logic applies to Salford rugby league.

That said, there is a small but significant number of crossover fans who enjoy both games and would be tempted by the prospect of year-round rugby in a nice modern stadium (in my experience union fans tend to be more open minded when it comes to watching the other code). It would be myopic and plain silly of us not to at least try to exploit this opportunity. I've left two messages on our Facebook page (slightly more chance of a reply than email/phone) suggesting that we offer Sale season ticket holders reduced price entry to our remaining games (I'd certainly take the offer from Sale if it was reciprocated). It seems like a no-brainer to me, particularly if our new 'partners' will help us to publicise the offer to their members, but we will have to wait and see whether our club chooses to act on this suggestion. It wouldn't cost us anything to try though!

You're quite right to state that Sale's presence isn't going to transform our club's management; the best we can hope for is that they at least try to learn from the things Sale do well.

However, what Sale's presence will do IMO is sort out some of the ridiculous and, frankly, amateurish practices that currently compromise the matchday experience. If they can fetch their Shark tank so we've got somewhere to congregate prior to and after games it'll at least be a start. I certainly don't see the current 'amateur hour' approach to Stadium management being tolerated by Brian Kennedy & co for too long.

Having a partner to share costs with in terms of marketing and branding in and around the stadium is another potential benefit if we're willing/able to be proactive.

We should already be talking to Sale about sharing the costs of billboards on the approaches to the ground, 'tarting up' the walkways/concourses, naming bars after past players etc. In reality though, we probably won't do this and sooner rather than later Sale will implement these and other such initiatives themselves - at which point our resident moaners will start complaining about how Sale are "taking over" etc when, in truth, any slip down the stadium 'pecking order' will be down to our own mismanagement/inaction.

Inactivity, apathy (on the part of the local public) and mismanagement are the three things that will potentially lead to our club's downfall - with or without Sale!

All Sale's arrival really does is:

1) provide us with a massive wake-up call
2) provide us with the opportunity to work together to sort out the stadium management company and improve the stadium infrastructure.
3) provide us with 9,000 *potential* floating customers to target - if we choose to.

Our ability to grasp these opportunities and our ultimate success or failure will be down to US not THEM.

At least Sale's arrival guarantees one thing: if we do ultimately fail to improve as a club, at least this fantastic stadium (which, let's not forget, was an investment on the part of our local council tax payers) does not end up being a white elephant.

The future is in OUR hands.

I'm lost for words.

Good post WF and I am singing from the same Hymn Sheet.

Quality post, I'm affraid peoples reaction to this will very anti RU and with many I suspect it is down to old ignorances rather than a genuine axe to grind.

Embrace things and make changes for the better or die from lack of progress.

Has the penny not dropped yet? We already were 'second class tenants' (read my earlier comments about 'amateur hour')

Any problems that Salford RLFC has/had haven't appeared by virtue of Sale's arrival.

I agree with all this so I'm not sure why you are asking me if the penny has dropped.

So still no positives for Salford apart from ifs, buts and maybes?

Just the fact that you are already falling into the trap of propagating the narrative that our decline is in any way a result of Sale's arrival.

I stamped my feet when first I saw the blue seats (although more because of the lack of transparency on the club's part than anything else) but the cold fact is, we are the architects of our current predicament.

With smart managements and a slightly more enlightened world view, we could turn Sale's arrival to our advantage. But I suspect some people will be happier to have a ready made blame figure.

Sometimes I wonder whether this club gets the management it deserves.....

I'm perfectly aware of the state of our club management. The 'decline' will be exacerbated by Sale's arrival.

You seem to be saying that our management is not fit for purpose and therefore the arrival of Sale will offer us a great opportunity for our not fit for purpose management to take advantage of.

I think you need to square the circle of your own logic.

No, what I'm saying is that we're stuck with our management and we can't do anything at all about Sale's arrival.

What I'm suggesting is that, rather than bleating about things that cannot change, why don't we at least seek to approach the situation we find ourselves in positively/constructively.

Or perhaps you're suggesting that bleating will be more beneficial to the club?

We absolutely have to make the best of the position we are in but the suggested 'benefits' yourself, Early Bath and other pro-Sale people are offering are so minimal (if they exist at all) that they will make no discernible difference to our current position. This is before we have considered any of the negatives and confronted the depressing proposition that people believe our club can only improve by relying on a rival sporting club.

In the same way you believe people wary about this groundshare are bleaters, I believe those offering false reasons for optimism are deluded.

Read my comments: I am fully aware of the pitfalls.

But the ship has sailed and we are presented with two choices: react positively and proactively or stamp our feet.

Which of these approaches do you think is more likely to achieve a positive outcome?

What a bizarre question. Could you suggest to me a situtation in which anyone would choose to stamp their feet instead of reacting positively?

I'm just glad a consensus has emerged that the Sale move is bad for Salford - that's all I have aimed for since this thread began. I await this positive reaction from Salford, I won't hold my breath.

Is that how you've interpreted my comments? Strange.

On a personal level, I'm happy to have the opportunity to watch top class rugby all-year round (although I'd have liked Salford to have a longer "bedding in period" first) but, equally, I can appreciate the concerns held by others, given the current state of our club.

But the simple fact is: Salford RLFC (and by association its fans) is responsible for its own success or failure.

What exactly do you want to happen? Would you like to see John Wilkinson come out and publicly decry the stadium management company's decision to accept Sale as paying tenants?

What happens once once that's happened? Assuming the stadium
management company - as is their right - politely tell us to 'go b****cks!' Do we then enter into all out war with Sale? Who do you think wins that one?

I'll spell out where I stand as clearly as possible: regardless of what you think about Sale's co-tenancy, they are here and there is nothing you or anyone else can do about it. So we either approach the situation proactively to ensure that we are strong and equal partners or we sit around, sulk and convince ourselves that the club wasn't going down the pan at The Willows. I know where I stand on that one.

I'll spell out where I stand as clearly as possible: I'm waiting to hear about the proactive approach from the club that ensures we are strong and equal partners at Barton. If you can offer anything decent I'm all ears.

Here's the rub: I'm waiting for that proactive approach from the club too, but if it doesn't come it won't be Sale who I'll be blaming for our demise.

Who's blamed/blaming Sale?

This is getting surreal. I give up!

Quality debate.

Just to clarify the convergent points. You both accept that Salford RL are the biggest threat to Salford RL; you both accept that in theory, Salford RL can make this new stadium arrangment a good thing for Salford; and you both agree that Salford RL are unlikely to materialise the theory based on a history of arguably poor management at the club?

I'd say that's a fair summation of my feelings Preacher!