Other way around

I wonder as a money spinner if we could try and get Lancashire vs Yorkshire going to replace that Ashes series. I know they’ve not really hit the spot in the past but if we had two games, say at Elland Road and Old Trafford and billed them as games to help raise funds to support clubs across the game, would we be able to get big crowds on. If the games then turn out to be a decent spectacle it could be the start of something more permanent.

The Aussies will look after themselves, as they always do, so I’d be looking at something different to playing the Kiwis again. I know I’d part with £20/30 per game if I knew that money was supporting clubs across the sport. The fact that guys like Bateman, Graham, Whitehead, Tom Burgess etc would potentially be available would only add to the quality of the sides and give the games a bit more interest. A lot will depend of time but if there is time to fit it in, I think it could be a decent opportunity.

That's a nice idea.

There’s talk that the NRL will replace the Ashes with origin at the end of their season. If that’s the case then our lads should be available but either way I would love to see us use this time as a way of reintroducing our own Origin, if we cannot get the Ashes on.

One thing this pandemic is doing is giving people more of a sense of pride in their community and their country. If you put a bit of marketing effort in to a Lancs vs Yorks game then I think you’d easily get more than just rugby league people there.

I nominate Waney vs Daryl Powell as coaches also. Add an edge and have players on both sides trying to impress the national coach.

I think this season will be finished as soon as they can. Hetherington is already talking about binning welfare rules to play 3 times a week. Adding a meaningless set of “representative” matches may be a bit of a damp squib, the chairmen of the clubs won’t want to loose home revenue, so the clubs won’t reduce the number of matches, apart from dropping magic. I’m not sure the players will be in any state at the end of the season. Plus a lot of speccies are on reduced or no income at the moment, and 3 matches a week will draw on the financial commitment of the most dedicated fan.

If we can get a meaningful competition out of this season that should be the aim

I don’t think we will see the return of any sport this season. Death rates are doubling daily with no actual clear indication of how we’re going to beat this thing nor any meaningful testing being carried out.

I’d expect SL2020 to be scrapped in the coming months followed by the Premiership and Football League (something which as a long suffering Liverpool fan hurts!).

There’s bigger things than sport at the minute and I just can’t see it being resumed until 2021 when a vaccine or proper preventative treatment is potentially available.

My hope is that they continue with this season as and when needed.

Really hoping a bit of fixture manipulation goes ahead and we end up playing Saints on Boxing day too

I do think that they'll play this season out if at all possible,they can play to xmas easily enough,curtail next season to give the player a month off in January,pre season feb for a late feb, begin of march start to next season.

Whenever it returns, this year or next, the whole sport of RL needs to come together. Pack out the stadiums and grounds. Home and away. From SL down to the North West amateur leagues. Get some much needed income back into our sport and clubs. Get RL back with an almighty bang!

Scrap the play-offs, magic weekend and internationals for 2020. That buys around 2-3 months. Season ends end of November. Next season starts on 1 March, scrapping WCC and magic weekend to cut two weeks from the season.

We need if poss to get the season back on track in any format we can.People are forgetting if we don't there will be no Sky money for the clubs and on top of that we have to sort a new contract in the not two distant future.

It's difficult to envisage RL restarting any time before the end of June, and that's taking a very optimistic view. Until the goal posts are, as it were, fixed, then were only playing a guessing game. Under what sort of attendance restrictions these initial fixtures will take place, is also very much up in the air.

Strange times, KST.

Hows that going to work when people will be skint or no jobs or the country and world is in a massive recession

People still have season tickets. Clubs reduce ticket prices, promotions etc. Yes people will be stretched, I have no doubt but I can safely bet my bottom dollar that when the pubs/clubs/restaurants re open they will be absolutely rammed. Your logic doesn’t stand up I’m afraid.

The CC might fall victim but I think you’re right that Magic will go. I think we can safely say the Ashes will be scrapped. I can’t see the play offs being so though, they are a huge money maker for the clubs.

Not for us, as nobody shows up!

In reality if the season is to start up again it will likely have to be behind closed doors initially. I think the best case scenario for the sport is starting back at the beginning of July then possibly crowds allowed back in maybe in August.

I like McDermott’s suggestion. As we are highly likely to have to play midweek games for a sustained period then reduce matches to 4 quarters of 15 mins. That would greatly help player welfare and maybe even produce a more exciting spectacle.

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The worse affected in the possible world wide recession will be those who have been living beyond their means in recent years by buying expensive 3/4/5 bedroom detached houses, expensive cars like 4x4s, BMW's, having expensive holidays, the latest top priced electrical goods etc, etc.

As someone, who as a youngster lived in the period of hardship and rationing at the end of the second world war, having a season ticket or not will be the least of any supporters worries!

I was speaking to a current Superleague player last week and I asked him if he had any idea when RL would get started again. He thought it would be August.

Whenever the season re-starts it is still going to be difficult in bringing in a structure that will suit all.
I do think they will play two games a week and hopefully the plan will include using reserve team players.

It will also be a troubling time for players OOC end of 2020. Clubs will be looking to trim numbers of staff both playing and non playing. The biggest on the balance sheet are full time players. If that's the case then some may be released at the end of the season as usual. Trouble is very few clubs will be looking to sign or re-sign players due to financial problems.

So where do clubs find revenue or cut costs to sustain their future?
Reducing staff is the main area to cut costs and the most obvious. Rent negotiations might be another. Where to find extra revenue or at least maintain cash flows will be the difficult one.
One way would be to sell season tickets early, we at Wigan pay early anyway. Maybe there could be an offer to pay for more than one season with an inducement, perhaps up to five years. Even if just a few hundred or one thousand buy it could bring finance in that otherwise would not be there.
Some new thinking will be needed to ensure club's futures and that of the sport are secured.
Best wishes to all who have that responsibility and hope they and all stay well.

A lot may well depend on what the RFL is contractually obliged to deliver for the Sky and BBC. I would expect that there would have to be some flexibility on both sides given the circumstances, but the broadcasters (especially Sky) will have a big say in what happens on the resumption of SL, whenever that happens.

I dont think the season will resume. we have months of this yet because the lockdown is designed to delay and drag out the virus to keep the infection numbers manageable and then it will be too late to resume the season unless they play through winter and i cant see them doing that as some players will be off contract in October/November and then next season would start pretty much straight after this one had ended. You could play two games a week to get the season over quicker but that would be farcical for various reasons. Then theres the Challenge Cup, how would they implement that? The best thing they could do is go straight into a knockout competition between the entire league with winner takes all, both the CC and SL trophy.

That will be a good birthday for us both, Rogues!

True. Football is in the same predicament and probably why they aren’t cancelling the season out right. There’s far too much money at stake, not just with sky but other sponsors, partners etc.

We’ve nowhere near that level of money (would be bloody nice though) but face the same issues. In these extraordinary times I’d hope the BBC would agree to axe the CC for one season.

We might not have that issue with Sky who, let’s have it right, will prioritise football over anything else. Chances are we’ll get sidelined and we’ll see another 2 football channels on Sky to provide the coverage.

I’m speculating obviously but it’s going to be an interesting future for RL.