Hard to argue with that. Superficially the first years of SL looked great, but sadly it was all show, no foundations for any kind of future were laid down, it all went on wages. No business can prosper without forward planning, R&D and training the next generation.

I wasn't sure about summer rugby, until a game at Oldham in that truncated season, where 26 players slid about in the mud for 80 minutes (if anyone was there, it was the one where the fox ran round the pitch at half-time). That settled the argument in my mind.

I think the Challenge Cup has diminished, but I think that is partly to do with changing lifestyles. Going to London used to be a big deal, the big day out for us simple northern types. As the old Wembley closed, cheap flights came along and hotel booking sites. Going to London is no big deal anymore and hotel stays are often part of a night out. So, the big trip to the smoke lost its allure too.

As for other things, I don't think the lack of Aussie tours has got anything to do with Super League but more to do with the growth of the NRL and Origin as well as full-time professionalism. The increased physicality of rugby league due to full-time professionalism means that teams can't do the tours in the same way as before, playing multiple clubs and then the tests. Now, it's three games and that's it. And the Aussies aren't as bothered anymore because they're too focussed on Origin.

The problem with the game is that it has been run by dinosaurs for too long, who haven't seen beyond its roots and not had the vision of how to make it work beyond the roots.

We should look at the NFL for inspiration. UK NFL fans don't want to watch Manchester Gladiators play American Football. They want to watch the New York Jets, or whoever, and maybe one day see it live. In the same light, someone in Torquay perhaps doesn't want to watch Torquay Rovers play Barrow but would rather see Warrington play Saints, and perhaps even follows Warrington, or whoever, in the same way that UK NFL fans will have their own favourite team unconnected to where they are from.

Perhaps one way is for each club to commit to play one game at a location many miles from their home base, in expansion areas, with some compensation to the club for lost ticket sales. The NRL do it. The Rabbitohs often play a game on the Sunshine Coast, There are commonly games in country towns.

I'm tentatively supportive, provided clubs have a change to access Category A status, and it isn't just a way of persuading the big money clubs not to shrink the league; ie. if you promise to keep it at 12, or maybe 14, we promise you'll never get relegated, but no one else will get the same chance.

The move to summer meant coterminous seasons and thus no room for tours

I'm not sure that's right. An Aussie tour was always at the end of their season. It hasn't changed for them, and it is their lack of enthusiasm that is partly the issue. But we've had World Cups every four years, and Tri-Nations and Four Nations, some New Zealand tours.

One of the issues has been the decision to end Great Britain. That was a mistake, and we shouldn't abandon it just because Wayne Bennett was a disaster, who'd rather pick an average Aussie stand-off to play on the wing over a good British winger, presumably because of the accent.

Someone mentioned earlier the World Club Challenge. Although there have been some good moments, it is always a farce, and obviously so. Let's assume Saints play Penrith in March. Well, Penrith can beat every single NRL team relatively comfortably most weekends, so it's no surprise our teams can't, The Roosters could play them and they'd lose, but all it does us give us a chance to reflect on how far behind we are. We only have a chance because they're ring rusty, whereas the British teams have had about three weeks of games.

I just think the rise of the summer game has coincided with other changes. An Aussie tour wouldn't be able to play clubs like in the old days. There is too much physicality now. They need a week between games, which is probably why a Tri-Nations was used, because we see more games but each team doesn't play as much.

For me playing predominantly in summer was the saving grace of the SKY.

I can tell you for certain that had the game been played in winter I’d have never got my son watching the sport. Like many youngsters of his generation winter meant hibernation in his bedroom with his Xbox and all the comforts of home. I don’t blame him it’s a different world.

Like most on here I was a street corner kid, I admit it was Sandal but it wasn’t any warmer. We were used to being out doors in all weathers so the winter game was just an extension of that.

My point is, is that RL more than any other sport needs to attract new young fans and especially families. We need a USP and ours is that you can turn up most of the time in a t-shirt and remain warm.

I think Toronto got one thing spot on. That was the bear tents and the bbq’s pre match. In that fan zone we need loads of guest ales and good sensibly priced food outlets and some entertainment.

Make a day of it. Of course this could only really work from about mid May onwards but that’s still a lot of games. It would need to be secure with strict policies regarding drunken anti social behaviour so only a few hours pre kick off.

Night times even better. Get a sponsor to pay for a firework display after the game, keep them hanging around. Or a laser show, a band, anything to make that £25 ticket seem better value. It doesn’t have to end at the final whistle.

Make summer our friend. Exploit it and the fact that people of all kinds like to get out in the warm weather. That’s and a decent team and ground will attract new punters.

I know I’m slightly off topic but only the early Bulls really exploited summer RL and that bit really worked. I think over the past 25 years we’ve forgotten that bit, the bit of summer RL that really excited most people.

With what we have coming on line we need to make the whole season (most of it) one long summer bash. We can start that in 2024.

Do not agree about two leg cup games .The C C as poor fan base and do not think it you got a score of were one team as a 25 plus lead do not think there will be much of a crowd for return leg .The idea of scrapping Magic Weekend is mad .This is one of the main reasons why Sky pay there money it is a show piece Why they stoped doing all derbys I can not understand .

Yep utterly bizarre that last bit. Maybe it was Davey who had a sulk because Hudds don’t have any mates to play.

Have to agree with you on this.
The whole point of the cup is that its knockout rugby, winner goes through, loser goes home and depending on who is playing, the second game could be awful.
A one sided first game would kill the fixture and neither side and more importantly, the fans, would have any appetite for the second leg.
It's certainly not going to halt the decline in the popularity of the cup.

That was also my concern. It works in a sport like football where likely 1/2 scores are the difference. Can you imagine York getting pumped 50 nil and having a return fixture…..

I agree with a fair few points of what IMG are trying to do but they really need to look at the competitions in more detail.

Agree totally re CC.
Magics another matter, never been never had any kind of interest.
For me it's a fixture when each club should play each other home and away.
Also wasn't the Tragic supposed to encourage a massive upturn in new support.

I would.


What would be wrong with that?


Joking aside, while I lived in Torquay in the 70's, I got into RL by meeting fans of clubs who were there on holiday. ("Grockles" as we called them/you)


I chose Wakefield as a lad the same age as me had one of the shirts on and I liked it!

Surprised winter rugby is being talked about, and if we can't make summer work then we really are stuck.Sure, I used to turn up in the depths of winter, and to be fair I have some great memories, but it doesn't hold any appeal to me now.

I agree. I love night matches in Winter but I don't love the freezing cold and rain.
Or games being called off for the weather.
Or a trip across the M62 when your windscreen wipers don't even clear your window at full speed.

Of course we start in winter but most gamescare in the sun.....and so it should remain.

It’s bad enough going to Leeds and fev December and Jan/February. Lost feeling in my feet half way through. I’m all for starting season a few weeks later than present.

One of the concepts behind moving to summer was the possibility of enhancing the match day experience (IMG refer to this in their piece about product) The Bulls obviously did this exceptionally… however it became stale and eventually stopped

I remember one occasion my kids were desperate to go to the game so they could meet ‘Chico’ … who was the pre match entertainment.

I hope the club have an ear blasting sound system to accompany the new screen.

I don’t think it became stale I think as ever clubs stopped trying and it’s bitten them.

It needed to evolve but we British are lazy at entertainment outside of pop music.

I remember Chico and the others and although it wasn’t for me it really attracted people. I remember people on the roof of the old SuperBowl for Diversity??

Yes you’d hope the sound system comes as part of the deal with the screen or it kind of defeats the object.

Just wondering, if we have our own big screen do we get a rebate from SKY as they save money?

Think I mentioned before about Chico and a few others. I think it would be a fabulous platform to bring in some performers/singers and even local bands for pre match. I’d certainly look to set up some pre match and half time entertainment for the opening of the east stand.

Attendances probably will come under consideration for licensing. We absolutely need to be doing anything we can to increase ours back end of 2023 and especially 2024 season (end of it when licenses are decided I think).

We wouldn’t get much in rebates Vasty, I think Sky only came to BV once this season, and I’m sure they made it clear that, the shed on the old hospitality box West Stand is unacceptable for modern day TV crews, I’m sure it’s cost Trinity a lot in lost Sky revenue over the years. Sadly I’ve not seen anything in the redevelopment plans to improve the situation regarding Filming facilities, so more lost revenue and a lower licensing grade.

We now have something of an advantage here. The old changing rooms are staying. This allows performers of all types to be separated from the RL side as I know they used to get in the way.

We must be fairly unique here but we now have a separate building that we can use as a safe area. One where women, kids and entertainer can be contained separately and safely.

I believe it will give us two extra changing rooms with showers. The old treatment rooms and refs changing rooms can easily be changed to smaller dressing rooms for dancers, bands and thespians of every kind



Bring it on.

The fact that both seasons now end within a week of each other means that a tour would take place out of season, when players have gone away on holiday, fans have switched off and broadcasters have other things in their schedules (cameramen, producers, technicians etc all seconded into other areas).

That makes it difficult to run a tour because Club sides aren’t playing, while any Test series wouldn’t be competitive because the home team are out of season.

The mothballing of Great Britain was done under Lewis and I understand the reasoning.
They could not access Sport England funding because there was no regular England representative games, likewise Sport Ireland, Wales & Scotland.
However, that didn’t mean we had to completely scrap Great Britain and doing so is hugely lamentable and a huge miss from the game that those over 30 will remember watching with massive anticipation and excitement.

The Magic Weekend concept can’t be that bad because it is a rare idea we came up with that the NRL have copied.

Maybe it's time to finally trade-in the old Morris Minor, PT ??

They could have one of the Challenge Cup rounds as a "Magic" event, maybe when the SL clubs join the comp.
This could give the cup some significant coverage and boost interest in the cup ?

They could have one of the Challenge Cup rounds as a "Magic" event, maybe when the SL clubs join the comp.
This could give the cup some significant coverage and boost interest in the cup ?

Also, it could potentially give some of the Championship and League 1 clubs some much needed exposure

Three current showpiece events.
Magic: I've attended them all, apart from Liverpool, only because Wakefield take part so wouldn't be interested in any alternative event without us.
Wembley: Rugby League tradition to attend regardless of finalists.
Grand Final: Two club game of no interest to me.