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Post by andyjc7 on Jun 6, 2023 10:58:42 GMT
I understand the 9’s tournament in terms of attracting new fans , income etc but it’s almost a completely separate sport in the same way rugby union is but as a mid-season marquee rugby league point I don’t see it
Much prefer 2 points being on offer , seeing the full sides and not just a 9 aside team with backs and the odd back row
It’d still get a good turn out , good social side but it wouldn’t be a rugby league event although you could invite guest sides like union did when they invited Wigan to Twickenham a few years ago
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Post by tony13 on Jun 6, 2023 11:12:13 GMT
I think the fixture list is pretty full. We should be looking to reduce the demands on players, not increase them.
If we want a carnival atmosphere, why not just play one regular round of fixtures at a single venue over a weekend or play half the fixtures in Lancashire on the Saturday and the other half in Yorkshire on the Sunday. Obviously, the teams that lose a fixture at their home ground need to be recompensed, but it should be possible.
Just a thought.
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Post by BDD on Jun 6, 2023 13:24:39 GMT
I understand the 9’s tournament in terms of attracting new fans , income etc but it’s almost a completely separate sport in the same way rugby union is but as a mid-season marquee rugby league point I don’t see it Much prefer 2 points being on offer , seeing the full sides and not just a 9 aside team with backs and the odd back row It’d still get a good turn out , good social side but it wouldn’t be a rugby league event although you could invite guest sides like union did when they invited Wigan to Twickenham a few years ago We've had that format for years. We've seen reduced TV deals, reduced (and sometimes embarrassing) sponsorship deals, no significant boost in new fans, little (if any) expansion (has the Magic Weekend boosted Newcastle Thunder? Is there an appetite there for RL?), poor mass media coverage, and our players are rarely, if ever, in the limelight. When people think RL they still think of personalities like Offiah and Handley. Players like Farrell, Edwards, and Ford are known more through RU. We need something different. Something that can create a bit of media buzz and provide a wave we can ride as a sport. A yearly 9s tournement (in my opinion) would give us that. It doesn't have to be a mid-season thing. It could be played pre-season or post-season and provide another trophy teams could win - let's name it after Rob Burrow who was a fast an exciting player, which is what 9s is about. Launching it that way and in association with MND would garner lots of national coverage too. Being fast and exciting and with games are shorter, it'd be a great gateway to introducing people to the 13 a side game as 9s is essentially RL and is played nothing like RU. It'd give us an opportunity to attract new sponsorship and TV partners (which should the benefit negotiations for RL as a whole). It's a platform to put the faces of our players out there on terrestrial TV. The simple fact is we need more money in the sport, which means better TV deals and sponsohop and that requires a larger platform and something people want to get involved in. |
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Post by gadger on Jun 6, 2023 13:33:59 GMT
As a rugby league fan personally I think this is the best spectacle we have, and it should be kept ideally where and when it is. Ok it’s not going to bring in thousands of new fans, although I met lots of non rl regulars this weekend who only ever come to magic. It’s never going to sell out, doesn’t matter where it is. I get the issues with loop fixtures, it’s not ideal. But, there are far more positives, for me anyway, its brilliant weekend. For the teams who aren’t as successful it’s an event, it’s an opportunity to play in a big stadium with lots of hype, it feels different to a normal game. It gives team’s opportunities to make a bit more money, from shirts and merch, opportunities to raise awareness like Leeds have done and we have in the past. It’s a great weekend away, it’s everything that makes RL the greatest sport. Am sure there are tweaks that could make it better, but I think we’d be missing a trick if we get rid.
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Post by gadger on Jun 6, 2023 13:37:03 GMT
And I think 9s should definitely be something to be considered, not to replace magic but as a separate comp, early season. I don’t think anything should be off the table, we need to try new things. but that doesn’t mean we need to get rid of things which do work.
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Post by andyjc7 on Jun 7, 2023 8:04:22 GMT
I understand the 9’s tournament in terms of attracting new fans , income etc but it’s almost a completely separate sport in the same way rugby union is but as a mid-season marquee rugby league point I don’t see it Much prefer 2 points being on offer , seeing the full sides and not just a 9 aside team with backs and the odd back row It’d still get a good turn out , good social side but it wouldn’t be a rugby league event although you could invite guest sides like union did when they invited Wigan to Twickenham a few years ago We've had that format for years. We've seen reduced TV deals, reduced (and sometimes embarrassing) sponsorship deals, no significant boost in new fans, little (if any) expansion (has the Magic Weekend boosted Newcastle Thunder? Is there an appetite there for RL?), poor mass media coverage, and our players are rarely, if ever, in the limelight. When people think RL they still think of personalities like Offiah and Handley. Players like Farrell, Edwards, and Ford are known more through RU. We need something different. Something that can create a bit of media buzz and provide a wave we can ride as a sport. A yearly 9s tournement (in my opinion) would give us that. It doesn't have to be a mid-season thing. It could be played pre-season or post-season and provide another trophy teams could win - let's name it after Rob Burrow who was a fast an exciting player, which is what 9s is about. Launching it that way and in association with MND would garner lots of national coverage too. Being fast and exciting and with games are shorter, it'd be a great gateway to introducing people to the 13 a side game as 9s is essentially RL and is played nothing like RU. It'd give us an opportunity to attract new sponsorship and TV partners (which should the benefit negotiations for RL as a whole). It's a platform to put the faces of our players out there on terrestrial TV. The simple fact is we need more money in the sport, which means better TV deals and sponsohop and that requires a larger platform and something people want to get involved in. I agree as a stand-alone , pre-season tournament there may be some benefit as an intro , I’m just not personally in favour of it replacing magic weekend - I don’t think 60,000 + is a bad weekend crowd when it’s essentially an away game for everyone I take your point about Newcastle Thunder but it’s an age old problem with heartland rugby league , the challenge cup is payed in London every year yet a London side has never taken off and I don’t think a 9’s tournament would trugger a new generation of league fans The product of league is great but there has never been enough investment in marketing even for the established sides - Leigh this season have probably done the best job in terms of creating some noise around league but the budget isn’t there for everyone to do that unless you’ve a rich investor who’s going to take up the challenge and bankroll the game in general and not just push one team I’d watch a 9’s tournament and support Salford but in the same way I’d watch Salford women or reserves as they are a Salford team but if it attracts a while new audience I’m all for it as it’s a great sport but we need someone like Sky to really push it |
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Post by JJR on Jun 7, 2023 8:51:17 GMT
Interestingly (or not) RU is being developed all round the world via 7s tournaments; run separately from 15a side
To me if we want to spread the code nationally and internationally, weekly separate 9s tournaments travelling the country would be the way to start spreading the word.
Oz run a successful 9s as a pre season event and I can still remember how brilliant Dai Watkins was in the 7s that used to be run
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Post by BDD on Jun 7, 2023 10:40:56 GMT
Interestingly (or not) RU is being developed all round the world via 7s tournaments; run separately from 15a side To me if we want to spread the code nationally and internationally, weekly separate 9s tournaments travelling the country would be the way to start spreading the word. Oz run a successful 9s as a pre season event and I can still remember how brilliant Dai Watkins was in the 7s that used to be run Good ideas.
As I've said on here before and in feedback with several pages of ideas to the club, the NFL has demonstrated a model that works. They have used Flag Football - our equivalent would be Tag Rugby - to grow the game both inside (participation) and outside (participation and awareness) the US. The format of Tag Rugby is far more accessible to people as it's non-contact, it's also simpler (rules) and faster, which makes it exciting - there isn't really an arm-wrestle that you can get with the full game. Anybody who enjoys 7s and 9s would surely enjoy RL too - watching 7s and 9s is nothing close to watching RU but again it is a more accessible and exciting format that can provide a gateway. |
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Post by JJR on Jun 7, 2023 12:47:46 GMT
HKR Batchelor and Sue both long term injuries
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Post by russ on Jun 7, 2023 15:26:56 GMT
HKR Batchelor and Sue both long term injuries At the start of the season I thought that injuries plus disciplinary would determine relegation but they seem to be affecting almost everything but. |
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Post by tony13 on Jun 7, 2023 16:25:14 GMT
HKR Batchelor and Sue both long term injuries At the start of the season I thought that injuries plus disciplinary would determine relegation but they seem to be affecting almost everything but. That's because Wakefield have got the relegation spot all tied up. It's theirs. |
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Post by russ on Jun 7, 2023 17:14:20 GMT
At the start of the season I thought that injuries plus disciplinary would determine relegation but they seem to be affecting almost everything but. That's because Wakefield have got the relegation spot all tied up. It's theirs. Yes that became obvious in the last two or three games but injuries, even without the sense of relief from everyone else, have not played much of a part but the top six and play-offs are certain to be decided by it.
By the way always good to hear from you Tony, hope you're well.
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Post by Carnster on Jun 8, 2023 7:47:27 GMT
I'll go out on a limb here and say that Wakey will get their first win this weekend.
Bold statement, but as bad as they have been they'll have at least one game where they'll click and at home to local rivals Leeds may be it.
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Post by stuckinyorkshire on Jun 8, 2023 7:57:16 GMT
I'll go out on a limb here and say that Wakey will get their first win this weekend. Bold statement, but as bad as they have been they'll have at least one game where they'll click and at home to local rivals Leeds may be it. I'm with you on this |
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Post by BDD on Jun 8, 2023 9:06:10 GMT
The Leeds forum would be an excellent read if they got beat off Wakefield. I'd love it to happen. I'm sure they'll win a game or two this year but I can't see where it's coming from at the moment. They couldn't create an overlap or a break against 11 men. Is Gale fit yet?
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