Doncaster RLFC • Re: Rugby League Backchat
Moonshine wrote:
And the thorny issue of merges and no Cumbrian team unless that happens. All comes back to money and keeping the cream of that cash going to the well established clubs in an effort to stop the NRL running away with the game. It was insightful and Carl Hall came across well. I strongly recommend folk to give it a viewing.
Yes, there are various repeat showings coming up on Freesports. It's well worth a watch.
We recall all the merger issues suggested when Super League first started. Suggesting that Workington and Whitehaven merge is probably similar to suggesting the Dons merge with Sheffield. It's very hard for fans to accept no matter what sort of business case might be put forward.
The issue for me is that if the RFL presently give sides in our league around £75k but chose to give the big boys an extra £75k instead, it might lead to the best Super League players not going down under, but it certainly wouldn't guarantee it. It would certainly rip the heart and soul out of rugby at our level. The gap between the elite 20 and the rest would be even greater than the current gap between Super League and the Championship.
As mentioned on the TV programme, the better solution is to try to bring more money into the sport generally through sponsorship and better TV rights deals, rather than squeeze those at the bottom. This is the way to try to create a win-win situation.
League One is doing very well at the moment with the likes of York and the Dons working hard to try to improve crowds, along with the added interest of having Bradford in the league too. The standard of rugby in this league is good amongst the top eight sides. I'm sure that without central funding from the RFL, and the hope of getting promoted to a higher division, this league would see clubs folding and the standards drop. Players would be lost from the game and as many good players graduate from playing at our level, this would be to the detriment of the Super League clubs too. Investing £75k in the lower leagues seems like much better value for money for the game of rugby league generally, than giving this amount to the big boys in an attempt to stave off competition from abroad.
Statistics: Posted by Double Movement — Fri Apr 27, 2018 8:19 am