They'd have needed to have been awake the day the RFL dangled the big money sky contract in front of them. A few years of decent money, all for trading away any ability to influence the future path of the sport.

Then of course, the money dried up.

I mean a bit nearer Michael, at the inception of licencing the Championship clubs should then have been looking at collaberation on external income , being locked into a structure at that time did provide opportunities, but even in our leagues, a refusal to work together for our ' common good ' prevented growth, and extra income that could have eventually resulted in self susstainability and control of your own destiny

But what do I know?

Far too late by that point, imho.

Licensing was the culmination of what started with the original big money contract from Sky.

It's a little late to be trying to climb out of the coffin when most of the nails are already in the lid, especially given the voluntary nature by which the clubs climbed in to said box.

Its never too late, as confucious's dad ( frank blackburn ) said, " the longest journey begins with but 1 step " , " especially if you are going to a pub "

I find the journey home from the pub longer than the one to it.

It's too late when you've ceded your control.

There's only 1 thing could change the situation, and that is if the entire sport, minus Super League, walked away and took away all the support structures. SL couldn't survive on it's own. Then and only then, we might be able to bring about a fairer structure in the game.

Such unity in the game hasn't been known since 1895, so it's not likely. Without it, we only see more SL self protectionism.



(Now let be careful here, I think we're in risk of this thread breaking out in to actual debate.)

Ah, yes, but, if I continue I will start to criticise, so I'll leave it there

Go for it. Can't have debate with criticism. It's those that can't handle criticism (despite those same people handing out quite generously) that are the biggest problem.

When all the SL licensing began I posted then it would only be a matter of time before they broke away from the rest, and encouraged by SKY there will be a combined new code, involving the top SL and Union clubs, making it a truly national game, the only restraining factor will be Unions International’s.

RUBBISH, BLOODY BEDFORD CLUELESS FANS

Maybe the SL chairman and the RFL chairman could get together.......oh hang on its the same person isn't it.

Get ALL the RFL member clubs around the RFL council table one club one vote....or is that too simple.

Info regarding money from a report I read stated 1.3M for the 12 in SL1. 650k down to 150k on a sliding scale for SL2 and 75k for Championship 1 clubs. An increase for all so whats the pie eaters problem. This won't now be sorted until after the World Cup.

Stupidly or otherwise existing Champ clubs may have started strengthening with the carrots in mind especially the 5 who may have been in danger of dropping out of the Championship at the end of 2014. This could cause serious problems.

There are doubts at the moment on 3 clubs involvement in SL next season Bradford again, Wakefield and of course London.

What a fecking mess the game is in!

Actually that was my Uncle Chairman Mao we discussed it at length when we were having an argument about Feng Shui and the health benefits of pot noodle.

Sorry to be pedantic but he said Frank one single step and not just 1 step.

I never liked him.

Your just jealous of our street life

, and our posh chippy

Trouble is that said combined code will be RU under any other name. And I've no doubt it would fall on it's backside. All makes perfect sense in theory, but there's a reason why people from Castleford watch Castleford rugby league, why people from Leeds watch Leeds rugby league and why every bugger else watches Wigan rugby league.

I think Skys commitment to SL was shown on Saturday when they scheduled the biggest game of the season at the same time as Sunderland v Man Utd.Many pubs in manchester showed the football instead of the Grand Final which caused some trouble as lots of fans go to Manchester to watch the final and spend the day and night with other RL fans.

RL is just a plaything for Sky and unfortunately you reap what you sow and SL clubs have sold their souls.
If the SL clubs do renage on the so called new structure I will not be surprised as they from day 1 have not really cared about any other club if its not SL, even DCs suit them they are doing us no favours.

I agree it would likely fail but equally I also thought a mass move from Winter to Summer to accommodate a TV Channel and Cup Play off RL to decide a champion (and to add fixtures for a TV Channel) wouldn't happen.
I also didn't believe the governing body would allow chairmen's wealth or state of stadia to dictate a clubs progression in [isport[/i yet as I type I suspect most fans can name the club chairmen yet struggle to name 5 players of some SL clubs.

I firmly believe that the big SL clubs will be playing with the lessor RU clubs within 5 years time with SKY looking at a hybrid sport that might get some inquisitive viewers and with the main pull for the TV Channel being sponsors willing to advertise between those games.

The guys running these clubs clearly have self interest at heart , just read some of the sound bites coming out from Wigan - I really do hope any partnership is in the bin now as reading things attributed to the Wigan Chairmen clearly shows he begrudges any money going anyway but to the few (no harm in that as such but FORGET any hope of RL becoming a strong unified sport with people like him around, it will continue to fragment as now).

People in Castleford will be able to continue to watch Castleford RL they wouldn't make the cut.

Well I did say from day 1 when licenscing was introduced Richard Lewis was a RU plant.

How could anyone have ever respected a guy who went on Granada TV and denied the LSV excisted after he had been there ?

SKY are only interested in SKY (and why shouldn't they), and know most Southerners would rather watch Utd than two northern town teams playing some form of rugby that they don’t understand.

A truly national game however creates that interest.

Thats my point SKY know this and will always treat RL as a very poor relation even when our biggest match of the year is on.
If there is one game that non Northerners watch though its the Grand Final and this was a missed oportunity to promote our game,yet again .

Whilst it's obvious the sl owners are just trying to line their own pockets at the expense of the good of the game it may bring into focus the ineptitude of wood and rimmer.

No major sponsor for our game- somebody is not earning his pay packet

Spot on!

I don't. I can't remember going home!

Well I hope I am right that promotion and relegation will come back because without it RL is finished as in no time at all Sky will pull the plug.

Rugby fans in the M62 corridor will not turn up every week to watch line outs' kicks to touch' penalty kicks and drop goals and endless mauls plus an advantage rule that seems to go on forever.

When our sport did have promotion and relegation every clubs crowds where better.Since promotion and relegation why have the crowds in kick and clap ( AND payment to players was introduced) started to increase ? whilst RL crowds have declined

There are still only about 12 clubs playing RU in Great Britain who attract decent attendances.

Why the chuff would the rugby union want any of our teams?

They are making a shed full of money year after year

Sky as umpteem sports channels so should have shown super league grand final on all the channels at once?

They are a company that wants to make money so if they have large viewing figures for all the channels at the same time they will be quids in,and by having utd on one channel grand final on another tennis on another and golf on it serves them well


Why on earth they would drop a sport that is making them money on the cheap??

The chairmens make me laugh calling the rfl,this is the same rfl that keep us and several super league teams in business over the last few years with bale outs

Plus it was the chairmen of super league clubs who voted for a handful of trucks to be painted instead of £500,000 from betfair to sponsor the league and they wonder why no one want to pay to sponsor now,they gave it away for nothing.

Now let imagine betfairs bid was accepted and the year later William hills or Ladbrokes fancied it,betfair would have to bid up to retain it,but no the brains trust that is super league chairmen wanted trucks not the rfl those clowns and now they are bleating about the game

IDIOTS.