Huge gulf = GP to Championship

[Bill W (2)]

A gulf there is jg and a gulf there is likely to remain.

[tigerburnie]

Fair to say that it will take a while for the "professionalism" to settle in to this league.I think it's vital that a decent competative second league is a success for the good of the game.Tigers are a fine example of using this league to bring on players.
Lets face it there are some famous clubs striving to get back to former glories and I'd like them to regain some(but not too much)of their history.Moseley,Coventry and Bedford in particular were as big if not bigger clubs than most of the current GP.

[Mr Bean]

I am a bedford fan and i would love to see bedford in the GP but there is a problem with money. Bedford are still a semi proffesionall side and one of our best players works at my school. The saints proved the gulf between the champ and the GP the other year by going unbeaten. in my opinion we need to put more money in and try to increase the amount of support Birmingham and solihull have an average of around 400 spectators at home games and it looked as though last week was there last game.

[Richard]

Will there be future sponsorship of the Championship, by possibly Guinness, help matters, and getting regular coverage on Sky, There is a championship match this Friday on sky, Bristol v Coventry.

[Mr Bean]

hopefully the champ will get sponshorship. and people have been slating the playoff idea i don't really like it myself but atleast it will give clubs the cance to increase there revenue. I think it would be good to see more champ rugby on sky aswell i know they have the GP and the footy aswell but even if it is not on sky but on the web or another channell the coverage will do it some good. and i'll be able to see the away games i can't reach

[Kinoulton]

Sky will pay lip service to the Championship, and the GP teams will be happy to see the Championship teams get the crumbs from the table. But nothing more.

We will soon have the ludicrous situation that footie has created, where well supported clubs like Derby, Leeds and Newcastle have been made paupers because of relegation, whilst tiny clubs like Burnley and Wigan can scrape into the top flight via the play-offs and have £40 million per year to spend on foreign players, despite the fact that even the locals can't be bothered to watch them.

It is no longer about us lot freezing our nads off standing on the terraces. It is about the mighty TV cameras in the sky, their armchair viewers, and their eager advertisers.

[drc_007]

I don't think the reliance on TV revenue is a good idea, what they really needs is people watching the game from the stand.

[Richard]

I don't think the reliance on TV revenue is a good idea, what they really needs is people watching the game from the stand.

The only way people are going to watch their local team is if they get exposure on tele, and then people might know they have a rugby team. The local papers play scant regard to Rugby, even Tigers struggle to get the same exposure as football in the Mercury.

[drc_007]

I feel that the only way to increase the gates are to build stronger links with the local community. Run schools competitions, run fitness/training summer courses, run social events etc. I doubt that increased exposure on TV would even register with many people.

[Bill W (2)]

I feel that the only way to increase the gates are to build stronger links with the local community. Run schools competitions, run fitness/training summer courses, run social events etc. I doubt that increased exposure on TV would even register with many people.

I agree. All TV exposure will do is reduce the minimal crowds.

[Richard]

I feel that the only way to increase the gates are to build stronger links with the local community. Run schools competitions, run fitness/training summer courses, run social events etc. I doubt that increased exposure on TV would even register with many people.

I agree. All TV exposure will do is reduce the minimal crowds.

Don't you think that TV exposure will increase cash flow so that the aformentioned courses can be run in the local community so generating bigger crowds.

[Bill W (2)]

I feel that the only way to increase the gates are to build stronger links with the local community. Run schools competitions, run fitness/training summer courses, run social events etc. I doubt that increased exposure on TV would even register with many people.

I agree. All TV exposure will do is reduce the minimal crowds.

Don't you think that TV exposure will increase cash flow so that the aformentioned courses can be run in the local community so generating bigger crowds.

Sponsorship could do this. But the strings attached to any TV deal (matches to be played on Thursday Evenings etc) would be largely negative IMHO.

[Mr Bean]

at bedford this year we have seen more people coming to our home games this season more than last season so far. when something happens we are all over the beds on sunday (but tbh our footy team is shocking). we hold the biggest fireworks event in the local area (cant wait) and we're heavily involved with the community via the junior blues. I feel our main problem is we are owned by the supporters good as it may be to know that your club is partly in your hands. but i cant see the supporters anytime coughing up and selling mainly because our last 2 owners have been appalling one was terrificuntill he got into a legal battle with Don King and the other tried to screw us over untill the rfu came in and stopped it. However now we bareley have two pennies to scrape together and we relie on club like leicester and northampton to send us there academy players to bring on.

[Bill W (2)]

at bedford this year we have seen more people coming to our home games this season more than last season so far. when something happens we are all over the beds on sunday (but tbh our footy team is shocking). we hold the biggest fireworks event in the local area (cant wait) and we're heavily involved with the community via the junior blues. I feel our main problem is we are owned by the supporters good as it may be to know that your club is partly in your hands. but i cant see the supporters anytime coughing up and selling mainly because our last 2 owners have been appalling one was terrificuntill he got into a legal battle with Don King and the other tried to screw us over untill the rfu came in and stopped it. However now we bareley have two pennies to scrape together and we relie on club like leicester and northampton to send us there academy players to bring on.

I have a soft spot for Bedford. Used to live there many years ago. There is nothing wrong with bringing on Tiger and Saints Academy players.

What is needed is sponsorship. Now is not a good time with the credit crunch etc. but that is definitely the way forward.

Good luck!