Board plan additional investment in Tigers

[LE18]

Coming from St Helens I also keep an eye on the other Saints. But recent events have me thinking how Rugby League manages its finances I genuinely have no true idea but am under the impression it thrives, we don't hear much about clubs going under and Saints have just become World Club Champions beating Penrith Panthers away in Aus. I understand their players are paid less (generally) than Union players which for most clubs will be the biggest cost as with any business.

Yet.....the game thrives, we have a club which is World beating and no headlines (that I recall) about clubs going under. Surely there is a model there for Union somewhere. I know lower salaries may mean players move but surely a viable, competitive, sustainable premiership should be the core goal. I would take that even if English clubs were less competitive against French and Irish clubs.

Edit: Just seen this from Jack Willis viewpoint.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64720269

Don't League play their matches in summer, could that lead to increased gates and increased revenue?

[GB72]

Coming from St Helens I also keep an eye on the other Saints. But recent events have me thinking how Rugby League manages its finances I genuinely have no true idea but am under the impression it thrives, we don't hear much about clubs going under and Saints have just become World Club Champions beating Penrith Panthers away in Aus. I understand their players are paid less (generally) than Union players which for most clubs will be the biggest cost as with any business.

Yet.....the game thrives, we have a club which is World beating and no headlines (that I recall) about clubs going under. Surely there is a model there for Union somewhere. I know lower salaries may mean players move but surely a viable, competitive, sustainable premiership should be the core goal. I would take that even if English clubs were less competitive against French and Irish clubs.

Edit: Just seen this from Jack Willis viewpoint.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64720269

Don't League play their matches in summer, could that lead to increased gates and increased revenue?

I do think that the best chance of rugby getting any press and getting more people in the stadiums is to move it away from Premier league football that eats up media time, media budget and people's available money.

[Scuttle]

Coming from St Helens I also keep an eye on the other Saints. But recent events have me thinking how Rugby League manages its finances I genuinely have no true idea but am under the impression it thrives, we don't hear much about clubs going under and Saints have just become World Club Champions beating Penrith Panthers away in Aus. I understand their players are paid less (generally) than Union players which for most clubs will be the biggest cost as with any business.

Yet.....the game thrives, we have a club which is World beating and no headlines (that I recall) about clubs going under. Surely there is a model there for Union somewhere. I know lower salaries may mean players move but surely a viable, competitive, sustainable premiership should be the core goal. I would take that even if English clubs were less competitive against French and Irish clubs.

Edit: Just seen this from Jack Willis viewpoint.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64720269

Don't League play their matches in summer, could that lead to increased gates and increased revenue?

Yes they do. The Super League started last week

[arickett]

You can download the whole programme on BBC Sounds.

or on many podcast sites

[LE18]

Has everyone eligible voted, decision is on the 3rd, iirc?

[Postiger2]

Coming from St Helens I also keep an eye on the other Saints. But recent events have me thinking how Rugby League manages its finances I genuinely have no true idea but am under the impression it thrives, we don't hear much about clubs going under and Saints have just become World Club Champions beating Penrith Panthers away in Aus. I understand their players are paid less (generally) than Union players which for most clubs will be the biggest cost as with any business.

Yet.....the game thrives, we have a club which is World beating and no headlines (that I recall) about clubs going under. Surely there is a model there for Union somewhere. I know lower salaries may mean players move but surely a viable, competitive, sustainable premiership should be the core goal. I would take that even if English clubs were less competitive against French and Irish clubs.

Edit: Just seen this from Jack Willis viewpoint.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/64720269

Don't League play their matches in summer, could that lead to increased gates and increased revenue?

Possibly a controversial decision, but I've thought for a long time that Union should also move to the summer.

[johnthegriff]

If Union moves to the summer I am done as a spectator. RUGBY IS A WINTER GAME.

[Ian Cant]

Same for me Johnthegriff. I’ve supported Tigers home and away for over 45years so I’m too long in the tooth for watching Tigers in the Summer!

[Scott1]

I’d watch it if it was on the moon! If we end up with a global calendar then so be it

[LE18]

If Union moves to the summer I am done as a spectator. RUGBY IS A WINTER GAME.

My sentiments are the same, but if extra supporters are needed to help balance the books, folk in general prefer to turn out in warmer weather, don't you as you get older, my arthritis' isn't so painful.?

[sk 88]

If Union moves to the summer I am done as a spectator. RUGBY IS A WINTER GAME.

My sentiments are the same, but if extra supporters are needed to help balance the books, folk in general prefer to turn out in warmer weather, don't you as you get older, my arthritis' isn't so painful.?

Thing is there is no evidence for this at all really. Rugby League gets worse attendances than union, and what stats are usually brought up in defence of the move ignore that all major sports were having attendance booms in the 90s as the economy was picking up and sport was becoming more popular in general culture. The rate of increase of attendances in Rugby league stayed stable from the late 80s to around 2000, i.e. it was increasing in the winter seasons then continued to increase as they went to "summer".

And when people talk of a "summer season" it is rugby union that plays it's biggest and most important games in what is the driest month for weather in UK, namely May, while League plays its grandfinal in a colder and wetter October, or sometimes even first week of November I think.

[Scott1]

Statistically May has more rain than April these days while April still has more showers

[mightymouse]

As usual Rugby considers ways of bringing in new supporters.. without considering how many of their existing supporters they will alienate and possibly lose.

[Scott1]

As usual Rugby considers ways of bringing in new supporters.. without considering how many of their existing supporters they will alienate and possibly lose.

Maybe they've looked at the age demographics and seen that a lot of younger supporters prefer a newer model. They're the future sadly. I bet there were fans saying the same about county cricket at one time. And as sad as it sounds you could be a ST holder for 10,20,30 even 40 years,Tigers family or whatever clubs family, would they lose one ST to gain 2 more? Of course they would! I will always put the game before myself,if it needs to change to survive then so be it. I'd rather some game than no game!

[johnthegriff]

Reasons against rugby as a Summer sport.
1. It is too blooming hot, at the top level they will water pitches but lower down there will be injuries on hard grounds.
2. Games interrupted for water breaks.
3. Slump in season ticket sales as in addition to games missed due to work and inconvenient kick off times there will now be at least three weekends affected as most take a 2 week summer holiday.
3. Travel to matches affected as holiday makers flood the motorways and trains at weekends.
4. Problems with pitches as the grass will have only the winter non growing months to recover from usage.
5. It is too blooming hot. Sun in eyes. Sunburn on exposed flesh. It is just not right!