Quote:
>>The point I was trying to make is that if we
>>allow sports editors to ignore us, they will, and RL will become less
>>important than tiddlywinks.
>>--
>>Andy Dawson
>Anyone go fishing ? Remember Bob Nudd ?
>Its like this. Fishing is the largest participant sport in the country
>by miles. Every day people fish for pleasure, and every day thousands
>of anglers fish in well organised competitions, all over the country
>(and world). The tackle costs, well, in some cases thousands of pounds
>for one item. Normal blokes own this tackle, they scrimp, save, sell
>pot etc to get the dosh
>In recent years, England have won the world championship on several
>occasions. Bobb Nudd was world champion twice. Anglers from all over
>the country voted for him at the BBC awards, it was well orchestrated.
>He won, by miles ! The beeb said it didnt count. He was sat at the
>back somewhere. Some "succesfull brit sport clone" (Henmans the next
>one, same eyes and personality as Hill, Faldo, Mansell - was that
>sheep the only one ?) won it.
>The point is clear. You can take a horse to water.....
Sorry, fishing (my brother is a decent standard match angler) is not a
spectator sport and that is the difference Who wants to pay to watch
other people fish? People want to get out and have a go at it.
Quote:
>RL will never pull football crowds, will never get regular, high
>quality national airtime, will never be THE national sport. The reason
>is, well, footy. Its more exiting for the general public. Why ? Well,
>nearly at the end and still no one knows who will win the Title, you
>can guess, a good guess too, but would you put your wages on it ?
Well first and foremost Never say Never. RL's current goals are
survival, that obtained where is a realistic goal for RL, comparisons
with first division football spring to mind.
Clubs averaging 8-15,000 fans with one or two going above this and one
or two falling short of this. How far are we from this goal, if you
dissect it its well within reach. ESL probably needs two or three more
francises in different parts of the country (Europe) and that is all.
This will create a much stronger SL and add some beef to Divisions one
and two.
The game is growing at the moment here in London our U16 won the
national title, we need to increase the number of schools and amature
clubs down here and hey presto we will get a second professional team.
Quote:
>At Christmas, seven clubs were in with a shout, and you couldnt really
>guess on the winner and runner up.
>They have two cup comps, and look at the finals. When did that last
>happen in RL ? Even a Salford / Leeds final wouldnt really shock ! It
>might upset me, mugwump and VGFG, but would the nation be shocked by
>it ? Would it get a little funny slot at the end of the news ?
>RL - Well one match gone and its Saints Bulls as one/ two. Or Bulls /
>Saints. Exciting ? I think so, you think so, but to Joe Public. No.
>And its probably Saints / Bulls in the cup too !
>Just as we were getting some number of top clubs, Wigan Collapse.
>Joe P says things like "yeh, but Paris and London are all ***in
>Aussies - thats not real competition". And, apologies to those
>concerned, but he is right. When do we say " Hey, Paris and London.
> No "
Bollocks, do you know what J Public says (I've been speaking to him)
"22 quid to see a shitty 1-0 to Spurs against Leeds, total cost of the
day out over fourty per person there has to be something more exciting
and better value than this!!!!"
Quote:
>What happens then. Either could forseeably win something if they keep
>going and the coaching is good. Are they going to have the quota
>reduced the following year ? What happens then ?
>Joe Public loves the Cup Final. My Scouse soccer loving pre married
>life drinking mates were made up with Last years final. Never off the
>phone. Great spectacle. Brilliant. Never came to a game, though. But
>they will be watching tommorrow, and next weekend, and the Final, and
>they will be on the phone again.
Your point being?
Quote:
>Remember, all over the country, people row every weekend, people play
>hockey every weekend, play squash every weekend etc, etc. Non are on
>the telly regularly, and if they have a newsgroup they are probably
>whinging on about their own little Eddie and Stevos.
Sorry, I have played or watched many of the popular sports. No
comparison to the product that is RL, problem is that much of RL is
trapped in a geographic and cultural time warp, where are the new fans
going to come from?
Quote:
>Enjoy the game, hope it spreads, but dont bank on becoming the
>national sport, we already have one.
I will enjoy it, I also wish you wouldn't take your tamaizpan prior to
posting
Quote:
>Time for work....
>John Lancaster
>St Helens, UK
--
Steve Morris
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