Quote Originally Posted by eddiewaringsflatcap View Post
Why is it you struggle to accept reality and try to spin everything? It comes across as some sort of personal mission which I think is misplaced. Almost like that scene in Blackadder goes Forth... ‘A staunch refusal to look facts in the face will see us through.’ You say lazy accusations thrown at the RFL mean people don’t take accountability, but where the RFL are concerned they have’nt for years.
Just taking a handful of your points:

1. Commercial profile of the sport. It wasn’t so long ago Big Mac expressed one of the greatest dangers to RL is its struggles to attract business partners who can generate the revenues needed across all levels of the sport. Your point on ‘sponsorship’ (Id recommend consigning that term to the last millennium) is actually an indictment of the sports leadership because it infers that those people have failed to make the sport an attractive commercial proposition to partners we need to improve both the perception and the balance sheet.

At one time RL had an unspectacular but solid portfolio of partners at club and ‘governing’ level but far from this improving it appears to have gotten worse. Off the back of the disastrous Stobart deal, which should be an individual example of how not to manage a sport, the sport can only attract the ‘taboo’ partners like alcohol, betting and tobacco or ‘bargain basement’ like Dacia, Mushy Peas etc. Id doubt these sports generate significant income needed to grow the sport not create the impression of a vibrant, fashionable sport. Whether its a tough job to improve this situation matters little. Its been the responsibility of the RFL in the past to do just this and they failed so spectacularly that the SuperLeague clubs recently chose to manage their own commercial interests, they lacked so much confidence in the sports leadership that they effectively said enough is enough. Whether Robert Elstone delivers the improvement needed remains to be seen. Its going to take time to repair the damage IMO.

2. Rule changes. Though I accept the shot clock is a step forward its been obvious to many that its been needed for years. The simple fact theres been so many rule changes (and ones coincidentally off the field as well) indicates a sport lacking confidence in its product. To me a lot of this relentless change has alienated the sports followers, especially where play offs are concerned which continue to be a failure. Over this weekend, at the point ‘it matters,’ the fans one of those clubs were so underwhelmed they rewarded their club with its lowest crowd of the season.

The rule changes and innovations often appear as ill conceived gimmicks; almost as if those brokering the TV deals either use them as a desperation selling point or worse, accept them when put forward by our broadcasters.

For me its panic stations in RL at the moment and Im reluctant to pretend problems donÂ’t exist or can be swept away by spirious positivity because they cant. People calling out failure isnt negative, in fact it’s absolutely crucial to influence change in the right direction.
So SL went alone due to lack of confidence in the RFL only? Nothing to do with power and control. Plenty of people have already turned on the SL and Robert Elstone, amazing isn't it, different organisation, different people same result, go figure

Rule changes, you've decided that the low crowd at the play offs is due to rule changes? Are you serious? How does it explain other rounds and good attendances, they haven't changed the rules for those games?
Let's be serious now, there's not refusal that things shouldnt be better, but simply looking for scapegoats will not address the problems. Rule changes is a good example, if there have been too many there's nothing that can be done now, as further changes will reinforce the message of too many!
If this is the reason for low attendances then there's nothing that can be done, unless you admit that's not the reason and things can improve which is my position

Not jumping on the band wagon and blaming the RFL for everything, or slating some refs continuously isn't saying things couldn't be better or mistakes haven't been made, it's challenging the misguided view of some fans when refusing to deal with the real issue and lazily blaming the first thing they think of.

The facts are we are mainly a northern sport, there's a perception across the UK we are entirely a northern sport, we have little money as a sport and little bargaining power. Decisions are often made through a vote so there is shared responsibility with clubs.
Many people don't go to games and criticise attendances
Many people watch the game waiting for the ref to make an error so they can point it out to somehow look clever
Many people blame the RFL because they cannot think of any other reason we are not as big as football
Many people won't accept the game is different now to the start of SL
I could go on