Game On! : Sun Aug 02, 2009 12:21 pm  

Well, I saw a copy of this magazine for the first time this morning and I must say, it is absolutely rubbish!

What can the RFL be thinking? I got fed up of reading page after page, the chairman/coach/spokesmans comments, something along the lines of - "Good afternoon. Today we play/host XYZ club" blah blah blah.

There just wasn't enough to keep me interested in reading any further than the first few lines, except for Leigh's piece on the return on Ian Milward. I couldn't even be bothered to read the Fax/To Lose piece!

The beauty of the home produced ones is that it gives you an insight into a whole range of things the club is doing. Things the players have been involved with etc. When was the last time we heard anything about what's going on in the schools etc? The programme gave us a chance to see the Sponsors etc too. It was a good communication tool.

The sooner the club gets their own programme up and running again or the RFL get rid of this emergency toilet paper the better.

: Sun Aug 02, 2009 12:39 pm  

The Game On! Magazine is nothing to do with the RFL. You can find out more about what is going on in schools on the website I am currently building for CCCT ~ http://www.communitycoaching.org.uk

The Game On! Magazine is nothing to do with the RFL. You can find out more about what is going on in schools on the website I am currently building for CCCT ~ http://www.communitycoaching.org.uk

: Sun Aug 02, 2009 12:49 pm  

Yob - Agree 100%.

Incidentally, as I understand it, the magazine was originally intended to be A4 size with 48 pages. The first issue turned out to be an A5 sized 48 page production instead (though this is handier for handling at a match). Now, whilst it is still A5 sized, it is down to 32 pages!

There is very little worth reading in it other than your own teams double page spread and it is impossible to gain any flavour from it of the event which you are attending.

Individual clubs' matchday programmes used to provide some local colour and interesting information on how the home club was involved in community work, bringing up young talent etc. and on what the club's aims and ambitions were for that season etc.

The matchday experience is much poorer overall for me since the demise of club programmes.

Bring them back next season, please (though I do understand that cost is a major factor in determining if it is economical to do so). However, if we do get into SL, we would be required to produce them then. So why not start now as part of our preparations for that possible eventuality.

: Sun Aug 02, 2009 12:54 pm  

Yeah, there were some nice features in the earlier additions on various clubs, player interviews etc . . . now it is all slap dash and coach/chairman comments.

It certainly has potential for improvement.

: Sun Aug 02, 2009 1:00 pm  

I have it on good authority, that Game On, is likely to be 'Game Abandoned' after this season. I believe that the current publishers have had enough - probably because of club's 'tardy' payments and the struggle to get copy from contributors. Although the magazine is not published by the RFL, it is 100% their idea. I understand that there is a move, gathering momentum with the clubs, to scrap the magazine.

Incidentally, this idea was tried in SL, a few years ago, and died a death when the unfortunate publishers went bust. To be fair to the RFL, most clubs ran their own programmes at a loss, and many saw them as a chore. I'm the editor of Leigh programme, 'The Centurion', and I can vouch for how much work goes into compiling it! However, my club sees it as an essential communication tool, between themselves and the supporters.

Please buy one when you visit LSV, in a couple of weeks - and read a couple of articles (I hope!) from your fellow 'Fax fans!