Re: Fight for the Grand Final & A Relegation Battle : Tue Jun 18, 2019 9:30 pm  

ThePrinter wrote:

Why do people just think about away crowds (likewise when going on about expansion teams) that is well down the list of factors really. Sky and sponsorship wouldn’t really like to see a Leeds-less competition and like them or not they bring the money in. As poor as Leeds have been they’ll still have been on Sky 14 times out of their first 21 fixtures.....what other team struggling around 10th have ever had anywhere near that much tv coverage? Why do Leeds get it, because they still bring in bigger audiences even when poor and that’s what really counts most to the tv people, not whether a match between Salford & Hudds might be a better contest.

He didn't mention away crowds, he was talking about Leeds' ability to draw crowds to Headingley.

It's a valid point tbf. Leeds are the biggest club in SL because they draw the biggest crowds and TV audiences. That in turn brings in the sponsors and helps the TV deals. Leeds' crowds are largely due to their on field success over the last 15 years. Take that success away and how long is it until they become just another moderately sized club? We know that sports fans are fickle, and there are a good chunk of Leeds fans that have never been there for any bad or even mediocre times.

If Leeds stay up and get back to competing for trophies, then of course they are very important to SL. If they stay up and continue to knock around lower mid table for the next few years with a few more relegation scraps, then not so much. Of course no one has a crystal ball, so we don't know.

Re: Fight for the Grand Final & A Relegation Battle : Tue Jun 18, 2019 10:30 pm  

Mr. Zucchini Head wrote:

He didn't mention away crowds, he was talking about Leeds' ability to draw crowds to Headingley.

It's a valid point tbf. Leeds are the biggest club in SL because they draw the biggest crowds and TV audiences. That in turn brings in the sponsors and helps the TV deals. Leeds' crowds are largely due to their on field success over the last 15 years. Take that success away and how long is it until they become just another moderately sized club? We know that sports fans are fickle, and there are a good chunk of Leeds fans that have never been there for any bad or even mediocre times.

If Leeds stay up and get back to competing for trophies, then of course they are very important to SL. If they stay up and continue to knock around lower mid table for the next few years with a few more relegation scraps, then not so much. Of course no one has a crystal ball, so we don't know.

Again? Tell someone in a different thread about sponsors/crowds etc.... I've had close to 20 years of being told London Broncos don't bring anything to the game, that our crowds are a disgrace and that promotion/relegation is a matter to be settled only on the pitch....this year, with fewer than a dozen rounds to go, we have 6 or 7 sides who are dabbling with relegation....let the dice fall where they will. Whomever is bottom goes down......anything else and the game in the UK becomes more of a laughing stock!
If it's London, we've shown it's not the end of us.....and neither would it be the end of any of the other "dabblers" except maybe Salford, but if the RFL/SL board are in any doubt about the idea of Leeds going down, then they need to act now and declare the new format as part of an IMPROVED TV deal.......anything else will make us look tin-pot

Re: Fight for the Grand Final & A Relegation Battle : Wed Jun 19, 2019 7:06 am  

Call Me God wrote:

Again? Tell someone in a different thread about sponsors/crowds etc.... I've had close to 20 years of being told London Broncos don't bring anything to the game, that our crowds are a disgrace and that promotion/relegation is a matter to be settled only on the pitch....this year, with fewer than a dozen rounds to go, we have 6 or 7 sides who are dabbling with relegation....let the dice fall where they will. Whomever is bottom goes down......anything else and the game in the UK becomes more of a laughing stock!
If it's London, we've shown it's not the end of us.....and neither would it be the end of any of the other "dabblers" except maybe Salford, but if the RFL/SL board are in any doubt about the idea of Leeds going down, then they need to act now and declare the new format as part of an IMPROVED TV deal.......anything else will make us look tin-pot

I'm not sure you quite got the essence of my post. I'm not suggesting for one second that Leeds should be saved if they finish bottom. Whoever finishes there should be relegated. I'm questioning this rhetoric that they are the biggest club in SL and are therefore vital to SL. They won't be such a big club for much longer if they continue to be a bottom 4 club.

Fwiw I think a 14 team league is the right way to go. That's nothing to do with Leeds though, in fact I would love to see them go down. I just think it gives us a fairer and more varied fixture list.

Re: Fight for the Grand Final & A Relegation Battle : Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:22 am  

Mr. Zucchini Head wrote:

I'm not sure you quite got the essence of my post. I'm not suggesting for one second that Leeds should be saved if they finish bottom. Whoever finishes there should be relegated. I'm questioning this rhetoric that they are the biggest club in SL and are therefore vital to SL. They won't be such a big club for much longer if they continue to be a bottom 4 club.

Fwiw I think a 14 team league is the right way to go. That's nothing to do with Leeds though, in fact I would love to see them go down. I just think it gives us a fairer and more varied fixture list.

Leeds are very much in decline, they might still have the biggest home crowd largely due to the demographic, its when you see the away support that you realise how the mighty have fallen.
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There is a lot of pressure on all the clubs from now on be it the top 5 or the bottom 5 and I expect lots of clubs will up there games, I think Leeds will battle on to avoid relegation but they are certainly losing that top club badge if you look at the perspective of performances, quality of players.
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In the last 4 years they have had 3 seasons of potential relegation, can they stop the slide of home support and for the future lag behind Hull, Warrington, Wigan and Saints who have much weaker "homeland" demographics.

Re: Fight for the Grand Final & A Relegation Battle : Wed Jun 19, 2019 10:21 am  

Judging by the taxi load of fans Leeds brought to us earlier in the season, being replaced by Toronto won’t hurt our coffers too much.

Re: Fight for the Grand Final & A Relegation Battle : Wed Jun 19, 2019 10:36 am  

Leeds have a decent number of ‘fans’, but it will be interesting to see how many supporters they’d have in the championship.

They would add to an already competitive championship on the playing side though and that can only be good for the interest in the championship.

Re: Fight for the Grand Final & A Relegation Battle : Wed Jun 19, 2019 5:44 pm  

ThePrinter wrote:

Yeah but you’ve got to remember that Saints fans have plenty of scars left by Leeds in the last 10 years dumping them out of competitions on numerous occasions that some bitterness remains especially from the constant Old Trafford beatings

2007 GF - 2008 GF - 2009 GF - 2010 CCSF - 2011 GF - 2013 Playoffs - 2015 CCSF - 2015 Playoff Semi

Not sure why anybody finds any team going down funny, I’ve never looked at any relegation battle in the past and been desperate to see one particular team go down.

You really are an idiot.

Re: Fight for the Grand Final & A Relegation Battle : Wed Jun 19, 2019 6:37 pm  

AS108 wrote:

You really are an idiot.

In Printers defence I assume maths isn't a strong point. And if your maths isn't great how do you count? By using your fingers and thumbs!!! Problem is he's from Leeds and using that method causes problems... hence the additional couple of years inadvertently added onto his post. (just a little Lancs-Yorks bit of banter their Mr Printer )

I'd love to see Leeds go down tbh. A year without the Leeds Symphonic Orchestra playing live on Sky every other week and not having to listen to "Marching on together" is my idea of RL heaven.

Re: Fight for the Grand Final & A Relegation Battle : Wed Jun 19, 2019 7:18 pm  

SaleSlim wrote:

In Printers defence I assume maths isn't a strong point. And if your maths isn't great how do you count? By using your fingers and thumbs!!! Problem is he's from Leeds and using that method causes problems... hence the additional couple of years inadvertently added onto his post. (just a little Lancs-Yorks bit of banter their Mr Printer )

I'd love to see Leeds go down tbh. A year without the Leeds Symphonic Orchestra playing live on Sky every other week and not having to listen to "Marching on together" is my idea of RL heaven.

Likewise, it would be hilarious and not having them on sky so often would be great as well. They’d come straight back up anyway so the idea that it would be damaging for Super League is rubbish. Not like they’re contributing a great deal now anyway.

Re: Fight for the Grand Final & A Relegation Battle : Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:31 pm  

SaleSlim wrote:

In Printers defence I assume maths isn't a strong point.

More a case of not focusing enough as I simply forgot the “or so” to “10 years or so”

Maths is fine, see
Leeds vs Saints GF wins
Leeds - 4
Saints - ZERO