Re: IMG : Thu Sep 29, 2022 7:49 pm  

The criteria was not actually announced.

Re: IMG : Thu Sep 29, 2022 9:11 pm  

Septimius Severus wrote:

.......................The following is a general list that is likely to be included:

Category A teams
St Helens
Wigan
Warrington
Leeds
Catalans
Hull

High Category B
Salford
Huddersfield
Hull KR
Leigh

Mid Category B
Castleford
Wakefield
Toulouse

Low Category B
London
Widnes
Featherstone
York
Newcastle

Category C
Everybody else

A certain upcoming UK City of Culture may have just announced a fatwa on you, Sep!

You mentioned earlier in your post that you didn't live hereabouts and Bongser thought to enquire after your location. Now he thinks.

"Don't tell 'em, Pike!"

Re: IMG : Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:21 pm  

Have you been to Odsal?

Re: IMG : Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:35 pm  

For my sins I live amongst the Wire folk.

Re: IMG : Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:39 pm  

atomic wrote:

The criteria was not actually announced.

Yes Atomic well spotted. Do you think the criteria is going to be based on the number of boiled eggs that the clubs prop forwards can eat in one sitting?

The main goal will be to get Stadia up to a good standard, average crowds above 10,000 and success in the Grand Final and Challenge Cup. The rest is all pie filling.

Re: IMG : Fri Sep 30, 2022 6:39 am  

Septimius Severus wrote:

Yes Atomic well spotted. Do you think the criteria is going to be based on the number of boiled eggs that the clubs prop forwards can eat in one sitting?

The main goal will be to get Stadia up to a good standard, average crowds above 10,000 and success in the Grand Final and Challenge Cup. The rest is all pie filling.

So pretty much the same criteria as previous, not convinced we’d be top 12 to be honest- not getting relegated is crucial, those at the top table tend to stay there, and not beyond them to seriously consider the likes of Newcastle and London

Re: IMG : Fri Sep 30, 2022 11:34 am  

It won't matter what you do. IMG will want franchises for big city teams through Britain. They won't want small town teams. Over the 12 year period they will have a top league of franchised teams. The heartlands will be the feeder teams. The project is being run by an Aussie and he will implement the Aussie model. IMG will target a fresh young audience of new spectators. IMG will want the game played in big cities mainly in modern stadiums before 20,000 plus crowds. Initially, IMG will tart it up so you think your club has a chance but the carrot will move farther and farther away during the 12 year period. London, Newcastle, Hull, Leeds, Saints, Wiggin are safe. Doubt anyone else will be safe unless they merge.

Re: IMG : Fri Sep 30, 2022 12:50 pm  

Found a little nugget on t'internet of Leigh's attendances (Not complete but good enough for my point)
Pre-Super League
Year Avg Finish
80-81 4,498 10/16
81-82 5,939 1/16
82-83 4,617 10/16
83-84 4,434 11/16
84-85 3,822 14/16
86-87 4,883 10/16
87-88 4,516 12/14
89-90 4,634 12/14
92-93 3,802 11/14
93-94 4,292 16/16

Pre Super League the best figures are from the superb 1981-82 Season, when Leigh finished top of the pile average gate of nearly 6,000 and all other years around the 4,000 mark.

Super League
Year Avg Finish
2005 4,736 12/12
2017 6,301 11/12
2021 ? 12/12

Leigh Championship
Year Avg
2012 1,772
2013 1,584
2014 ?
2015 3.421
2016 3,545
2017 SL
2018 3,539
2019 3,241

The 2022 figures are down on the previous years, unfortunately I do not have them to hand, and will be boosted by the Grand Final on Sunday. Some how Derek needs to find several thousand more supporters from what is effectively the old Leigh Borough of Leyth, Bent and Bongser.
Population of
Leigh - 42,500
Atherton - 7,200
Tyldesley - 25,800
Total - 75,500

By my reckoning we need between 6-8% of the population to turn up at the LSV, and at the same time compete with Wigan, Salford, St Helens and Warrington for bums on seats.

The most famous Rugby League player today is Jacques O'Neill with a reputed Million followers on Twitter. If Leigh are to grow they need to plunder areas outside of walking distance from the Bus Stop in Leigh. They need to make Super star celebs out of this team, or alternatively sign Jacques O'Neill.

Re: IMG : Sun Oct 02, 2022 11:55 am  

Thought your figure for the population of Bent to be low, Sep, so consulted Wiki that has it as 22,000 as of 2014. Sadly Bongser sees all too many Wiggin shirts around the place - they are the real glory-hunters and probably participants in the Wiggin Walk; it's a fair way home.

When alighting the 582 after matches, Bongser does get asked how Leigh got on. These are the people that need engaging as they, some of them at least, are latent Leyth fans.

Anyway, it's about time to set off for the extensive pre-match warm up (circuit training) in the Witch, Burke's and then Legends.

See you boys when Leigh is a Super League side! 60-8 to the C&W!!

Re: IMG : Sun Oct 02, 2022 1:45 pm  

WYSIWYG2 wrote:

It won't matter what you do. IMG will want franchises for big city teams through Britain. They won't want small town teams. Over the 12 year period they will have a top league of franchised teams. The heartlands will be the feeder teams. The project is being run by an Aussie and he will implement the Aussie model. IMG will target a fresh young audience of new spectators. IMG will want the game played in big cities mainly in modern stadiums before 20,000 plus crowds. Initially, IMG will tart it up so you think your club has a chance but the carrot will move farther and farther away during the 12 year period. London, Newcastle, Hull, Leeds, Saints, Wiggin are safe. Doubt anyone else will be safe unless they merge.

Ultimately York, Newcastle, London and Cornwall are potential areas of growth. For now the Super League has lost a French Derby and gained 8 North West Derbies (pending todays result). The point I am making is that Super League regulars like Wakefield and Castleford have sub-standard Stadiums and the in the case of the slopey, postage stamp Jungle, will need to invest considerable sums to bring themselves to the required standard. Leigh by contrast can gain considerable number of points by creating a few more teams and an Academy - Yearly cost £250-350K. New Stadia cost £ Millions.

Derek forecasts average gates at the LSV at 7000 - 8000 for the 2023 if in Super League. That puts Leigh above Salford, Wakefield, Huddersfield. Grading systems are about putting ticks in boxes and it is possible that Leigh may be able to invest enough to tick the relevant boxes. Castleford, Wakefield and Bradford will be left with huge mountains to climb. The current Odsal proposal is about £50 Million, good luck raising that and paying off the RFL loan.