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Offline Keith

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Reply #60 on: 16 Aug 2007, 10:47:57 pm
When the licence system comes in at the end of 2008, I believe the RFL and SL will exrend the SL numbers to 14 to accommodate Celtic Crusaders and Toulouse.     That will be the format of SL for the next 3 years.   After that a club wishing to replace a SL club has to come up with a better package than the existing SL club that they are trying to replace.     As I read that it doesn't necessarily have to be the bottom team in SL.

The four criteria that will be used are that the club trying to gain a licence must have a) ground and administration that covers all the points in the Framing the Future document (you should read that document - Phew); b) a good playing squad capable of competing at SL level; c) good academy and youth development and d) be able to put together a substantial financial package to show that they can survive in SL.

That final section d) finances needs to be around the ?2 - ?3 million income bracket to just compete with the current SL clubs and don't forget that over the 3 years that no club gets uplifted the 14 SL teams will have had the benfit of Sky TV money and they are now looking for ?1 million per SL club.   

I cannot honestly see how any small town club such as ours can possibly hope to break into that cartel and without the hope of that many fans will abandon the game at NL level over a 3 - 5 year period.      Anyhow, we have given the subject yet another airing and it will now be forgotten about probably until near the end of the 2008 season when the penny drops with a lot of people that this (NL) is as good as it gets.
Keith - Haven Legend previously a former Haven Immortal!!!


justonelilpoint

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Reply #61 on: 17 Aug 2007, 12:30:39 am
Keith the penny dropped with a lot of Haven fans a long long time ago ,some of us are realists!
Also we not in a comfort zone as you say we simply just enjoy what we experiencing now and dont wish to be 'bullied' into something we not really fussed about to satisfy others, who lets face it when the going gets tough find summat better to do .
If we spend the rest of our lives watching National League one or even two is that so bad ? its a vibrant competition,which in my eyes can flourish even further with the introduction of another 2-3 stronger sides like Salford and Hull KR.
I understand where you coming from with future generations missing out .But hey ive watched over 30 years of average rugby and did me no harm and my kids love whitehaven to bits they not shouting for a new club to be formed.
No ones still answered the question what if a Cumbrian side failed to meet its franchise targets and was demoted..what then ?
But i'll throw another question to you , Say whitehaven and town went down that road, got together and a new side was playing merrily out of Disington super dome in front of 6000 crowds.Would you have any objection to some fans or ex board members re forming a new club at Whitehaven and playing in Div 3 if need be ? Or would you see that as a threat to the S/L side ?





Offline haven lad 06

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Reply #62 on: 17 Aug 2007, 02:12:37 pm
i think most people agree that if a cumbria team did happen it wouldnt be a merger between haven and town it would most likely be a brand new club with haven an town being feeder clubs wether haven and town would be able to survive with the inevitable decrease in crowds is questionable. i for one would like to see super league in cumbria wether it be a cumbria team or haven (not ot sure if i culd make myself go and watch town ;)) but not at the expense of losing haven completely if the RFL want a cumbria team then they HAVE to garuntee that haven and town will not be lost. It is a very real possibility that when the franchise comes into place NL1 and NL2 could be gone and the teams revert back to amateur status
haven till i die


Offline recre

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Reply #63 on: 17 Aug 2007, 02:31:39 pm
i think most people agree that if a cumbria team did happen it wouldnt be a merger between haven and town it would most likely be a brand new club with haven an town being feeder clubs wether haven and town would be able to survive with the inevitable decrease in crowds is questionable. i for one would like to see super league in cumbria wether it be a cumbria team or haven (not ot sure if i culd make myself go and watch town ;)) but not at the expense of losing haven completely if the RFL want a cumbria team then they HAVE to garuntee that haven and town will not be lost. It is a very real possibility that when the franchise comes into place NL1 and NL2 could be gone and the teams revert back to amateur status

The RFL would never give a guarantee that Haven and Town would not be lost. It seems to me that they just see SL and everything else comes a distant second. I would be devastated if Haven lost their identity in a merger or just just wiped off the rugby map in favour of a franchise team with SL status. Part of me would be lost, its hard to describe but I'm sure every supporter of every team affected in this way would empathise on how we would all feel. You cant just turn up the next season with the passion a fervor that was only instilled into you after watching YOUR team through thick and thin in every sort of weather imaginable, going through every emotion possible and start supporting a new team in a new stadium wearing new colours as if nothing has happened. You only get that kind of passion after suffering so much or rolling along on a crest of a wave, its something that just can't be picked up willy nilly and moved about from one week to the next. Its like standing on the popular side when your a kid with your dad in the same place every other week, you create a bond, something you cant touch but its there, and its there with our team, those bonds take time to create, if Cumbria get a franchise for 3 years, finish bottom and get kicked out the bonds that are only 3 years old maximum aren't that strong that they wont break. As stated earlier if that happens it could be the death of pro rugby in the area, I just don't want to see the death of Haven or Town because they mean so much more to individuals and the respective communities for that to be allowed.


Offline haven lad 06

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Reply #64 on: 17 Aug 2007, 02:34:41 pm
great post marra agree 100%
haven till i die


Offline Keith

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Reply #65 on: 17 Aug 2007, 04:07:14 pm
justonelilpoint, I wasn't just meaning Haven fans when I said "when the penny drops" I meant ALL NL clubs as there are fans in all of them who don't understand what is about to happen when the licence system comes in.     

I wouldn't like to see either of the current clubs disappear and if they could carry on in the NL then good for them, I know I would support a new club AND Town and I would think there are quite a few at Haven who would do the same.

Still some are saying what if after 3 years we lost our franchise and ignoring the fact that maybe in 3 years of realisation that the top of NL is the best any NL club can achieve crowds drop so low as to put clubs out of business.    As I have said all along it needs people with clout and business acumen to ensure that the right packages were put together for a SL package looking ahead not just for 3 years but many years after that.    We can sit and think of how this won't work or that won't work but there are people out there who could make these problems work it is finding them and recruiting them.

Don't get me wrong, Haven have done great over the past what 5 years and they have averaged around the 2,000 mark for attendances BUT what do you reckon those crowds would have been WITHOUT the belief that it was leading towards SL???   If SL wasn't a possibility, how many of those fans would have long since disappeared to watch other sports, etc???     And sadly, after 2008 that could be the reality for ALL NL clubs unless the RFL get some very serious marketing done for our leagues to make the attractive to major sponsors, etc, otherwise rugby league will only be known as Super League.
Keith - Haven Legend previously a former Haven Immortal!!!


justonelilpoint

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Reply #66 on: 17 Aug 2007, 05:03:43 pm
Keith i dont think the crowds at Whitehaven have anything at all to do with possible S/L
People will watch any sucessfull side in any sport in any Divison
If Town were riding high Nat 2, they'd be pulling in 1500 now at least.
Featherstone with as much chance of getting into S/L (next to none) are pulling in big crowds now ,So are Barrow as they have sucess.Haven have had 5 fantastic years and as Paul says we've achieved stuff and people want be part of that.I honestly dont believe they going to disappear in next few years simply because the S/L goal has gone.Providing we playing attractive rugby and competing at the top with everyone, they'll be there !


Offline puppetmaster

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Reply #67 on: 17 Aug 2007, 06:30:21 pm
Its Sunday Haven aren't playing so i have no team to support for today. So i am i to cheer for Today ?

Monte


WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i bet you never thought you would get such a response to your original question over your dilema eh monte?

the reverand, big mac

Just cause you don't understand what's going on don't mean it don't make no sense
And just cause you don't like it, don't mean it ain't no good


justonelilpoint

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Reply #68 on: 17 Aug 2007, 06:33:46 pm
Its Sunday Haven aren't playing so i have no team to support for today. So i am i to cheer for Today ?

Monte

Well after what Keiths forecasting for the future, Shouldnt that now read .............."Its Sunday Haven havent a chance of S/L,So i have no team to support,So who am i to cheer for today?"  ;D


Offline daniluvsdis

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Reply #69 on: 17 Aug 2007, 06:36:15 pm
Its Sunday Haven aren't playing so i have no team to support for today. So i am i to cheer for Today ?

Monte

Distington ARLFC?????
Rugby League isn't just a game, a sport.. It's a way of life <3