O/T: Bradford/Admin/SL etc : Tue Jun 26, 2012 10:14 am  

So after practically giving away season tickets to see a weakened on the field product and then asking the fans to stump up 100 quid each, Bradford have today slipped into administration with apparently just 10 days to rescue the club from extinction.

My question in the midst of all this, is are we really that desperate to get back to the super duper league? Look at Widnes, they get battered every week, where's the fun in that? I can't honestly say I watch many games on a Friday night and think "that was a great game" in fact more often than not I've switched off before the end. Where as in the Championship this year I've seen some titanic battles, us at Fev, Fax at Batley, Leigh at Fax and I'm really looking forward to Fax v Fev on Thursday, should be a cracker.

We may essentially have very little to play for, but I'm enjoying the Championship this year; on our day we can beat anyone and there are some really exciting players playing in our division.

Would the banter and rivalry be the same with Leeds or Wigan as it is with Halifax and Dewsbury etc? I think not.

Obviously the club's long term goal is to get back to the 'promised land' and so it should be, but are we really having any less fun than if we were back there?

Re: O/T: Bradford/Admin/SL etc : Tue Jun 26, 2012 10:26 am  

I know what your saying but in the super league i've seen us beat St Helens,Widnes,Warrington,Bradford,Hull and i definatly enjoyed it more than beating Batley,To see the likes of Bruce Mcguire,Paul Carr,Gary Jack,Darryl Powell,Keith Senior.Des Mea,Sam Pananpa,Francis Leota the list is endless,You wouldnt have seen these if you were in the division below,We were in Super League with little money and held our own and actually won a cup and always competed,Widnes were a major force in 80's,90's there just happy they have a chance to get back to what they were,It's swings and roundabouts,But there's no better place than the top flight if competitive.The franchise system has just made it harder and the gap bigger,1 up 1 down worked for years,The question is,Has franchising improved super league? How many clubs have gone bust in the time it's been going?
Would any of the teams in the league below done any better?

Re: O/T: Bradford/Admin/SL etc : Tue Jun 26, 2012 10:39 am  

Do you honestly believe we could get back to that level in our current guise though?

I'd like to think so but I'm not convinced.

Re: O/T: Bradford/Admin/SL etc : Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:15 am  

Wow - what a big subject !

E.S.O wrote:

So after practically giving away season tickets to see a weakened on the field product and then asking the fans to stump up 100 quid each, Bradford have today slipped into administration with apparently just 10 days to rescue the club from extinction.

What were they thinking about with the season tickets ? Who was the target market ? If they were aiming at people who were only going to come a few times a year, why not sell five tickets for the price of four (or summat) ? Use them at any match in 2012.

I feel sorry for the people who coughed up £100. This money looks like it's heading straight for the HMRC coffers to pay MP's expenses.

My question in the midst of all this, is are we really that desperate to get back to the super duper league? Look at Widnes, they get battered every week, where's the fun in that? I can't honestly say I watch many games on a Friday night and think "that was a great game" in fact more often than not I've switched off before the end. Where as in the Championship this year I've seen some titanic battles, us at Fev, Fax at Batley, Leigh at Fax and I'm really looking forward to Fax v Fev on Thursday, should be a cracker.

We may essentially have very little to play for, but I'm enjoying the Championship this year; on our day we can beat anyone and there are some really exciting players playing in our division.

Would the banter and rivalry be the same with Leeds or Wigan as it is with Halifax and Dewsbury etc? I think not.

Obviously the club's long term goal is to get back to the 'promised land' and so it should be, but are we really having any less fun than if we were back there?

Classic small fish, big pond or big fish, small pond question. At the moment, it has no relevance to us. Our gates are far too small and we have no stability in terms of our ground (imagine the problems if we're required to play on certain days for Sky).

The greatest threat to professional sport today is that everyone wants to be a winner. Second is nowhere and the more this notion is promoted the less spectators want to be involved with losers. Clubs chase success by throwing money they don't have and the whole pyramid becomes sandy at the foundations.

Re: O/T: Bradford/Admin/SL etc : Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:21 am  

EAGLEBLADE II wrote:

I know what your saying but in the super league i've seen us beat St Helens,Widnes,Warrington,Bradford,Hull and i definatly enjoyed it more than beating Batley,To see the likes of Bruce Mcguire,Paul Carr,Gary Jack,Darryl Powell,Keith Senior.Des Mea,Sam Pananpa,Francis Leota the list is endless,You wouldnt have seen these if you were in the division below.

Pre-Superleague was completely different in terms of finances.

We were in Super League with little money and held our own and actually won a cup and always competed

That's just not true. Paul Thompson was putting millions in. In the long run, where did that get us ? Huddersfield.

1 up 1 down worked for years ....

Did it ? Really ?

Re: O/T: Bradford/Admin/SL etc : Tue Jun 26, 2012 5:59 pm  

So if they get taken over and come out of administration will they stay in super league next year? and if not who will/will anyone go up in their place?

Re: O/T: Bradford/Admin/SL etc : Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:01 pm  

Nobody knows.

Step One is to keep the club going. Yet to be taken.

Re: O/T: Bradford/Admin/SL etc : Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:01 pm  

westridingeagle wrote:

So if they get taken over and come out of administration will they stay in super league next year? and if not who will/will anyone go up in their place?

Probably yes, with a ten point deduction.

Unless the deduction comes in this year.

Re: O/T: Bradford/Admin/SL etc : Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:02 pm  

If ..... they keep going, I think the rule is that the deduction comes in this year because the season's not over yet.

Re: O/T: Bradford/Admin/SL etc : Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:13 pm  

griff1998 wrote:

Pre-Superleague was completely different in terms of finances.

Maybe so but wouldn't swap those games and players for anything,fantastic times.

That's just not true. Paul Thompson was putting millions in. In the long run, where did that get us ? Huddersfield.

The millions he put in got you some of the best memories of supporting Sheffield Eagles,We might not get there again but they were the best and people can't take your memories away,Same goes for the challenge cup,If it all ended tomorrow you'd still have them.Better with than not at all.

Did it ? Really ?

Certainly works better than the shambles of franchises now,More clubs going bust than ever,Thought they had there accounts looked at every 3 years (Last year for Bradford),London bailed out more times than Gazza,Crusaders enough said,Move aside and let someone else have a go or better still 1 up 1 down Can't do any worse.