European domestic season length.

[ratsapprentice]

It's not exactly news that I have serious misgivings about the way professional rugby is run in Europe, but I've noticed that a lot of players have recently started talking quite openly about the fact that they play waaaay too many games.

Many of the points I've made in the past are re-iterated in this article by Christian Day (Current RPA chairman): http://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/...d:+co/EBaZp+(Talking+Rugby+Union+Latest+News)


I do hope that we'll see a truncation of the season - the various competitions need to be streamlined, to allow for proper pre-seasons as well as elite and development games.

 

[Which Tyler]

Not before time.
Quite a lot of us have known for quite a few years that the season is a good month too long (that or there should be a maximum for individual players , and enforced rotation, as it's not going to happen on its own)

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Easy fix increase the calendar year by 4 months have 16 months instead of 12 months.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Not before time.
Quite a lot of us have known for quite a few years that the season is a good month too long (that or there should be a maximum for individual players , and enforced rotation, as it's not going to happen on its own)

And the rest... I'd be happier seeing it closer to the NFL than Rugby League, frankly.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Good piece by Day. But cat in hell's chance while the "product" is attractive and bringing in sponsor and TV money.

I can't think of any sport that has demanded less of its stars over time....

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Less quantity more quality.

Take the Pro14 game between the Southern Kings and Leinster. The team based in Dublin went there without Jack McGrath, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, Scott Fardy, Sean O'Brien, Jamie Heaslip, Dan Leavy, Jonny Sexton, Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose, Rob Kearney and I'm sure I'm missing a few more. How is it going to attract people to the new competition when the stars aren't on show.

No more than 20-22 club and 10 international games per year means you'll get the stars out every time and improve player welfare. That's a better product for marketing departments to sell too.

 

[ratsapprentice]

No more than 20-22 club and 10 international games per year means you'll get the stars out every time and improve player welfare. That's a better product for marketing departments to sell too.

Yep - learn from the American leagues, not the EPL.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Yep - learn from the American leagues, not the EPL.

Exactly what I hope will happen. Combine the Pro14, Premiership and Top14 into one league modeled on the NFL.

 

[die_mole]

Exactly what I hope will happen. Combine the Pro14, Premiership and Top14 into one league modeled on the NFL.

don't see top 14 every giving up its sovereignty on french domestic rugby

what i think is more likely...
british and ireland league with their 24 professional sides

10 in top league 14 in bottom league... since teams in top would also have european competition

have a european cup with 4 qualifying from each the british and isles league and top 14

let south africans figure out their southern hemisphere problems and italians can join french second tier or just have their players play in other leagues

we all know that in 10-15 years all players are going to be playing where the money is and there will probably be two leagues that are world class

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

don't see top 14 every giving up its sovereignty on french domestic rugby

I'm sure the NFL never wanted to merge with the AAFC or the AFL. They did because financially it made sense. LNR have shown willingness to change multiple times since the sport went professional. If money dictates a Euroleague is the way forward, that's what'll happen.

what i think is more likely...
british and ireland league with their 24 professional sides

10 in top league 14 in bottom league... since teams in top would also have european competition

What'll happen is nobody will pay enough to broadcast the bottom league. If nobody pays, quality of players drops. If quality drops, fans don't turn up. No fans, teams go bust. No club would agree to this scenario.

we all know that in 10-15 years all players are going to be playing where the money is and there will probably be two leagues that are world class

This is why a Euroleague (with SA teams) is the way forward. If I was in charge of a Top14 club, I'd prefer to have a potential market of over 700m people (population of Europe) paying for my product than just the population of France. Rugby will be stronger if there are top level teams in more than just France and England.

 

[die_mole]

1. the circumstances that created the afl-nfl (as well as wha-nhl, aba-nba) merger do not exist in rugby. the competing leagues made the anti-competitive measures that each league had taken to limit player salaries obsolete. Rookies were able to be drafted by two different leagues and then have those leagues compete for their services, something that they were not able to do before hand. Since free agency did not exist in american sports back then the only way a player could get a better contract would be having the two leagues compete against each other. Both of these raised player salaries, which owners didn't like since it cut into their profits and they searched for away to eliminate competition over players again.
Both drafts and elimination of free agency would probably be illegal in European labor law, which I guess the UK won't have to worry about much longer.

2. That's why you package the rights of the top and second tier together. Learn from the mistakes of the premier league, don't tell the lower clubs to **** off. If the broadcast rights are packaged together, the top tier clubs will have interest in the success of the second tier. Money can be allocated so that teams in the top tier get a larger slice of the pie so teams have an incentive to improve.

3. The top 14 can have the entirety of europe paying of their product with out a euroleague. Every top soccer and rugby competition has a tv rights deal in the United States that pays them handsomely. The same can probably said for each european country and the premier league, bundesliga, la liga, etc,.
Rugby needs to have its top clubs where the can support themselves independently of their national union. If all tier 1 and tier 2 countries had their own professional league that fed players to the top leagues rugby would still have a presence in those countries.

Like US and soccer. Hardcore soccer fans watch MLS and Europe. Those that are casual just watch the European games. If you supply a great product, the rest of the world will pay to see it.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Would rather they cut the AW, expand the A league and have a mandatory rest for the 6 weeks the AWC is on.

 

[Sixways Cheryl]

If they want to make room, get rid of the Anglo-Welsh cup. Low crowds, low drama - I don't think it'd be particularly missed. (Unlike the previous domestic cup which I think is very much missed!)

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Squad rotation is the single biggest issue for me in limiting my attendance at live games. Despite Super Rugby's current issues I think ensuring they have the strongest 23 for at least every home match (or every non-touring match) is one thing they do better than the NH competitions.