So the number of people regularly playing the game has rldropped by half in the last year,rl and this will cost the RFL £1million pounds in funding, at least an increase in TV funding could lighten the blow

Be interesting to see a breakdown of the figures by area but what can be done to increase the number of players? we need a broader pool to fill our pro squads from, there are not enough english players to fill the teams we have already let alone any expansion in pro clubs in the future

I don't really know what is going on to increase numbers in my area and the local development officers dont reply to emails Ive sent them, is this better elsewhere?

Don't be stupid , half the kids in London play RL

A lot of sports have received cuts from Sport England.

Targets are too high and in the economic situation we've had, some people haven't been able to afford to play.

Hopefully it will increase for the 2013 WC

EXCLUSIVE comment from the men at the heart of the decision rlhererl

Should this decision not be taken as a vote of no confidence from Sports England in the RFL? Richard Lewis is nothing but a salary taking nodding dog, he contributes nothing. We've failed to meet participation targets resulting in the sport losing £1m in funding, he has presided over a farcical round of franchise applications which will see the league just as weak as it ever was and has delivered a TV deal that is lower than the one signed in 1995 when you factor in inflation. The referees in place are also absolutely horrific.

The international game is still a farce, we still aren't showing any signs of being competitive internationally and all the expansion franchises (Bar Catalans) have been utter failures.

Yet people still say he's good for the game? Convince me.

the cost of sport here in Aus is also an issue (not sure about the UK)... I have 2 sons one plays rl and rows the other is an athlete and rows..

the total cost for these events including competition entry fees, club membership and coaching is around $2600.00 (1700 gbp) each year... and that doesnt take into account getting the kids to and from events, training kit, shoes, boots, pads, protection... also school sports here are not free... each sport is paid for on a term basis... for example surfing lessons on a wednesday afternoion... $175 per kid per term.... weight and fitness training $95 PK/PT...


I am not suprised kids are moving away from sport and moving to more sedantry pass times like Xbox... if you dont do sport as a kid... chances are you wont do it as an adult either.

WTF!!

Thats madness dude!!

Quote: Hopie " I don't really know what is going on to increase numbers in my area and the local development officers dont reply to emails Ive sent them, is this better elsewhere?'" our local officer is replies to emails and calls. even provided our club site with a profile... www.pitchero.com/clubs/burybronc ... 28104.html

Quote: Hopie " I don't really know what is going on to increase numbers in my area and the local development officers dont reply to emails Ive sent them, is this better elsewhere?'" our local officer is replies to emails and calls. even provided our club site with a profile... www.pitchero.com/clubs/burybronc ... 28104.html

That’s probably true. Does that not worry you that participations is falling in the heartlands?

I can't help but think, what is going to inspire the youth of Leigh, Halifax, Oldham, Wakefield etc. Watching your local teams playing in front of 1500 fans in an empty stadium won't inspire anyone to take to the field. I can't help but feel that a connection exists between getting rid off P/R and a drop in player participation.

Can you provide a link to back up this claim ?

That's assuming that there is a direct link between participating and supporting/spectating.

The increase in players in London doesn't seem to have been stifled by Quins RL playing in front of a largely empty stadium. Equally, the rise in player numbers in the area hasn't been morrored in a rise in paying spectators.

Iain , how do you define ' playing ' a sport , is it half a dozen lessons at school done by a community officer , or kids playing proper semi competitive mathces either for schools or amatuer clubs ?

That's not just a question for us, but for all sports. As I well recall from my days at UK Sport, all sports are very good at claiming often fantastic participation numbers. But if you narrow the definition to playing competitive matches for clubs, then the numbers drop dramatically. If I recall correctly, British Cycling used to claim every person who ever rode a bike, at any time during the year, for any reason, as a participant in their "sport". Likewise Swimming would claim that granny's slow length in the local pool during pensioner hour was her taking part in their sport.

In terms of young people playing RL in London and the South, then by the loose definition, you're looking at thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands (average secondary school size in London is over 1,000 kids, so get one hundred of them to organise a couple of festivals or training sessions, and you've got big numbers). Make the criteria that they have to play matches in a competition, such as the Carnegie Champion Schools, and that will shrink to probably less than a thousand, playing two to three times a year. Tighten the criteria even further, in terms of players playing competitive matches regularly for one of the age group teams at their local club, and you've got a couple of hundred.

However, I guarantee you that similar diminishing numbers would apply even if you were discussing Wakefield or Wigan. The numbers of participants in all sports, in all parts of the country, are always to be taken with a hefty pinch of salt.

The RFU got a reduction around the same a couple of months back.
Be interesting to see the results of the switch to summer. Absolutely massive gamble by the RFL and i don't think they've put enough thought into it. Amateur clubs don't have the facilties SL clubs have, they can't water down pitches. Most amateur RL clubs facilties are very poor (especially compared to union amateur). Also hundreds of amateur teams (my old club included) lose their pitches to cricket in the summer. Where are thse clubs going to play. What will we do if we don't have rain for a couple of weeks and the grounds are rock solid.

I fear it is a massive gamble switching to summer and the game could lose many participants