Looking at Rugby League in the whole at the moment and minding the problems Featherstone and perhaps a few other clubs may be in, is it time to look anew at the way our clubs and the sport in general is run? At the moment, as I see it, we have businessmen running the clubs for the benefit of the paying spectators and given the paucity of attendances these days it beggars belief how many clubs can continue. At the Championship level, the bed-rock of the sport which props up the glamour of Superleague, the game is in a parlous state.

Is it time for some clubs to look at the 'Barcelona' method of running a club where the club itself is owned by its members? Barca members pay the equivalent of £110 per year for membership and get privileges and discounts for that including a discount on season tickets. The members can then elect the controlling group who run the club and influence the decisions they make. In effect the members and supporters are running the club for their own benefit. Of course, given the number of Barcelona members, it will bring in yearly a lot more than any championship club may but we must scale down to a smaller level.

This method of ownership would though take away any threat of big businessmen, with little empathy for the heritage of a club and community, coming in and buying the fan's club and running it often to the detriment and in opposition to the views of the fantastic groups of people who have been supporting the club for generations.

At least 30 years too late.
The idea is sound though.

Just needs some fans to kick it off and make it happen. Our sport is in danger of dying if something is not done.

Maybe this could be introduced over a period of time and as the members grow they have more say in the clubs decisions that's if the current B.O.D are willing to sit down and talk to a number of people who are willing to put money into a yearly pot that could within 3 years say have a 50/50 vote in what happens and how the club is run its one way to let the supporter of the club have a say in whats happening
Is there anyone that could draw up a business plan if the B.O.D would be willing to take it on board ??
Is any club in the RFL run this way atm that someone can get in touch with and see if its a good working strategy and what are the pit falls if any
This may not happen at Keighley but its a thought for any club that is willing to make a change
This may even bring more local businesses into the club as they will have a say as a member rather than just giving money as a sponsor

EDIT : and another point to mention in time if this took off supporter of said clubs would be as good as sat in the general meetings of the RFL being able to make changes to the way its run at top level putting the passion back into the sport and not just thinking about the money

I was thinking more of Featherstone who have a big loyal supporter base, who are suffering from a major sponsor pulling out and who need a way forward. They may show they way to the rest of the game.

Hunslet and Rochdale are both supporter led clubs - and both fairly successfully ,The Independent Supporters Trust run the Hawks whilst a Supporters Coop run the Hornets .


rlhttp://www.hornetsrugbyleague.co.uk/Page/Content/1895rl
rlhttp://www.hunslethawks.co.uk/info/histrl

Featherstone at some point ,were I' m sure owned by the members (or they had a significant say in the Clubs Affairs ) - but how that now pans out after the Probiz Fiasco is anyone guess ... 6.02587890625:5