AP’s Ideas on the game going forward

Its obvious that fans are a bit wary of discussing this latest development in any sort of detail for it is certainly a subject close to everyones hearts and of course opposing fans will discard it as simply 'Pearson Rhetoric'

But, man you can always rely on Adam shooting from the hip and on occasions into his own foot. I can't agree with some of what he says, at all, of course I can't, but at least he's saying something and perhaps just perhaps when you scrape away at the surface of what he has said you realise what a parlous state the game is in and what an impact the massive reduction in TV money will have on the sport. Plus therefore the control that Sky has over the games future destiny.

Sky knew no one else was interested in a tired and flagging product and therefore took the calculated risk of offering a much reduced bid. In turn the Clubs knew that no one else was interested so we snapped their hand off. But this is just a situation that will continue to spiral downwards if we don't do something about it. Many say what the hell has Sky's opinion on the format of the game to do with anything, but I would hazard a guess it now has quite a lot.

We are marginalised by the press and the media simply because we are as Adam says lagging behind other sports who don't have as good a product as ours but who have been proactive at moving with the times and the changing way that people engage with sport because they have looked at what others are doing and cherry picked the best bits. I switched on the hundreds ready to scoff at it and ridicule the format and although its not totally for me I have watched it and can 100 per cent get how it appeals to new fans and brings new money into the game. Headingley has seen more in for a handful of games than it will for a whole season of Yorkshire County matches. The weak leadership and 'fiddling as Rome burns' we have seen from the RFL for years saw the Clubs take the initiative off them and that's where the self interest from owners started. Something Adam admits he has been party to as have all the other owners. Whats more the RFL continue to make poor decisions just look at the Academy fiasco.

On a note closer to home, some will say that in this interview Adam's placing of so much of the future of the club on this weekends game and us getting into the play offs is just an attempt to get bums on seats and perhaps they are right in part but the bigger picture for Hull FC is much darker.

At present there is still a big resistance from older fans to attending anything where large amounts of sometimes unvaccinated people are attending. but that's a fact the game, cinemas, theatres and even pubs have to live with for now, but we are none the less as a club with few assets, a shared stadium with a stadium Management company creaming off our ticket sales, almost wholly dependant on Sky, on what we can sell in our shops and get through the gates and so in a bad place at present. Therefore I would shy away from dismissing Adams comments about the next few months being critical for the clubs very existence as just trying to drum up ticket sales for the remaining games, Those inside the club will tell you a lot different. In fact some staff are really worried about things and pursuing other options outside the game for fear of what the future holds. So, despite the usual hype 'hip shooting' and sensationalism this interview includes it perhaps does indicate that things are going on behind the scenes and that the clubs and the RFL realise together that action is needed to save the game.They have to put their differences behind them and forget about self interest something history has proved is easier said than done.

One things for sure whatever you think about Adam Pearson and his comments the next few months are critical for the game.