Quote: fcsteve67 "Why because Rovers are struggling? Or because I am a Hull fan posting on an open forum? Anyway there is a long way to go in the season yet! I am old enough and wise enough to realize that since Rovers have been in SL and the banter in the workplace and schools has probably put 1000's on our gates. The derby alone puts 500 on our average. In my opinion we need each other, I am worried about both clubs and the game in general finances. The only thing I hate about Rovers is getting beat by them and finishing below them.
I posted on the Rovers forum because as things stand I thought it was something that Rovers would be far more concerned about. Not trolling, just thought if posted this on the Hull pages I don't think it would have got a response/potential answer at all.
Steve'"
Hi Steve. We had a specific problem with finance threads for a while, the details of which I can pm you if you're interested.
It's actually nice to have, what is after all an important issue, discussed sensibly. For Rovers, I'm not sure that prize money will have been that valuable to us. We've made the play-offs these last 3 years, but haven't gone far in any of them. In contrast Bradford went to 5 Grand Finals in a row, so that will have been a much more pronounced loss of revenue, I imagine.
The more important impact would perhaps be in gates falling, if performances and results don't improve, and being less attractive to potential signings. As you say, it is still fairly early in the season and for a transitional season 3-1-6 is disappointing rather than horrorific. We're playing poorly at the moment and that was cruelly exposed yesterday.
That a shortish-term downturn in form can potentially threaten a club's long-term viability, suggests we are, as Hudgell says, building on foundations of sand. Apart from maybe Leeds and Wigan, all the English clubs is SL have been giving of distress signals of one type or another. The recession is biting hard, on the RL demographic particularly so. There seems to be an appetite for change amongst at least some of the club chairmen. Interesting times ahead.