In contrast to the bitterly cold December evening, the forty or so Harlequins RL fans that made the trek over to The Stoop last night were given a warm welcome by new CEO Paul Brown. The event, the first in a proposed series, is intended to reconnect club and fans, to address concerns, and to share information where possible. Over the course of two hours Brown and head coach Brian McDermott covered a whole host of on and off field matters, ranging from attendances, marketing, match day experiences, merchandising, the franchising process (euphemistically re-titled “licenses” by Red Hall), player recruitment and development structures.
Brown was never less than honest about the scale of challenges faced, in particular admitting that a major sponsor for the forthcoming season has yet to be finalised, although a potential trade off between pure revenue and the capacity of the major sponsor to raise the profile of Quins RL may be considered. On a more positive note it was confirmed that the link-up with Harlequins RU would run through till at least 2010, assuaging fears that 2008 could see it come to an end. The rugby union outfit have been immensely supportive of Quins RL, recognising that it takes time to build a stable proposition following years of instability, whilst there are still many ways the rugby league club can learn from the recent successes of the rugby union club.
It was openly acknowledged that crowd figures remain poor and that a more integrated strategy towards raising attendances is required. Throughout the Super League era the club has produced innovative and individually successful marketing activities, but has failed to find a common thread linking them together to build continuous improvement. The distribution of tickets through amateur clubs, through the schools development programme and similar community activities were all raised, with the ultimate concession that all of these channels and many others, working in concert, will be required to deliver growth.
Proactive attempts are being made to raise media profile, but the domination of the media landscape by soccer, especially in print media, is one driven by the demands of the media business itself and is not easily resolved. The growth of rugby league participation in London may be impressive, but a chicken and egg situation exists with media coverage; the Quins RL brand and the profile of the sport as a whole needing to be raised so they become more valuable to the media. Media contact Joanna Lester has driven recent improvements in the club’s information strategy, boosting the news feed to the website and the supply of press releases that can be picked up by sports editors, whilst the overall online media strategy is under review.
From a franchising/licensing perspective the management recognise that a London based license is not a given, the RFL is taking the matter extremely seriously, if not only to ensure that the end result is a step forward, but to prevent legal challenges from clubs that miss out. A robust, balanced package of measures will be required, including sound long-term business planning, player development commitments, the delivery of a modern entertainment package, as well as competitiveness on the pitch. Whilst crowd figures will undoubtedly be a negative, it will almost certainly be offset by the positive role played spreading rugby league beyond traditional markets.
The introduction of the active salary cap in 2008 will increase the technical demands on administration, but it is not one that holds any fear. Whilst some clubs may feel they can gain advantage by testing the cap to its limit, or by finding loopholes, the management of Quins RL recognise that for smaller clubs a commitment to establishing a genuine level playing field is worth far more than the short-term benefits of subverting the cap.
Moving to on field matters McDermott was upbeat about the strength of his squad, citing the stability of retaining 21 out of 25 first grade players from last season and previous criticism aimed at the club for making wholesale changes every year. He admitted that there will be no big name signings this year, with just one further signing alluded to, but the squad has retained stars such as Scott Hill and Mark McLinden, with great things expected from Hill in particular following a patchy first season. The key is that a strong core team now exists, with enough depth in place to cover injuries to first pick players.
The decision of Henry Fa'afili to renege on his contract was clearly a disappointment, with the matter now in the hands of the club’s legal representatives. McDermott was open about the difficulty attracting big name players but refused to countenance paying over the odds, suggesting that the short-term franchising concerns of certain clubs had allowed some fairly average players to inflate their salaries. A process has now been put in place to vet potential signings more thoroughly, to ensure they understand the challenges faced by relocating to London, but to also reduce the risk of the club being let down in future.
McDermott made it clear he is leading a deliberate player recruitment and development strategy, both to reduce the reliance on players brought in, but also to ensure compliance with new competition rules on locally developed players. The progress being made by the club’s player development system is something that genuinely excites McDermott, a man not known for flights of fantasy. Although he stresses that the system is not yet perfected, he is quick to point out the trickle of first team squad players emerging; such as Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Tony Clubb and Michael Worrincy who are already establishing themselves, and those on their way through such as Lamont Bryan and Will Sharp.
What is particularly pleasing for McDermott is that unlike teams in rugby league’s northern heartlands, who fight over a geographically limited talent pool, Quins RL sits alone atop an expanding pyramid of feeder clubs and development programmes whose youngsters aspire towards just one professional club. It is only a matter of time before the current trickle becomes a fully fledged conveyor belt of talent.
The overall message from the club is one of optimism, tinged with a refreshing honesty and pragmatism about the realities faced. It’s clear that Paul Brown wants to involve the supporters in the direction of the club, not only as a way of placating concerns, but to find positive ways forward.
Thursday 20 December 2007
Tuesday 18 December 2007
Kent Ravens ready to party
Kent Ravens will be holding a Christmas party at new home Princes Park this coming Friday.
Fans will be able to take advantage of the excellent hospitality facilities at the state of the art stadium in Dartford which hosted its first rugby league game back in August. The event will provide a fitting setting for The Ravens to celebrate the remarkable progress made both on and off the pitch since foundation in 2004. The club has made real efforts to develop community ties in the area, especially the tireless work carried out by the Bacon family.
The fun starts at 7pm with admission free for all. For more details see the Ravens website.
Fans will be able to take advantage of the excellent hospitality facilities at the state of the art stadium in Dartford which hosted its first rugby league game back in August. The event will provide a fitting setting for The Ravens to celebrate the remarkable progress made both on and off the pitch since foundation in 2004. The club has made real efforts to develop community ties in the area, especially the tireless work carried out by the Bacon family.
The fun starts at 7pm with admission free for all. For more details see the Ravens website.
London RL website re-launched
The RFL backed London rugby league website londonrl.com re-launched yesterday with a re-skin and a host of new features. Anybody interested in getting involved in RL in London and the South can get updates on courses, events, fixtures as well as club details.
Monday 17 December 2007
Quins RL fans brave the cold for seasonal cheer
Many Quins RL fans braved the bitter cold yesterday afternoon to attend the Christmas fun day down at The Stoop. Visitors were treated to a full programme of musical entertainment, an appearance by the Harlequin Hearts, and a variety of activities for children.
Those who shunned the warmth of the Kings Bar entertainments may have caught a glimpse of new signing David Howell who took part in a training run out with the academy squad despite only arriving in London that morning.
Reports from the club suggest that the recent academy recruitment programme is also progressing well with prospective young players being put through their paces over the last couple of Sunday’s at the Roehampton Vale training ground.
A fans forum in scheduled to take place at The Stoop this Wednesday at 7pm when new CEO Paul Brown will be outlining his views on the future of the club.
Those who shunned the warmth of the Kings Bar entertainments may have caught a glimpse of new signing David Howell who took part in a training run out with the academy squad despite only arriving in London that morning.
Reports from the club suggest that the recent academy recruitment programme is also progressing well with prospective young players being put through their paces over the last couple of Sunday’s at the Roehampton Vale training ground.
A fans forum in scheduled to take place at The Stoop this Wednesday at 7pm when new CEO Paul Brown will be outlining his views on the future of the club.
Thursday 13 December 2007
London Club Challenge details unveiled
The details of this year’s London Club Challenge between Harlequins RL and London Skolars have been confirmed, with kick off at 1pm on Tuesday 22nd January, at the Artillery Garden, Moorgate.
Fears that the event would be a corporate only affair have proved groundless as all three hundred tickets have gone on sale at just £10 each, with corporate hospitality available as an optional extra. A stellar line up of sponsors have been announced with ETF Securities Ltd, Selftrade, Flow Traders and the London Stock Exchange all putting their name to the game.
Quins have also announced a second friendly fixture four days later away at Bridgend based Celtic Crusaders. However, the game to kick of at 5.30pm at Brewery Field, has raised eyebrows due to the decision to play four 15 minute quarters. In theory the structure will allow the coaching staff of both clubs room to experiment with their line-ups whilst maximising intensity, but there is considerable scepticism about whether such experimentation will turn the game into little more than a convoluted training exercise.
Tickets details for the game between Quins and Skolars can be found here. Details of the game between Quins and Crusaders here.
Fears that the event would be a corporate only affair have proved groundless as all three hundred tickets have gone on sale at just £10 each, with corporate hospitality available as an optional extra. A stellar line up of sponsors have been announced with ETF Securities Ltd, Selftrade, Flow Traders and the London Stock Exchange all putting their name to the game.
Quins have also announced a second friendly fixture four days later away at Bridgend based Celtic Crusaders. However, the game to kick of at 5.30pm at Brewery Field, has raised eyebrows due to the decision to play four 15 minute quarters. In theory the structure will allow the coaching staff of both clubs room to experiment with their line-ups whilst maximising intensity, but there is considerable scepticism about whether such experimentation will turn the game into little more than a convoluted training exercise.
Tickets details for the game between Quins and Skolars can be found here. Details of the game between Quins and Crusaders here.
Tuesday 11 December 2007
Harlequins RL reach out to the public
Quins RL are planning to hold a fans forum down at The Stoop on Wednesday 19th December. The event is being billed as a means for the club to get closer to its fans and supports a number of other initiatives launched recently aimed at raising the profile of rugby league in London.
In recent years the management of Quins RL have been criticised by some sections of the supporter base for distancing themselves from the fans, although much of this criticism is perhaps drawn from the club’s previous incarnation as London Broncos whose often hand to mouth existence required greater involvement from volunteers. Some have lamented a loss of community club spirit whilst others have seen the shift as a positive development placing the administration of the club on a more professional footing.
Other efforts intended to raise the club’s profile include the open day this coming Sunday and various promotions building awareness amongst local communities. Whilst at a London wide level Hector McNeil, chairman of London Skolars, is leading efforts to sell rugby league as a whole to the business community through initiatives such as the City of London RL Luncheon Club and the revamped London Club Challenge.
The marketing of rugby league in the capital is a hard sell, nowhere else in the UK has the same level of competition for leisure spend, whilst the sports entertainment market in particular is dominated by football. It is a mark of how competitive the market is that Quins RU is the only top flight rugby union team still based in Greater London, despite the supposed strength of the code in the area.
New Quins RL CEO Paul Brown is noted for the development work done establishing community links in his time at the helm of South London Storm and as a consultant for the RFL, he will need all of that experience to grow the Quins RL brand.
In recent years the management of Quins RL have been criticised by some sections of the supporter base for distancing themselves from the fans, although much of this criticism is perhaps drawn from the club’s previous incarnation as London Broncos whose often hand to mouth existence required greater involvement from volunteers. Some have lamented a loss of community club spirit whilst others have seen the shift as a positive development placing the administration of the club on a more professional footing.
Other efforts intended to raise the club’s profile include the open day this coming Sunday and various promotions building awareness amongst local communities. Whilst at a London wide level Hector McNeil, chairman of London Skolars, is leading efforts to sell rugby league as a whole to the business community through initiatives such as the City of London RL Luncheon Club and the revamped London Club Challenge.
The marketing of rugby league in the capital is a hard sell, nowhere else in the UK has the same level of competition for leisure spend, whilst the sports entertainment market in particular is dominated by football. It is a mark of how competitive the market is that Quins RU is the only top flight rugby union team still based in Greater London, despite the supposed strength of the code in the area.
New Quins RL CEO Paul Brown is noted for the development work done establishing community links in his time at the helm of South London Storm and as a consultant for the RFL, he will need all of that experience to grow the Quins RL brand.
Monday 10 December 2007
2008 London Club Challenge gamble
The organisers of the traditional pre-season trial game between London Skolars and Harlequins RL are reported to be switching the game away from its traditional late January weekend slot at New River to a corporate focused event played on the afternoon of Tuesday 22nd January at the Honourable Artillery Company ground near Moorgate.
Initial indications are that tickets for the match will be restricted to three hundred people at £55 per person including some form of corporate hospitality. The hope behind the move is that it will introduce potential corporate supporters to both clubs, which in turn will produce a much needed influx of capital into rugby league in London. The danger, however, is that the game may fail to sell, leaving the clubs out of pocket and existing supporters alienated by the exclusivity of the pricing policy.
It will be interesting to see the makeup of any potential Quins side; recent years have seen a line up based largely around academy and fringe first team players allowing a more competitive friendly than would be expected from a straight clash between a professional Super League club and a semi-professional National League Two outfit. Creating any new corporate event is likely to be a challenge, creating one around a match that has traditionally been little more than a training exercise is likely to be even harder.
As by far the smaller of the two clubs London Skolars arguably have the most to lose from the event failing, a home game against Super League opposition early in the year usually attracts a decent crowd by regular season standards and with it a much needed cash boost. An expensive corporate event would need to deliver sufficient ticket sales to cover costs as once tickets have gone on sale any cancellation would leave both clubs looking very shoddy to the investors they are desperate to attract. If however just one significant investor were to come forward from the event then any short-term loss would be mitigated by the long-term benefit.
Initial indications are that tickets for the match will be restricted to three hundred people at £55 per person including some form of corporate hospitality. The hope behind the move is that it will introduce potential corporate supporters to both clubs, which in turn will produce a much needed influx of capital into rugby league in London. The danger, however, is that the game may fail to sell, leaving the clubs out of pocket and existing supporters alienated by the exclusivity of the pricing policy.
It will be interesting to see the makeup of any potential Quins side; recent years have seen a line up based largely around academy and fringe first team players allowing a more competitive friendly than would be expected from a straight clash between a professional Super League club and a semi-professional National League Two outfit. Creating any new corporate event is likely to be a challenge, creating one around a match that has traditionally been little more than a training exercise is likely to be even harder.
As by far the smaller of the two clubs London Skolars arguably have the most to lose from the event failing, a home game against Super League opposition early in the year usually attracts a decent crowd by regular season standards and with it a much needed cash boost. An expensive corporate event would need to deliver sufficient ticket sales to cover costs as once tickets have gone on sale any cancellation would leave both clubs looking very shoddy to the investors they are desperate to attract. If however just one significant investor were to come forward from the event then any short-term loss would be mitigated by the long-term benefit.
Sunday 9 December 2007
Harlequins RL ease recruitment worries
The club moved to ease concerns over the lack of depth in the back division by signing Canberra Raiders player David Howell. Powerfully built, twenty-four year old Howell can cover the wing and fullback positions, but is most likely to fill the centre slot vacated by the departed Paul Sykes. His arrival will also hopefully provide the club with breathing space to nurture home grown youngster Tony Clubb as a long-term first team centre.
Howell joins the club amongst mixed signals over his commitment and desire to play in the UK. He is understood to be disappointed not to feature in Canberra’s plans and hopes to return to the NRL after his spell in London. Quins fans are unlikely be too perturbed about such a prospect as any return to the NRL would require Howell to demonstrate some fine form over the next two seasons.
The former St George-Illawarra junior found limited opportunities at the Dragons where he was behind Kangaroo centres Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper seeing him switch to the Raiders in 2005. He played forty-eight first grade games during his time in the Australian capital, but after two seasons as a first choice player his appearances were restricted by injuries in 2007. He comes to Quins with a reputation as a solid performer who is prone to unfortunate errors under pressure. However Quins fans will give him the benefit of the doubt given the club’s past reputation for picking up unheralded signings who prove themselves to be inspired choices.
In other news London Skolars head coach Latham Tawhai will be making the trip across the capital to join Brian McDermott’s backroom staff as an assistant coach. Kiwi Tawhai, a former journeyman in the lower leagues, led the Skolars to their best ever standing last season and will link up with Bill Peden and Rob Powell to form one of the brightest young coaching teams in the Super League. He will be replaced at New River by former Leigh boss and fellow New Zealander Tony Benson.
Howell joins the club amongst mixed signals over his commitment and desire to play in the UK. He is understood to be disappointed not to feature in Canberra’s plans and hopes to return to the NRL after his spell in London. Quins fans are unlikely be too perturbed about such a prospect as any return to the NRL would require Howell to demonstrate some fine form over the next two seasons.
The former St George-Illawarra junior found limited opportunities at the Dragons where he was behind Kangaroo centres Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper seeing him switch to the Raiders in 2005. He played forty-eight first grade games during his time in the Australian capital, but after two seasons as a first choice player his appearances were restricted by injuries in 2007. He comes to Quins with a reputation as a solid performer who is prone to unfortunate errors under pressure. However Quins fans will give him the benefit of the doubt given the club’s past reputation for picking up unheralded signings who prove themselves to be inspired choices.
In other news London Skolars head coach Latham Tawhai will be making the trip across the capital to join Brian McDermott’s backroom staff as an assistant coach. Kiwi Tawhai, a former journeyman in the lower leagues, led the Skolars to their best ever standing last season and will link up with Bill Peden and Rob Powell to form one of the brightest young coaching teams in the Super League. He will be replaced at New River by former Leigh boss and fellow New Zealander Tony Benson.
Monday 3 December 2007
Harlequins RL November round-up
November proved to be a month of off field progress for the Quins marketing and promotions machine, with the club getting involved in a number of initiatives to drive awareness around the capital. There were also encouraging signs that revenue from ticket sales would be up year on year although some fans are unhappy about the steep price rises of certain seats.
In on field matters there were positives reports from the early pre-season work, with injury victims Rob Purdham and Daniel Heckenberg back in full training. The club also ramped up its development work through the Community Coaching Programme, a recruitment programme for potential academy players and new opportunities for talent scouts.
On a less positive note the club appear resigned to the reality that former Warrington winger Henry Fa'afili will renege on the contract he signed for next season in order to remain with French rugby union side Biarritz. However, Fa'afili’s decision may in the passing of time be seen as a blessing to the club, given that he was allegedly recruited to play centre, a position in which he has looked rather less assured than his regular wing slot.
In on field matters there were positives reports from the early pre-season work, with injury victims Rob Purdham and Daniel Heckenberg back in full training. The club also ramped up its development work through the Community Coaching Programme, a recruitment programme for potential academy players and new opportunities for talent scouts.
On a less positive note the club appear resigned to the reality that former Warrington winger Henry Fa'afili will renege on the contract he signed for next season in order to remain with French rugby union side Biarritz. However, Fa'afili’s decision may in the passing of time be seen as a blessing to the club, given that he was allegedly recruited to play centre, a position in which he has looked rather less assured than his regular wing slot.
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