Championship Talk: Seaside fun

CHAMPIONSHIP TALK

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Seaside fun

THIS year’s Summer Bash is just two weeks away now - but what do the key figures involved think about the event?

Rugby League World asked players, chairmen and coaches whether the annual trip to Blackpool has a future - and the response was overwhelmingly positive.

“It’s a great day out for the fans,” Bradford coach John Kear said.

“We’re a sport, but we’re also in the entertainment industry. Anything that can give us a feel-good factor and an occasion has got to be a good thing for us.

“These matches mean a lot to the players. It’s like anyone in their job, you want to be recognised. It’s a very public platform when you’re on national TV and it allows you to strut your stuff.”

Kear’s enthusiasm is shared by Leigh full-back Gregg McNally.

It’s something the lads look forward to, a new experience at a ground you wouldn’t normally play at, and it’s on Sky at a time when we don’t get many matches on there,” McNally explained.

“If you’re a part-time lad who’s got aspirations to go to the next level and possibly move to a better club, it puts you in the shop window.

“There are always Super League clubs watching these matches because there are often dual reg players playing, and you never know what might come out of playing well.

“It’s like the Challenge Cup, it’s good exposure for players at this level.”

Swinton chairman Andy Mazey also backed the event - while adding that it is not yet reaching its full potential.

Mazey said: “I like it. Exposure and TV coverage is something our division doesn’t get much of, and I’m a great advocate of anything that increases the profile of our game.

“I believe it’s important for the players.

“There are guys not getting the credit that they deserve, and this is certainly a great opportunity for lads to maybe catch the attention of bigger and better things and put themselves in the shop window.

“But I think we could do a lot more if I’m honest. I’ve had conversations publicly recently about the commercial performance of the sport outside Super League, and I don’t think we do enough collectively.

“As clubs and as a sport, we could still do a lot more outside of Super League, and that covers a bit of everything.

“In my view the uncertainty over whether the Summer Bash would be televised this year won’t have helped, but we could also do a lot more in terms of pooling resources and looking at Championship-wide commercial deals instead of all looking after our own plots of land.

“I think we could work together in some of the bigger events to get more money in the overall pot.”

* To read the full article, see the current issue of Rugby League World magazine, available now