Official Wakefield & Hull, and others, Rugby League 2025 thread

[pass_and_move]

Call me out of touch/old fashioned, which I most probably am, but the pyrotechnics, dancers kind of thing is just not me although I can see that it appeals to most. However, sky did this in 1992 with the formation of the Premier league. I know Rugby is a totally different sport and the crowds are most certainly differently behaved. It works in Rugby but the rough and tumble is what my Father took me to see as a child at Oakwell. No long winded build up, no gimmicks, just two teams running out of the tunnel, captain with the matchball under his arm and meaning business. The crowds anticipation at feverpitch and then the roar as contest got swiftly underway with no fuss or artificial build up. It was not needed. The event itself was enough.

Do you not think that football has suffered because these days the are so many obligatories to fulfill? The teams in the tunnel for 5 mins waiting to make their entrance, then the line up and the limp half hearted handshakes/fist bumps, the taking of the knee, the various announcements on the PA system, the minutes silence/applause, politics etc. It's a 10 minute passion killer imo and that anticipation that I alluded to earlier is just totally diluted by then.

It's like Mike Tyson in his pomp. No stupid chorus of various walk on themes, no, just a very business like guy making a swift and short entrance, beads of sweat emanating, the guy solely focused on his task. It gets the juices flowing because we've come to see the fight.

Today it's all about side shows. In every sport it has reared it's head. Artificial gimmicks, repetitively annoying but as I say, I'm out of touch thank fuq. People obviously want this kind of thing these days in most sporting events. Some it fits, others, I definitely think not. Too Americanified imo