Students rise to Bears Marketing Challenge

The main reception area at University College Birmingham was the scene of a Marketing exhibition  held by students at the end of their Masters programme, and the subject matter was how to promote Coventry Bears and the sport of Rugby League in the Midlands.

It was part of their Integrated Marketing Communications module, where they produce a full marketing plan on for a live organisation and then showcase their communications ideas in an exhibition format.

The diverse and international student composition of the M.A Marketing and Msc Business Enterprise programmes meant that young brains from France, Spain, Estonia and China were utilised alongside those from across the UK.

The collaboration came about through Mike Hyde who works part time at UCB and also works as a volunteer for the Bears.

‘The students were able to apply what they have learnt on their course to the challenges faced in building attendances, revenue and a brand on a low budget in an area where the sport is not so well known’ explained Jeff Perry, the module tutor.

‘And they did so without preconceived ideas or hang-ups so the results were extremely positive and refreshing’ added Mike.

Concepts explored included viral marketing, guerrilla marketing, increased sponsorship, targeted promotions to key groups, competitions and events backed by a variety of cost-effective media techniques such as Apps and Youtube.

‘it was great to be able to actually think and use knowledge on behalf of such a community-focused local organisation’ was the reaction of student Bernadette Murphy, who is already looking forward to the Bears home game against Bradford Bulls.

Whilst the Bears and other clubs have good links with colleges and universities, these are usually around playing the game rather than looking at the business and marketing side of the sport, and Alan Robinson, the Bears owner will be considering the ideas put forward in detail.

Alan said; 

”The students have done an amazing job and I’m looking forward to meeting everyone. Marketing and development of rugby league is never easy and I am grateful they have taken the time to look at the challenges we face and come up with some new ideas to tackle them”  

Bears fans frustrated but united behind their team

COVENTRY BEARS 4 WORKINGTON TOWN 52

Mike Hyde, Butts Park Arena

Beyond a doubt, the better side won this League 1 game, but the Bears fans were left frustrated and angry at the sending off of two Bears players.

The sun was shining on a distinctly sandy pitch as the Bears kicked off, but they soon found themselves defending. Sean Penkywicz passed the ball out for Elliot Miller to score Towns first try, but Carl Forber’s conversion attempt hit the post. Only four minutes had elapsed. 0-4.

On the eighth minute, Perry Singleton scored a try over on the far right of the field to make it 0-8.

This point-a-minute pace continued as Jack Blagbrough caught a tricky bounce from a long kick to add the away sides third try, and this time Carl Forber made no mistake.

A succession of rapid-fire passes put Jamie Doran over for a well worked try, as the points continued to mount. Next over was Stevie Scholey, who crashed down between the posts.

To add to Coventry’s misery, twenty stone Tongan International Fui Fui Moi Moi took to the field for the first time in Workington colours midway through the half; how could the Bears cope with this mountainous legend of the game?

Within two minutes of coming on, he was there, running with the ball towards the Coventry defence. The crowd watched in awe.

Then the giant was felled, stopped dead in his tracks by Peter Ryan. The crowd cheered.

But, in a decision which was met with shock, disbelief, and finally anger which continued to spill out on social media after the match, Ryan was sin-binned; sent off for ten minutes.

Bears captain Chris Vitallini protested in vain, and he too was sin-binned for ten minutes.

So, a Bears side already depleted by the loss of players on student international duty, was left with just eleven men on the field. The game was over.   

With the score at 0-26, and a two man advantage, Town found themselves with plenty of space as playmaker Penkywicz grabbed one for himself in typical hooker fashion from dummy half. Singleton’s second try sealed the first half. 

Now, all credit to Tom Tsang’s interval talk, the second half was much less one-sided, with the Bears clearly wanting to salvage pride in front of the Butts Park faithful.

However, after some tough defending and close attacking from the Bears, Sam Forrester broke the deadlock and added another for the away side, who were now displaying their promotion credentials.

Bears tried hard to fight back, and defended vigorously with Dante Morley Samuels having a good game at full back and even managing to be in a few attacking moves, one culminating in Lewis Lord being held up over the line.

Midway through the second half, both sides were now showing a tendency to fumble the ball, but Workington were able to step up a gear once more as Karl Olstrom fought his way over, followed by team-mate Freddrick Bailey with just under a quarter of an hour left.

The day’s biggest cheer came in the 72nd minute as Kam Pearce-Paul grabbed a consolation try, to salvage the dignity that comes from not being ‘nilled’. ‘Never say die’ could be the Bears motto.

And the fans, who had all stayed to the very end, finally went away proud of their team after cheering them off the pitch, looking forward to the day when the Bears get the results they deserve. Soon we hope.

Come on Bears…….. 

MATCHFACTS

BEARS

  1 Dante Morley-Samuels 

  2 Hayden Freeman

  21 Kam Pearce-Paul

  4 Jacob Ogden

  5 Reece Rance

  6 Liam Rice-Wilson

  7 Ben Stead

  8 James Guertjens

  9 Sam Davies

10 Peter Ryan

11 Ashley Bateman

12 Jacob Jones

13 Chris Vitalini

Subs (all used)

14 Lewis Lord

15 Harry Kauffman

16 Malakhi Lloyd-Jones

17 John Aldred

Tries: Pearce-Paul (72),

Goals: Rice-Wilson 0/1

TOWN

  2 Sam Forrester

  3 Elliot Miller

18 Karl Olstrom

  5 Perry Singleton

  4 Freddrick Bailey

  6 Jamie Doran

  7 Carl Forber

  8 Oliver Wilkes

 20 Sean Penkywicz

10 Stevie Scholey

21 Jake Moore

22 Caine Barnes

16 Jack Blagbrough

Subs (all used)

  9 James Newton

15Tom Curwen

19 Andrew Dawson

23 Fui Fui MoiMoi

Tries: Miller (4), Singleton (8, 28), Blagbrough (12), Doran (17), Scholey (20), Penkywicz (25), Forrester (48), Olstram (64), Bailey (67)

Goals: Forber 6/10

Penalty count: 7-11

Half-time: 0-38

Referee:  B Robinson

Attendance: 264

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-8, 0-14, 0-20, 0-26, 0-32, 0-38; 0-42, 0-46, 0-52, 4-52

Fui Fui Moi Moi to face the Bears this Sunday?

RL legend to face the Bears on Sunday?

Coventry Bears v Workington Town preview, by Mike Hyde

The word ‘legend’ may be somewhat over-used these days but if ever a player deserved that title it is Tongan and New Zealand International FuiFui Moi Moi, who could well be making his debut for Workington at the Butts Park Arena on Sunday.

A true giant of the game [weighing in at 19 stone 10 lb], with 200 NRL appearances plus stints at Leigh and Toronto, the 38 year old will be hoping to pass on his experience to the younger Workington forwards. According to press reports, his paperwork is now all in order, clearing him to take to the field on Sunday.

And the Workington side, now managed by ex-England star Leon Pryce, will be wary of a Coventry side which showed many signs of improvement against York last Saturday.

New recruits Peter Ryan and Jacob Ogden seamlessly slotted into the Bears line up, which showed pace and flair in equal measures before York fought back in the second half.

Bears fans will remember last June’s epic encounter between the two sides. Workington had steadily built up their lead to 0-22, and then the fightback began. The Bears clawed their way back into the game to make it 16-22, before Town edged further into the lead again. With two minutes to go it was 28-28, and a drop goal would decide it.

Unfortunately, the Bears attempt missed, but Carl Forber gained that extra point which was just enough for a 28-29 Workington win as the Bears continued battling relentlessly to the bitter end.

Workington are currently in sixth place in the table following a very mixed set of results. They did manage to defeat Bradford at home, but have lost three away games already this season.

Now, if only the Bears could do just a little bit better than the last time the two sides met. 

Coventry Bears v Workington Town, Butts Park Arena, Sunday 20th May kick-off 3pm.

Bears scare mighty York

COVENTRY BEARS 18 YORK CITY KNIGHTS 58

Mike Hyde, Butts Park Arena, Saturday

There have been some very lop-sided scorelines in League 1 over the last few weeks and after the Knights record breaking 144-0 win against West Wales Raiders, and our own recent heavy losses against Bradford, Widnes and Keighley, some Bears fans feared this might be an uneven contest.

However, the Bears had their opponents on the rack for a large portion of the first half only to fade in the second.

It only took York three minutes to get over the line as prop Adam Robinson muscled his way over the line and Connor Robinson gave an early display of his ruthless converting.

In a foretaste of what was to come, the Bears Ben Stead placed a kick for JamahlHunte to almost get a try for the home side. The Bears had rediscovered their attacking flair.

York responded by stepping up the pressure and following a clever dummy which fooled the Bears defenders, WilliamJubb added the Knights second after eight minutes, which was again converted.

Just four minutes later it was Tim Spears’ turn to crash over, with the extras again being added with ease.

At this point, a cricket score looked possible, but on another attack, the Knights lost the ball, which was gratefully accepted by Jacob Ogden on his Bears debut, who then went on to run over half the length of the pitch for the Bears first try. Ben Stead stepped forward for his first conversion.

York were now rather nervous, dropping the ball land conceding penalties, and Richie Hughes capitalised on this with a typical hooker’s try from close in. Stead again converted and was instrumental in the Bears’ third try. His well-placed 40-20 kick provided the opening for another debutant, Peter Ryan toscore a try and the conversion levelledthings at 18-18 on the half hour mark.

However, in their eagerness the Bears gave the ball away just a few yards out from their line and Daniel Hawksworth’s try and C Robinson’s fourth conversion gave the away team a six-point cushion at half time.

The second half had a very different complexion as Ronan Dixon used brute strength to score another for the Knights, which was again converted.

C Robinson showed there was more than conversions in his kicking repertoire as he kicked over to the left wing for Ash Robson to pluck the ball out of the air and place it beyond the try-line.

Judah Mazave was next to cross over as York inexorably increased their score.

And then Joe Batchelor, a former Bears player, scored the first of his two tries as he shrugged off two tired defenders,with his second coming from a large overlap as the Bears defence was ripped apart. 

The last Knights player to put his name on the scoresheet was Bradley Hey, and C Robinson added his ninth conversion of the afternoon.

The Bears came close to a consolation courtesy of Pearce-Paul and Hunte neatly linking on the right wing, but it wasn’t to be, but a heavy defeat had been well and truly avoided.

Confidence had returned and the fans went away pleased with the performance. 

Roll on the Workington game next week.

Speaking after the match, Tom Tsang saw positives in his team’s performance, following the previous week’s heavy loss.

‘We had a lot of honest conversations this week and had to make some tough decisions with selection.

The first half of the match we really demonstrated what we are capable of and what we can be as a team.

We were tough in the middle, had good shape in attack and threatened at every opportunity.

Unfortunately, in the second half, York’s strength came to the fore and they showed why they are at top of the league.

Ultimately we lost the game due to the  number of penalties and we couldn’t handle the defensive pressure.’

Tom added: 'Today's Man of the Match was Peter Ryan. Over 65 minutes at Prop on debut, dominant in defence and scored a great try. Well done Peter!'

MATCHFACTS

BEARS

1 Jason Bass 

2Jamahl Hunte

21Kam Pearce-Paul

4 Jacob Ogden

5 Hayden Freeman

6Liam Rice-Wilson

7 Ben Stead

8James Guertjens

9 Richie Hughes

10Peter Ryan

11 Ashley Bateman

12 Ben Gray

13Chris Vitalini

Subs (all used)

14 Lewis Lord

15Harry Kauffman

16Malakhi Lloyd-Jones

17Zak Williams

Tries: Ogden(15), Hughes (25) Ryan (29)

Goals: Stead 3/3

KNIGHTS

2Ben Cockayne

5Judah Mazive

11Joe Batchelor

4Bradley Hey

1 Ashley Robinson

27 Liam Jackson

6Connor Robinson

8 Adam Robinson

20WilliamJubb

15 Christopher Siddons

19 Michael Kelly

12 Sam Scott

13Timothy Spears

Subs (all used)

26 Daniel Hawksworth

37 Daniel Maskill

16 Ronan Dixon

17 Joseph Porter

Tries:A Robinson (3), Jubb (8), Spears (12), Hawksworth(36),Dixon (47),Robson (52) Mazive (56),Batchelor (64,67),Hey (74)

Goals:C Robinson9/10

Penalty count: 11-9

Half-time: 18-24

Referee: B Robinson

Attendance: 252

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12,0-18, 6-18, 12-18,18-18,18-24; 18-30, 18-36, 18-40, 18-46, 18-52, 18-58

Bears partner with Valley Cougars to develop a new pathway from Wales

Another pathway opened for new players, this time from South Wales.

Coventry Bears have announced another strategic initiative as they pursue their aim of self-sufficiency through a ‘grow your own’ approach to player development.

Already partnerships are in place across the Midlands region with selected amateur teams and other initiatives, and the Bears are now firmly rooted in the area with zero reliance on ‘Northern heartland imports’.

However, not all the accents heard playing at the Butts Park Arena are Midlands ones as there is also a key group of players from South Wales.

Recognising this, and wishing to enhance Welsh links, a new partnership with Valley Cougars RLFC who play in the Welsh RL, whereby this Welsh contingent can train through the week as an extra session (they train Wednesdays while the Bearstrain Tuesday and Thursday), plus they have a playing outlet, should they not be selected for our first team.

Additionally, young Welsh players can see a route to progress on to the Bears first team from the Merthyr Tydfil based Cougars in a partnership with clear benefits and synergies for both clubs.

Bears Head Coach Tom Tsang welcomed the move

‘This season we have recruited a small group of players who hail from the South Wales area. Their dedication, commitment and attitudes have all been first rate. With the absence of the All Golds in Gloucestershire and the South Wales Ironmen reforming out West as the Raiders, there is a large catchment area of players who don't have a clear pathway to progress in the game.

We see our role in providing opportunities to players now extending beyond our traditional base in the Midlands to ensure the continued growth and expansion of the sport away from the North of England.

Valley Cougars are a well-run and successful club, who have a history of producing and developing talented young Welshmen, many of whom have gone on to represent their country at various levels. We will offer their players a clear line of sight into the pro ranks of Rugby League.

The partnership will also allow our small contingent of Welsh players, a place to gain game-time should they not be selected for the Bears first team for any reason.’

Speaking on behalf of Valley Cougars,Daf Hellard added; 

‘As a club we're really excited by this link, I've spoken with Tom a few times and have known him for a few years from when the cougars played in the CLS. Both clubs share the same passion and drive for the sport and the ambition shown by Coventry is something we aspire to replicate at the Cougars.

Having recently formed a partnership with a local junior side in the area, we want to create a clear player progression pathway through the Welsh system and beyond. Wales currently have two professional sides in league one, Coventry gives us another option for players wanting to progress outside of the Welsh system, particularly for youngsters looking to study away from Wales or wish to experience different cultures.

The more players we get playing the game and exposing them at the highest levels of the sport will ultimately improve the talent pool available to Wales national coaches and cultivate the expansion of the game in Wales.’

Bears Squad v York City Knights

Bears take on York City Knights at the Butts Park Arena this afternoon. Below is the Bears 19 man squad. 

Coventry Bears v York City Knights 

Saturday 12th May

3pm kick off

Butts Park Arena  

Coventry Bears 19 man squad:

1. Jason Bass

2. Hayden Freeman

3. Jacob Ogden

4. Kameron Pearce Paul

5. Jamahl Hunte

6. Paul Emmanuelli

7. Ben Stead

8. James Geurtjens

9. RIchie Hughes

10. Peter Ryan

11. Ash Bateman

12. Ben Gray

13. Zak Williams

14. Lewis Lord

15. Chris VItalini

16. Mal Lloyd Jones

17. Harry Kaufman

18. John Aldred

    19. James Mason

Saturday action against high-flying Knights

Coventry Bears v York City Knights. Saturday May 12th kick-off 3pm

This Saturday sees the Bears take on York City Knights in a rescheduled fixture which had been due to take place early in March.

York are currently riding the crest of a wave having been through some very bad times which almost threatened their existence a couple of years ago.

They are drawing in good crowds, with 4,000 turning up for their Cup game against French side Catalan Dragons. They are second in the table behind Bradford with only points difference separating them from former Super League Bradford who currently top the League 1 table.

Two weeks ago the Knights made history as they thrashed West Wales Raiders 144-0, a record beating margin in the professional game, a score which sent shock waves throughout the sport, nowhere more so than amongst the newer League 1 sides such as the Bears who are building teams without the infrastructure, resources and pool of players found in the North.

So the Bears, having had the toughest month of their League 1 existence with games against Bradford and Widnes followed by an agonising home defeat and a crushing at Keighley, will be going into this game as underdogs.

However, York are not invincible, and Hunslet put 24 points on the scoreboard against them last Sunday, and the Knights only just came out winner 24-26.

If the Bears could only show the form and attacking flair they are capable of, then there could be some good entertainment this Saturday.

And with Coventry City’s game being an evening kick off and neither Coventry or Wasps playing, sports fans wanting a Saturday afternoon fix can get just that at the BPA.  

A day to forget for the Bears

Keighley Cougars 98 Coventry Bears 6

On a day when anything that could go wrong did just that, Coventry Bears crashed to a heavy defeat against a very good Keighley side.

It was a beautiful sunny day in West Yorkshire as the home team scored first courtesy of Benn Hardcastle, with a conversion following.

It all seemed to be going to plan for the Bears as Rhys Gant pulled a try back and Ben Stead’s kick levelled the scores at six apiece.

But then the onslaught resumed as Matthew Bailey crossed over with a quarter of an hour gone. And that was it as the Cougars ran in five more tries to go into the half time interval with an unsurmountable 42-6 lead.

At which point it seemed things could not get worse, but the second half was as bleak and unforgiving as the nearby setting of Wuthering Heights as the home side scored a whole procession of tries, with the Bears unable to find any meaningful reply.

And so it ended with Keighley’s score mercifully falling short of a hundred but still it was the Bears biggest ever defeat.

Perhaps it was a hangover from the two big away games at Bradford and at Superleague Widnes, or  even an aftershock from the previous week’s home game which slipped away from them at the end, or maybe this side isn’t yet a fully gelled team.

Whatever the reason, there was plenty of soul-searching on the way back and now the task is to regroup, rebuild  and put in good performance in the next two games back at Butts Park.      

A York City Knights fan guide to Coventry Bears and Coventry itself.

These are clearly good times for the Knights, it may be a little early to talk of promotion, especially with Bradford and Doncaster around, but if the Knights do go up this season, it may be a couple of years before the Bears join you and we play against each other again.

So, with the fixture at the Butts Park Arena rearranged for Saturday May 12th, here’s a guide to what travelling Knights fans can enjoy, we know it’s not Perpignan weather-wise but it’s well worth spending more than 80 minutes here.

Butts Park Arena 

Coventry Bears and the Butts Park Arena

Our ground is very close to the city centre and has a 3,000 capacity stand along one side. There is a members’ bar at the top of the stand, and another large bar under the stand which has a great atmosphere after the match. Before the game a suitable nearby watering hole recommended by Bears fans is the CAMRA acclaimed Broomfield Tavern. 

We have a car park [£3], so that’s not a problem for drivers, while the stadium is only a 15-20 minute walk from the station.  

The BPA has a strangely ‘Northern industrial’ feel to it with a railway high up on an embankment overlooking the ground.

We may appear like new kids on the block from the Midlands, but we have been around for twenty years, turning semi-pro four years ago. And now are at the centre of a network of teams and initiatives from Merthyr to Loughborough.

We also see ourselves as the proud descendants of a previous Rugby League team which played on this very spot from 1910 to 1913, before the First World War took its terrible toll. 

Coventry-City of Culture 2021

York fans will all know Hull, but the mantle of City of Culture is now passing to another Rugby League city, Coventry.

At which point we’ve put together a few things York fans may want to do to make a day or even a full weekend out of their visit.

Coventry Cathedral

York has its Minster but we have an amazing Cathedral, or rather two Cathedrals. The first was almost destroyed in WW2 but was poignantly left in ruined state while a striking and iconic new cathedral was built in the 1960’s, along with much of Coventry’s City Centre. These are both free to enter and look around.

Coventry Transport Museum

Museums

York has its Railway Museum, but here we have a Transport Museum also with free entry. And on the morning of the match it’s holding a vintage car event. And if you arrive in an old car there’s free tea and coffee! And if transport is your thing, there’s also the Midland Air Museum and just down the road [A45 that is] there is the National Motorcycle Museum.

There is also a Music Museum, with a focus on the Ska or two tone genre which hails from Coventry.

Around the City

Our mediaeval Spon Street is the closest you will get to the Shambles. Other city centre highlights include an IKEA, some great examples of 60s architecture [if you like that sort of thing], and a ring road also from the great days of sixties town planning [first-time visitors often spend quite some time on this].

There’s also a nicely restored canal basin, but we don’t expect many York fans to arrive by narrowboat.

Warwick Castle  

Castles

If you are staying a little longer there’s two of Britain’s greatest castles on our doorstep;

Kenilworth Castle, English Heritage owned and possessing amazing Elizabethan gardens.

Warwick Castle, probably worth a whole day to itself it is so impressive and packed with attractions.

And did we mention Culture???

Culture vultures may wish to take in the Herbert Art Gallery or a performance at the Belgrade Theatre and then go on to sample the nightlife and music of a thriving University city.  

Where to stay

There’s plenty of accommodation available to suit all tastes and budgets. There’s a comfortable Premier Inn almost next door to the ground and very handy for the city centre too.

The staff, players and fans at Coventry Bears look forward to welcoming York City Knights for a great game and more.

To find out more visit;

http://www.coventrybears.com/

https://coventry2021.co.uk/

http://www.coventrycathedral.org.uk/wpsite/

http://www.transport-museum.com/

http://www.covmm.co.uk/2016/

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/kenilworth-castle/?gclid=CjwKCAjww6XXBRByEiwAM-ZUIBi0sGuuMBxvHwsXhFjlSKs-O9pbkKtOyaeieAQq3veaHXpVkQHAdhoCcdUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.warwick-castle.com/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/why-historic-england-is-hailing-the-charm-of-coventry-a6952956.html

https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/west-midlands/coventry/coventry-city-centre-earlsdon-park.html

https://en-gb.facebook.com/The-Broomfield-Tavern-156105161115317/

http://www.theherbert.org/

http://www.belgrade.co.uk/

http://www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk/

http://www.midlandairmuseum.co.uk/

Keighley Cougars v Coventry Bears Match Preview

By Mike Hyde

The Bears are back on their travels again this weekend as they travel up to Keighley in West Yorkshire for a game this Sunday at Cougar Park.

If the Bears are still smarting from the 20-28 loss against London Skolars in their last game, then the Cougars are probably feeling exactly the same having lost 24-30 at home to Whitehaven in what sounds like a very similar game.

Keighley are currently sitting in eighth position in League one, with Hunslet the only ‘traditional’ Northern team beneath them in the pecking order.

They have had a faltering start to the season, winning four and losing four, so they might just be vulnerable to a Coventry side who are showing real flashes of what they are capable of, despite a series of losses.

When the two teams played last time, almost exactly a year ago, it was one of those games which Bears fans recognise as being typical of last season. The Bears had started badly and by half time were down 8-34 in front of a stunned Butts Park crowd.

Tom’s talk in the interval must have worked as the Bears came out a different team, outscoring their Yorkshire opponents 16-10 in the second half. But as everyone knows, there’s no prize for just winning half a game!

So, on to Sunday, and if the Bears can reproduce some of the speed and moves they showed against Skolars AND do this for 80 minutes rather than 50 or 60, then an upset  may just be on the cards.

1.Rhys Gant

2.Jacob Ogden

3.Jason Bass

4.Kameron Pearce Paul

5.Dante Morley Samuels

6.Paul Emmanuelli

7.Ben Stead

8.James Geurtjens

9.Zak Williams

10.Dan Gover

11.Ashley Bateman

12.James Mason

13.Chris Vitaini

14.Lewis Lord

15.Mal Lloyd Jones

16.Joel Thomas

17.Richie Hughes

18.John Aldred

19.Hayden Freeman