Makes for some interesting reading!
Some things seam to have settled down, and I guess in some way the bits about consolidating the home unions does make sense, if it can be done with losing the individual identitys!
The concerning part for me is the potential loss of the BHW, for a long time the profits were subsidising the RPRA, however now looks to be at risk.
I understand that the readership has dropped a fair bit since the format change, and obviously there are issues with the lack of fresh insights and voices.
I suppose it would be something for the fanciers to look at internally whether we could provide fresh voices and opinions pieces for the magazine, to help give more content to inspire people to pick it back up.
https://www.rpra.org/ceo-annual-report-2026/
RPRA CEO Report - 2026
I hope the other Unions don't get on board with the RPRA. It talks about leadership, the RPRA has failed to restructure itself, it threw out the Hall report. Why would the other Unions want anything to do with it? It should get it's own house in order before imposing it's problems of mismanagement on the other Unions.
With the game on or near its death bed this is not the time to perpetuate old personal grudges ALL the home unions should come together to see if there’s any prospect of saving the sport going forward and put aside any historic differences if the RPRA and NWHU can achieve this it should be possible
The historic differences with the RPRA and NWHU was ONLY resolved because the RPRA got what it wanted, the stopping of the NWHU selling rings outside it's boundries. I'm for saving the sport but the RPRA working with other Unions won't do anything to address the problems within the RPRA. If the 'lifeboat' it had with the BHW sinks. Then members can expect a rise in subs again, because the RPRA still is spending more money on a flawed structure of regions than is coming in.Bowbroom wrote: Wed Mar 04, 2026 2:08 pm With the game on or near its death bed this is not the time to perpetuate old personal grudges ALL the home unions should come together to see if there’s any prospect of saving the sport going forward and put aside any historic differences if the RPRA and NWHU can achieve this it should be possible
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CHARLTON34
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After being in the print trade for 37 years working for Robert Maxwell, with all that went on, then finishing up working for the Daily Mail titles .
So everything was all ok with large print runs going into millions of copies per week, this was all ok as the advertising payed a big proportion of the running costs back then & there wasn't many companies that could handle the capacity on a quick turnaround weekly.
I would say that the cost to produce the BHW has been significantly higher with running costs to produce the finished article for a poor return financially with a falling membership & changing the format from the old magazine to the newer paper type that they have today.
I just think the running costs in print today has just made it with the circulation falling not viable to go to press in the short term, just going to end up a mill stone around the RPRA's neck.
So everything was all ok with large print runs going into millions of copies per week, this was all ok as the advertising payed a big proportion of the running costs back then & there wasn't many companies that could handle the capacity on a quick turnaround weekly.
I would say that the cost to produce the BHW has been significantly higher with running costs to produce the finished article for a poor return financially with a falling membership & changing the format from the old magazine to the newer paper type that they have today.
I just think the running costs in print today has just made it with the circulation falling not viable to go to press in the short term, just going to end up a mill stone around the RPRA's neck.
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Diamond Dave
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Totally agree King. The whole statement is simply hypocritical.king wrote: Wed Mar 04, 2026 1:42 pm I hope the other Unions don't get on board with the RPRA. It talks about leadership, the RPRA has failed to restructure itself, it threw out the Hall report. Why would the other Unions want anything to do with it? It should get it's own house in order before imposing it's problems of mismanagement on the other Unions.
The RPRA is absolutely capable of being self sufficient without having to rely on the BHW but it requires modernisation in its entirety.
The problem is that its own system of antiquated rules and regulations wont allow that to happen, but worse than that - the dinosaurs that are responsible wont allow it to happen because such changes threaten their own existence.
The whole statement is total "spin" and all he is doing is telling everyone what they have already known for the last 20 years and at the same time "grooming" the membership ready for the next extortionate price hike to enable them to waste more of members money to allow the archaic system to continue, which leads to even more ppl packing in. Its a downward spiral I'm afraid.
But as BB says - lets be positive about it all ffs
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CHARLTON34
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It's been said before that all fancier's only want is to race there pigeons, they unfortunately are not interested in trying to change things even under the present archaic out of date rules / system that not only hinder any dialogue or a chance to move forward only to be suffocated at the first onset.
From first hand experience of trying to get some change at region I could see that it was very likely to fail by those in the room on the night. As Dave has said the membership will have to pay more each year, I for one haven't got a problem with this but I do expect in the same breath that the membership deserve better.
From first hand experience of trying to get some change at region I could see that it was very likely to fail by those in the room on the night. As Dave has said the membership will have to pay more each year, I for one haven't got a problem with this but I do expect in the same breath that the membership deserve better.
The lack of change within the RPRA will result in yearly increases in subs just to maintain the 'Status Quo' no matter how much positive thinking or spin the CEO puts on it.CHARLTON34 wrote: Wed Mar 04, 2026 7:13 pm It's been said before that all fancier's only want is to race there pigeons, they unfortunately are not interested in trying to change things even under the present archaic out of date rules / system that not only hinder any dialogue or a chance to move forward only to be suffocated at the first onset.
From first hand experience of trying to get some change at region I could see that it was very likely to fail by those in the room on the night. As Dave has said the membership will have to pay more each year, I for one haven't got a problem with this but I do expect in the same breath that the membership deserve better.
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Diamond Dave
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To be fair King, we should all expect moderate annual increases in line with inflation anyway.
They have no idea how to manage their accounts. They were advised by economic EXPERTS but unscrupiously buried the advice they were given.
As a result of that we are all having to continue to pay for the unnecessary wastage that continues, while the hierarchy continues to "rape and exploit" its members contributions.
If anything is going to bring pigeon racing to its Knees it will be the piss-poor management of the RPRA
They have no idea how to manage their accounts. They were advised by economic EXPERTS but unscrupiously buried the advice they were given.
As a result of that we are all having to continue to pay for the unnecessary wastage that continues, while the hierarchy continues to "rape and exploit" its members contributions.
If anything is going to bring pigeon racing to its Knees it will be the piss-poor management of the RPRA