Riverside Red wrote:The problem is the sport has become too parochial.
Fans, in the main, only want to watch their own team, as highlighted by the games at Horwich and last seasons Challenge Cup, even the grand final no longer sells out. Saints and Leeds fans won't go unless their team is there.
Hull and Warrington fans at the semi final in there numbers, disappeared after their game. Saints fans only turned up in the latter stages of the Warrington Hull game. Neutrals were difficult to spot.
It leaves us in a Catch 22, I believe that the extensive TV coverage, combined with the ability to record games or use catchup is killing the sport, but it only exists professionally because of TV revenue. When the Saints Chairman whines because he loses money when a game against Wigan is not on the TV highlights the difficulties facing the sport. £20k from Sky or market a game to increase the physical attendance? It is clear what Saints priority is, polar opposite to Warrington, who stand alone in effectively marketing their games.
I'm not sure thats Parochial. Up until the SL era the CC cup was the only event/day out (in London) of note. Now there is the CC, CC semis, Magic weekend plus other games such as Catalans away (in Barcelona for Wigan and neutrals this year) London away (why go to CC when you can have a similar weekend watching your own team in London, On the road games in Australia, next year Toronto...it goes on. The games landscape has changed.
