Marty Funkhouser

Wow...

Value to (ever decreasing) sponsors is the obvious one.

Let's put another slant on it then. Measure all national (and local) newspaper column inches, media interest before and after, TV reports, figures and appearances etc etc etc connected to promotion/relegation matches for example Hull KR v Salford 2016 or Toronto v London 2018 or Wakefield v Bradford 2015 against similar late season normal league games in a non-relegation season. The difference is exponential.

Please show that, particularly within the current season , all games involving non-relegation zone teams show a maintenance of, or increased attendance. If you, for example , find that a game or games involving 2 top 5 teams i.e a play off zone game, shows a decrease in attendance could you advise as to why this is and why play off zone games are "failing to attract people".

Please show, particularly for the current season, even for teams at the "top".

I assume you can show all non-relegation matches either maintained or increased their crowds.

Could be a cracking last day with numerous possibilities, wonder if Sky will have cameras at all the relevant grounds? Or will it be ruined by spreading the drama over 4 days?

There were over 50,000 millionaires just in Yorkshire and Lancashire at last count...many of whom are RL fans, indeed many own clubs...again not sure what the point is?

It looks like one win each for London and Hull KR would be enough for them to stay up.

15 million live in the "North of England" and there are thousands and thousands and thousands of them worth well in excess of seven figures and plenty earning in excess of six...many more than Bangalore , not sure what this is supposed to mean?

Regardless of talent, and it's a debate as to whether your team could match up to the Origin teams, the motivation would just not be there as it is for the NSW and Queensland players. The tribalism makes Origin what it is and has done since game 1. It still makes for me, the Hull KR defeat of the Queensland origin team in 83 the best club performance against either a rep or NRL side there has been, just shading Wigan in Brisbane and Widnes v Canberra.

Of course this is overlooking the fact that clubs nowadays prefer to take 80% and upwards of their ticket revenue upfront in season tickets. This is the opposite of pre SL days when cash was king (in various ways) and varied competitions meant spectators picked and chose their games a little more and cup games outweighed all but the biggest league games. The walk ups for some games were outstanding. The move away from cash and the necessity to pre purchase tickets has made the on-day walk up a thing of the past. It is now difficult to decide "on the day" to attend a match which is a strong detriment to numbers. The problem (one of) of taking all the money upfront means it leaves little room for manoeuvre with ticket prices during the season. It's a little difficult to charge one group £25.00 per game for having to purchase a whole season of games and another group £6.00 or £10.00 when, and if, they wish to purchase exactly the same product at a time of their choosing. The reality of course is that most clubs charge extra for purchasing a ticket on the day further deterring prospective impulse or late purchasers. An unsatisfactory situation for everyone.

The 87/88 and 88/89 crowds give you a slight hint...

Agreed , but no RL club , even the big ones, are aiming for average attendances of 77000...

None at all, i'm with you all the way...but then the perennial Rugby League "small town" argument melts away. In UK professional Rugby League perhaps only the Cumbrian clubs and West Wales could claim to be in non-populous areas.