What is Rugby Leagues most successful period/decade?

[Mumby Magic]

I grew up with the game mid 1980s. Challenge Cup Finals well attended. (I was amongst 90k + in 1988), plenty of cup competitions, an international calendar of sorts but players who were nationally recognised.

However the other cup finals were poorly attended affairs, the World Cup had 5 teams playing over 4 years I believe and alot of top flight teams had lower attendances then than now.

Has the game in all or some aspects improved. Was the Sport thriving in another decade or have we always been chasing or tail?

[17 stone giant]

I liked the 90's. GB were involved some great Ashes series, the World Cup was held as a larger tournament in 1995, you had the start of Super League and SKY tv matches. The internet was coming alive so you had more access to everything - sports forums and news etc. I think it was a period of opportunity and hope. I guess there was also turmoil because of the Super League war, but I don't really know too much about that side of things. I was also a kid still and I tend to find that most of my favourite sporting memories are from childhood, so maybe that warps my judgement somewhat.

[Mumby Magic]

1 hour ago, 17 stone giant said:

I liked the 90's. GB were involved some great Ashes series, the World Cup was held as a larger tournament in 1995, you had the start of Super League and SKY tv matches. The internet was coming alive so you had more access to everything - sports forums and news etc. I think it was a period of opportunity and hope. I guess there was also turmoil because of the Super League war, but I don't really know too much about that side of things. I was also a kid still and I tend to find that most of my favourite sporting memories are from childhood, so maybe that warps my judgement somewhat.

I get that about preferring etc. Reminiscing always makes it seem the game was better.

[koli]

Post War period through to the early 60s was the games most successful period in terms of attendances.

Low was the early mid 70s followed by a steady revival in the 80s thru to the advent of SL with GB v Aus almost reaching “break through “ in terms of wider consciousness with big gates n lots of coverage.