All well and good except I'm sure that Leeds would rather get 100% of a Headingley crowd that 50% of a ER crowd.

OK... so what I have to say doesn't actually relate to the idea of playing a local derby or a big game at a neutral venue but it is related to marketing of RL in general.
For starters what the RFL need to recognise is that their aim of widening the appeal of the game outside of the M62 corridor cannot and will not be achieved by using the same techniques they have been implementing for some time. The franchise system, although offering them the opportunity to artificially engineer a league incorporating more non-M62 teams, does not improve the PR for the game. I do acknowledge that the criteria for receiving a franchise does incorporate aspects which can be seen to be positive PR, for example the need to have a well established junior and community programme. However the net result, it would seem to me, is that for the sake of putting a welsh team in the league, with the aim of increasing the popularity of the sport in that region, the negative publicity generated has a detrimental effect on the sport overall.
In addition holding a special season opener, or whatever you want to call it, that takes place in a stadium so large that it looks completely empty also does little for the PR of the game.
What the powers that be need to recognise is that they have a crucial role in ensuring the integrity of the game, encouraging development of teams and players, encouraging the formation of junior teams and leagues across the country, disciplinary proceedings to make sure that bad behaviour is punished fairly and being accountable for the state of the game. What they also need to recognise is that marketing and public relations for the sport should be undertaken by professionals who know what they are doing.
Mistakes have been made, the franchise system is a good start, demoralising for any lower league club with aspiration and a desire to grow. What they need to be able to start doing is thinking about their marketing strategy not as individual events or games but as a whole. More placement of high profile players in the media would be a good start.

They probably would. Im also sure the would rather get 50% of an Elland Road crowd than 0% of an Odsal crowd. Whilst they would lose out one year, they would gain the next. And they would get the benefits of higher visibility, better awareness, and the chance to showcase the product to 40 thousand people every year.

Did you happen to see Question of Sport by any chance, which featured two RL related "identify the player" type questions which neither side were able to get?

The first one was Andy Platt, so I can cut a bit of slack there. If you weren't interested in the game in the late 80s, early 90s you probably wouldn't know who Andy Platt was.

The second however was Jamie Peacock, who Phil Tufnell incorrectly identified from the picture board as Wladimir Klitschko.

If two teams of people involved in professional sport can't identify two great rugby league players of the past and present, why would advertisers be interested in using them to endorse their products?

More high profile players in the media is a given. We need to sell the story of the game The stories sport offer of sacrifice, redemption, excellence, team work, etc all come of the back of the people involved. We need to get faces in the media.

As for selling 'events' rather than the game as a whole. Events are the game as a whole. Every game needs to be sold and marketed as an event. Some bigger than others. So 'events' are how we sell the game.

That's the Captain of England RL. We've got no hope!

We could do with a high-ish profile player "smashing it to" Lady Gaga. That'd do it.

That, or Justin Beiber posing on Twitter that he'd love to date a girl who regularly watches Rugby League, but only if she always takes her whole family.

Have we found a role for Senior?

He's selling the tickets.

Ben Westwood and Lady Gaga would make a lovely couple.

More than two words, nine actually. "No seats currently in top tier of East Stand."

A normal game vs bulls to fill ER? NO,
But a play-off game vs bulls to fill ER? quite possibly
As long as they dont go stupid with ticket pricing...

I can see the argument for moving Saints v Wigan to Anfield, but Leeds v Bradford at Elland Road wouldn't attract more than 20K IMO.