It's great (from a Rugby League point of view) to see that crowds are dropping as the sport is showing signs of instability with the tries per match statistic for the Premiership, Magners League and French Top 14 at a record all time low, the supporters it would seem have had enough with the poor on-field spectacle.

The World Cup in New Zealand later this year will already yield a financial loss of over £20m for the host union.

Great read in todays Guardian is the report from Robert Kitson that shows the enemy code of Rugby to be a game going backwards.

[iSchadenfreude[/i is a pretty unpleasant trait Mick. And has a nasty habit of coming back to bite you. Better to concentrate on how this sport is doing, IMO.

Speaking personally, I think the other game is less boring now than it has ever been, even if it remains much less exciting (to me) than this game. The challenge is to ensure it remains so.

I'm just shocked that the prestigious Rugby Union world cup is already onto a £20m loss

That has got to hurt the sport.

Please don't mention World Cups and losing money it's not so long since it nearly scuppered Rugby League.

Yes I remember the success that was the 2000 World Cup.

People in glass houses and all that.

AFAIK it's always been the case that domestically rugby union isn't that greatly followed. Internationally though it's well ahead of League.

Plus didn't a Union premiership game get like 50k plus at Wembley? I think it was called the big one. Wasps and Saracens?

No, a union premiership game hasnt achieved a 50k+ attendence at Wembley. That figure would mean the game(s) had made a £1 profit instead of a hundreds of thousand of pounds loss.

The Kitson piece is interesting though as it (and others) show that the union club game is facing similar problems to RL, its going to be interesting to see how they cope with issues such as franchising/ ringfencing and actual policing of thier salary cap.

But this is, I suspect, a thread for another forum and for the first time in a long time Im looking forward to start of a Super League season.
coyb.

Woeful thread. An RL fan mocking RU for its low crowds. How ironic.

Rugby league can only dream about the crowds and worldwide appeal of its less attractive cousin.

We had one of our top flight clubs in administration this winter, they barely survived. Wakey look like they could implode at any moment. Harlequins are just barely treading water. Our international game is still a joke. Yet your gloating over the financial losses of a much wealthier sport?

Quote: joedynamo " Harlequins - Leicester in 2008? www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... Evans.html I think Saracens have got close a few times too although it's reputedly cost their backer plenty.

Quote: joedynamo " Harlequins - Leicester in 2008? www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... Evans.html I think Saracens have got close a few times too although it's reputedly cost their backer plenty.

It could be that crowds are dropping due to the massive exposure it gets from our friends at Sky compared to RL. I'm sure I saw that there were three games on TV yesterday and another two today.

Personally I'm not convinced that your average RU fan puts as much emphasis on a try as a League fan, prefering the 'tactical' spectacle (kicking the ball up and down the pitch a lot) to the bish bash bosh of League. High scoring games are, after all, terribly American, hence why the average football fan is more than happy if his team come away with a 1-0 win.

I think it is probably too early to forecast the death of Union just yet.

I've not read the article, but should imagine the Board of Directors of any Rugby League club would give their eye teeth to have either the stadium, the crowds, or sponsor's list that Leicester Tigers attract to their rlwelford roadrl ground

Once again, Gledhill is living proof that Maggie Thatcher's Education policy was a tad lacking.

I dislike yawnion almost as much as I dislike Thatcher. But Kitson's yearning for some golden age is bollox. I have watched yawnion, occasionally, for 40 years. England yawnion has never, ever, been exciting. They have the occasional talented individual but their opportunities to run with the ball are virtually nil. Thank christ, I'd hate to think of the coverage it would get if it was ever remotely entertaining. Yawnion = the emperor's new clothes.

Hi Clearwing.
sorry to be pedantic butWembley'"

70 odd thousand watching Quins/London Irish for a league game only 2 weeks ago at Twickenham

Quins RU sell out there league games at home

Ive just been to Belfast and the Ulster v Biarritz game was as sell out yesterday