This.

Having been partly involved as Warrington rep on the RLWC2013 FLAG ( fans local advisory group) I've seen something of how things have been planned and organised and hopefully been able to contribute in a small way. Having towns have to bid to be hosts rather than just parachuting games into venues, meant local steering groups reaching out across all aspects of the community were formed who have worked really hard to make the tournament a success.

I've always been confident things would go well, but even so I'm delighted with the start we've got off to.

London took games to Leicester and got good crowds.....it's about the marketing

It is obvious that the international dimension has helped elicit interest in rugby league among a broader public, esp. the fact that there are so many nations, some of them quite exotic Pacific Island nations. But also having the BBC behind this tournament has helped a lot.

Rugby union has understood that for years. Rugby union gets much of its money and kudos from the World Cups and international tournaments, so many of which are on terrestrial TV. That is why we have to bring on Four Nations again soon -- with BBC, not Sky, coverage.

Great work, you should be in charge of rfl marketing.

It's not often you are right my pseudo French buddy, but I think on this occasion you deserve a gold star sticker for stating the ing obvious. The NRL gets $200 mil a year for about 425 televised games a year.......the Rahs of the 6 nations get 1/3 of that each year for 15 games............

Perhaps. I'd be interested to hear Wembley71's take on this, given their commendable success in Bristol.

It is about creating an EVENT......whilst purist fans of any game will moan about dumbing down, I suspect the total attendance for the opener and semis will be 130,000 and you can't tell me that the 4 games stand alone would have drawn that many.......Italy Wales 10k.....2nd semi with Aussies flogging someone 15 at a stretch and a couple of 30k's for the games featuring england

I think the last deal on the 4 nations the BBC made a decent offer and the RFL wanted to take it. But I think SKY tied their hands by significantly dropping the value they would offer on SL if they did not get the Internationals.

That was my understanding of it.

Risky game to play when you mess with sky.......don't lose sight of the fact of who props the game up in the uk before you start planning for anything. Even the NRL have to give concessions

What the bbc paid for 6nations makes little commercial sense when you consider they could smash the 6 nations 30mill total viewing figure by buying the rights to SL for a fair bit less, show a fri night game on bbc2, live Saturday game, live Sunday game on BBC and easily get more than 30mill viewing audience as well as a hell of a lot more programming. Given bbc don't get a return on sports programming through advertising or subscriptions the amount they pay for 6nations is ridiculous.

14137 at saints tonight, another very good crowd in appalling conditions

england v ireland listed as 24375, a stadium record for sport