Why can't it save itself? Other than the fact that it's more effort?

I understand why people find someone like Hearn appealing; he represents the easy option. He's represents our knight in shining armour, swooping in to save the day.

Except I don't think he can do that. Nigel Wood, for all his faults, was not the reason why Huddersfield and Salford can't sell tickets, he's not the reason why Wakefield have handed their notice to their landlord every year for the past 2-3 years, he's not the reason why clubs are voting to give our talent a pay cut, and he's not the reason why so few clubs are reaching audiences that broadcasters and sponsors are interested in. Hearn doesn't fix any of that.

The RFL aren't blameless or without fault, but much of the work that they do (particuarly on digital) is so far ahead of what many of the clubs produce it's frightening. I've got no issue with external influences coming into the sport, but it has to be for the right reasons and with the right objectives in mind - and absolving the clubs and their marketing, media and PR departments of their responsibilities to reach audiences, get themselves in the media, get themselves in the public conscience and to sell tickets are not the right reasons or objectives.

Most of the fundamental problems facing the sport commercially are well within the remit of people already within the sport, and they're issues that the sport should be able to fix itself. Yes, it will take a lot of work. Yes, it will need clubs to properly invest in marketing (rather than viewing it as a cost centre) and yes, it will need a change in thinking. But before someone like Hearn can come in and have an influence, we have to get the foundations right. When it comes to issues like audience and the quality of the product / talent, the RFL's hands are largely tied by what the clubs are contributing - and at the moment that contribution is way, way below what it needs to be.

We already have one hanger-on on the Red Hall pay-roll in Brian Barwick - we don't need another one.

Why is it pointless?

You are looking at top flight sport in this country.

We are advocates of a game which just about every RL fan would say is infinitely more exciting / eventful than football.

The season is MUCH shorter then the football season with regards to the number of games.

Look at the tv viewing figures the premier league gets. When Super League can match this, we can charge similar prices for match tickets and expect full stadiums. As things stand we can’t and it’s a pointless comparison. As I said League 1 or League 2 is a better comparison for Super League.

This year’s top viewed games:

Newcastle v Liverpool – 1.56million
Spurs v Chelsea – 1.29million
Manchester United v Everton – 1.271million
Manchester United v West Ham – 1.15million
Liverpool v Arsenal – 1.089million

Rugby league simply has to start appealing to people beyond the m62. Publicity attracts sponsorship which brings the money in. You can't blame sponsors for not wanting to pay to promote their product at rl games/clubs if it is mainly seen by fans local to the m62. I'd like to see expansion done properly. Not poorly thought out strategies that start clubs in areas miles from the heartland with insufficient funds to develop a team which challenge for honours,( because you are not going to attract new fans to a new team if they're struggling to compete) and in turn keep these new fans interested. Young fans in new areas should also be charged minimum prices with lots of schools getting free tickets on regular occasions to build future support.
Storm are the yardstick for bringing the sport(successfully) to areas that aren't traditional rl cities. They succeeded on the back of plenty of cash, good Publicity and nrl backing which in turn brought the club massive success on the pitch and kept their new fans interested. The bottom line is people want to be associated with a winning team, so to expand you have to make the team attractive to the area it's based in ( and stick to a location as London's permanent ground hopping hasn't helped their struggle to attract/keep fans).
Another fact that many fans need to take on board is that much as you like to call rl "the greatest game" the fact is in Britain( and globally) the majority don't agree with you. Saying it only makes us appear inward looking and arrogant and won't pull in footie fans etc. Why not promote it (and hold games on saturdays)in football areas etc in their close season as an option for sporting entertainment on their free Saturday's instead of trying to compete with a sport that is far richer and more popular.
I do wonder if partnerships with large football clubs with rich owners is the way to go. Rugby doesn't tear up pitches any more then footie so giving a football club extra income during their close season has to have some merit and would also add another string the clubs sporting bow.
There's an awful lot of other entertainments to compete with these days for similar prices to rugby league so I don't believe admission cost is a problem. It's image and promotion defo needs improving and I would like to see what Hearn could do as the current regime have failed and sold the sport short.

It’s getting the stars on QoS, on the news being interviewed in the sports section before big games, writing articles for newspapers, getting The Super League Show out of the graveyard times and in a prime time Sunday night slot before MOTD2, it’s getting the stars on the pitch at Premier League football grounds before big upcoming RL events...

Really? What makes you say that?

Regards

King James