Quote: Uncle Rico "Whilst there are general RL fans that might turn out to watch a game not involving their side (I even went to Wigan v Saints last year) I wasn't contemplating making the switch to one or the other anytime soon so in the context of this thread and YOUR suggestion that a successful Liverpool RL Club were a perceived threat to Warrington Widnes and Saints then I'm not swayed.
If you are suggesting that attendances "fluctuate so much" at relegated teams because they've suddenly buzzed off to support another local team then again I'm not buying it. People get disillusioned and will either stop going or pick their games and there are decent fixtures in the Championship I suspect Leigh v Widnes in either division would have a comparable crowd. Voting with your feet may involve none RL weekends
And finally, although I don't really know this for sure perhaps a Bratford fan can tell us both, but, yes I think that the biggest fall in attendance can be accounted for a great marketing strategy and a successful side attracting healthy crowds with a sharp reduction being accounted for by disillusioned locals giving up rather than returning to watch Halifax Wakefield etc the "squirrels hibernating in winter" if you like.
As a matter of interest since Bradford's demise in the corresponding period have your crowds rocketed with all of these returning 'rats'?'"
Wakefields attendances have increased a little but havent rocketed up, although Cas and Leeds have increased ,possibly due to their success (although Leeds have been following good years with bad etc) and where have those fans come from ? Interested locals, lapsed fans or fickle glory hunters, possibly a mix of all 3.
The point is that, in the North of England, there doesn't seem to be a huge untapped market for RL and I believe that there may well be some newbies that attach themselves to any new club, especially if they are successful and "Liverpool" as a sporting brand would expect to do as well as any other, although Salford "Red Devils" certainly didn't - although not successful (in terms of silverware) and most interestingly, Koucash got bored /frustrated far, far too quickly so, we will never know what could/would happen if they made it to the top.