Quote: Slugger McBatt "Back when Wembley was a sell-out every year, the world has moved on. It was often the big trip of the year for many people, but now people enjoy city breaks and overseas trips all the time. Going to London is nothing special anymore, and the loss of the old Empire Stadium takes away the traditional feel.
It was also the only big event, and the RFL can't have that many. They either have Magic or they have the Challenge Cup, and they have it at a time when perhaps 10% of the audience isn't on holiday, but they can't have both. They could easily make it a whole weekend thing somehow. Take it on the road. There are many ways to reinvigorate it, but watching a half-empty stadium isn't one of them.'"
Also a lot of fans from traditional but smaller none SL clubs and amateur teams used to go as a regular event, regardless of who was playing. However, over the years the RFL/SL and the snobbish nature of many posters on forums like this has managed to alienate them.
There is no incentive or people at these clubs to organise trips because to them SL is a different world to which they no longer feel an allegiance too, a bit like the International game.
Get these people incentivised again and you will fill far more seats, maybe not the sell outs we used to get but certainly a lot closer. I'd guess we are talking maybe 5,000 extra fans.