The engagement of the sport with the Manchester Evening News reflects the demise we’re in.

The paper will print news of some bother in Wigan, Leigh, Oldham , Rochdale and Salford without a thought but the idea of mentioning a game of sport attended by thousands doesn’t occur to them, or is it lack of advertising by the game results in a tit-for-tat demotion.

Manchester Giants basketball attendance 1000 + is treated as a major sport by said newspaper.

Game needs marketing and local news and their websites would be a good place to start.

I agree that the attendances are very poor. Perhaps give other cities and towns an opportunity to host? Why don't the RFL take the games 'on tour' instead of playing at the same collection of grounds year after year. I'd love to see a game at the newly renovated Headingley Stadium. I think Saints, Salford, Warrington and maybe even Doncaster are viable options for England internationals.

The Huddersfield examiner rarely prints much about the Giants no match reports etc. Or news stories that are days old

Yes these crowds are poor, but how many moaning on here went to either game or intend on going to any of the international games. It's ok blaming marketing and the RFL but when the General hardcore RL won't go then why should anybody else.
That said £50 for a centre line ticket is too much, around £35 and £25 for everywher else would be better, we don't want to short sell the games but we seem to be overpricing as well.

It should be about generating the big audience,, just seems to me about gaining as much cash as possible to feed the greasy greedy people running the game

I would have had game 1 at Elland Road Leeds, game 2 at either Wembley or the Olympic Stadium London and game 3 at the DW Stadium Wigan.

I’d definitely have had Game 2 in London.

It's not a disgrace, the aggregate attendance for the home test series against New Zealand in 1971 was less than 15k.
It's just a downward trend together with SL attendances than needs to be addressed.

I was at both and the level of attendance and promotion of the fixtures DOES need addressing.
There was more atmosphere at Leigh than there was at Hull yesterday, apart form the last 15 minutes.

I know there are issues with KR fans never wanting to go to FC's ground but, where were the "missing" fans from the last international that was staged there.
It's a cracking ground, with decent facilities etc and there's no excuse.
Was it the kick off time, that clashed with the afternoons football ? with the next 2 fixtures on Sunday's maybe we'll find out.

The attitude of some fans is shocking, wanting your country to lose because a player from your club isn’t selected is unbelievable.

Yeah i have to agree there. Thought them comments will really poor from them particular posters. I wanted to see TJ picked but just because he wasn't shouldn't mean cheering on another country ffs !

There was a drop off of 9k people between the NZ game in 2016 and the Australia game at London stadium a year later, with people complaining on here about the poor view and poor atmosphere.

So no guarantees they'd have got 35k again and London Stadium will cost far more to hire than the KCOM.

I'm supportive of playing games in London, but not convinced the crowd and profit would be any higher. The core issue is still the RFL not marketing games properly.

I nkow that not all fans wear any club colurs at International games but, there were very few Leeds fans knocking about and even fewer from "over the hill".
The vast majority were FC fans. Perhaps it's not just SOME Trinity fans that dont turn up if their own clubs players aren't picked

I know Sinfield is obsessed with the town of Leigh (God knows why) but why do the RFL stage an international game (midweek) and at a ground without a train station ?
3 years ago, the same fixture at Leigh (but on a Saturday) had an attendance of 8,380, when England narrowly won 84-4.

I’d like to see RFL bring some showmanship to bear. I would have had a Barbarians style “Rest of the World” team first playing France in France and then playing England instead of the one sided game at Leigh. The thought of this England team playing an entertaining side with the likes of Hastings, Barba, Murdoch Masala et al would make the head of marketing jump for joy. If only we had one.