That's down to the mismanagement of the clubs not the game as a whole though.
Many clubs have had 123 years to establish themselves in their own catchment area and most have failed, time to offer our incredible sport to new regions and markets.

You are are either interested in watching a sport/attending a game, or you are not.
For example, nobody could force me into watching any local Basketball, Ice Hockey, Gridiron, Rugby Union or Cricket teams.
Rugby League was extremely well supported in England, until the early 1970's....since then OVERALL it has struggled, and is a minority sport spectator wise.
Football has taken over many regions of the UK, even for folk just 'watching it at home/in a pub'. Just ask any Widnes Vikings fan...
There is NO magic wand for our struggling sport, and GOD only know why Rugby Union is so popular, but it's not just down to marketing.
3 years after Leigh won the challenge cup in 1971, we had our lowest ever home attendance v Hull, only 450 fans were at the game !
Who's fault was that exactly ?
It 'is what it is' but expanding the game worldwide, will/has only result(ed) in smaller home crowds for English teams in games versus the likes of Catalans, Toulouse, Toronto, New York, and any other potential global franchise.

so...this is a post I recently added to the London site on the subject of expansion.........it was (as usual) off the cuff and not though out......but the realism of time now makes me think that it has merit...Castleford fans can still enjoy the game v Wakey.....but united, they can both enjoy turning over New York.....is this what Mo had in mid 23 years ago?

Hard work, consistency and vision is what will make it work. Something lacking from the ethical root of Sooper Greed and the leagues below it.
The RFL fck about too much and don't allow things to establish in the British game.
Now watch how the NRL will put on their Magic Weekend for example. Suncorp will be packed.

Rugby League is Australia's national sport so they should be filling stadiums and have an abundance of quality players? Even then its predominantly a Sydney based league.

To get football off the ground in Australia they overpaid English Premier League players at the end of their careers to go over and boost the profile of the fledgling game over there whilst paying them big bucks to do so, The exact mirror image of what Rugby League does in the UK & France.

Expansion is a necessity for Rugby League however forget Trans-Atlantic fast tracking the RFL/SL owners have to invest in/make mandatory an academy & a reserve grade.

The player pool needs to expand, new players need to be coming through playing against each other at a competitive level, minimum academy contracts should be mandatory linked to the local college so that you get an education and a chance to play at the same time.

Rugby League needs to be seen as a career choice (apprenticeship) for young men with an education alongside it.

A clear pathway from High school via postcodes to pre-determined amateur clubs that feed a particular pro club.

Wigan do this very well with their local schools :- Rose Bridge High School-Ince Rose Bridge Amateur Club-Wigan Warriors U16's-Wigan Warriors Under 19's-Wigan Warriors First team.

A clear pathway for local youngsters would not only be more appealing to the young lads but also the parents as well who see their children getting an education as well as a shot at the big time.

Once this is flourishing expansion becomes easier to support.

Second fiddle I'm afraid to Fumbleball (AFL). AFL get 3 x crowds than NRL sadly but Todd Greenberg is content with that and content that Western Australia is screaming for a club even more now that the Western Farce thugby club has gone but Toddy wants to appease Hugh Marks at Nine rather than appease 20,000 RL fans in Perth.

It’s the main sport in Queensland and New South Wales, it isn’t in the other states. The only country where RL is the national sport in PNG.

I don't really care who comes up, but for the good of the game, can Widnes just flipping well get relegated!?!

Surely they are odds on favourite to be relegated automatically leaving 2 champ sides to duke it out in the MPG? That would be a first and a great game to watch. Especially if it was Leigh and Toronto knocking 7 shades out of each other.

If Fax beat TO tomorrow, then Leigh may well not even be in the M8's.

Definitely not, if London also beat Fev!!

Leigh need both Toulouse and Toronto to win, how ironic as their fans have so much hatred for the two expansion clubs.

More hyperbole, there is no hatred towards anyone, there is a dislike of some aspects of the Toronto club, the feelings towards Toulouse are no different to the other Championship clubs.

Spot on reffy.

Generally expressed by fake Wiganers , sorry Leighites or Leythers, often out of jealousy and bitterness due the their coach and many players heading to better pastures than remain in a glum ex-pit town on the outskirts of Manchester....

No, we need Toulouse and the well-known expansionist club, Featherstone to win Sir Kev. We only need Toronto to win, should Halifax beat Toulouse, and Featherstone beat London.