Well, Slugger, you're not talking to the same folk I am. I know of two biggish amature clubs who used to run buses to Wembley, no longer do because nobody is interested in paying good money to watch, in their words, overpaid Aussies and has-beens. Ditto a number of Fev and Dewsbury fans who have no wish to shove money into an elitist SL event, their words, whilst their own clubs get sod all from SKY and occasionally get a resentful payday against a SL team.

People on here, not saying you, need to look and listen to what's being said and done ouside of the cosseted world of SL, it's not good news.

Does anybody know if Saints and Warrington will have to pay a bond similar to Toulouse for not selling out the stadium?

That was Ralph Rimmer's stupid idea and will remain so, nowt to do with the clubs ( including Cats ).

I would guess that an average crowd for a Saints v Wire game would be 10k or 12k.
A Widnes v Sheffield game 3k to 4k.
On that basis getting 60k plus for Wembley isn't a bad turn out.
Ok it doesn't fill the place but if it held 150k would we expect it to fill that.

As has been mentioned in other posts the days of neutral fans swelling the crowd have gone. People have other demands on their money and time these days.

Reading through previous post I recall one poster mentioning that he goes regularly as a neutral fan, just curious how many other posters go as neutrals, I know I wouldn't go again unless my own team was there.

Crass idiocy from the person who had to change his username because of his own crassness and the idiocy of claiming RLFans is responsible for lower Wembley crowds

I've no doubt some people say that but it's just cr ap. The days of bumper Wembley crowds in the 70s early 80s were witness to unfit, aged, bang average British players with an occasional superstar Aussie. Read posts on other team's boards. They're always full of supporters who have had a season ticket for 400 years but have had enough of the coach or referees & are never going again.
What I noticed this year was the lack of Leeds Rhinos supporters. A decent number, but nowhere like previous years. The usual great turnout from HKR/HFC. And not a single Wigan shirt. All weekend. Again.

It's a fair point and you wonder what the number is that defines a poor crowd.
Mind you there were still significantly more there this year (62000+) than last (50,000+)

The "bond" is an absolutely shocking idea.
At a time when "we" are trying to encourage clubs from N. America and France to join the comp, implementing a huge bod for overseas clubs to take part is just nonsense and the "exclusion" of clubs like Toronto and Toulouse, just further devalues the Cup.
Can you imagine if we reach the point where there are say, 4 N. American clubs and 2 (or 3) French clubs in SL and yet they didn't compete in the premier cup competition for our sport.
Maybe that's why the 1895 cup has been introduced

Once again RL fails to think through its own plans.

Doesn't matter if it's crap or not, that's how they feel and as a game, we can't afford people feeling like that.