Look at the tv viewing figures the premier league gets. When Super League can match this, we can charge similar prices for match tickets and expect full stadiums. As things stand we can’t and it’s a pointless comparison. As I said League 1 or League 2 is a better comparison for Super League.

This year’s top viewed games:

Newcastle v Liverpool – 1.56million
Spurs v Chelsea – 1.29million
Manchester United v Everton – 1.271million
Manchester United v West Ham – 1.15million
Liverpool v Arsenal – 1.089million

Rugby league simply has to start appealing to people beyond the m62. Publicity attracts sponsorship which brings the money in. You can't blame sponsors for not wanting to pay to promote their product at rl games/clubs if it is mainly seen by fans local to the m62. I'd like to see expansion done properly. Not poorly thought out strategies that start clubs in areas miles from the heartland with insufficient funds to develop a team which challenge for honours,( because you are not going to attract new fans to a new team if they're struggling to compete) and in turn keep these new fans interested. Young fans in new areas should also be charged minimum prices with lots of schools getting free tickets on regular occasions to build future support.
Storm are the yardstick for bringing the sport(successfully) to areas that aren't traditional rl cities. They succeeded on the back of plenty of cash, good Publicity and nrl backing which in turn brought the club massive success on the pitch and kept their new fans interested. The bottom line is people want to be associated with a winning team, so to expand you have to make the team attractive to the area it's based in ( and stick to a location as London's permanent ground hopping hasn't helped their struggle to attract/keep fans).
Another fact that many fans need to take on board is that much as you like to call rl "the greatest game" the fact is in Britain( and globally) the majority don't agree with you. Saying it only makes us appear inward looking and arrogant and won't pull in footie fans etc. Why not promote it (and hold games on saturdays)in football areas etc in their close season as an option for sporting entertainment on their free Saturday's instead of trying to compete with a sport that is far richer and more popular.
I do wonder if partnerships with large football clubs with rich owners is the way to go. Rugby doesn't tear up pitches any more then footie so giving a football club extra income during their close season has to have some merit and would also add another string the clubs sporting bow.
There's an awful lot of other entertainments to compete with these days for similar prices to rugby league so I don't believe admission cost is a problem. It's image and promotion defo needs improving and I would like to see what Hearn could do as the current regime have failed and sold the sport short.

It’s getting the stars on QoS, on the news being interviewed in the sports section before big games, writing articles for newspapers, getting The Super League Show out of the graveyard times and in a prime time Sunday night slot before MOTD2, it’s getting the stars on the pitch at Premier League football grounds before big upcoming RL events...

Really? What makes you say that?

Regards

King James