Quote: Enfield Exile ""Simple" solution is to perform better and challenge for trophies. You can advertise all you want, but people will not want to watch a team that suffers a fair few hammerings, produces RL that is far from scintillating and finishes second bottom.'"
There are exceptions, but they’re few and far between. A poor Warrington in the early noughties springs to mind.
rlAlbirex Niigatarl in the J-League is another. Few and very far between!
Quote: Enfield Exile "This isn't helped by regular changes to the rules, lack of terrestial TV and radio coverage'"
I’m not sure about the TV argument anymore, what with the advent of digital television (and its plethora of extra channels) and the trends of younger people consuming more content on their internet-enabled devices instead. The attendances and televised audiences for darts tournaments have increased rapidly in recent years, probably thanks to the introduction of the Premier League on Sky Sports. This upturn in interest has no doubt facilitated more coverage of darts on terrestrial TV, not vice versa.
Quote: Enfield Exile "Or the decision to remove promotion and relegation and the whole franchise system, [which] may work in other countries, but I am not convinced they work here. To some people it is confusing and nonsensical.'"
That’s the ubiquitous understanding of football kicking in again. [iIf it doesn’t act like football, then it’s mickey mouse[/i. It might not be an alien concept for much longer though.
rlSerie A’s breakawayrl casts doubt on the future of Serie B and, therefore, those clubs that wish to be promoted via the ‘traditional’ route. Also, the murmurs of a European Super League are persistent and that will be a
rl‘closed shop’rl (closed in as much as only the members can vote in new licencees).
I think National League Two could be split regional conferences (like the NFL, for example) which could aid expansion; but the idea is so alien us, it would be derided and doomed from the get go.