My main problem is knowing who is going to be on Thursday.

It's been a right pain this season for us out of towners with the mid-week games and a seemingly increased number of Friday night fixtures. Do I renew my season ticket next year ? The Friday night games, in particular, are a lottery given the earliest train from London I can catch is scheduled to get in to BQ 11 minutes before kick off. To be fair to Virgin Trains though I've only been through the "late gate" once this year and that was on the night of the Huddersfield game when the weather was inclement to say the least.

I cannot see these play off games attracting very many spectators. The crowds have been poor in the past, but I think they will be poorer this time with Thursday matches,and a lack of interest due to the system.
Unfortunately I cannot see any improvement in the attraction of our game if we continue to be run by the incompetent RFL , continually being dictated to by their Sky masters.
I have had a season ticket for about 45 years , but for the first time, I am considering not getting one next year. I feel ripped off by the club this season, as I buy my grandson a ticket for £ 90 , as he is only 5 , he has only been able to go to 5 matches this year. As we have to buy the tickets before the fixtures are out , we cannot make a decision with the full information.

Totally agree... I've managed a swop at work for tomorrow but its doubtfull i can get any more for a while, so when the play offs come around and we end up playing on the Thursday its highly likely i'll miss it....!

Cue everyone to shout "Sky put the money in they can do what they want like it or lump it"...

I am in the fortunate position of being self employed and as such games on Thursday or Friday are just as easy to get to as Sunday or even 11am on a Tuesday morning (if that's what the RFL/Sky wanted).

I am also in the fortunate position of being married and having a young family. However, the unfortunate downside is that they want to do things that maybe aren't related to the Rugby. I already know that if we get a playoff game on Saturday 14th September then I can't go due to a night out arranged several months ago, but now I have to put her off making any more plans whatsoever for that weekend or the few after.

Why can't the RFL/Sky announce with plenty of notice (even pre season) that the playoff played on Thursday 12th will be between positions 5 and 8, Friday 13th between positions 1 and 4, etc. At least then we can start making a few educated guesses/gambles as to when we can make commitments elsewhere.

Dead right.

Until there is a change for the better at Red Hall though I cannot see the situation changing.

Because the likes of Wigan, Hull, Huddersfield, Leeds, Salford all use multi sports stadia. It's further complicated for Wigan this year as Wigan Athletic are in the Europa League (who'd have thought it) which has Thursday night fixtures.

This is very true and something I'd forgotten about (I won't be so flippant as to suggest that these teams should have their own grounds - though maybe they should ).

But stretching the playoffs now over four days isn't going to bring extra fans in through the turnstiles, it's just going to drag attendances even lower. Maybe a more radical solution should be considered (ideally scrapping the playoffs all together, but that isn't going to happen). Perhaps play all four 1st round playoffs games at the same venue on the same day (Etihad, Elland Road or similar), then the next two rounds also at the same (slightly smaller) venue on the same day (Bolton, Elland Road, Stoke or similar). This could create a greater demand for tickets and means that fans know preseason when and where the playoffs will be played and can plan accordingly.

Whilst I quite like your radical thinking and its maybe another reason not to have a stand alone Magic weekend in the regular season, as enjoyable though it is the Manchester set up isn't breaking new ground? Also, do you think that not spreading games over a series of days to suit the round will affect TV revenue, ie is one game per day over 4 days more valuable than one day with four games?

What is obvious is the disregard, almost contempt that 'our' Sky paymasters hold the sport. To persist with Thursday games beyond Round 1 where there might be some reasoning with a four game format is a joke. It is supposed to be our and their premier competition after all...semi final schedule, no problem let's have it on Thursday night sandwiched between who cares what.

Having said that I am fortunate like you Thelonius, self employed empty nester and it won't affect me, but, in the interests of fairness I understand that it isn't about me, or you for that matter. It should be about what's right and this is a bit stinky if you ask me.

Also why is the final KO time TBC in their schedules, is it in case Team GB get to the finals of the Japaneese shove ha'penny competition?

I would agree with you Uncle.

Surely the RFL should be talking to BT with a view to getting a bit of competition in the next round of SL sponsorship / TV rights ? I hear BT has now signed up 1 million for it's sports offering (although quite a few existing customers in that number), so that must really worry Sky. Am I correct in thinking that with fast broadband, we do not really need satellite reception any more ? So any old company can now come along and offer sport via broadband ?

Chaz I've no idea about broadband, or even Sky Sports, as I am both a Ludite and in fear of Auntie Rico's response should I ask for a 'sports upgrade' to my package, if you pardon the expression.

However, I would agree with you that a bit of broadcasting competition would do the sport no harm at all.

Surely if she gets a bit more athletics from your new package, she would see the benefit ?

Woman I used to work with once mentioned that her husband had told her that Sky Sports was "included" and that they "didn't pay extra for it". I didn't let the cat out of the bag and stitch him up.

There you go Uncle, tell her it's all included in your current package. We will keep shtum.

There's not much athletesism I could offer to AR unfortunately.

After a hard day on the forum followed by some peristant ironing and giving the stairs carpet a good ewbanking I have little left to offer.