Quote: Slugger McBatt "They were paired off to avoid relegation or financial meltdown. Hull has always been a big rugby area.
Wigan RL is dominant over Wigan football because more people follow rugby than football in Wigan. Similarly in Hull. There has been a slight peak because of their time in the Premiership, but once they go down a division, the crowds soon drop off. Wigan Athletic has always been the secondary sports team in the town. In Hull, the rugby crowds go up when Hull City are not doing as well, as the football fans switch back to rugby.'"
Say what you want about Hull being a League area (which it is), but two years of 24,000 at the KC is pretty good for a 2nd tier sport. Unlike Wigan, who have established Premier League clubs around it, if Hull sustained a run in the Premier League, they could become a large club, enough to average 30,000+ easily (expansion permitting). The circumstances between Wigan and Hull are too different to compare too, with Hulls population dwarfing Wigan. I actually think Wigan Athletic have done ok for such a satellite town thats wedged between Liverpool and Manchester. But as I said in another thread, I think all football fans think that Wigan are holding bigger clubs in lower divisions back.
And ofcourse crowds drop in lower divisions, they'd drop for Man U let alone the rest. Thats part of the appeal of having a top tier.
