Sod's law isn't it really, we get marketing going and the team goes down the khazi!

Without wanting to get into a big discussion on class, all I'll say for social grouping generally speaking (and based on nothing but my own experiences) RU white collar, football (traditionally ) blue collar background.

As for grammar schools, many of them are still around in Kent (Dartford, Gravesend etc...) - the one you referred to may have shut 40 years ago but it would appear that things have always been 'different' in Kent as regards education.

As for somewhere to look , I was looking at a specific group of people with an interest in sport who may be brought across to RL, like I was. Much as though I would love to target every group in London / South East I was looking for a group to target that might yield results. With a dozen or so football teams in London even if we added an average of 100-150 from each that wouldn't be a bad start. Could target heaviest at the likes of Fulham, QPR, Brentford,Chelsea as it may be less of a trek for their fans than say for West Ham fans out in Essex. Once they're in then its down to the team (ie good results / performances) and the matchday experience to keep them in.We might have a marketing budget but I doubt it would stretch to a flyer through the door of everyone with a London postcode. As far as I have seen,particularly in the Premier League, there seems to be a much greater ethnic mix these days. Maybe a few players recruited from immigrant communities (East Europeans, Asian, Africans) could help generate some interest and / or a role model for kids from such a background to emulate.

Guildford Heat are in the BBL (British Basketball League) and I believe they won this a couple of years ago and entered a European Champions League tournemant and Guildford Flames are there Ice Hockey equivalant

You've got your sports right like your friend did, but got the rest wrong-ish like you mate. Thats one of the problems with being a minority sport

Sorry, I don't understand why you used the word MAYBE

wrong thread

Just interested...

Was rugby league a "minority sport" when it attracted nearly 7 million fans to the game in one year?

Or is this a new development?

At what stage does "minority" kick in? 1 million spectators per year? 2 million? 3 million?

And by definition, that suggests every sport bar soccer is a minority sport in England.

If you are referring specifically to London, how does a "minority" sport actually hold attendance records in excess of say rugby union in that city?

Or is union also a "minority" sport in London?

It is all definitional and doesn't assist the debate in this thread.

Every sport except football is a minority sport in England.

I've refrained from contributing to this forum since last year, when I sought to argue that Brian McDermott was failing our club as our coach – poor signings, under-performance on the field, and personally behaving like 'a miserable git' in front of fans and the media.

I recall receiving very little support for this point of view then.

However, the climate on this forum seems to be changing somewhat, now the new season has started and our team is performing pathetically in comparison with the flashes of inherent potential they showed early last season.

If David Hughes chooses to stick with Brian McDermott as our coach, I predict it's ultimately inevitable the RFL will kiss goodbye to our franchise, given that we continue to attract vanishingly small crowds to our home games.

This is such a shame, given the huge potential for growing support for Rugby League in general and Quins RL in particuar across our capital city.

Exactly.

Which places rugby league in the same boat as everyone else bar one.

Quit groaning and get on with supporting the game...

Just a tip.

I don't see it happening.

(Even!) the RFL won't shoot themselves in the foot like that...

The history of the game in England shows how important London is. It really is as simple as that.

There will be a presence in London - whether or not it is Quins is a different issue altogether and I feel for the supporters of the club itself.

Sorry, but as reasoned as you would like your post to seem, Brian Mac is not the sole reason for Quins being up the creek with no paddle....yes, he needs to go, but the failure to market properly is the SOLE reason!
the vanishing crowds? same average 2009 as 2000.......just not growing, but not vanashing

The viability of the club here has long been a topic of debate. These last thirty years have seen the club in its various incarnations struggle almost continuously.
I was involved with the club for seventeen years and came to the conclusion that the club will always struggle, both on and off the pitch.

It is remarkable that David Hughes has been the stalwart and champion for as long as he has. The man has almost single-handedly saved the club from oblivion several times. One cannot doubt his dedication but I believed eventually that sustaining fully professional top-flight RL in the capital is not viable. The club has only ever lost money; it hasn't made a cent in thirty years. If it had been run as a business during that time, it's highly likely that it would have gone into receivership at some point and, indeed, the club has gone close to extinction several times.

The Sky issue is interesting: Sky were the unseen hand at the crisis meeting at the Galpharm in 2005 when London were in serious trouble. Apparently they said that, if London were not re-awarded their SL franchise, the deal on the table for the other clubs would be substantially less than before. The club cannot compete effectively to challenge for silverware due to being under-capitalised.

I loved the club for a long time; it was my life. It was a very hard decision to walk away. I wish QRL all the best for the season and the future. The club's followers are the most dedicated in RL, bar none. Total respect.

Putting all that to one side-Why dont you pay your £15 pound and just watch the game and go home?