My point is really based on the fact the the problem has not really hit us yet. As players continue to leave our game the quality will dip. Whilst some people (including me) will alway have a season ticket some will lose faith as much as interest. Whilst I take your point about sky currently how long will they want to fund a sport that is becoming weaker, and please dont tell me that its not. As for average crowds they are not virtually on a par with RU. If you add the average of the 14 SL clubs and divide it shows and average of just over 9500. Yawnion averages 3000 more which equates to nearly 25%! I didnt realise that the global credit crisis was restricted to the north of England however you could cancel that out with the fact that the summer months does lead to larger crowds. If things carry on do you really think that crowds will rise?

We might well make a profit on the World Cup but so what? Where will the money go? My point was about the crowds etc and how our players would kill for an international game like they have.

So the attitude of the fans is whats holding the game back? Really?? I dont think any of the players off to pastures new would cite this as the reason that theyre going, whichever club they leave.

I do not think RU will ever die but i also do not think RL is going to die or go semi pro in the next 5 years as some say. For as long as the 57 old farts are running RU/the country union will always get more coverage on tv and in papers. RU as always been the same and had big international scence but it does not mean we have to die.

The RU has signed the new deal for £38 million per season with BT? but how much were they getting from SKY and how much will that drop by in the new deal or will Sky not televise any of the RU games.

The RU Clubs should use that extra tv money to balance there books out. Saracens losing £6mil a year even with the extra tv money they will still lose money and any extra money they get they want try using it to stop there mass exdous to the french RU instead of wasting it on RL players. If Rugby Union clubs are so safe why did Wasp going into admin ? How can crowds and rich owners not be an issue for RU clubs with this "money flowing in" the money flowing in is obviously not as much as the money flowing out otherwise all aviva premership clubs would post profits but only 2 clubs do

I think they once said that about jousting !