In order to allow the original thread to get back to what it was supposed to be discussing, I think a new thread is needed on this topic.

I do think that aboveusonlypie has a point, although he is being rather hardline about it. Of course you can be a fan without going to the game, there are a multitude of other ways to support your team.

In terms of Thursday night, let's make no bones about it, the attendance was shocking. 8.5k for a playoff game is abysmal. The club made it as easy as possible for fans to get to the game in terms of ticket prices and letting STHs claim their own seat all the way up until the day of the game.

That though, is slightly irrelevant when looking at what seems to be the two main gripes from people on here.

1. "Playoff games aren't included in my season ticket" - Why on earth should they be? If you support a successful team, you should expect them to be getting to playoffs and finals etc. Lord knows years of supporting Liverpool has taught me that. The club doesn't owe you a bean in this respect. Even if they did, the play-offs are an RFL event anyway so the clubs have little control over ticketing them. Despite this, they did us a huge favour by heavily subsidising Thursday night's ticket.

2. "I work on a Thursday night" - That's bad luck, but I don't think that applies to all 4-5 thousand that dropped off the attendance from the Salford game at the end of July or the Warrington game a few weeks ago. Either way, I think we need to look at how we get people to the game whether they work shifts or 9 to 5.

I think the situation will be a lot better next year. The playoffs will be meaningful from the word go, which should up the attendance. I know we all want the sport to grow, and playing in stadiums that are not even half full is going to go nowhere towards furthering that.

Perhaps you should ask Edinburgh Warrior.

How many hours away from Wembley is the nearest NFL club?

I'm not saying no one travels massive distances to watch rugby. Just that it wouldn't be worth putting on this big event just to pick up literally a handful of fanatics who will then make the effort to drive 2 hours to be able to watch the week after. The idea is obviously to provide an event for the majority of teams who won't be involved in either final and a good money-spinner for the sport.

If more than a handfull come along and like what they see maybe they will go to watch Gateshead and still enjoy Rugby League.

The World Cup enjoyed great attendances in many far flung places. Did any of that have any noticeable effect on attendances this year either in Super League or the Championship?

Unfortunately, it is the case that people enjoy an 'event' but they aren't much interested in attending on a weekly basis.