Elstone has done a great job since he came .....

The tv deal was always going to be less with covid.

Time for the RFL and ESL to sell some big name sponsorship deals rather than keep giving them away.

Problem 1 - Most people in the UK do not know Rugby League exists

Combination of:
1 - Good quality rugby league clubs not spread across the UK. (People in certain areas don't have a team to support).
2 - Rugby League not consistently taught throughout the UK in primary and secondary schools
3 - Rugby League does not have a strong amateur game throughout the UK
4 - Weak International game. (There are problably more supporters of England Rugby Union than of the individual omestic clubs fanbase combined)
5 - Poorly marketed, but pointless without points 1-4 addressed

regarding point 1 I don't agree. I think most people who like sport know of RL.

This is my point. Its a great product. People know of it but just don't seem to want to watch it, even on a Friday night in the house with a beer.

Don't forget the ongoing efforts (although they persist in denying it) of Twickenham to suppress League & their influence with the "established" broadcasters & governments.
Perhaps if Sly don't want the lower leagues, the terrestrial broadcasters might step in - it'd be crumbs, but better than nowt maybe. Then at least there might be some exposure (unless they stick it on at stupid o'clock on a Monday morning).

Although Sky money had without doubt helped the game I’m not sure their coverage has, they seem intent on portraying it as a northern stereotype and creating controversy rather than focusing on the positive.

The national press are clearly not interested which IMO filters down to the general public. Whether that’s the fault of RL or a prejudice from the southern based press I don’t know.

Born a Wiganer I live on the south coast now, I know a lot of people who follow RU, all of which are aware of league but none of which have the slightest interest in watching it, maybe they are worried they would like it?

Our biggest issue IMO is the international game, or rather lack of it. The interest in RU grew exponentially after their WC win, they have a regular international calendar which creates the interest which then filters down, both in support and finances to the domestic game.

I’ve said for years we need a RL equivalent of the 6 nations, England would walk it initially but over time, with the promise of regular fixtures it would become more competitive.

It would help create interest and momentum if a league game was shown by the BBC once a week on a Sunday afternoon.

We have the structure of the game wrong.

We should be selling a 14 team league with simple home and away fixtures on full time franchised teams with proper structure and proper governance

12 is the right amount for me. Standards are pretty poor across the board and I can't see how introducing 2 extra teams would improve, or help. I really don't think there's enough good to quality players knocking around.

Agree with the franchise & governance points tho. We need stability and the franchise is the best way to get it. It should come with min criteria tho - one of which is running an academy side.

12 teams > 3 or 4 years franchise & stability for trams to plan > 12 academy sides. You'd hope that would, not only would that increase standards, but we'd have a bigger player pool at the end of the franchise period - you could then look at extra sides.

Disagree that 14 teams is too many on the basis of not enough quality players. I’d suggest it’s a combination of a lack of ambition by the usual plodder clubs to develop the professionalism & depth of their setups, and a major lack of quality coaches.

12 gives an unbalanced fixture programme leading to loop fixtures and a lack of interest.

14 teams with 27 league games is the only way. everyone home and away plus a magic fixture

Agreed. People focus on balancing up the fixture list and ignore all other factors. When we had 14 teams it felt like we were dishing out hidings nearly every week. We need a reserves league to have been running successfully for a bit before we have enough quality players to share between 14 SL teams.