Neither does changing the current playoff format.

Top 8 give more gives more games and more advertising revenue (i would presume) than a top 5 regardless of the quality of the product.

I do wonder if Sky give a monkeys about the decline in attendances for playoff games, when they may be raking it in regardless with increased numbers viewing from home.

the game desperately needs mergers. Unfortunately with towns their size, the likes of Wakefield, Widnes, Halifax and Castleford are never going to be able to support a side that could win the title without the aid of a sugar daddy. Basic maths says that you need to combine some teams to make them viable as businesses. A smaller Super League, with franchised teams, all competitve, and a professional league of associated feeder clubs below that. You end up with a competition looking like this: (combined average attendance 2012 in brackets)

Wigan (16,043)
St Helens (14,088)
Bradford (11,761)
Leeds (14,948)
Catalans (9,383)
Warrington-Widnes (17,372)
Wakefield-Castleford-Featherstone (17,088)
Hull United (19,671)
Huddersfield-Halifax (9931)
Leigh-Salford (7714)

Also it's likely the number of fans drawn from Halifax & Leigh would go up if they had a SL franchise based there, probably enough to push Huddersfax over 10k, and Leigh-Salford over 8k. It's only with attendances like those as a base that clubs will be viable as businesses, rather than the plaything of the local Mr Big.

The RFL can then pick clubs for expansion, and give them extra room in the Salary Cap, a direct grant, and licence to sign outside the quota limits to boost their success. Immediate places to start would be a Cumbria team based in Barrow & Carlisle, supporting London for their expansion, and seeking to bring another French team into the league.

Also, before anyone says 'but all the fans will go away', it's worth remembering that the Wakelford Rovers team that'd go out into the next SL season would be something like:

Richie Mathers, Lee Smith, Michael Shenton, Jake Webster, Ben Cockayne, Tim Smith, Rangi Chase, Justin Poore, Daryl Clark, Craig Huby, Andy Raleigh, Ali Lauitiiti, Danny Washbrook. R: Keith Mason, Jacob Emmitt, Danny Kirkmond, Jordan Tansey.

Which, one would think, would at least give the top sides a run for their money most of the time, as well as freeing up a large group of players to strengthen other sides.

Lastly, in terms of TV, I'd really like something like this 'dream team'

BBC
Presenters: Claire Balding, Brian Noble, Iestyn Harris
Commentators: Dave Woods & Robbie Hunter-Paul

Sky
Presenters: Brian Carney, Shaun McRae, Martin Offiah,
Commentators: Bill Arthur, Terry O'Connor

Mergers will never happen unfortunately.

What needs to happen is the RFL need to firstly grow some balls and tell the lazy, small, 'let someone else do it' clubs to shape up or sh*t out. Then they need to learn how to market the product to get a substantial sponsor and TV deal to support a two tier league.

Warrington-Widnes..........yeah right

I thought that. Why would they put a big club like Widnes with Warrington

:bpj7lwcj

Lets merge Wigan and Saints then, have a nice stadium in Billinge with a 40k capacity

Barry hearn chairman of the darts v Nigel wood chaiman of the RL

One has a skill in putting bums on seats and raising the profile of sports, the other carries his own knife and fork everywhere.

The starting block for any changes is at redhall clear out the existing board who have overseen,a zero revenue sponsorship deal, 10m funding cut and a sport that is dwindling in participation, plus a list of cock ups as long as yr arm.

Well said that man I couldn't agree more. The rugby league hierarchy are a joke , their ideas are antiquated and the whole game needs a complete overall starting from top. Nigel wood and his motley crew have taken the game back to the early 80s, I'm usually looking forward to the new season but I don't have the same excitement this time around which is something that I'd never thought would happen

If you feel like that following one of the biggest teams in SL just think how we feel in the lower leagues hatty.