Quote: McCougar "I think we need to be a bit more realistic about crowds. How is 1,723 a poor crowd. It is the highest for three years and one of the highest league crowds in the last six. The Featherstone game was poor, but this is what all clubs are finding when it comes to cup games. A lot of people are not willing to pay for matches other than league games, as shown by the Challenge Cup games and even in Super League for the play-Off games.
At least it was over twice the 286 that turned up at Sheffield last night!!'"
I just read about that Sheffield attendance; couldn't believe I'd read it right. Of course I'm well aware that Sheffield has two round ball teams but I would have thought a city of that size could provide a slightly bigger attendance than that for a NRC quarter final game. The Eagles are a good team and are doing well - where are the fans? How can clubs continue to operate on this basis? The Sheffield and Hunslet players must have been so disillusioned when they ran out onto the field and saw the stands practically empty. I feel for them, going out and giving their all on the pitch, 80 minutes of effort and passion, all in addition to their normal jobs - yet for what? Rugby League is an absolutely fantastic game, as we all know, but how long can it go on at this rate? It seems that the RFL care only about Super League; if they're not careful that's all they'll be left with.