Easter Monday reported the below, still around a 1,000 better than anyone else for us and given Barrows success they cant get near the 2,000 mark at present. A worrying trend for the next few years after this, is lower league rugby losing it's appeal or is everyone at a loss with the RFL regards promotion and relegation?



Barrow (2icon_cool.gif 50 Sheffield (4) 4
Attend: 1,854

Dewsbury (4) 10 Keighley (14) 42
Attend: 1,025

Halifax (16) 50 Toulouse (6) 6
Attend: 1,725

Leigh (14) 26 Batley (4) 4
Attend: 2,246

Sheffield P Barrow P

Widnes (30) 48 Whitehaven (icon_cool.gif 18
Attend: 3,033

I've been thinking about this a lot, and I think both of your points are right at the same time. This division will inevitably feel like a dead end street, what with the lack of promotion, the uneven playing field we have been subjected to over the years and the feel that, generally, we're here to just survive and get tossed crumbs every now and then so long as we help develop the stars of the future for everyone else.

The recession can't be doing us any good either, but this excuse will be seized upon by people making excuses, we all knew with licensing and the shutting up shop this would happen. Rugby league is being divided into the haves and have nots. I sincerely hope next time is widnes' turn, because we will diminish with every passing year we're stuck in this league and I say that with the greatest of respect to the teams in it and making the best of it.

Barrow's attendances for the first 2 games are up on the equivelant games last year. You have to remember that we haven't had umpteen years in a higher league (including SL) to build up a bigger fanbase. Having said that, our crowds have gone up from 900-odd in 2006 in NL2 to 2,400 in 2009. We also get very few travelling fans coming through the turnstiles.

If we remain competitive the crowds will continue to grow, but things aren't helped by the fact that there is no automatic promotion. Without doubt, our crowds would be much higher were there a SL place on offer to the Grand Final winner. There is no relegated 'big' team entering the league every year from SL either.

Unfortunately that is not unique to Barrow.Most clubs in this league have that problem.

That Championship 1 side currently top of the championship were only 750+ behing the mighty Vikings, but seeing as it is you VM, I will forgive you !!

How Leigh and Widnes wasn't a GF match is beyond me. This 4-5000+ would have boosted our average above the mighty Barrow Raiders - (oops), it already is !!

I reckon that we'd have attracted 4k two years ago for Monday's game.

Maybe if home clubs put a bit more thought and effort into attracting away fans it would improve , maybe something like free/cheap travel for all adults pre purchasing a ticket , aiming at at least 40 % of the traveling clubs home average , bigger crowds , better atmosphere and just a better all round ' feel ' to the competition

Could possibly turn it into a ' vibrant worth winning in it's own right ' type of thing

Well yeah because you'd be in Super League after winning last years GF. Unless they knocked you back because of your ground, like they did with Keighley.

Again,many clubs find themselves in a similar position.Ourselves,Leigh Halifax and Featherstone can say the same thing.This is one of the downsides of no promotion/relegation,people losing interest with the club having nothing to aim for at the seasons end.

Agreed, but some suffer more than others though.
Sheff never even brought up a car full, only Fev, You, Haven & Fax bring over 100 with them.
So most of our attendances will have a higher percentage than others who get more away fans due to geography etc.

We also have Barrow AFC to compete with for fan base, 70 % of both codes fans wont step foot in the others grounds and loave the other club ( which I find odd myself as I follow both )
A few hundred follow both but sometimes have to pick 1 over the other due to economics , I know a fair few regulars are missing games from both codes as they have to save 250/300 quid for the Footy club Wembley trip in a few weeks time, but as SRC states our attendances are still on an upwards curve

And now Celtic Crusaders