However, the figures for NL1 are very misleading. If you take Widnes and Salford out of last seasons average (2,205), you're probably looking at less than 1,500 average.
Thats quite true, But then Cas have been included in previous years with averages of way more than Salford ! Cas averaging about 5000.
Of course teams have ups and downs, we averaging 2300 3 years ago, But the slide hasnt got anything to do with the format of National leagues.If a teams doing well folk watch them, simple.I dont hear Barrow complaining about way rugby league is these days, Your a side on the up, newly promoted and looking for averages over 2000.Are your fans staying away because we have a french team in or we giving 3pts ?
If you were top of this divison for next 3 seasons and crowds pushed to 3000, win promotion and crowds suddenly back to 4-5000 are you going whinge about state of the game then ? I doubt it!
Widnes have sold record number of season tickets this year, despite no promotion, Other clubs also doing well.Dewsbury on for a record because they selling theirs for £40, some one had some sense to get it sponsored.
Of course free tickets and discounts are misleading.Huddersfield season ticket offer is very good i believe, Yet their average crowd figure is better than the hey day of the fifties.They must have brought new people to the game.
Its about marketting yourself well and having a decent side out on the field , rest on your laurels and teams are going pass you and your going slide backwards.
Teams are now trying raise their standards, new grounds instead of dumps.Would Haven care as much about a new stand if it didnt tick boxes for S/L?
Of course there will always be faults and ive agreed i dont like some aspects of the way game is being run.No promotion etc, doesnt stop me going games though.
The game is also getting expensive to watch, especially for families in these times.But some want blame everything and everyone and even the time of year the game is played for state of their own clubs.
