Clubs can do things, however there are also global factors which are out of their hands. One of them is the value given to the competition by the public: what is it worth winning it?
The value of a second tier competition is a direct function of the fame of the first tier competition. For this reason, the Championship would benefit from the SL becoming a fully European competition, with a potential market of viewers doubled and money coming from French TVs. To start with, a more famous and richer top tier competition would favour the growth of crowds overall, and it would favour the growth of the pool of players, increasing the quality of the game in the second tier.

In addition, the second tier would benefit if the sports results in this Championship are a key to being promoted in SL. For this reason I like P&R. Even if the door is narrow and few are the chosen ones, every body can hope that if ones club does well on the pitch, they will reach the first tier competition.

For these reasons, the inclusion of SF and Toulouse in 2012, could be very good for the Championship, beyond its effect on the SL.

clubs dropping down to the championship , then that will strengthen the 2 nd tier , but will make it even more difficult to move up , taking away some of the potential for ambition , if however they expand SL it will dilute the influence of the English clubs and more will be at risk of losing a place

Over all though the Championship clubs need to start to look at ways of defining their own future both individually and collectively , they cannot rely on any help from SL , and they cannot rely on anything from the RFL

Not sure I agree with that. Soccer's premiership is enormous, but interest in the lower divisions remains very high. LIkewise, some sports practised in this country are almost entirely international in focus (nearly all Olympic sports, including rowing, cycling, athletics), but remain almost non-existent as spectator sports despite a very high international profile.

I think there are just some realities which we can't escape from. It costs £X to run a professional team in any sport, and for that you need to raise £X in gate receipts and sponsorship. Apart from soccer, which exists in a different world, those receipts just aren't there. There isn't a sport in the country, including the national summer sport of cricket, which can afford to run anything more than semi-pro operations below the very top tier.



I agree with the first bit, although I don't believe there can be many clubs who haven't already got the message that they have to rely on their own endeavours. As for the RFL, I think they've done a lot of work trying to keep the semi-pro sides alive, not least by keeping them attached to the pro sides as a governing body. The fact that the pro sides haven't decided to go entirely their own way, keeping all cash from not just the TV contracts but also from internationals, while cutting the semi-pros out of the CC, for example, has a lot to do with the RFL.

is rapidly losing it's appeal with fans if the SL clubs did decide to have it to themselves I dont really see what difference it would make , Internationally would be a lot more difficult , in all honesty the RFL dont seem to understand what to do with the Championships

What, bout Quinz being rubbish? My best point surely. Boo to our local rivals!

My point being is that clubs need to build their support no matter how good or bad the on field product is , because you cannot control what happens on the pitch , there seems to be this widely held perception that only success on the pitch will result in success off the pitch , it is a fallacy

They are linked though Starbug.
If Leigh had of been top last year do you think they'd have had the same attendances?

Wigan and Hull FC have been getting some of their biggest ever average attendances whilst hanging around the bottom of the Super League. Success on the pitch doesn't necessarily mean bumper crowds. It's how you sell your product.

You improve your toilets.

say If we can compete the fans will come , hasn't happened at Saints and Huddersfield has it ? , and yet Hull have basically maintained their support despite 2 poor seasons on the pitch including their merchandise sales

If we could be having the success of Leeds and Saints we would easily be over 17-18,000.

Bloody hell, is Wigans attendance for a whole season really dependant on one game played right at the end