I have my doubts that 2000 was randomly picked for that poster - and they also have the Bradford Leeds crowd wrong; the prepondernce of big rivalry games between the best supported clubs in SL history was always going to have the highest attendances; but my point was that they were still in most cases materially lower than regular season - and this is the case:

St Helens v Bradford
Playoff: 8,864
Regular season: 10,128

Leeds v Castleford
Playoff: 13685
Regular season: 14,492

Wigan v St Helens
Playoff: 19186
Regular season: 17,428

Bradford v Leeds
Playoff: 15,077
Regular season: 19,623 & 21,237

Wigan v Bradford
Playoff: 14,620
Regular season: 17,737 & 17,365

Ticket prices alone are not the issue. Warrington get 7000 paying £20 each (approx). If they reduced the price to £10, yes they would get more bums on seats BUT would they double the attendance. At £15, would they get the necessary extra 3000ish to reach the same point

Completely agree with RL13 and Bramleyrhino. All season we get fans whinging about meaningless games, then once we get meaningful ones, they want them cheaper than the "meaningless" ones.




Why does this not appear to be a problem in Australia where crowds surge for play off games?

I'm confused -

Many posts this season have been about how the regular season is pointless becasue it's all about the play-offs, yet now we have a situation where fans are apathetic towards the play-offs ?

The reflection on Austrialn crowds is interesting, as this would suggest to me that either many 'neutrals' watch the play-offs over there (which I don't think happens here) or much of the repective club's fan base can't be bothered to turn up to regular season games.

The format definitely needs changing

Top 7 would be a minor tweek, all knockouts, no chance of repeat fixtures and knock a week off the season.

Top week off to semis

2v7
3v6
4v5

Then semis and finals as now.

I would also have a wooden spoon match for franchise purposes - bottom v second bottom

it probably doesn't help that a huge proportion of the teams (esp at the top) are effectively guaranteed to make the play-offs year after year, with only one or two changes at the bottom end of the 8, so they just seem like routine games against someone they have already played 4 times this year, that don't create the excitement that they should.

Marketing of the game is a disgrace, have you ever seen an ad or promo outside of the Sky game coverage. Woods doesn't have a clue, his marketing heads are football people.

Who exactly are you suggesting they should be ' marketing ' to?

That's the problem, for the most part you're preaching to the choir. If you market at people who don't have a rugby league team to go and watch, you won't achieve anything. Marketing in places like Wigan and St Helens, where (mostly) everybody is already aware of the local RL team, and you might get a few more bums on seats, but it probably won't be cost effective.

The RFL should be marketing at people who live close to RL strongholds, but who aren't really that aware of them. Target places like Bolton, Chorley or Preston to attract people to Wigan matches for example.

The rfl should advertise in these areas for people to go watch RL not just your precious clubs.