Two great post's there, i think a lot of people in some way can relate to that.

Rugby league is in a terminal decline. Sad but true

Regards

King James

Where's your evidence. Not that I disagree with you, but it is a bold statement to make.

To paraphrase an earlier post of mine -

In 2016 - RL was ranked 27th for participation. Player numbers are down 39% over 10 years, and down 9% vs 2015.

Sports die when people stop playing them.

However, as a counter point -

30 years ago, the average top flight attendance was under 5,000.

Now, the top flight average attendance is just under 9,000.

With RL now on the same same Sky channel as darts, canoeing and Kabaddi I think we get a good idea of where we sit.

What's kabbadi? I think I had it in an indian in sheffield once but I don't remember SKY showing an interest.

Morrisseyisawire..
It looks to me like British Bulldog without a start and finish safe wall.....but it looks like it ought to have a bat and ball in it somewhere the way they dress and high 5.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOki4la_ddc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOki4la_ddc

Kabbadi comes on just after the Friday night match & seems to be an ideal game if no one can afford a ball.

My daughter used to do this as part of warm ups for judo class a while, the version thats on after sky live games is a lot posher, think dodgeball from the movie dodgeball. Also you're allowed to kick people as a form of touching them.

That's the thing though...no ball.
It needs one like the Snitch in Harry Potter.

Falling crowds, falling TV viewers and a reduction in participation levels. Have you seen the amateur game? Outside of the national conference teams are struggling to fulfil fixtures. I don't know what the answer is!

Regards

King James

I think what has happened is sky tv. 20 years ago they wanted to create franchises within the game & the compromise was keeping the "bigger" teams in superleague while virtually discarding all the others.Unfortunately,the very basis of rugby league is as a parochial sport where the enjoyment is playing the teams round about where you live in local derbies. It is a big upheaval for teams to play cross pennine games for many supporters. There must be many supporters of the game ,& of lower division clubs, for whom teams in superleague attract no allegiance whatsoever & who feel neglected by the game.

It's pretty simple, but will be hard work to implement but reserve team rugby as to be brought back by all teams.