cpwigan wrote:Some unmentioned factors;
Has summer RL actually worked?
For me being able to attend as many games...No. Has it improved the spectacle? debatable.. skillful sides are wonderful to watch on dry firm pitches,but leads to too many flat track bully scenarios, the old mudbaths did bring a more intense level playing field by negating the skills ability? (Rose tinted glasses on my part perhaps)
Do British people watch sport at distinct times of the year? Traditional 'national' festive holidays swelling attendances such as Boxing Day and New Years Day or Good Friday and Easter Monday etc; Challenge Cup attendances were higher when played earlier in the year?
For me there was something special about the "Holiday" games as they were part of our family holiday tradition. People go on about the Challenge Cup being in May, but I think it was more to do with the fact it was the climax to the Season, hence
IIRC, pre summer RL the premiership games were never a huge sell. Are we missing the Kangaroo / Kiwi tours?
Yes Definitely
We were always told better stadia / all seater stadia = better attendances. Is that true? Do they matter?
Not from my point of view, it was the action on the pitch that drew me, it is nice to be in a stadium with good clean facilities, but I still yearn for the days of Central Park, Knowsley Road, The Willows, et al. I also prefered the choice of catering in the old days from mobile burger vans and/ or clubhouse bar, much better than the expensive franchises in the modern stadia.
said it was crazy in the first place to move it to August from its traditional Spring bank holiday, but June sounds even better, as Mark says, the football season is still on overdrive at the end of May.
