That handful seems to grow almost every year ...

Couldn't afford another trip to London mate, it wasn't do-able as a day trip sadly.

I decided to go last week and I am a neutral. I thought there would be 68,000 on so I thought 76,000 was very good. Warrington brought hordes of fans and Huddersfield were as well supported as could be expected for a team that's building after so many lean years.

Saw something on teletext about the RFL offering tickets at discounted prices if you buy now.

Pretty sure that's what it said.

There were four of us due to go this year, but the money situation sorted that out.

The challenge cup final was nearly always a sell out before SL so he has a pretty valid point.



Most people in the RL heartlands dont give a toss any more and have turned to other sports. Unfortunately the RFL in thier wisdom still seem to believe that for every heartland fan who falls by the wayside, another ten are waiting around the corner in Dublin, Barcelona, Bridgend and Southend by Sea. So where were they on saturday?

What if the CC fina was [inot[/i nearly always a sell out before SL?



Would that mean his point was [inot[/i valid?







This just isn't true.

Point on the CC attendances was that its losing its gloss and is no longer attractive to the neutral, whereas is was prior to SL. Now its a marginalised competition by the RFL who's focus is the grand final.



If you dont think people are getting disillusioned with the game in the UK you must live in a cave. The RFL focusing their efforts on a select few only serves to alienate those on the outside and those people dont go running to the nearest club as a substitute. Christ, the RFL dont even make a half attempt to please the NL clubs or BARLA and their fans so why would they give a toss about the game any more.

No, the point is that what you said was wrong - and so if that was the support for his point, it has none.



Saturday's attendance compared well with any of the pre-Sl CC finals after the configuration of Wembley was changed.



I think you've come to a conclusion, and are trying to set the facts to fit.

I think the final of the CC still has the same gloss and is still the big occasion it has been, there are many factors which probably contributed to the lower attendance this season - most notably probably the current economic climate making it harder for a lot of neutrals - but so far this is a one off drop and we will see in coming years how it works out in the long term.

If by "nearly always", you mean about 5 times spread over 3 decades, then you have a good point.







Maybe people are getting disillusioned, but it doesn't seem to stop them watching or playing in larger numbers. The huge rise in attendances at games compared to the 1990s, 1980s, 1970s or 1960s would tend to suggest the opposite. The tens of millions of pounds per year coming in to the game from Sky and from Sports England and the lottery would tend to suggest things aren't looking too bad?

Most of the Wigan finals from 88-95 sold out didn't they?

(+ both Bradford v Saints ones in 96 and 97 did IIRC).

CC final attendances for the 20 years before the Super League:



[code1976–77 80,871

1977–78 96,000

1978–79 94,218

1979–80 95,000

1980–81 92,496

1981–82 92,147

1982–83 84,969

1983–84 80,116

1984–85 99,801

1985–86 82,134

1986–87 91,267

*1987–88 94,273

*1988–89 78,000 <- Post Hillsborough?

*1989–90 77,729

*1990–91 75,532

*1991–92 77,286

*1992–93 77,684

*1993–94 78,348

*1994–95 78,550

[/code



Wigan finals from the 80s - 90s marked with a star.



So no - it doesn't look like they all sold out.