The custodians of the game in the UK (RFL, Superleague, club owners) have allowed/created the circumstances where Sky has no competition or incentive to increase or even maintain what they pay for the broadcast rights and the funding has slumped. That is not Sky's fault (they will rightly pay the bare minimum they can get away with) that is the fault of the UK RL leadership through poor leadership, detrimental rule changes, multiple failed expansion attempts, bailouts, vanity projects and self interested short sightedness.  We have had a stagnant salary cap that has stopped wealthy clubs from signing top talent, whilst simultaneously fail to stop clubs go to the wall. We have the diversity of league champions almost as bad as Scottish football, and a civil war between the amateur and pro game that has gone on for decades. 


The biff / litigation argument is balls too. I see multi million dollar sports on the TV where people knock seven shades of sh yte out of each other, some of these sports have an entire raison d'etre to inflict brain and physical injury on an opponent. Seemingly their governing bodies have better lawyers.


In closing, I believe the game is very different to how it was. Even comparing the "peak" SL era 2000-2007 to now, it's way behind in terms of flair and excitement. Think back to the Braford and Saints teams of that era. There was no feigning injury back then for sure. I'm also sure that the vast majority of posters on this forum who have watched RL from the birth of SL to now believe the game was more compelling to watch previously compared to now. 

Yes Hull KR are getting it right at the moment managing to fill their 11K stadium. Although why they needed a crappy band at the start when all the spectators wanted to do was cheer and sing, escapes me. But I may be in the minority on that one. 
Wigan's attendances this season have been amazing. 21,000 vs Leigh, 17,600+ vs Huddersfield. 

I don't like crappy bands either or silly races at half time. I like watching the players warm up & spotting who I might know in the crowd ... maybe have a chat. Then it's time to visit the loo and prepare for KO. If I want to watch a band I'd go to a concert.

I used to like signing the Warrington usual chants against Widnes or Wigan at Wilderspool with the atmosphere building, then the hairs on the back of my neck would stand up when they played this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B0CyOAO8y0 The smell of wintergreen would surround all of us, dizzying. Someone booting the corrugated steel at the back of of the Fletcher Street, tension palpable, nerves, excitement, the waft of embassy fags, the kick off and the first crunching tackle.

I used to like signing the Warrington usual chants against Widnes or Wigan at Wilderspool with the atmosphere building, then the hairs on the back of my neck would stand up when they played this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B0CyOAO8y0 The smell of wintergreen would surround all of us, dizzying. Someone booting the corrugated steel at the back of of the Fletcher Street, tension palpable, nerves, excitement, the waft of embassy fags, the kick off and the first crunching tackle.

That music only means one thing to me ... Wire coming onto the pitch. I remember my dad telling me what it was. I used to practice passing a ball and kicking on the back lawn and ran out from the house (in my kit) humming that tune. For some reason they played Telstar (Tornados) at Widnes as the players came out & I used to hum that as well. I was always going to play rugby & support Wire. I read once that Brian Bevan used to walk through crowds in town practicing his side-step so I used to do the same ... it wasn't very clever if you got it wrong. 
Anyway that's enough of that ... you silly old sod ... it's a forum! 

Wires71: I used to like signing the Warrington usual chants against Widnes or Wigan at Wilderspool with the atmosphere building, then the hairs on the back of my neck would stand up when they played this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B0CyOAO8y0 The smell of wintergreen would surround all of us, dizzying. Someone booting the corrugated steel at the back of of the Fletcher Street, tension palpable, nerves, excitement, the waft of embassy fags, the kick off and the first crunching tackle.  Could not stop laughing when I played that just now, my god that took me back, am I weird in thinking it’s better than most the crap they play now. Or is it just my age showing lol.

Wires71: I used to like signing the Warrington usual chants against Widnes or Wigan at Wilderspool with the atmosphere building, then the hairs on the back of my neck would stand up when they played this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B0CyOAO8y0 The smell of wintergreen would surround all of us, dizzying. Someone booting the corrugated steel at the back of of the Fletcher Street, tension palpable, nerves, excitement, the waft of embassy fags, the kick off and the first crunching tackle.  Could not stop laughing when I played that just now, my god that took me back, am I weird in thinking it’s better than most the crap they play now. Or is it just my age showing lol.