The clubs and league are in an absolute mess financially, but if we are honest this is a situation all of PRL and the premiership clubs -including our own- making. The fact that self governance has been shocking since professionalism is the main cause. There was little to no support for clubs such as Richmond, Coventry, Rugby etc who fell early on. London Welsh collapsed with barely a flutter of support. Ally to this that in 2015 with it being a pretty open secret Saracens and Bath were flouting the cap, which went unpunished, are we really surprised the slap on the wrist to Saracens occurred?
All clubs have been navel gazing, looking out only for themselves and supporting the ?pull the ladder up jack and sod the rest approach? with a closed shop league, and lack of support to those in the championship who harbour ambitions to make it to the top flight. They have supported rather than fought against the criteria to enter the prem, and see the Championship clubs as feeder clubs, rather than fully professional outfits that should be challenging them as they deserve to be.
The increase of the salary cap is so absurd that it beggars belief, and the idea a 10 team closed shop will be attractive and will pull in more supporters is fallacy defined.
I love our sport, but I am coming to the conclusion a complete collapse and reset is likely the only way it will be saved. The RFU, PRL and clubs themselves are, frankly, neither capable or clever enough to do it themselves.