Viewing figures up

[hookender]

https://www.premiershiprugby.com/news/premiership-rugby-breaks-tv-audience-records-at-the-end-of-an-unforgettable-season

Whilst some of this may be due to less people attending in person (especially PRTV) I am encouraged/hopeful that spin off may be better attendances next season, or even interest in local clubs

[Shugs]

It’s good news. I don’t really buy the rugby in decline narrative and stats like this back it up. There are certainly things that could be done better such as law simplification (to an extent) but plenty are still watching. Furthermore more and more people I talk to at least are becoming disillusioned with football. Whether it be the endless boring games that now proliferate the game, the serial and widespread cheating or the fact it is now basically a non contact sport - more are switching to rugby for their entertainment.

[westwaleswasp]

Not sure widespread serial cheating is something we should be mentioning. I mean the whole of rugby is about convincing the ref you are abiding by the laws and the opposition isn't., when in reality nobody is. Not to mention fiscal doping.   We do have respect for the ref, I guess, and the fans are definitely a step up-  rugby is a family sport to watch. Soccer can be predictable and soporific, or exciting, the biggest changes are reduction in physical tackles from the 80s onwards.

Rugby is not a singular entity. In Wales, the 6n is huge. England Wales would sell out weekly. On the other hand nobody turns up to club games vs Leinster seconds. Rugby as a whole I think is strong, but the pro game has serious questions to answer.