Don't hold you're breath waiting for a climb down, it won't happen.

The second stat is the most impressive IMO

Always said the RFL was chuffing useless. Not got a clue. And this proves it.

Regardless of the increased viewing figures and attendances, the useless buffoons went and picked a weekend when it snowed. Even though they have had MONTHS to plan for the start of the season. Just imagine what the attendances would have been had they picked a weekend when the sun was cracking the flags? Or how packed the pubs would have been watching the games on Sky had the RFL not recklessly chosen days when it snowed. But no...snow it HAD to be. We all told them the day before, but would they listen? Would they bollox. Never listen to the real fans, even though we know everything and they know nowt.

If you ever wanted proof that the RFL is useless and inept, you saw it this weekend. Yet another opportunity forgone. Who in their right mind would DELIBERATELY pick a snowy start? Downright negligent, if you ask me.

And as for the Stobart "deal", I walk everywhere and my eyesight means I can't read the side of a truck (although I CAN see that the opposition players are always offside and never ground the ball, and can count the opposition fans to the nearest minibus) so this "national advertising" business is just rubbish. Trucks up and down motorways and all that...what crock of shìte all THAT is! Anyone can see that, except the useless RFL.

And anyway, the pies in the pub were cold. All the RFL's fault. And it was the RFL's fault too that the pub I go to was showing soccer not my team playing RL so I had to sit through wendyball. Why should I have to go sit in the pub next door showing my team playing RL just because the RFL could not make my pub show a proper sport? And anyway, is it any wonder folk won't go to the games with this useless lot in charge? Its a bloody good job there are some of us real fans left, else the game would just die!

I could go on about how useless the RFL is - they ate my hamster too and stole my girlfriend - but I think I'd be preaching to the choir?

And anyway, whoever thought to sell our extremely valuable sponsorship to some tinpot company selling soup? Soup is for wussies anyway. Beer and fags were the way to go in the past, so why go change something that clearly worked? I despair.

I'm sure I speak for all genuine true RL fans? We are normally the most forward-looking, positive fans on the planet, but this lot would try the patience of anyone!

RFL out!!

Extending the comparative SL Round 1 attendance stats even further... which highlights that the Round 1 record breaking attendances in 2012 actually came in 7th out of 8, with only the year 2008 having a lower average attendance in Round 1.

Super League 2012 - Week 1 attendances = 73,720/7 = 10,531
Super League 2011 - N/A - Magic Weekend
Super League 2010 - Week 1 attendances = 78,090/7 = 11,156
Super League 2009 - Week 1 attendances = 78,141/7 = 11,163
Super League 2008 - Week 1 attendances = 60,320/6 = 10,053
Super League 2007 - Week 1 attendances = 69,237/6 = 11,539
Super League 2006 - Week 1 attendances = 65,624/6 = 10,937
Super League 2005 - Week 1 attendances = 67,474/6 = 11,245
Super League 2004 - Week 1 attendances = 69,499/6 = 11,583

At least there's more bums in armchairs watching Super League on Sky these days... allegedly.

Eh?

Hope standee is ok, normally has a lot to say on sky schedules but nothing on here? Strange!

To you, irony just means "A bit like iron" doesn't it?

It was a poor attempt at irony really wasn't it?
More like a mad rant!

Of course it was like a mad and semi-incoherent rant. That was sort of the point...

Your a changed man, Adey, I never realised the high esteem in which you held the RFL

Well you failed.

Must try harder!

Brother, verily have I trodden the Road to Damascus, and indeed have I undergone a most remarkable epiphany...

Aye, I realise I could never aspire to the greatness of some of the reactionary rants that grace the Wakey forum. I could only ever seek to provide a pale imitation. Your argument is irrefutable.

Oooh Adey, we used to be friends.
What happened??!!

Nothing! I merely humbly acknowledge that, as you rightly observe, I am a rank amateur when it comes to anti-RFL rantmanship (contrived or for real) compared with some of the real pros over your way! As we saw the other week!

Thats ok then.
Apology accepted!

Not always - only in the context of describing something that is, or pertains to, iron.

In this case, the irony wasn't entirely lost on me, but turning it into a lengthy pro-RFL rant, or an anti-anti-RFL rant, diluted the message.

Anyhow - those viewing figures are pretty impressive; well done to all the teams involved for providing an entertaining showcase for the new SL season.

When issuing [i'record breaking'[/i statements claiming that SL is more popular than ever, it often helps to back up such statements with a statistical analysis which compares like for like. Claiming that Round 1 average attendances in 2012 is a 12% increase on last season’s average attendance across Super League is not comparing like for like.

[uFACT[/u: The Round 1 average attendance in 2012 was surpassed in 7 out of the last 8 seasons where like for like comparisons can be made!

On the subject of Sky viewing figures, I'd be very interested in a comparative breakdown year by year as a whole, comparative Round 1 televised fixtures by Round 1 televised fixtures, etc, because once again, a statement claiming the Widnes V Wakefield fixture had viewing figures which were 75% up on the average weekly TV audience last season is not comparing like for like and is a spurious statement to make at best.

The sky is certainly dark over these parts, do you think we may also be touched by the RFL's golden wand, so that we may also see the way forward

...as was intended, to parody the way the real-life rantathons likewise do. If I'd have had time, I'd have rambled it on a lot longer still, so that even the most hardened readers would have given up even earlier. Like they do with some of the wilder real-life rantathons.

I'm assuming your "like for like" comparisons mean that all these 8 years of first round fixtures had the same horrendous weather conditions with decisions on whether the matches would even take place being made on the day in many instances?

Otherwise, they aren't really "like for like" at all, are they?

Have we had 14 teams in Superleague for the last 8 seasons? if not, how are they like for like comparisons?

My son, verily I will offer up a prayer to the Lord of our Land, who liveth in the great Hall of Red, to show mercy and compassion upon others of His wayward sons. But, even though His house has many rooms, it needs yet more. In my vision, which was given to me after communing at length with the great Lagavulin, I saw His new house as part of the gleaming New Jerodsalem that may one day, perchance, be built where currently all is cold and seemingly without hope. But, since He can be anywhere and everywhere, I feel sure nothing can be beyond His boundless power or undeserving of His mercy, and He would surely seek to treat all His sons equally.

But He strikes a hard bargain, and likes to keep accounts current. So you'll first have to sell Him the place where your soul resides - for all eternity - if you still have one to sell.




[i[size=85=#40BFFFTaxi booked...[/size[/i

The definition of what constitutes [i'horrendous weather conditions'[/i during the SL-era of summer rugby is an interesting one to say the least.

If you wish to dismiss the comparative Round 1 average attendance figures I produced earlier in this thread on the basis of [i'horrendous weather conditions'[/i, that's entirely up to you. What cannot be denied is that the 2012 figures are not record breaking attendance figures by any shape of anyone's fertile imagination.

On the issue of alleged [i'horrendous weather conditions'[/i, could this be the reason there was an alleged increase in the viewing figures for the opening SL fixture this year as the softcock variety of SL supporter preferred to wrap up indoors and watch on TV from the comfort of their armchairs instead? I say alleged because nobody has yet provided the viewing figures for the opening SL fixtures year on year and the weather conditions were hardly reminiscent of arctic conditions.

Thanks for helping to establish that the average Round 1 SL attendance in 2012 is actually the lowest average during the recent era of the 14 team competition.