Quote ="Serge A. Storms" If you ask most people what their definition of a spectator is it would be somebody who attends a game somebody who watches on TV is a viewer - to suggest otherwise is simply an admission of how far you have been backed into a corner. '"
Yeah, no.
A spectator is someone who watches, that doesn't necessarily mean attend.
That you have to invent your own meaning of the word just confirms that you're full of the stuff Mr. Hanky is made of.
No surprise there.
Quote ="Serge A. Storms" As a Leeds Rhinos season ticket holder since the inception of SL and Leeds RL season ticket holder since I was ten I would consider myself a RL fan. Its a pity some of you don't actually attend a few games then the gap between attendances of the two sports might not be quite so embarrassing.'"
Pissant.
I'll guarantee you that I've been to more Rugby League games than you.
And you are
[inot [/ia Rugby League fan. No one who denigrates the game, anywhere, like you do would be considered a fan by anyone. If you actually buy season tickets to a team that plays in a competiton in a sport that you obviously have massive disdain for, then you're an idiot as well as a ant.
Do you honestly think, given what you've said in here that any sane person would believe you to be a Rugby League fan?
Quote ="Serge A. Storms"Here are some facts;'"
As against the
[i facts [/iin Roy's article that you just simply ignore?
Quote ="Serge A. Storms"Over 3.5m more spectators actually took the trouble to get off their backside and attend an AFL game than did an NRL game.'"
Who's arguing that?
Is there something wrong with you?
Rhetorical question.
Quote ="Serge A. Storms"More people watch the NRL on TV yet the AFL has a TV deal significantly more valuable TV deal - I find that very odd.'"
It's because, and I'll be as polite as possible here, you're an idiot.
Kerry Packer alone is the reason AFL have a bigger deal. There, I said, it. The cat's out of the bag... FFS...
The simple fact that more people watch Rugby League in Australia than AFL should cure the gap somewhat.
Quote ="Serge A. Storms"In the RL heartland of NSW the sporting club with the highest average attendances is a AFL team'"
So?
They average 15k per week. Well behind Rugby League's average in Sydney and the NRL's.
And they are lucky to get 70k on TV in Sydney.
That's about 20% of a regular FNF NRL game.
You might be impressed by it but not many others are.
Quote ="Serge A. Storms"In the heartland of the AFL the RL team which has been the most successful in the modern era has attendances that are truely an embarrasment to the sport.'"
Why?
The NRL attendances are on the way up?
Why in God's name are you suggesting anyone should be embarrassed at that?
And why don't you simply understand that Super League is the reason AFL have the crowd average they have in Sydney?
And why did you ignore the fact that the Swans crowds are heading south. The fact is that the further away we get from the Super League years, the further down AFL goes in Sydney.
It's not rocket science.
The new team is going to be great for Rugby League. AFL haven't worked out that saturation is killing them in Sydney. Their answer to the alarming drop-off in Sydney is to add another team?
Quote ="Serge A. Storms"Given the demographics of Australia it is no surprise that RL is the most watched sport on TV - the question is this - is that an indication of its national popularity of a quirk of the country's population spread. '"
I'll make it simple for you, and I'll use a bit of poetic licence. North of the Murray = Rugby League.
South = AFL.
There are pockets of AFL above the Murray but they are so insignificant that I only mention them for a laugh.
I think you don't know crap from clay. You seriously have no idea what you're on about.
The demographics of Australia?
Quote ="Serge A. Storms"The NRL has the most highly skilled athletes of any sport anywhere in the world yet the teams get crowds that some third division soccer sides get in the UK - and I don't include Leeds Utd. If I were a player I would be wondering what more can I do to attract a crowd - it is no wonder players defect to other codes where they will get to play in front of big crowds on a more regular basis.'"
The NRL crowds are fine, and on the rise. Why you have this blinkered view that crowds are all-emcompassing when it comes to a sport's popularity just shows you are bereft of anything even resembling actual intelligence. Going by your thinking a sport played in one country alone is the biggest sport on the planet.
And no, I'm not talking about AFL.
And your last sentence is just plain pathetic.
Which players have come back?
The bigger crowds you talk of, where are they?
The Waratards, Force and Reds crowds have all fallen to NRL levels, in fact, they are all dwarfed by the Broncos, and Kharmichael Hunt's teams hasn't played one game yet.
You're basing it on internationals obviously, all 5 of them. Have you ever heard of State of Origin? Pretty good crowds there.
Union crowds are on the way down in Australia, in a big way, and I've seen the crowds Gasnier and SBW play in front of, no better than my own Wests Tigers crowds.
Stop talking rubbish.
They go for the money, end of story. And I couldn't care less if they go, they are replaced and forgotten almost immediately.
Quote ="Serge A. Storms"Finally if Rules is simply no challenge to RL I cannot understand why you are getting so touchy.'"
I could care less about AFL.
Don't get my idea of fun bagging a Rugby League hater confused with anything else, it is what it is.
And please, I assume from your "wahhh, wahhh, I'm a Leeds Rhinos season ticket holder" crap that you're a Pom.
Why do you think you know anything about the sporting landscape of Australia?
I'll tell you how much you know, nothing. The only thing you can bring to any debate here is your complete and utter non-appearance.
And I'll tell you this for nothing, the more uncomfortable I can make you here, the better.
