The MM attendance was a good number but would be much more if so many committed RL fans had not taken the decision not to go back. This means that as the overall attendance is fairly static, the numbers must presumably be made up by new entrants. But the RFL have made a big mistake in entering into agreements with the stadium to allow it to hold customers hostage to exorbitant prices for poor food, and drinks that I wouldn't hose the garage down with.
Many traditional RL fans especially those with families have always taken their own food and drink along, but at OT, you can't, and so for example a family of 2 adults and 3 children wanting to stay for 3 games will need to spend an arm and a leg for everyone's subsistence. They might have got a cheap family ticket, but OT will make a fortune out of them.
It puts thousands off. I know dozens and dozens of people who won't go again precisely because of this. And they like the event. They would, all things being equal, choose to go than stay away. They would even spend money at the ground (you can't help but be nattered by them into letting them go for a burger and a coke, and someone with a couple of flasks of tea or coffee would very probably start off with a couple of overpriced "beers" (I am not advocating allowing own alcohol btw just to make that clear).
So to an extent, William is right, the event has lost some of what always has been and still is the old rugby league crowd magic, because the fans can't behave like RL fans are used to being allowed to behave, it spoils the family atmosphere, and leaves those who do go often feeling ripped off. But it is not the product on the field that is to blame, on the contrary. The main difference is that some of us, unlike Eve, don't find it funny.
