[Flumpty]

I don't know if that's good news or not, but it is what it is !

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68625302

[Oh Danny Boy]

I don't know if that's good news or not, but it is what it is !

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68625302

The good news is both competitions are on one channel. The bad news is a subscription only, broadcast consolidation looks like the end of live PRTV.

The article mentions "Millions of fans have helped break viewership records this year" This could refer to a combination of TNT, PRTV, and even ITV4's own rugby show. The number of Friday night games this season has already shown the decision over physical attendance versus TV revenue is leading us down a slippery slope.

Our next season is going to be "interesting"

[ageinghoody]

Three Prem clubs foundered financially in quick succession in the last 18 months The fans of the surviving clubs aren't happy about paying the same season ticket price for fewer meaningful games at the same time that more of their top players depart for the perceived greater security of French or Japanese wage packets.

Maybe there wasn't much of a choice if the extra cash has to come from somewhere.

[SimonG]

Three Prem clubs foundered financially in quick succession in the last 18 months The fans of the surviving clubs aren't happy about paying the same season ticket price for fewer meaningful games at the same time that more of their top players depart for the perceived greater security of French or Japanese wage packets.

Maybe there wasn't much of a choice if the extra cash has to come from somewhere.

But if the TV money comes at the cost of dwindling crowds then what will happen when the TV money is cut or runs out?

Either way I don't think the Premiership has any future in its current format.

[ledzepsfr]

Three Prem clubs foundered financially in quick succession in the last 18 months The fans of the surviving clubs aren't happy about paying the same season ticket price for fewer meaningful games at the same time that more of their top players depart for the perceived greater security of French or Japanese wage packets.

Maybe there wasn't much of a choice if the extra cash has to come from somewhere.

But if the TV money comes at the cost of dwindling crowds then what will happen when the TV money is cut or runs out?

Either way I don't think the Premiership has any future in its current format.

So what do you propose for the future/growth of the premiership?

[SimonG]

Three Prem clubs foundered financially in quick succession in the last 18 months The fans of the surviving clubs aren't happy about paying the same season ticket price for fewer meaningful games at the same time that more of their top players depart for the perceived greater security of French or Japanese wage packets.

Maybe there wasn't much of a choice if the extra cash has to come from somewhere.

But if the TV money comes at the cost of dwindling crowds then what will happen when the TV money is cut or runs out?

Either way I don't think the Premiership has any future in its current format.

So what do you propose for the future/growth of the premiership?

Very simple. Force clubs to live within their means by introducing something along the lines of football's fair play rules - and administer it properly.

But that requires people to accept the fact that in general the public in this country have very little interest in club rugby and it can only survive in the current format thanks to benevolent sugar daddies. This of course won't happen so the Premiership will limp on with more and more clubs going bust when the backers eventually stop their funding for one reason or another whilst those that remain keep spouting on about growing the game in a hopeless sense of self-delusion.

Which is why I say the Premiership has no future in the current format.