Huddersfield1895 wrote:
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/sonny-bill-williams-net-nrl-clubs-millions-of-dollars-this-season/story-e6frep5x-1226589485490
In what feels like a different age, we had our own small scale (commercially that is) versions of these players in crowd pullers like Ellery Hanley. I can't recall which former player it was but last year on Sky one of them pointed out that you need to market the players to market the game. We've got to reform the cap along the lines of Koukash's or dare I say it, Smokey's ideas. Equal competition equals more fans is a myth. I'm all for it, but not because it increases fans - the evidence just doesn't back it up - where are Huddersfield's for instance? Star players with "box office" is what matters. My kids sulked all through Wigan v Hudds, because Sam wasn't playing. They couldn't care less that the game was close. OK, kids are different I know, but I'm a sucker for box office too on either side. How many Wigan fans like me loved to hate Meninga at Saints? Happy days! Going back a generation, my parents don't tell you about close games or even results, they talk about Billy Boston and how he was like a one man wrecking ball.