It's not particularly big. I could still name a lot more rugby union, cricket, and football clubs from up north than I could league clubs. It's not any bigger up north than it is in the south. Granted, there are more professional clubs in the northern parts, but more professional clubs =/= it being big up north.
Massive moment. Thought the population of Australia was higher than England. Just assumed, from the size, forgetting that a lot of Australia is the outback.
Well even during the world cup, there's nothing here. I've not heard anything about the 4 nations on the radio, or anything. During the League world cup, I never saw anything in the papers, or heard anything on the news about it.
But it's still the world cup. It's the biggest stage in League, where players could get worldwide recognition, yet it's barely covered here. I would say that means we aren't really fussed.
Popularity and taking it serious is not the same thing. I bet you'd take it a lot more serious if you didn't suck at it.
90% of the country doesn't know if we suck at it or not tbh Also since when has 3rd best country and 2nd best domestic league been sucking? Answer: It isn't, people still don't care
People used to care about it. That's why there used to be 60,000+ crowds in the 70's and 80's, back when England/Britain were competitive. Please don't even pretend to think you can tell me that particular sports don't get increased attention when you have a player or team doing well. And your domestic league is just like your EPL - Saturated with foreigners. Aussies and Kiwis to be specific.
Yeah there's nothing like success to get a sports popularity up. Australia make the World cup in soccer and suddenly every cunt is adding ic, ski or ka to the end of their name and painting their house green and gold. Danielka Peatic, could definitely be a socceroo.
Another major way to prove that we don't take it seriously is the fact that we have tv coverage (or reports, at least) going from the Premier League, all the way down to the likes of the Ryman league when it comes to football. That's something like 7 leagues covered, pretty much weekly, yet there's barely any coverage of League, in that sort of depth. You can get League 2 (the 4th division) games shown live on Sky, whereas you only ever have the top league at most shown of Rugby League.
That only proves that soccer is more popular in England. Not that England doesn't take League seriously.
Fair point. Even so, the popularity of a sport is likely to have a direct correlation with how well the national team does IMO, as if a sport isn't as popular as another, less people will play it, meaning less people will be good at it, in comparison to other sports.
