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All this is a prelude to the end of amateur spectator sport, the fact that TV companies like Sky have invested billions in prime sporting events will eventually put sport out of the reach of ordinary fans. Here in the UK prices for prime football games have become so expensive that fathers are put off taking their kids( future footbal fans?) to these matches and instead alternative, free sports like fishing, karate,cycling, board skating,surfing ect. are becoming more and more popular. this means that the pool of athletic youngsters has become more dispersed into alternative sport. Big money and commercial intrests are going destroy the “golden goose” in time.

@Colin, yes it is very disappointing what is happening to the great game of rugby. I would have thought it would learn from what cricket is doing – I’m not saying do something like T20 to rugby but the ticket prices are really reasonable.

Recently the IPL here in South Africa tickets were only R200 for 2 games or R100 for 1 game and even international games are only R200 odd round (recent Aus vs SA one day games) Think cricket has learnt the money is in the TV viewership and its look a lot better if the stadium is full.

As for the rugby I’m going to the Emerging Boks vs British Lions because I think it will be a great game and the tickets are only R230…

Well l can remember when l lived in SA in the 50s as a schoolboy in uniform we were allowed to sit(for free) along the line, and, in 1955 clearly rember being sprayed with grass and dirt as the mighty Koos van Vollenhoven(l think thats the right spelling) thundered past us to score a try against the English, we talked for days about it at school, there was no question, we were all going to be Springboks when we grew up!—–thats how you hook youngsters, today l still love the game but unfortunately my kids have other interests, mainly golf and wind-surfing which is affordable here in Scotland.