Not sure you can have a set of criteria that is entirely objective, almost everything involves some area of subjectivity.

Why shouldn't location be a factor?



Why would finishing with a playoff series imply the league isn't strong enough (whatever that means) and why would a playoff series imply the league isn't genuine?

The fact you ask these questions tells me one of three things



1 you don't understand what sport is really about



2 you are trying to be ' smokey ' clever



3 you are truly thick

1. Maybe my belief in what sport is truly about is just different to yours.

2. Nope

3.

Away you go ?



I'm all ears , well eyes actually , but you know what I mean

The spectacle and appeal and entertainment of the sport itself. I'd already said that. You laughted at the idea of that. It's as if you are not entertained by watching the sport of rugby league being played.

Ask the residents of the South stand at Leeds if that is why they watch the game ?



If it was the spectacle then nobody would watch anything other than a big club in a big stadium full of people



If it was just for entertainment I could watch Leigh East under 10 s for free

Do Leight East Under 10s demonstrate the skills of the game to as great a standard as Leigh Centurions? (nicely cued you up for a sarcy answer there)



If it's just this emotion and tribality we're basing the game on, then the increasing mobility of the country's population, with people feeling a lesses and lesser attachment to the place they live, then crowds are certainly going to decline. As you quoted yourself, you're seeing fewer and fewer young fans. Why? Because they're not interested in "emotion , tribal controlled violence to spot them killing each other " they want entertainment.

Most young people wouldn't know "entertainment" if it came and smacked them in the face.





They are fed a barrage of indifferent noise masquerading as music

, A diet of "reality" shows and soaps to show just how miserable their lives are, and follow sertain sports glorying in the success that they themselves will never even to aspire to.



Add that to the garbage that they eat and drink and a quick blast from an iffy substance and that's yer yoof of today.



It pains me to hear that yoof is still bored and want entertaining cos there is "nothing to do" and they ain't got a clue what entertainment is.



OK it's a sweeping generalisation but in someways I reckon it's not far off the mark.

Well when walking the dog this morning , came upon a ' local league ' football match , I settled down to watch , and although the skill on show was not quite up to the level usually seen at Old Trafford , for entertainment it could not have been beaten





The spectacle wasn't as good I'll admit , the stadium was definatley sub standard and a poor crowd really , being 3 adults , 4 kids and 2 dogs

No, they're just entertained by different things to what entertains you, as you are entertained by different things to they.

Soccer? Entertaining?

You could broadly call it football at a pinch