Taking live audiences for granted in return for £300m is a huge gamble for a sport with a skinny link to the public
Sometimes we overlook the fragility of the thread connecting rugby with the public. It is not a sport that necessarily appeals to everyone, even if they do have a vague grasp of the laws. For some it is too brutal and painful to watch in comfort; if you have never played there are plenty of reasons to doubt the sanity of those who do. You don’t get cauliflower ears playing badminton.
It is also a sport heavily reliant on its heritage and history. England against Wales on Saturday would be just another game without its evocative past, its cross-border element and its “them and us” cultural undercurrents. Much like the Grand National, people of all backgrounds will watch the Six Nations even if they don’t much care for the actual sport.
Written by Robert Kitson
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2020/mar/02/six-nations-paywall-would-cut-cord-to-thousands-of-fans-rugby-depends-on under the title “Six Nations paywall would cut cord to thousands of fans rugby depends on”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
