Nope. If they finish bottom they should, rightly, go down. RL will survive it just wouldnt be good for the game short term. Like it or not Leeds are the biggest hitters in RL in the UK.

For how long?

Seriously the days of leeds bringing in large numbers of fans were linked entirely with their successful period.

Similar to all other clubs.

What are the average crowds this season for St's and Leeds? What with one being the best they've been for quite a while and the other in a relegation dogfight?

Bradford used to have a good following and the other clubs survived when they went down.

Perhaps Leeds need to go down then they can rebuild a team next year without the pressure they're under now.

Who different fans want to go down doesn't matter the bottom team goes and that's it

Why do people just think about away crowds (likewise when going on about expansion teams) that is well down the list of factors really. Sky and sponsorship wouldn’t really like to see a Leeds-less competition and like them or not they bring the money in. As poor as Leeds have been they’ll still have been on Sky 14 times out of their first 21 fixtures.....what other team struggling around 10th have ever had anywhere near that much tv coverage? Why do Leeds get it, because they still bring in bigger audiences even when poor and that’s what really counts most to the tv people, not whether a match between Salford & Hudds might be a better contest.

Again it’s not just “following”. Other clubs have survived but the competition hasn’t thrived or been better for Bradford’s drop and that’s with it being offset slightly by Warrington stepping up towards being a big 4 club just as Bradford went backwards (if they were still the early 00’s version when Bradford were going strong it’d be different).

Warrington in 2017 were on quite a lot when they struggled that year

"Blue Chip companies"

Well lets hope whatever 'blue chip companies' Leeds can get are better than those 'blue chip companies' Dire attracted in recent years in 'Halliwell Jones' and 'Bensons for Beds'.

Or Fly Emirates

How did a thread about the battles at the opposite ends of the table become a slagging match about who has the better sponsors? FFS, whomever is bottom goes down, regardless of their "wealth".....that's what makes this year so much better than last.

He didn't mention away crowds, he was talking about Leeds' ability to draw crowds to Headingley.

It's a valid point tbf. Leeds are the biggest club in SL because they draw the biggest crowds and TV audiences. That in turn brings in the sponsors and helps the TV deals. Leeds' crowds are largely due to their on field success over the last 15 years. Take that success away and how long is it until they become just another moderately sized club? We know that sports fans are fickle, and there are a good chunk of Leeds fans that have never been there for any bad or even mediocre times.

If Leeds stay up and get back to competing for trophies, then of course they are very important to SL. If they stay up and continue to knock around lower mid table for the next few years with a few more relegation scraps, then not so much. Of course no one has a crystal ball, so we don't know.

Again? Tell someone in a different thread about sponsors/crowds etc.... I've had close to 20 years of being told London Broncos don't bring anything to the game, that our crowds are a disgrace and that promotion/relegation is a matter to be settled only on the pitch....this year, with fewer than a dozen rounds to go, we have 6 or 7 sides who are dabbling with relegation....let the dice fall where they will. Whomever is bottom goes down......anything else and the game in the UK becomes more of a laughing stock!
If it's London, we've shown it's not the end of us.....and neither would it be the end of any of the other "dabblers" except maybe Salford, but if the RFL/SL board are in any doubt about the idea of Leeds going down, then they need to act now and declare the new format as part of an IMPROVED TV deal.......anything else will make us look tin-pot