For years rugby clubs barely considered their wider profile. As long as their captive audience of season ticket holders and local sponsors were happy, everything else was a bonus. Even for prestigious London sides like Harlequins it was less about the scattering of customers at their games than ensuring there was enough ice and lemon for the committee’s gins and tonics.
Sometimes we forget the huge difference professionalism has made. These days a packed house will be in full cry at the Stoop for the European last-16 second leg fixture against Montpellier, hoping to see last Sunday’s 14-point deficit thrillingly overturned. After last season’s Premiership final, when Quins were memorably crowned domestic champions, there should hopefully be a sizeable lunchtime TV audience on Channel 4 as well on Saturday.
