Managing Director Nils Skutle hopes that the public will know what's at stake, and show up at the Royal League premiére Thursday evening.

"Brann believes in 10 to 15 thousand spectators when they are celebrating their cup gold and league bronze on Thursday, while Vålerenga probably gets the same figures when they play us next weekend. We can't be worse than they, can we?" Skutle asks, rhetorically, via rbkweb.com.

10 000 spectators
Rosenborg hopes for around 10 000 spectators at Lerkendal when the fresh Swedish cup masters Djurgården shall be crushed.

"Honestly, there should be even more. We have lowered our ticked prices, there seems to be good weather, and we meet top Nordic challenge," Skutle states.

The best team
For RBK the new Scandinavian winter league has high priority.

"In some papers it has looked as tough we're negative to the Royal League, but that is wrong. In the club we are clear on one thing: We want to win this tournament, and hence, we will use our best team."

"Especially this autumn, these matches will be very important to us. The games against Djurgården, Vålerenga and Esbjerg gives us superb matching prior to the two last Champions League games. At the same time, we would love to show that we are still Norway's best team by far. There has been so much talk of Vålerenga and Brann the past few weeks," Skutle smiles.

Weather is the big issue
In Norway, the Royal League seems to be well accepted among both clubs and supporters. The situation in Sweden and Denmark differs some. The Swedish daily Aftonbladet is negative, and points out the fact that there is a reason why we have winter sports and not football during the winter.

Nils Skutle admits that the weather might be a problem.

"The challenge for the Royal League is definitely the winter and the climate. It can be several degrees below freezing when we play home against Esbjerg in the middle of February. But we shouldn't create problems before they show up," Skutle says, and points to the fact that RBK played a home game against Benfica on the 3rd of March this year.

No play in the Abra hall
Whatever happens, there won't be games inside in the Abra hall.

"This is just like the Tippeliga. The Abra hall is not accepted for games at this level. Should Lerkendal be unusable, we have to find another stadium," Skutle says, tough he won't speculate about the alternatives.

By and large, the Rosenborg director believes that the Royal League will be a success.

"This year we got the biggest clubs of both Norway, Sweden and Denmark, and this, mixed with the extremely even season in Norway, leads me to believe that this will work out fine," he states.

PS! RBK has decided to go straight to London the day after the away game against Esbjerg on December 2nd. Hence it will be a small training camp in England prior to the season's last game, the one against Arsenal.