EPL clubs battle for 2021 world cup games : Tue Dec 12, 2017 7:18 am  

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/5110941/ ... 1-matches/

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/5110941/ ... 1-matches/

Re: EPL clubs battle for 2021 world cup games : Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:41 pm  

I hope the organisers don't get seduced into opting for high capacity stadiums. Keep it small and aim for (close to) capacity crowds. There's nothing more depressing when watching sporting events than seeing loads of empty seats.

Re: EPL clubs battle for 2021 world cup games : Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:48 pm  

Muggins wrote:

I hope the organisers don't get seduced into opting for high capacity stadiums. Keep it small and aim for (close to) capacity crowds. There's nothing more depressing when watching sporting events than seeing loads of empty seats.

Not sure I agree with keep it small. The game surley has to have some aspirations to grow bigger

Re: EPL clubs battle for 2021 world cup games : Tue Dec 12, 2017 1:18 pm  

kobashi wrote:

Not sure I agree with keep it small. The game surley has to have some aspirations to grow bigger

I've been hearing that for 25 years while watching matches played in half empty stadiums and with teams with hardly any players born in that country in them.

As Harry Enfield might have said "Rugby League, know your limits!".

Re: EPL clubs battle for 2021 world cup games : Tue Dec 12, 2017 1:30 pm  

kobashi wrote:

Not sure I agree with keep it small. The game surley has to have some aspirations to grow bigger

Agreed, lets go for bigger stadia where viable and give ourselves the challenge to sell them. I'd say it also presents the international game in a better light if new fans, potential sponsors etc are going to a top quality stadium. I'd rather have a half-full Goodison than a sold out LSV.

Re: EPL clubs battle for 2021 world cup games : Tue Dec 12, 2017 2:09 pm  

We should do a deal with the EPL clubs we choose to host games and offer season ticket holders of Liverpool, Newcastle etc. a discount on tickets

Re: EPL clubs battle for 2021 world cup games : Tue Dec 12, 2017 2:44 pm  

well Huddersfield and |Hull are both shared with Rl sides, anyway.
in my opinion these are the stadiums and grounds i would like to see used.

Wembley Final/opening double header
semis elland road and anfield
opening double header old trafford/final
wigan
saints
Hull
Leeds Headingley
Warrington
another london venue new Qpr or new Brenford stadium which will both be 25-30k and built by then.
Cas or wakey if they ever get a new stadium if not Halifax.

Newcastle? not sure, if they are still having magic weekend then no. i think having 3 big football stadiums and wembley to go at is enough.
thats apporx 11 stadiums and some heartland stadiums like Headingly kc and saints i would expect to get 2 games at least

Re: EPL clubs battle for 2021 world cup games : Tue Dec 12, 2017 5:36 pm  

They should aim higher in some fixtures then last time but I hope they don’t forget the success stories of 2013 also even if they weren’t always at the biggest grounds.

I was at the Fiji vs Ireland game at Rochdale and that was special. The local Fijian community came out in force and it was a fabulous atmosphere. To get over 7,000 on in Bristol for a game between the USA and Cook Islands says they need a higher profile fixture. The Scotland games in Cumbria were great events as well. They’re not the biggest grounds or the best facilities at Workington but it created an atmosphere for them to feed off.

On the flip side I think after their exploits in this World Cup, the RFL can be more ambitious with the fixtures for the likes of Tonga and PNG. I was at Leigh in a 10,000 sell out for Tonga vs Cook Islands but with their performances recently, I think they can look at getting them in at Stadiums like Headingley or St Helens. They could also look at big double headers involving the likes of Tonga, PNG, Fiji and one or two if the big boys.

It’s just a shame we have to wait four years.

Re: EPL clubs battle for 2021 world cup games : Tue Dec 12, 2017 5:48 pm  

I'm confused. As There is already a shortlist of 15 grounds.

London - Wembley Stadium.
London - Olympic Stadium.
Manchester - Old Trafford.
Manchester - Etihad Stadium.
Liverpool - Anfield.
Sheffield - Bramell Lane.
Coventry - Ricoh Arena.
Newcastle - St James Park.
Hull - Kcom Stadium.
Huddersfield - John Smith Stadium.
Doncaster - Keepmoat Stadium.
Wigan - DW Stadium.
Leeds - Headingley.
St Helens - Langtree park.
Warrington - Hellwell Jones stadium.

And that we are to lose one of these grounds, to make a total of 14.

Good news is its going to be a 16 country tournament again.

Re: EPL clubs battle for 2021 world cup games : Tue Dec 12, 2017 7:33 pm  

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/oct/27/england-rugby-league-world-cup-2021-hosts England’s bid for competition included target to attract one million spectators 31 games and if we assume the OT sells out for the Final, then 925,000/30 = 31,000 average.......we need to pick large stadiums and then FILL THEM! About 54,000 fans attend SL games each week and that's the minimum attendance figure we should expect for each of Englands 3 Pool games....then filling a 60k+ stadium for their QF and if the semi-finals are a double header then FILL WEMBLEY. I am struggling to see how Lebanon v Canada is going to attract 31k, so we really need to get the England games all over 50k. That Sun article mentioned France getting "home games".....is there any credence in that and if so, then they need to be targeting over 100k for their games.....

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/oct/27/england-rugby-league-world-cup-2021-hosts England’s bid for competition included target to attract one million spectators 31 games and if we assume the OT sells out for the Final, then 925,000/30 = 31,000 average.......we need to pick large stadiums and then FILL THEM! About 54,000 fans attend SL games each week and that's the minimum attendance figure we should expect for each of Englands 3 Pool games....then filling a 60k+ stadium for their QF and if the semi-finals are a double header then FILL WEMBLEY. I am struggling to see how Lebanon v Canada is going to attract 31k, so we really need to get the England games all over 50k. That Sun article mentioned France getting "home games".....is there any credence in that and if so, then they need to be targeting over 100k for their games.....