Re: Superleague to return to Barcelona : Fri Nov 30, 2018 10:59 pm  

ThePrinter wrote:

One thing I would say (and I know people will say it’s being negative) but they could’ve scheduled it a little bit better by having it later in the summer.

The match takes place the night before Barcelona’s final league game (away from home) if they’re playing for the league title then the club and city’s focus will be on that and not promoting and attending a RL match they night before. That’s why a couple of weeks later would’ve made more sense. Might only seem a little thing but little things can add up to an event not being as successful as it could be.

SL come up with the fixture list, and we can't start juggling fixtures just because a team wants to play a game 120 miles away from their home ground with the incumbent club at the remote ground having an away game in a different sport the day before.

I guess there's some potential for local interest, but only if the match tickets are at a heavily discounted price. What I don't understand is what Catalans are trying to achieve? They can't be hoping to get regular support from Barcelona locals given the 240 mile round trip for regular home games.

Re: Superleague to return to Barcelona : Fri Nov 30, 2018 11:31 pm  

In the summer test match, 19000 at the smaller Mile High Stadium looked ridiculous on tv. Why do we keep persisting in taking the game to iconic stadiums without the demand being there? It consistently makes us look amateurish. One of the unique aspects of watching this great sport is the atmosphere created by us, the fans. If we want to grow the sport in Barcelona (which I am sure every one of us does), it needs to be played at a stadium that can create that atmosphere and inter-rivalry comradeship that is unique to our sport. Mini Estadi first and then if that gets sold out we move to the RCDE. To ergonomically grow the sport is the way forward and not trying the “Big Bang” like this. One day we might just get to see the Nou Camp bathed in blood and gold banners from top to bottom and a load of pasty Northerners looking around them in bewilderment!

Re: Superleague to return to Barcelona : Fri Nov 30, 2018 11:33 pm  

Didn't Fartown play Catalan of old in Barcelona for a cup?

Re: Superleague to return to Barcelona : Fri Nov 30, 2018 11:57 pm  

I can't wait for this this fixture, Barcelona is a marvellous city and it will interesting to watch the greatest game being played at such a fantastic ground. I have just bought some cheap flight tickets from Birmingham to Barcelona. Not yet decided on where I am stopping yet though.

Re: Superleague to return to Barcelona : Sat Dec 01, 2018 12:43 am  

Near 100,000 capacity stadium, Wigan averaged circa 13k attendance, Les Catalans circa 8k = approx 21k if every single one of them attended.
How many neutrals will attend ? Locals ? Other Club supporters ?

I would be very surprised to see more than 30k there, probably less & with the RFL's record of promotion this will become a sorry joke !

Re: Superleague to return to Barcelona : Sat Dec 01, 2018 2:37 am  

I think anything above 25k will be a success. It's good to see some ambition being shown, and hopefully it'll expose the game to some new fans. I'm thinking about going myself.

Re: Superleague to return to Barcelona : Sat Dec 01, 2018 3:51 am  

Charlie Sheen wrote:

I think anything above 25k will be a success. It's good to see some ambition being shown, and hopefully it'll expose the game to some new fans. I'm thinking about going myself.

Me too. It is only 150 miles from my farm house.

Re: Superleague to return to Barcelona : Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:27 am  

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote:

Me too. It is only 150 miles from my farm house.

Lmao

Re: Superleague to return to Barcelona : Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:46 am  

HXSparky wrote:

I guess there's some potential for local interest, but only if the match tickets are at a heavily discounted price. What I don't understand is what Catalans are trying to achieve? They can't be hoping to get regular support from Barcelona locals given the 240 mile round trip for regular home games.

This game has already earned more column inches than any other game on the fixture list. That's what the Catalans are trying to achieve - exposure for their club, access to new audiences and appeal to new commercial partners. Will a one-off event do that? Probably not, but it should be seen as part of a long game.

Let's be honest, 120 miles is not particularly far - it's 1h20 on the high speed train.

I also don't get why the calls for discounted tickets are already coming out - prive it right, market it right and be confident in the value of this sport.

As for the stadium being too big? I think it's important to think that the Nou Camp is the attraction here. Miniestadi or Espanyol doesn't have the same allure that will get people excited. But a sport like RL being played in one of the most iconic grounds in the world? That's the appeal.itbdoesnt matter that there will be empty seats.

Re: Superleague to return to Barcelona : Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:47 am  

Honestly the replies to this thread are the exact reason rugby league is struggling at the moment in this country. It’s not just the RFL’s fault, but the fact people are slagging this idea off already shows the insular approach to the game.

What is to lose by moving this here? It’s bound to generate coverage in media, bound to be shown on TV so if I can generate extra sponsors or commercial revenue then excellent. Wigan fans were travelling anyhow so I’d maybe expect more to go with the novelty, I imagine Catalans will take a lot and with the political tensions on the Catalan region I’m sure Barcelona locals will want to support a team which resonates with the region. Aim high, try and get 50k there and invite all of the current Barca sponsors to sample the game and you only have benefits to the game.

Or we could argue that the game will look empty in a stadium because that matters so much