[Uncle Rico]

Re: Re: : Thu Feb 26, 2015 8:53 am  

garyhulsefan wrote:

Does 50,000 people from the M62 corridor turning up at the Olympic Stadium constitute growth? Growing the game is not our job, you do not have a duty to go to this game just because it isn't in the North.

I think that you are wrong GHF, we do have a shared responsibility to grow the game, whether that is taking a none RL mate to the occasional game, talking the sport up in none RL company and by extension trying to ensure that we have more bums on seats than not.

This goes beyond creating pure demand in my view, if we look like we can't be bothered why would anyone else with a casual, passing interest be persuaded to make a day of it?

I'm also quite relieved to be living in the M62 corridor, otherwise I presumably wouldn't have been able to get a ticket. I feel sorry for those ex pat northerners and kiwis in that there London

Re: Venues Announced for New Zealand Three Match Series : Thu Feb 26, 2015 10:02 am  

We have a yearly event in that London that attracts the best part of 90,000. I haven't seen any growth of our sport as a side effect.

Re: Venues Announced for New Zealand Three Match Series : Thu Feb 26, 2015 10:33 am  

I wonder if the shortcomings of the growth of RL come down to marketing...our international games are not really high on the agenda of your average fan.Contrast that with Union internationals with full stadia whereas their domestic game is second fiddle. They are already advertising for the next Rugby Union World Cup to make it a massive success.

[Uncle Rico]

Re: Venues Announced for New Zealand Three Match Series : Thu Feb 26, 2015 11:07 am  

garyhulsefan wrote:

We have a yearly event in that London that attracts the best part of 90,000. I haven't seen any growth of our sport as a side effect.

Fair point, but, my comment was aimed at the part of your post that suggested that growing the sport was not our job. Well obviously it's not our job, but, full stadia and big game atmosphere can only help, or do you think we should just carry on as we are?

Regarding the CCF and the presumption that it does little to grow the game, you never know what the effect of that one off game has with national exposure. However, I might suggest that to the uninitiated from outside the heartlands, attendance might seem difficult or perhaps irrelevant as it's a club fixture and yes we know it's open to all and no matter who is in the final people make their yearly pilgrimage.

An international might just be viewed differently, I'm off to England v France at Twickenham it's a corporate jolly and no matter what you think of the particular merits of both codes comparatively I'm looking forward to it as an event and no doubt I'll be boring my southern companions with heroic tales of our preceding win at Saints ha ha

Bottom line for me is if we don't care why should anyone else?

Re: Venues Announced for New Zealand Three Match Series : Thu Feb 26, 2015 11:14 am  

The CCF is a team specific event, you'll get people who just love RL and go anyway but generally it is the supporters of the two sides who will go so the chances of drawing new support is minimal.

The event at the Olympic stadium could also be argued is a team specific event but that team encompasses a nation, people who go can instantly identify with 'their' team even if they have no idea of the rules or the players names, they stick their England gear on, get into character and just watch.

It's easier to draw a new fan to an international game, I'll be honest though i would have preferred a different stadium, stadiums with running tracks are always a bit meh in terms of atmosphere.

: Thu Feb 26, 2015 1:16 pm  

I'm also not a fan of the running track, will be making the trip regardless

Re: : Thu Feb 26, 2015 10:35 pm  

i hate pies wrote:

I'm also not a fan of the running track, will be making the trip regardless

I am guessing that once the redevelopment has been completed, it will be similar to Eastlands post Commonwealth Games. The old track doesn't cause too much bother there.

The old Don Valley, however was a different story!

Re: Venues Announced for New Zealand Three Match Series : Fri Feb 27, 2015 10:57 am  

I'll be going the test in London without question. I doubt I can make all 3, the missus won't be happy about being left to hold the baby but I'm sure I can get away with a trip to the Olympic Stadium. It would be rude not to before it goes to waste and gets turned into another football stadium. Yawn.

Re: Venues Announced for New Zealand Three Match Series : Fri Feb 27, 2015 4:37 pm  

Ganson's Optician wrote:

Hull is a guaranteed sell out, as is Wigan if the Series goes to a deciding final test. I'm really excited for London, which we should be aiming to fill. Plenty of RL fans will travel down from all over the country, as will many Londoners who simply want to experience the stadium and those who enjoyed the double header at Wembley- hopefully they are all on a marketing CRM.

Put it this way, after our last two meetings, no sports fan in their own right mind would want to miss this!

I love your posts on these subjects because inexplicably you actually believe what you say.

The last three test series V New Zealand was rubbish, and the Olympic Stadium will be nowhere near full. It's a ridiculous venue when either Huddersfield or Headingley would have been infinitely more appropriate.

I'll go to the game in Wigan if I'm doing nothing else that day - obviously at this stage I have no idea if I am or not - but I'm in no rush to worry about it, because I'm hardly expecting it to be hard to get a ticket.

You're right about one thing though, the game in Hull probably will sell out. No arguments on that one.

Re: Venues Announced for New Zealand Three Match Series : Fri Feb 27, 2015 7:47 pm  

Dropkick Murphy wrote:

I love your posts on these subjects because inexplicably you actually believe what you say.

The last three test series V New Zealand was rubbish, and the Olympic Stadium will be nowhere near full. It's a ridiculous venue when either Huddersfield or Headingley would have been infinitely more appropriate.

I'll go to the game in Wigan if I'm doing nothing else that day - obviously at this stage I have no idea if I am or not - but I'm in no rush to worry about it, because I'm hardly expecting it to be hard to get a ticket.

You're right about one thing though, the game in Hull probably will sell out. No arguments on that one.

Surprised that you're even considering going to any of the games. Just three pointless friendly matches????