Wigan in London : Wed Jun 10, 2015 12:13 pm  

http://www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.a ... 508&type=1 Regards , EW

http://www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.a ... 508&type=1 Regards , EW

Re: Wigan in London : Wed Jun 10, 2015 12:23 pm  

Can't say I'm overly fussed with this idea tbh. Fair enough they're classing it as the "free" game on a ST, but surely getting people back to the DW should be the priority rather than taking home games on the road. A Saturday afternoon/evening would probably work best, I can see it completely bombing if it's on a Thursday or Friday night.

I'll hold off judging it completely until the details are announced, but I think there are more pressing matters for the club to address than moving a game to a football stadium in London.

Re: Wigan in London : Wed Jun 10, 2015 12:42 pm  

Can't agree with it, we should not be sacrificing home advantage, especially with our very questionable away form

Re: Wigan in London : Wed Jun 10, 2015 12:49 pm  

All a bit confused at the moment. I'd like to know what IL is up to. "Expanding" into London doesn't make any sense to me unless it's all about getting high-profile sponsors on board or IL's long term aim of taking over the RFL. The business club manager even recently contacted a colleague of mine in our London office enquiring whether he was interested in "networking" - the guy's a Saints supporter (and still confused as to how they got his name).

Traipsing down there isn't a cheap exercise & the only logical game that could be transferred is the home derby - Wigan vs Cas would hardly pull the crowds.

Reserving major rant until we stop being treated as mushrooms.

Re: Wigan in London : Wed Jun 10, 2015 12:55 pm  

It makes perfect sense to me. Huge market in terms of sponsorship. An immense reserve of exciting potential young players to tap into.
Most importantly, though, a game in London is a damn sight easier for me to get to than one in Wigan. (And cheaper).

Re: Wigan in London : Wed Jun 10, 2015 1:19 pm  

Its a very good idea for Super League Clubs to be tapping into the London economy.

Buckingham Palace road is a good location, right next to Victoria Station with neighbours like Google and Lockheed Martin.

More clubs should be doing things like this.

Re: Wigan in London : Wed Jun 10, 2015 1:29 pm  

I think the main part of this is the networking/business club idea. Lenegan is clearly trying to open up new sponsorship/corporate opportunities and the one game in London is a necessary addition if he wants to show his potential marks the game because there's no chance of them actually coming up to Wigan for one.

However as it stands, most people in corporate London who are favourable to RL will already have club affiliations because they're transplanted northerners, and most of them will have absolutely no interest in buying into or watching Wigan. I know I haven't.

But the policy is still worth a shot to get some unaffiliated interest/sponsors, so good luck.

The other plank of the strategy is likely to be to establish Wigan as the brand that the London market thinks of when they think of RL, and that will transfer to merchandise sales, brand loyaly etc.

Well, good luck with that because having lived in London for 25 years sadly the awareness of RL, let alone Wigan, is near enough zero, especially in the corporate world - as evidenced by the hundreds of unused Cup Final comps swilling round the City every year.

In summary: Is it worth the attempt? Yes. Will anything come of it? Probably not.

Re: Wigan in London : Wed Jun 10, 2015 1:30 pm  

Noel Cleal wrote:

Its a very good idea for Super League Clubs to be tapping into the London economy.

Buckingham Palace road is a good location, right next to Victoria Station with neighbours like Google and Lockheed Martin.

More clubs should be doing thing like this.

Exactly.

As for the game itself it'll probably depend on how the final seven fixtures (super eights) pan out. The logical one would be Catalan if they are part of our "home" draw.

Re: Wigan in London : Wed Jun 10, 2015 1:30 pm  

Noel Cleal wrote:

Its a very good idea for Super League Clubs to be tapping into the London economy.

Buckingham Palace road is a good location, right next to Victoria Station with neighbours like Google and Lockheed Martin.

More clubs should be doing thing like this.

I'm just an old septic, but when one of the managers of this new venture is listed as part of Quins RU setup, I'm hearing distant alarm bells

[DaveO]

Re: Wigan in London : Wed Jun 10, 2015 3:27 pm  

It is a completely ludicrous idea and no, not because of the loss of a home game.

From the BBC:

Wigan owner Ian Lenagan was the majority shareholder in London-based Harlequins RL between 2005 and 2008.
"My personal passion for Wigan and rugby league in London makes this initiative an obvious one," he said.

Well sorry but I would suggest even Wigan fans who would like to see RL expand that plenty of them would strongly disagree that just because the chairman has a passion for RL in two places he should be trying to serve that passion by taking Wigan games to London.

As to the business case for it, why on earth does he think people or businesses in London will be interested in shoving money at club that plays all bar one of its games in Wigan? They are hardly going to be able or want to drive up the M1 & M6 to take advantage of any deal on a Friday night. What do they get out of it? Attending a game with a few thousand on it it that?

What not put greater effort into courting sponsons from the north? There are large multi-national firms located up here who could take advantage.

What about the "away" fans and clubs? Has anyone asked the other clubs or their fans if they are willing to put up with the costs of going down to London to play Wigan?

Tapping into new talent down there? There is absolutely no case for that. We have probably the best production line as it is and while the next Ellery Hanley may be hiding somewhere in London he is just as likely to be in Edinburgh.

For me it is self indulgent total waste of time.