Re: Challenge Cup Final : Sun Aug 25, 2019 6:30 pm  

Mr Bliss wrote:

I know they have planned to hold the final earlier but Could it be scheduled on a less busy weekend???
In Yorkshire this weekend we had

Leeds Fest -
Ashes at Headingley
York - Ebor Racing

Not sure if Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria had other events to draw away neutral supporters????

The busiest weekend for getting away nationally.

Just to make travelling a whole lot worse the RFL and BBC the route down to London was closed for “vital” signal work.

Creamfields was on in Warrington . . .

Re: Challenge Cup Final : Sun Aug 25, 2019 8:57 pm  

Willzay wrote:

It’s a bit quiet.

Maube st helens and warrington should be asked to pay a bond next year?

Re: Challenge Cup Final : Sun Aug 25, 2019 9:40 pm  

Call Me God wrote:

Maube st helens and warrington should be asked to pay a bond next year?

Yes. What about Wigan and Hull for 2017? Bottom line is, sadly, Wembley no longer looks viable for the sport. Trouble is without it TV coverage and sponsorship would probably be lost for CC.

Re: Challenge Cup Final : Sun Aug 25, 2019 9:41 pm  

Willzay wrote:

Is true Tommy Makinson just chucked his runners up medal on the floor?

No, but Coote dropped his.

Re: Challenge Cup Final : Sun Aug 25, 2019 9:46 pm  

Hicks decision not to refer the Morgan Knowles try to the video referee was a massive decision. You'd be filthy if that happened in a regular game of rugby league, never mind a cup final.

Re: Challenge Cup Final : Sun Aug 25, 2019 10:13 pm  

Dally wrote:

Yes. What about Wigan and Hull for 2017? Bottom line is, sadly, Wembley no longer looks viable for the sport. Trouble is without it TV coverage and sponsorship would probably be lost for CC.

I think it is viable. I just think we aren’t all pulling in the same direction as a sport to maximise the potential of the CC final.

We had amateur games on the same day for starters. That’s just crazy.

Time the sport and clubs at all levels from SL down to amateur junior clubs put their petty self-interest aside.

- Make the Cup Final a festival of RL. Hold the women’s final as a curtain raiser. Hold the wheelchair final at the arena on the same day.
- make it like a festival around the stadium. It needs all kinds of additional things to do like at the F1. Should be a big England/GB section with some players, big merchandise area, buy discounted tickets for the next home international. Have an area with some mini touch rugby games going on that only last 5/10 mins, any ability able to have a go. Sell tickets for next year’s final, big discount if you buy there and then. Have those inflatable passing and challenge things. It can’t be beyond the impossible to get one of those screen/game things that mimicks a golf shot or football penalty and have it as you taking a conversion. Have an amateur/community section where you can sign up for full contact, touch rugby or masters rugby in your local area. You get the gist of it.
- I’d set up a “neutral zone” an area of the ground specifically for neutrals. Encourage them to come in their own clubs shirts and make a big deal out of it. Maybe do some kind of rewards for the SL/Champ/L1/Amateur club with the most people there.
- Crucially, make every club in the country, be it SL, Championship or amateur, a ticketing agent for the event. They get back a % of every ticket they sell and are actively encouraged to organise trips from their club. Any pro club that doesn’t sell a certain amount of tickets then forgoes a certain amount of central funding.
- the RFL to arrange travel and accommodation discounts
- the pro clubs and the RFL to act as a central hub where you can buy tickets, travel and accommodation all in one place.

On top of that I liked an idea I heard a while back on the 5 life podcast about turning the Cup into a Champions League style format rather than a straight knockout. It would enable games to be included on the season ticket up until the quarter final round at least.
I’m also tempted by maybe making the quarters and semis 2 legs but not sure on that, only a thought.

Re: Challenge Cup Final : Sun Aug 25, 2019 10:56 pm  

just_browny wrote:

No, but Coote dropped his.

I don't like mocking players when they have a bad game, but this made me snort tea out of my nose laughing

Re: Challenge Cup Final : Mon Aug 26, 2019 12:43 am  

Willzay wrote:

Is true Tommy Makinson just chucked his runners up medal on the floor?

Did they even go up to get their medal? Like any sporting team usually does? Did the Beeb miss filming that or are Saints that entitled and up themselves they think they're beyond that?

Re: Challenge Cup Final : Mon Aug 26, 2019 2:36 am  

Or thane wrote:

I don't like mocking players when they have a bad game, but this made me snort tea out of my nose laughing

Got to admit I agree with you regarding the mocking, but to be honest in NRL terms Coote is a ten a penny fullback, there's loads like him, A fullback in the sense there are sixteen first graders and then lots of others, Coote to his credit managed to be one of those sixteen but alas in NRL terms his ship has sailed.

Re: Challenge Cup Final : Mon Aug 26, 2019 9:33 am  

bewareshadows wrote:

I think if you aim low you just get lower. Playing semi finals in smaller and smaller stadia in the early 2000s did not boost attendances.

Rugby Union makes its traditions part of its appeal, you don't attract new fans by ripping up your history.

Absolutely correct!

The culture of a sport is the biggest thing it has. The Challenge Cup Final at Wembley is one of the biggest parts of our culture.

The Challenge Cup Final remains at Wembley. It’s the RFL that needs to pull their fingers out in getting the place filled.

New date! Get this played away from a Bank Holiday and outside the football season.

Get in contact with all pro-clubs, part time clubs and all amateur clubs from all over the country and have a system in place that they know they can use every year to book coaches and buy tickets.