gingerjon

That’s on the RFL and Super League. The clubs are allowed to do what they think is best for themselves.

Presumably, the FoI is only ever required to pass on the data held, not interrogate whether that data is correct.

Oh god. The merchandising that is about to be unleased.

Because it could easily go to extra time and needs a trophy presentation.

https://thefsa.org.uk/news/bbc-research-casts-doubt-over-reported-attendances/

Well, to not-quite-quote-myself, what I'd be selling them is a standalone men's fixture with some wraparound entertainment built into the day. A band or two, a mini Gladiators (or equivalent), and some community engagement that draws families (dance off or somesuch). This wouldn't be at the expense of what we do to existing fans because we know that we will get an attendance of roughly 50k(*) from them almost regardless. But finding an additional 10k from London and then adding in future years ... that's the way forward for Wembley.

There is one group for whom the cost of living with be £0 (or, essentially, baked in as £0) and that is people who live and work in Zones 1-6 who travel most days. There's about 9 million people in that area - I'd say around half will be in that group. So 4.5 million people for whom getting to Wembley is essentially free and not remotely a faff. The people for whom it's really only the cost of the ticket. If I were serious about increasing the attendance next year, that group would be pretty much my sole focus.

There are no further discussions at this time. That is not active consideration. That is long grass territory.

Those have already ended for the time being.

The NRL Vegas figure from the stadium authority this year was 37,557. They're talking about 15,000 in Paris, I believe?

We can (and should) do things for fun. That's not an issue. I actually really like the idea of a Dublin Weekender. Why not? It's a cool city and accessible. But - and, to smirk, it is a big but - the gag about it hopefully not being the week after the Cup final is true. This absolutely cannot be set up in such a way as to take away from the marquee events that are meant to promote and sustain the whole sport. If the plan isn't to sell tickets to lots of Dubliners then, from that perspective, all it is going to do is just more selling to the same people. That isn't sustainable.

Oh, and here are the rest. Their error for 2021 is from here: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/rugby_league_challenge_cup_final#incoming-2967460

Answering myself: can't see that table. But, for example, here's William Holian's FOI request about 2017: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/challenge_cup_final_attendance#outgoing-686909 So the 14,000 'discrepancy' is there.

What's the source for this?

It may have changed but back in the day when you could more easily see BARB numbers, the games were getting 30,000 ish viewers a time. No idea on the rights fee.