Adelaide Tiger

Hopie. The Club Wembley scheme commenced in 2007 and initially was a 10 year package ending in 2017. People can now buy Club Wembley packages without a specific year ending but the packages have been reduced from 14,000 to 10,000 seats because of lack of sales, and it appears by 2023 they had not sold out. In response to your second point. There are two scenarios. IF the CC Final is included in the Club Wembley package and let’s assume that 8000 seats have been sold that meant the 2023 final attracted around 50k after deducting Club Wembley patrons. Like you, I assume that the RFL automatically receive income from those ‘ticket’ sales to Club Wembley patrons which is a significant amount. But, if only a quarter of the Club Wembley patrons attend it means thousands of seats remain unoccupied. Is this a good look seeing that many TV viewers will see empty seats and make their own assumption about the sport? However, if CC Final tickets are NOT included in the Club Wembley package then how many of these packages were sold for the 2023 CC Final. If only a small percentage was sold then the ticket money for those seats to the RFL is greatly reduced and the seats remain unoccupied. My overall point is that I hope that the RFL undertake a comprehensive review to identify whether remaining at Wembley, or taking the Final to alternative locations after the existing contract ends in 2027, is most beneficial to the game as a whole.

I believe that the contract for Wembley ends in 2027. Therefore the game needs to begin deliberations on the future location of the Final. The easy option is to remain at Wembley. But is that an opportunity lost to take the Final to different parts of the UK and encourage locals/newbies to attend an event that they never would attend in London. For those that shout ‘what about tradition’ I wonder what their view would have been back in 1929 when it was announced that the Final would move to Wembley when three years previous it was held at Rochdale!

Hopie, if you go online and type ‘2017 Challenge Cup Final attendance freedom of interest’ under the web site Whatdotheyknow.com you see both the request from William Holian for the actual attendance figure and the response from Brent Council. This clearly shows a roughly 14k difference in the recorded and actual attendance.

For me the big question is whether the Final continues at Wembley after the current contract expires. Is a two-thirds full Wembley an attractor to the ‘floating’ viewer we need to attract to fill the stadium? Is it an attractor for increased sponsorship? Does it give the impression of a healthy sport? Since 2011 - not counting two years post Covid - actual attendance has been between 55-65k after deducting the 14k or so of Club Wembley patrons. A Freedom of Information request to Brent Council showed that only 54,324 attended the 2017 Final between powerhouses Wigan and Hull. Not the 68,525 listed. Is it possible to fill Wembley stadium? Does it really matter as long as the final is there? Is there an Alternative. Could the Final be taken around the country? Taking out Wembley, Twickenham, Old Trafford (because of GF) and St James Park (if MW stays there) there are 10 stadiums in the UK with a 50k - 73k capacity. Could the game seek bids to host the Final? Is a full/fuller house more attractive to the potential ‘floating’ supporter? The game may attract newbies to the final from various locations where the final is held? Is it more attractive to increased sponsorship? Does it give a better impression of a thriving sport? Such a move may lead to a scarcity of tickets - give each club 15k tickets each - leading to a price increase which benefits the game. Or is the game wedded to Wembley solely because we need a game in London. Tradition doesn’t pay bills. Right, tin hat on …….

I don’t know anything about the TV/platforms being used. So is this areal good step for TO and the game in general?

So why didn’t he choose Cas

No doubt that when he is officially ‘unveiled’ and he utters that cherished line of ‘I am here for the challenge’ all RL followers will be in hysterics

What do you mean since 1895? Some on here would have chased after William Webb Ellis shouting ‘Oi, put that ball down you impudent young man and kick it like everyone else!’ P.S. I thought I ought to point out that I know that Webb Ellis is just a myth before someone responds.

Thank you Cas. You made a sixty year old bloke have tears of sheer happiness.

Most Cas supporters would say the shellacking of Wigan in the Regal Trophy Final of 1994. But for me, the most memorable Cas match was against our bogey team, St Helen’s in 2002. After 15 minutes or so Saints were 18-0 up with Scully running riot. However, instead of the expected hammering, Cas got back in the game and ended up winning 38-22.

Just looking up the date now gave me a touch of hypothermia! It was 1 January 1984. Cas was away at Bradford. A mild day in Cas when we set off. Got into Odsal and the sun was still out. But just before kick off the freezing fog descended. It was so cold even Sherpa Tensing said ‘F@@@ it, I’m off home!’. The pitch looked fine until you realised the grass was floating on a pond of ice water. Both teams got bogged down. It seemed, from memory, that the pitch between both 20m lines resembled my toilet after a beef vindaloo whilst both areas between the 20m and try lines were left in pristine condition. The forwards were indistinguishable and the backs were adorned with icicles. The freezing fog gave me a blinding headache. So I went to the burger van and cadged five empty long plastic bags that the breadcakes - ooops, that’ll cause some lively discussion on here - came in. Me and the mates each put one on our head. The bags stood a good two feet in the air but the warm air inside stopped the headaches. I would have said that we looked like a Marge Simpson tribute band but The Simpsons were still 5 years away from airing. The result was a 2 all draw. The crowd was 7,167.

Count me in if you do this. Surely 40 people can be persuaded to contribute £20 a month. Or attract a greater number if some people can only contribute less than £20. Quick question. Was the original RL Development Fund created just to offer financial assistance or did it offer other assistance in how to assist in the sustainability of clubs?

You might be right. I may have misunderstood Blind Side Johnny’s post at the top of this page.

It will be interesting to find out what the financial support is to make all grounds ‘broadcast ready’. However, if the deal goes ahead and the income is spilt 78, 13, 9 split in favour of SL then simple math shows that each SL club would receive £3250 in year 1 rising to £6500 in year 3. Surely, for an elite league these amounts are simply minuscule. Here is a radical idea …. let the Championship clubs have the money!

Jesus, never heard of any of the above artists in the previous posts. Never really been interested in music unless it was on TOTP or Radio 1 as a young lad. But here is a group that I doubt few of you have heard of ….. Tycho Brahe. Went to see them last week as they supported the Human League on their Aussie tour. Wife’s cousin knows the band members of Tycho Brahe very well and they stayed at his house in Adelaide for a few days to save money on hotel expenses.