THE Championship Summer Bash endured its most difficult year in 2023 since its conception.
After years at Blackpool’s Bloomfield Road, the concept returned in 2022 to Leeds Rhinos’ Headingley Stadium, with just over 10,000 fans making the trip to West Yorkshire.
However, York Knights’ LNER Community Stadium took the hosting rights for 2023 and it’s fair to say that fans weren’t too supportive of the event being held in North Yorkshire.
Now, Rugby League Commercial’s Managing Director, Rhodri Jones, has hinted that the Summer Bash will be moved from York, with the “feelers out” for a return to Blackpool with that destination being the most popular.
“It was the first Summer Bash I have been to, the concept is right but clearly the fans didn’t warm to it and I think there is an element of location in that.
“The stadium at York is a fantastic facility but it didn’t warm the fans up to come. That’s the biggest piece of feedback from that.
“There is an outcry for Blackpool to return, but there hasn’t been the availability in the past two yers due to ownership and stadium.
“However, we have put some feelers out in terms of hosting it for next year.”
