Dave T

I think this is spot on (including your last line). But let's be clear, they have never actively held back cheap tickets. They didn't do it for the Cup, they haven't done it for past internationals and they haven't done it for any other events. This is the equivalent of deciding to sell via Groupon for a discount, but doing it via their own channels to save costs. There is only one reason that cheap seats come onto the market. And it probably aligns with the fact that the Wembley sales number has only ever been 30k. Personally, im less bothered about cheap seats at Wembley. We got 42k there the last time we played the Aussies, I'd love it to be 60 or 70k even if it means £20 tickets all round.

No, the FAQ doesn't say that. The question is literally quoted in my post. The FAQ is live now, and the answer to what the prices are is £30-£80. October 25th is the match date, I think you are getting confused So the RFL's answer to the question of what the price is, is £30-£80.

The FAQ says the prices start at £30 for this event. The stadium map ticket list says the prices start at £30. They are now selling tickets at £20.

This is absolutely discounting. The ticket price list doesn't even feature this new category of £20. The FAQ for the Ashes say this: What are the General admission ticket prices for the Rugby League Ashes? General admission range for Wembley Stadium (25 October) Adult from £30 to £80 U16s from £15 to £55 So they have absolutely started selling tickets for cheaper than they tell us the prices are. That can't really be seen as anything other than discounting. I'm not overly against it tbh, we have a lot of seats to sell, I think £20 is too cheap, but if we are using them to target new markets for example, maybe it's OK.

Can you provide a link for those numbers please?

To add, I must admit, I didn't realise this was the match thread with my last post The crowd will be what it'll be now at this stage. Hope for a decent showing from Wire. I worry the push for Williams will backfire, hes a hard worker and i struggle to see how he can play his normal game. If KR play top form I think we lose, but we aren't mugs and have a lot of talent in that team.

The statistics from the 2021 census dont really support a dramatic change in demographic tbh. There has been a population of Hong Kong people move into the town, but really modest numbers. I think the new town areas of Warrington are overstated. A lot of people moving i to these areas are local, I lived there for a while and know many others who are locals who needed housing. New estates doesn't equal an influx of outsiders. Warrington has always been a town that lends itself to being a. Bit of a commuter town with Scousers and Mancs in particular, but that's not really changed. Whenever im in Warrington it still seems pretty standard to me, the same as it always broadly has been.

Yes. People often think of marketing as just awareness. People in Warrington are aware of the game this weekend.

The bloke is clueless, or at least does a very good impression of being clueless if he isn't. He always just rambles like this, raising a few questions here and there but never offering any answers. I'm not really sure what conclusion he has drawn when he rambles about the crowd being dependent on which teams get there. That's always a thing and is in football too. But in reality we are always just talking differences of a few thousand here and there when we are sitting with 25 to 30k empty seats.

There were separate links to click through which sent you to a different allocation. That's how they will have tracked, but absolutely I expect plenty will have gone via the central allocation, which were also at those ends

If your question is could SL clubs take games to tiny grounds much smaller than their own and sell them out, I suspect the answer is yes.

I think these always refer to sold directly by the club, I would expect a few k more for each club tbh.

It suggested that Wire sold the same as last year and puts that number at 8k. They put the KR number at 15k. I always take these with a pinch of salt though as this does rather suggest huge numbers of neutrals. There is no doubt that Wire take far fewer these days, and even against Saints and Wigan, huge rivalries, they have been far smaller than when we played Hudds and Leeds. I think this is the 8th appearance in 16 (or 17) finals - I only know one person who is going this year, whereas in those early years this was 40 or 50.

I read something earlier (I thought it was on AllOutRL but I can't see anything now) that they had sold over 60k on Monday, and that they hoped for up to 65k, but it was likely that it wouldn't beat last years 64.5k.

Saw an update earlier today that they hope for 60-65k. I'll go for 58,978

I'm not holding out much hope for a win here. KR are one of.the best teams around at the moment, playing well and are rightly favourites. But, we arent mugs, and have talent if it can click. I just think our team is a little all over the place at the moment, so we're getting no consistency. But im sure we'll give it a good go.

Yes, it appears youre only allowed to discuss injuries in the context of praising KR.

Worth calling out that the coverage on the BBC is great, full production for this one.

I tend to agree. I do find Saturday afternoon a slot that lacks in atmosphere for RL in general.

The crowd sound is early, and also on time. It's weird.

Just trimmed your post yo these two paras. And I must admit to feeling exactly the same. I watch it, but usually while working and it doesn't bother me if I miss it or get distracted. I enjoy it because it's RL, but it's too repetitive and not always brilliant. I disagree on your international points, because even in a more repetitive international environment, it always has more variety than Origin with venues, players and different teams.

Worst captains challenge of the season?

I dont completely dismiss tge point, because a vibrant atmosphere and how a game is presented absolutely adds to the spectacle (see discussion on Origin). But a low crowd in Hudds on Thursday shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.

Yes, i think anyone who turned off because there weren't many at the ground missed a decent game. Certainly watchable.

But, it's a digression from the main topic, which is excellent numbers, which is great for the sport in Oz.