Tetley’s Challenge Cup semi-final details confirmed

[Dave T]

If it's a money issue as far as the CC game is concerned, wouldn't a SL game of London v Wigan get more fans (and more revenue) from playing the game at Wigan's ground?

a decision has to be made on a neutral venue for the cc semi. It doesnt for a London home SL game.

[Scubby]

a decision has to be made on a neutral venue for the cc semi. It doesnt for a London home SL game.

 

I think you missed a bit of tongue in cheek there. He was suggesting that if crowds and revenue are the 'be all' then London could play all their home SL fixtures at their opponents' grounds and, by default, get a bigger average than they get playing at the Stoop.

[Bomballey]

The irony in all this for me is that the RL didn't see the need to issue this recent statement at the same time that the venues were announced.

It highlights how little they consider us supporters (their customers) when reaching a decision and what the reaction would be. If they were truly in tune they would have seen the criticism coming and headed it off.

Lack of awareness. Lack of consideration.

Bit embarrassing.......

[Dave T]

I think you missed a bit of tongue in cheek there. He was suggesting that if crowds and revenue are the 'be all' then London could play all their home SL fixtures at their opponents' grounds and, by default, get a bigger average than they get playing at the Stoop.

i got that it wasnt a serious suggestion, but i assume it was to make a point. Ultimately it doesnt really work.

[williamssimonp]

Of course there is always the point that playing at Wigan's home game would actually be more convenient for the London fans than playing in Leigh.  Wigan has a station!!!  Another practical point, Wigan's ground is big enough to hold Wigan's average gate, Leigh isn't!

[Bartholemew Smythe]

Of course there is always the point that playing at Wigan's home game would actually be more convenient for the London fans than playing in Leigh.  Wigan has a station!!!  Another practical point, Wigan's ground is big enough to hold Wigan's average gate, Leigh isn't!

Wigans average gate do not attend Challenge Cup ties, the LSV is more than ample for this tie. I doubt they'll open all ends.

[williamssimonp]

That's good because I haven't got my ticket yet! 

[JohnM]

The irony in all this for me is that the RL didn't see the need to issue this recent statement at the same time that the venues were announced.

It highlights how little they consider us supporters (their customers) when reaching a decision and what the reaction would be. If they were truly in tune they would have seen the criticism coming and headed it off.

Lack of awareness. Lack of consideration.

Bit embarrassing.......

 

There's no need for you to  be embarrassed. Criticising the RFL is becoming the default position on here.

 

Why should the RFL issue such a statement?  To say this shows how little the RFL considers the supporters,  spectators or viewers, is not correct in my opinion. 

 

As an aside, I think the train issue is a red herring...in my view the great majority of London fans will travel by car, be the game at the Stoop, Wembley or Invercockyleekie. In any case choosing a ground for ease of rail travel discriminates against those over 60s who intend to travel by bus on free passes.

Edited July 24, 2013 by JohnM

[Bomballey]

There's no need for you to be embarrassed. Criticising the RFL is becoming the default position on here.

Why should the RFL issue such a statement? To say this shows how little the RFL considers the supporters, spectators or viewers, is not correct in my opinion.

As an aside, I think the train issue is a red herring...in my view the great majority of London fans will travel by car, be the game at the Stoop, Wembley or Invercockyleekie. In any case choosing a ground for ease of rail travel discriminates against those over 60s who intend to travel by bus on free passes.

Stop it. I'm easily embarrassed.....

Don't agree. From the posts on here it's fair to say that many fans think its not right that London have to travel to Wigan's backyard for a semi.

Forget the £ signs for that 1 game - the sport has to be bigger than that surely?

For outsiders looking at our sport it just confirms the M62 corridor mentality.

If only 200 London fans travel they are still getting a bum deal.

Small minded thinking that will never grow the game.

[GeordieSaint]

Criticising the RFL is becoming the default position on here.

 

No it's not. They are rightly praised when they do something well and criticised when people think the opposite.

[mick wilson]

I think if i was a Wigan fan i would be hard pressed to get excited about this one. I wonder where they would have played Catalans v London???!!

 

I wish the RFL had the money to take this fixture to a half way venue (such as say Coventry) but it probably just doesn't have the money to justify the spend for a one off event. Bit depressing but i'm sure the final will make up for it.

Coventry City have pulled out of the Ricoh Arena (spelling ?) So id imagine the management of the RA would have been very open to the idea of renting it out for any game & a great deal could have been worked out, IMHO. 

 

If Wigan would take 5K and the RFL advertised the heck out of it in the Midlands I wonder how many Midlands base people who take an interest in RL would have attended ?  

 

It would have given Midland folk a big important game right on their doorstep while promoting RL in one of its fledgling expansion area's, win/win in my book. 

 

Also many more London fans would have travelled, wouldn't they ?

Edited July 24, 2013 by mick wilson

[Saintslass]

No it's not. They are rightly praised when they do something well and criticised when people think the opposite.

The problem is that they don't often do something well!

[mick wilson]

It would appear that London are happier to make money than push for a more neutral location.

Same stance as the RFL then, hmmm harmony

[JohnM]

Let me get this right. Clubs need money to operate. London have been criticised by some for not doing enough marketing, or not finding another stadium, and for lots of other things. All of this needs money. Then the club does something " to make money"  and it is wrong. 

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Only in Rugby League eh? 

[Dave T]

Coventry City have pulled out of the Ricoh Arena (spelling ?) So id imagine the management of the RA would have been very open to the idea of renting it out for any game & a great deal could have been worked out, IMHO.

If Wigan would take 5K and the RFL advertised the heck out of it in the Midlands I wonder how many Midlands base people who take an interest in RL would have attended ?

It would have given Midland folk a big important game right on their doorstep while promoting RL in one of its fledgling expansion area's, win/win in my book.

Also many more London fans would have travelled, wouldn't they ?

thats all well and good Mick, but the reality is that Wigan would probably have taken 4k to Coventry, London 500 and maybe 300 neutrals.

The crowd would have been rubbish. People need to stop dealing in fantasy rl on things like this. 5k in that large stadium with rent going out of the game would have been rubbish.

[Bartholemew Smythe]

That crowd in Coventry would be less embarrassing than the 5 or 6 they will get in Leigh.

Why would it attract a crowd of 5k in Coventry and what benefit would it have to both clubs financially?

[Dave T]

That crowd in Coventry would be less embarrassing than the 5 or 6 they will get in Leigh.

I dont agree.

The stadium in Coventry is around three times the size of LSV.

[shrek]

Coventry City have pulled out of the Ricoh Arena (spelling ?) So id imagine the management of the RA would have been very open to the idea of renting it out for any game & a great deal could have been worked out, IMHO. 

 

You presume that the playing surface is still being maintained, safety certificates and insurance are still in place etc etc.

 

Then of course there is the presumption that the RFL didn't ask them, maybe they did heard the price and said thanks but no thanks.

 

The LSV wouldn't be my first choice, but its a tidy little ground, probably cheap and will turn a profit.  Ultimatley its us the fans that should take responsibility that a ground with a capacity less than one of the participating clubs average crowd is going to be plenty big enough for what should be one of the show piece occasions of the season.

Its not the format, the cost isn't overly expensive, travel for Wigan fans is never going to be closer, yet it'll not sell out.  The blame gets laid at the RFLs door for something in almost every thread, I'd suggest as fans we should be looking closer to home in the first instance.

[gingerjon]

You presume that the playing surface is still being maintained, safety certificates and insurance are still in place etc etc.

 

Then of course there is the presumption that the RFL didn't ask them, maybe they did heard the price and said thanks but no thanks.

 

The LSV wouldn't be my first choice, but its a tidy little ground, probably cheap and will turn a profit.  Ultimatley its us the fans that should take responsibility that a ground with a capacity less than one of the participating clubs average crowd is going to be plenty big enough for what should be one of the show piece occasions of the season.

Its not the format, the cost isn't overly expensive, travel for Wigan fans is never going to be closer, yet it'll not sell out.  The blame gets laid at the RFLs door for something in almost every thread, I'd suggest as fans we should be looking closer to home in the first instance.

 

You don't know that the LSV is cheap, same as we don't know how many times the RFL span their rolodex before settling on Wigan as a neutral venue for Wigan.

[zorquif]

This might have been mentioned, but did london not agree to the SF locations? Would they have been happy for it to be at huddersfield?

[gingerjon]

This might have been mentioned, but did london not agree to the SF locations? Would they have been happy for it to be at huddersfield?

 

London agreed.

 

On either this thread or one of the others (!) I suggested that this implies the club's management don't really get their fans at all and aren't fit for purpose.

[shrek]

You don't know that the LSV is cheap, same as we don't know how many times the RFL span their rolodex before settling on Wigan as a neutral venue for Wigan.

No your right, thats why I carefully used the word "probably" in front of the word "cheap"! 

[gingerjon]

No your right, thats why I carefully used the word "probably" in front of the word "cheap"! 

"will turn a profit" though.

 

Tsk.

[John Drake]

This might have been mentioned, but did london not agree to the SF locations? Would they have been happy for it to be at huddersfield?

 

The RFL statement is on page 9 of this thread. here it is again:

 

Following criticism of a venue selection for the Tetley’s Challenge Cup semi-final on Saturday July 27, the RFL has issued the following statement:

“The selection of Leigh Sports Village and John Smith’s Stadium as the venues for this weekend’s Tetley’s Challenge Cup semi-finals was made following consultation and agreement with all eight clubs involved in the quarter-finals.

“A number of alternative venues were considered and the final selections were based on various criteria, including availability, size and quality of facilities, associated match costs, commercial viability and the views of broadcast partners.

“On June 26 London Broncos confirmed to the RFL that they were “fine” with the options for all UK-based semi-finals and proposed that in the event of them being drawn against Catalan Dragons, their semi-final should be staged in London.

“Given the size of London’s current fan base and their historical levels of travelling support, the view was taken that Leigh Sports Village provides the best opportunity to present a major televised sporting spectacle to attendees and TV viewers in the most positive light whilst maximising the financial return for the two competing clubs who share 100 per cent of the receipts generated.”

[zorquif]

The RFL statement is on page 9 of this thread. here it is again:

 

Following criticism of a venue selection for the Tetley’s Challenge Cup semi-final on Saturday July 27, the RFL has issued the following statement:

“The selection of Leigh Sports Village and John Smith’s Stadium as the venues for this weekend’s Tetley’s Challenge Cup semi-finals was made following consultation and agreement with all eight clubs involved in the quarter-finals.

“A number of alternative venues were considered and the final selections were based on various criteria, including availability, size and quality of facilities, associated match costs, commercial viability and the views of broadcast partners.

“On June 26 London Broncos confirmed to the RFL that they were “fine” with the options for all UK-based semi-finals and proposed that in the event of them being drawn against Catalan Dragons, their semi-final should be staged in London.

“Given the size of London’s current fan base and their historical levels of travelling support, the view was taken that Leigh Sports Village provides the best opportunity to present a major televised sporting spectacle to attendees and TV viewers in the most positive light whilst maximising the financial return for the two competing clubs who share 100 per cent of the receipts generated.”

 

I knew I'd seen that somewhere! Ta!