England launch bid for 2021 Rugby League World Cup (Merged threads)

[jim_57]

So if those big 6 venues are to used, which events are we looking at for each? Hard to kmagine them being anything but England Pool games, England quarter or semis and final.

[bamfordsbeans]

If the RFL can manage to double attendances between competitions why can't they use this skill to help the domestic game?

Talk is easy.

[Tommygilf]

I do remember George Osborne bringing up the government funding as part of the Budget maybe a few years ago. Doubt any other government would stump up that kind of cash to host it.

[RLDave]

I do remember George Osborne bringing up the government funding as part of the Budget maybe a few years ago. Doubt any other government would stump up that kind of cash to host it.

I doubt he will stump up the cash despite saying it.

[Scubby]

If the RFL can manage to double attendances between competitions why can't they use this skill to help the domestic game?

Talk is easy.

 

Perhaps they've realised that the only way to grow the sport to the public at large is through International competition rather than Leeds v Saints x5 each year. It's hardly rocket science and other sports have been successfully doing this for years. We are lagging behind but this is progress.

 

David Collier at the RLIF knows this from his time at the ECB. Meaningful international competitions can create results. The World Cup has just managed to get £15m from the government in this bid. That is probably 3-4 times the turnover of the 2000 World Cup without a ticket sold.

[EastLondonMike]

Nice branding also..

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

I doubt he will stump up the cash despite saying it.

 

Steady on, Dave.  You seem to be suggesting that professional politicians make bland promises they have no intention of keeping!  Surely not...!

[brooza]

The only negative I think. We loved that steamy, noisy game. Sat behind a couple of Yanks who hadn't a clue but gave it their all. More please.

I was in amongst the Cook Islands band, and the pre-match entertainment dancers... My high opinion of the game may not be based on the actual match...

[Dave T]

Says they will choose 12 grounds from the shortlist.

[Blind side johnny]

I just need the dates now so that I can get them into my diary. 2013 was really great and the next one might be even better.

 

Exciting and positive news - why do some people still have to knock it?

[Dave T]

If the RFL can manage to double attendances between competitions why can't they use this skill to help the domestic game?

Talk is easy.

Maybe the RFL have recognised that there is room to double crowds for Internationals more than there is for Huddersfield v Castleford or Leigh v London.

 

They achieved many of their targets for the RLWC 2013, and the next one looks like being bigger, with 2021 topping that. 

 

I genuinely see no negative with aiming for 1m fans.

[Scubby]

Maybe the RFL have recognised that there is room to double crowds for Internationals more than there is for Huddersfield v Castleford or Leigh v London.

 

They achieved many of their targets for the RLWC 2013, and the next one looks like being bigger, with 2021 topping that. 

 

I genuinely see no negative with aiming for 1m fans.

 

Exactly, even if they miss that target by 15-20% the tournament will be unlike anything we've witnessed before. To put it into perspective, 1m across 4-5 weeks would be the equivalent of 19 full rounds of SL based on current average attendances.

[Dave T]

Exactly, even if they miss that target by 15-20% the tournament will be unlike anything we've witnessed before. To put it into perspective, 1m across 4-5 weeks would be the equivalent of 19 full rounds of SL based on current average attendances.

this has the potential to be a gamechanger for rl.

As good as rlwc2013 was, we were still playing some games in front of very small crowds. There is plenty room for improvement and looks like they are being bold.

[Scubby]

this has the potential to be a gamechanger for rl.

As good as rlwc2013 was, we were still playing some games in front of very small crowds. There is plenty room for improvement and looks like they are being bold.

 

Yep this has to be a tournament placed in the public eye over 2 years ahead of the first ball kicked. We need venues locked in and tickets sold from 18 months out to allow it to cover two full SL seasons. This will also allow us to make a big thing of the WC qualifiers involving European teams.

[Auntie Linzi Morris]

I would hope that the Government money might allow the competition to be broadcast on terrestrial TV.  If there's any interest!

 

That could indirectly be worth millions and millions to the game.

[Oxford]

One Game, Together           good slogan

 

 

The RFL, it has to be said, look like they've come into their own and good on'em.

 

Wish they were like this and this visible over all the isssues.

[Dave T]

I would hope that the Government money might allow the competition to be broadcast on terrestrial TV. If there's any interest!

That could indirectly be worth millions and millions to the game.

i think we have to be firm on our demands. Every game covered live by a major partner. If that means less money or a non-terrestrial partner then we should live with that.

Ideally BBC showing every game live, but im not sure theyd commit to that.

[Futtocks]

As long as the £15 million is a solid promise that Osborne's successor is held to, and not just one of "a range of possibilities" (© Ian Duncan Smith).

[JoneslessBishop]

Give. U.K. gov backing, maybe explains no France venues.

Also given 1st Intercontinetal Cup will be 2 years before, hopefully that will focus on Canada and France at group stages, with semis and final in England to wet the appetite for the World Cup. Hope so!

[JoneslessBishop]

Give. U.K. gov backing, maybe explains no France venues.

Also given 1st Intercontinetal Cup will be 2 years before, hopefully that will focus on Canada and France at group stages, with semis and final in England to wet the appetite for the World Cup. Hope so!

[Big Picture]

The only negative I think. We loved that steamy, noisy game. Sat behind a couple of Yanks who hadn't a clue but gave it their all. More please.

Those Yanks would have got a clue very quickly if the field of play there (and at every other ground) was marked with solid, numbered lines equidistant from each other along the field like they are in Australia, New Zealand and (from what I've seen so far from online footage) France and PNG too.  The parallels between RL and gridiron would have been immediately apparent to them then leading to them understanding the game in short order.

[Big Picture]

The RFL states 80% of World Cup games will be held in Lancashire and Yorkshire. All games are to take place in England too. So basically one or two games in London, one in Newcastle and maybe two in Manchester, with one in Coventry the rest in the heartlands...

Is that really spreading the game around the UK?

That's too many.  In 1995 the split was 60% Lancashire and Yorkshire, 40% other and the same rule of thumb should be followed for future RL World Cups in the UK.

[Scubby]

That's too many.  In 1995 the split was 60% Lancashire and Yorkshire, 40% other and the same rule of thumb should be followed for future RL World Cups in the UK.

 

Depends if that 20% split outside the heartlands is going to net 300,000 in attendance. It is all relative to the strategy and competition.

[DoubleD]

I do remember George Osborne bringing up the government funding as part of the Budget maybe a few years ago. Doubt any other government would stump up that kind of cash to host it.

That's the value of having a conservative government

[jim_57]

Give. U.K. gov backing, maybe explains no France venues.

Also given 1st Intercontinetal Cup will be 2 years before, hopefully that will focus on Canada and France at group stages, with semis and final in England to wet the appetite for the World Cup. Hope so!

I would have liked to see one venue from Wales & Scotland each, they are UK after all. But if they can get 1m I'll be satisfied no what the venues may be.

If the Intercontinetal Cup and RLIF 9's get off the ground, with qualifiers we should have a lot of games to market to "developing nations", so the World Cups won't have to be spread too thin.

I'd really like to see bigger things made of World Cup qualifiers as well, RLIF marketing for each game/country would be great, for thr likes of Serbia, Spain, Russia, even Ireland these are likely to be the biggest home games they're going to see.