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"Events" - What would you like to see?


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I've often thought RL in England (and the northern hemisphere) is a bit lacking when it comes to games/days/weekends that can be marketed as big events on the annual calendar.

Currently there is only 3, maybe 4 now that you could expect to top 30k attendances. Both finals, Magic & maybe now the CC semi double if the concept grows. Of course sporadic internationals as well.

As a fan what 'events' do you think could work or would you be interested in attending? Events Rugby League fans could lock in the calendar and reasonably expect a big crowd every year with a little promotion.

A club based one I think could work:

'Mini Magic' Days (Insert better name here) - Double/Triple headers with Super League & Championship/League 1 games on the undercard. Some ideas:

Manchester - Wigan, Leigh, Salford, Swinton etc involved, double or triple header. Etihad.

London - Skolars, Broncos & Super League triple header. 20-30k stadium in London.

France - Elite 1, Toulouse & Catalan triple header. Toulouse FC stadium or 25k+ stadiums around France.

Wales - Raiders, Crusaders & SL triple header. Cardiff.

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International 'Event' idea.

England Invitational - Played the week after Super League grand final every year in England, either in a fixed stadium or roaming. England invite a different international team every year to start the international season (and guarantee a game in England).. No team twice in any 8 year period. Australia, NZ, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy, PNG, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands, USA, Canada, Jamaica etc.

Personally I'd go London invitational and look at new Tottenham or Olympic Stadium. It could be the 1 'banker' home England international regardless of what else is played each year.

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Nines tournament. All eligible. 12 SL Clubs plus 4 qualifiers from regional qualifying tournaments. NW, NE/Yorks, rest of UK, and European.

These qualifying tournaments could be events in themselves, with top amateur teams, as well as invitation sides to make up the numbers.

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Funny how the thread title says 'events' and then the posts all relate to actual game fixtures....illustrates the mindset. There can be multiple events....I don't know what goes on in England but is there not an actual half time show?  In our last game vs. Fev TWP had numerous fully dressed knights in combat fighting over an English Queen in the middle of Lamport....the fans,and especially the kids, just ate it up...I looked over at the roughly 100 Fev fans and they were gobsmacked...they couldn't believe it...the title of the show was 'Medieval Times'.

More of this type of thinking needs to happen to make the whole game day experience better, a number of events with the game, of course, as the 'Main Event'.  This is the future and how it should be done.  The NHL is leading the way with these types of promotions and they have been very successful and very popular.  Some of the traditionalists don't like it though....its time to modernize the game day experience...this has to be done for the future of the game.

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9 minutes ago, Kayakman said:

Funny how the thread title says 'events' and then the posts all relate to actual game fixtures....illustrates the mindset. There can be multiple events....I don't know what goes on in England but is there not an actual half time show?  In our last game vs. Fev TWP had numerous fully dressed knights in combat fighting over an English Queen in the middle of Lamport....the fans,and especially the kids, just ate it up...I looked over at the roughly 100 Fev fans and they were gobsmacked...they couldn't believe it...the title of the show was 'Medieval Times'.

More of this type of thinking needs to happen to make the whole game day experience better, a number of events with the game, of course, as the 'Main Event'.  This is the future and how it should be done.  The NHL is leading the way with these types of promotions and they have been very successful and very popular.  Some of the traditionalists don't like it though....its time to modernize the game day experience...this has to be done for the future of the game.

That is all true, game day entertainment should certainly be part of the package for these sorts of occasions and something that could use a lot of work.

The entertainment has to be based around a RL game or 2 though to make it a RL event, which was sort of what I was getting at.

As for your guys, how do you think Toronto would go trying to fill BMO for a club double header with 6-12 months notice for fans to travel?

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I'm wondering if you could do something like the CFL Labour Day Classic. Every Labour Day long weekend, teams play against their biggest rivals, ie Toronto vs Hamilton,  Calgary vs Edmonton,  Winnipeg vs Saskatchewan. And it get lots of promotion and extras. In Hamilton there's a free junior or university game, concerts outside the stadium before the game, and a half time show. It's the same weekend every year,  and the rematch is held the next week at the opposite teams stadium (this get built up to in some cases, such as the Banjo Bowl in Winnipeg). 

In years where we're terrible,  the rest of the season doesn't matter,  but you HAVE to beat the Argos on Labour Day. 

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12 minutes ago, jim_57 said:

That is all true, game day entertainment should certainly be part of the package for these sorts of occasions and something that could use a lot of work.

The entertainment has to be based around a RL game or 2 though to make it a RL event, which was sort of what I was getting at.

As for your guys, how do you think Toronto would go trying to fill BMO for a club double header with 6-12 months notice for fans to travel?

To be honest we are not there yet.  Many people have commented on using BMO Field in the past and I really feel it is a red herring; never going to happen.  Although technically a municipal field it is tied into a long term lease by MLSE * a multi sporting conglomerate that owns the Blue Jays, Leafs, TFC,  Argos and Marlies.also.  They are starting to look upon TWP as competition; especially the Argos.  Even the Argos are having trouble with field time since TFC have precedence.   I just don't see them ever letting us use that field and it really is the only other option.  Its very problematic, so a Lamport expansion is really the only viable option and an expensive one at that.

Certainly I think it would work at Lamport (roughly 10 000)....maybe 15 000 when renovated. But I don't know if it would provide the money they would expect.  That is why the England/NZ test should have been played at Lamport instead of Denver.  Moore Sports was crazy booking such a large venue but it does give us a starting point and an indication of the draw and where we need to start from....not easy.

Back to the 'event' itself.  Alot of women and the kids want more than just the game and that is a huge demographic that is being ignored.  Its so obvious during the games over here.  You look at some of the games televised from over there and it seems to be a vast majority of middle and old aged men...then people complain about not getting crowds anymore.   They won't address the elephant in the room question because they don't like the obvious answer.The solution is to connect these two dots....that is the future in my opinion. It won't be quick or easy but it is time to begin (and I think it has started with some clubs, Thank God!).

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Linking the match with the day  eg St George, banging it next to a holiday, half-time and full time entertainment, match day revel, famous fans invited, giving a trophy at everyone, ensuring more internationals, nines, tests etc

Much of this was done in France by Jaques Feroux.

 

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Kayakman said:

Funny how the thread title says 'events' and then the posts all relate to actual game fixtures....illustrates the mindset. There can be multiple events....I don't know what goes on in England but is there not an actual half time show?  In our last game vs. Fev TWP had numerous fully dressed knights in combat fighting over an English Queen in the middle of Lamport....the fans,and especially the kids, just ate it up...I looked over at the roughly 100 Fev fans and they were gobsmacked...they couldn't believe it...the title of the show was 'Medieval Times'.

More of this type of thinking needs to happen to make the whole game day experience better, a number of events with the game, of course, as the 'Main Event'.  This is the future and how it should be done.  The NHL is leading the way with these types of promotions and they have been very successful and very popular.  Some of the traditionalists don't like it though....its time to modernize the game day experience...this has to be done for the future of the game.

Get your own culture/history. You should have lumberjack competitions or igloo building at HT.

rldfsignature.jpg

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Just now, deluded pom? said:

Get your own culture/history. You should have lumberjack competitions or igloo building at HT.

Lumberjack jamborees are loads of fun so don't knock it until you've tried it!

I don't know if igloo building would draw though...it is a long and slow  affair but if alcohol was involved you could get some funny end products.

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13 minutes ago, Medway Bear said:

I have wondered why TWP and The Argos don't get together with a joint promotion when they play at home on the same day, You attend The Wolfpack game then get cheaper admission to The Argos game following. Or cheaper admission to TWP for Argos fans.

I’ve always found Argos great value

- Adepto Successu Per Tributum Fuga -

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There’s got to be a balance of how many Events there are in a year. Following Rugby League isn’t cheap for us fans given the sheer number of events we currently have, some of the teams involved in the game (Catalans, Toronto and Toulouse) and having an International calendar. 

Grand Final and the Challenge Cup, are a given. They must stay in the calendar and will do so. The Magic Weekend has been around around a decade and for me, should stay. After that, I’d say keep these sorts of events at a minimum, if ever.

We have Catalans Dragons in Super League where the game almost takes lesser importance because it’s turned into a weekend away or a longer holiday. Toronto are emerging and could well be in Super League soon and it certainly won’t be cheap to watch your side in Canada and we could even end up with Toulouse Olympique in Super League next year, another possible weekend away/holiday. 

All of that before thinking about the International game and watching England. I had read that we were tied into playing in America mid-season for the next couple of years, that’s on top of any post-season commitments or World Cup’s. 

Obviously people’s attendance is optional, nobody is forcing Whitehaven fans to watch England in the US but surely we won’t to be accessible as possible?

You’ve also got to think about the financial aspect of such events. I can’t see many Super League clubs wanting to take away a home fixture from their season ticket holders as this will likely result in having to reduce the overall cost of a season ticket and would lose the club matchday income. Also, these events have to be profitable for it to be beneficial to clubs. 

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17 minutes ago, Medway Bear said:

I have wondered why TWP and The Argos don't get together with a joint promotion when they play at home on the same day, You attend The Wolfpack game then get cheaper admission to The Argos game following. Or cheaper admission to TWP for Argos fans.

It certainly looks like it might be evolving into the complete opposite...could get ugly.

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The key to building events is consistency. Same time, same place year after year.

In rugby league we don't do consistency. We like to come up with ideas, try them once or twice then give up when the usual doomsday brigade get involved and tell us it was a failure.

The Grand Final has arguably overtaken the Challenge Cup final as our biggest event. Why? Because it is the same time every year at the same venue. Tickets are available pretty much a full year in advance. People know where it is, what it is and when it will take place. It sells out every year.

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I don't really see the point of more events that just preach to the converted. People cant afford to do it all and simply pick and choose events. Events in Bolton, Sheffield etc inevitably just slice the same pie in different ways. We should be looking at more events in London, like internationals, and France etc. Expand the pie and game, not just basically hold events in and around heartland areas with the same fans that would go to those events/matches anyway. 

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3 hours ago, Medway Bear said:

I have wondered why TWP and The Argos don't get together with a joint promotion when they play at home on the same day, You attend The Wolfpack game then get cheaper admission to The Argos game following. Or cheaper admission to TWP for Argos fans.

Yeah while youre at it why don't man utd help Salford with events?

Different (competing) events owned by different people don't generally happen unless they are mutually beneficial.  The Argos see twp as competition

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Just now, TboneFromTO said:

Yeah while youre at it why don't man utd help Salford with events?

Different (competing) events owned by different people don't generally happen unless they are mutually beneficial.  The Argos see two as competition

You can feel it in the crowd at the 3 Brewers before  some game times that have overlapped....its like they sort of stare at us and wonder who/what are they?  Then they see all the kids and women folk in TWP gear (as you know we sell alot, and I mean ALOT, of gear) and you can tell they are a little jealous.   Can't see this couple ever getting together to dance, or not the kind of dance most think of anyway.

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4 hours ago, Kayakman said:

Funny how the thread title says 'events' and then the posts all relate to actual game fixtures....illustrates the mindset. There can be multiple events....I don't know what goes on in England but is there not an actual half time show?  In our last game vs. Fev TWP had numerous fully dressed knights in combat fighting over an English Queen in the middle of Lamport....the fans,and especially the kids, just ate it up...I looked over at the roughly 100 Fev fans and they were gobsmacked...they couldn't believe it...the title of the show was 'Medieval Times'.

More of this type of thinking needs to happen to make the whole game day experience better, a number of events with the game, of course, as the 'Main Event'.  This is the future and how it should be done.  The NHL is leading the way with these types of promotions and they have been very successful and very popular.  Some of the traditionalists don't like it though....its time to modernize the game day experience...this has to be done for the future of the game.

Despite my earlier somewhat flippant comment, you are spot on.

Often wonder why smaller clubs, in particular, don't make use of local bands for pre-match and half-time. Most will do it for a tiny fee, often for just a few free beers and a feed.

They only need to bring a couple of dozen of their fans/mates to make it pay. And a few might return.

More importantly, it might give the place an aura of the kind of place young people might hang out.

 

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