World Cup games move to Newcastle

[Charlie RL]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/49497501

Kingston Park. Good choice.

[The Future is League]

1 minute ago, Charlie RL said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/49497501

Good choice.

Indeed.

I'm hoping the Magic weekend returns to Newcastle in the not to distance future

[Eddie]

Seems a shame to use two grounds in the same city though, when they could have gone elsewhere to spread it around a bit more. 

[Damien]

I like the choice. It's in the North, as is required, but is still an expansion area and certainly not a place that is regarded as a RL heartland. It will hopefully bolster the great work done by Newcastle RL and the amateur clubs in the North East too.

[HawkMan]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

I like the choice. It's in the North, as is required, but is still an expansion area and certainly not a place that is regarded as a RL heartland. It will hopefully bolster the great work done by Newcastle RL and the amateur clubs in the North East too.

Why is it required to be in the North? This is England hosting the world cup, a chance, possibly THE LAST CHANCE to spread the game nationally and the southern half of the country is ignored. Don't blame anyone but RL itself if come 2021 the country outside of the heartlands just shrugs its shoulders and ignores the whole event.

[Damien]

Just now, HawkMan said:

Why is it required to be in the North? This is England hosting the world cup, a chance, possibly THE LAST CHANCE to spread the game nationally and the southern half of the country is ignored. Don't blame anyone but RL itself if come 2021 the country outside of the heartlands just shrugs its shoulders and ignores the whole event.

Because it's a requirement of the government funding that 80% of games are in the North. Don't shoot the messenger.

[Exiled Wiganer]

I believe that a lot of the money which under pins the bid comes from sources like the Northern Powerhouse and so the majority of the games have to be in the north. Newcastle is a massive potential market which is being developed nicely. Makes perfect sense. 

[HawkMan]

1 minute ago, Damien said:

Because it's a requirement of the government funding that 80% of games are in the North. Don't shoot the messenger.

I didn't realise that, so basically the government said " look chaps we'll hand over the dosh but keep it up north because you're just a quaint little northern sport" and the RLIF said " yes sir please sir"

You'll notice also that recent successful world cups in other sports looking for attention, i.e. Cricket and Netball didn't play during the football season. It may have been harder to organize but the regular RL season could take a break in July and hold it then.

There's also a fixation with Newcastle because of a few good Magic weekends. How many attendees were new Geordie fans? The only other time another sport tried to make serious inroads into Newcastle's soccer fiefdom was when Sir John Hall was in charge and he dared to put Falcons material in the United programme, until the fans revolted and got it removed. What will.Newcastle sports fans, 90% of them be concerned about in November 2021 ? RL WC or The Magpies ? Gosh that's a toughie.

[Mr Wind Up]

17 minutes ago, HawkMan said:

I didn't realise that, so basically the government said " look chaps we'll hand over the dosh but keep it up north because you're just a quaint little northern sport" and the RLIF said " yes sir please sir"

You'll notice also that recent successful world cups in other sports looking for attention, i.e. Cricket and Netball didn't play during the football season. It may have been harder to organize but the regular RL season could take a break in July and hold it then.

There's also a fixation with Newcastle because of a few good Magic weekends. How many attendees were new Geordie fans? The only other time another sport tried to make serious inroads into Newcastle's soccer fiefdom was when Sir John Hall was in charge and he dared to put Falcons material in the United programme, until the fans revolted and got it removed. What will.Newcastle sports fans, 90% of them be concerned about in November 2021 ? RL WC or The Magpies ? Gosh that's a toughie.

The cricket world cup is a summer event, hence it being played in summer, when the football is out of season. 

Why bother hosting anything in England of any sport when most major cities are football cities? A city is capable of paying attention to more than one sport at any given time, especially when it's a special event. NUFC play in Newcastle once every 14 days. That's plenty of days in between for other things.

[RP London]

21 minutes ago, HawkMan said:

I didn't realise that, so basically the government said " look chaps we'll hand over the dosh but keep it up north because you're just a quaint little northern sport" and the RLIF said " yes sir please sir"

You'll notice also that recent successful world cups in other sports looking for attention, i.e. Cricket and Netball didn't play during the football season. It may have been harder to organize but the regular RL season could take a break in July and hold it then.

There's also a fixation with Newcastle because of a few good Magic weekends. How many attendees were new Geordie fans? The only other time another sport tried to make serious inroads into Newcastle's soccer fiefdom was when Sir John Hall was in charge and he dared to put Falcons material in the United programme, until the fans revolted and got it removed. What will.Newcastle sports fans, 90% of them be concerned about in November 2021 ? RL WC or The Magpies ? Gosh that's a toughie.

Bad morning??

Rugby Union hosts successful world cups during the football season... always, the 6 nations is also quite successful and that is during the football season. Not saying ours will be as successful but it doesnt need to be either but just as an example that things can work. 

The money is coming from the northern powerhouse funding, its not the government saying "keep it up where you belong" its where the funding comes from, and an application will have gone in for that funding, perhaps it was more the RFL knowing (maybe by talking to to the likes of Andy Burnham) that there was more chance of getting the funding if they went about it that way.. Without knowing the ins and outs of it it is a little harsh to paint it as a negative "know your place" style hand out but it could be a very positive, very astute move and actually strengthen the fact the sport is important to the north.

Newcastle is a great place and the magic weekends i have been to have always had geordies in the stadium that i have met, they are also interested when you go out and about by all the people and all the shirts. The Thunder play outside the football season and there is a much larger population around Newcastle that they will be trying to tap into too that dont necessarily go to the football all the time. I think they have been quite clever, they arent trying to fill 50,000 for each of the matches its a one off "big launch" which people will travel too but also could be of interest to general spots fans in Newcastle. Then they are only trying to get 10k or so to each of the other games and its not far from Workington where it was supposed to be held so the target audience will be similar. 

Its not all about getting the football fans interested all the time, there are plenty of other people to aim at who dont like football, or wont go to football matches.

[NERugbyDad]

1 hour ago, HawkMan said:

I didn't realise that, so basically the government said " look chaps we'll hand over the dosh but keep it up north because you're just a quaint little northern sport" and the RLIF said " yes sir please sir"

You'll notice also that recent successful world cups in other sports looking for attention, i.e. Cricket and Netball didn't play during the football season. It may have been harder to organize but the regular RL season could take a break in July and hold it then.

There's also a fixation with Newcastle because of a few good Magic weekends. How many attendees were new Geordie fans? The only other time another sport tried to make serious inroads into Newcastle's soccer fiefdom was when Sir John Hall was in charge and he dared to put Falcons material in the United programme, until the fans revolted and got it removed. What will.Newcastle sports fans, 90% of them be concerned about in November 2021 ? RL WC or The Magpies ? Gosh that's a toughie.

The 2015 Union world cup staged 3 games at St James during the football season in October and got crowds of 51-52k for each, including New Zealand vs Tonga so there must have been a lot of neutrals including I'm sure many geordie sports fans. There is a big appetite for sport in general up here not just football, although that is obviously the main thing, and whenever we are given the opportunity to host major events they're always well attended.

The other 2 Union games involved Scotland, and if Scotland qualify for 2021 which I imagine they should I think basing them at Kingston Park will guarantee sell outs.

I can also put my hand up to being a new Geordie rugby league fan, brought in in large part by the hosting of Magic weekend.

 

[jroyales]

We need our own Rugby League stadium so has hold all of our prestigious games. All money generated would be the Rugby League not companies such as Newcastle, Man. City, Man. Utd, Wembley, Twickenham, Wales / Scotland / Ireland Rugby Union and Liverpool.

When England RU have a game they generate countless millions of pounds that is subsequently spent on Rugby Union. What does Rugby League get, I believe it's only ticket money.

Develop Odsal creating our own Rugby League centre.

[Tommygilf]

3 hours ago, Eddie said:

Seems a shame to use two grounds in the same city though, when they could have gone elsewhere to spread it around a bit more. 

They were only hosting 1 game at St James' Park in fairness. With that being the opener I'd expect a lot of M62 based fans to travel up so these 3 new games could actually be more beneficial to the sport in the region in terms of getting more locals.

I would have liked to see 1 of the games go to Bristol for example, but can see the advantages of Newcastle getting the extra games. If Sheffield Eagles had a similar facility I'd expect them to have been in the running also for example.

[GeordieSaint]

I like this decision. 

Newcastle/Northeast (plus Sheffield and Coventry) would be the three non-traditional areas in England we should be seeking to develop. I loved the game in Bristol back in ‘13 but with little development and no semi-professional team there, it’s a waste of time sadly. Reinforce clubs/scenes already in place is a far better developmental strategy than dropping games in areas with no development IMO.

[Damien]

8 minutes ago, RugbyLeagueMan said:

Why is it being hosted by 'England' and not the United Kingdom? Sport England had a say in that??

Read the posts above about the Northern Powerhouse funding.

[paul hicks]

9 hours ago, jroyales said:

We need our own Rugby League stadium so has hold all of our prestigious games. All money generated would be the Rugby League not companies such as Newcastle, Man. City, Man. Utd, Wembley, Twickenham, Wales / Scotland / Ireland Rugby Union and Liverpool.

When England RU have a game they generate countless millions of pounds that is subsequently spent on Rugby Union. What does Rugby League get, I believe it's only ticket money.

Develop Odsal creating our own Rugby League centre.

you paying for it ?.

 

[Chamey]

Really good news. I also agree with the national stadium comment, but as ever money is the issue.

[Newcastle Thunder]

12 hours ago, HawkMan said:

I didn't realise that, so basically the government said " look chaps we'll hand over the dosh but keep it up north because you're just a quaint little northern sport" and the RLIF said " yes sir please sir"

You'll notice also that recent successful world cups in other sports looking for attention, i.e. Cricket and Netball didn't play during the football season. It may have been harder to organize but the regular RL season could take a break in July and hold it then.

There's also a fixation with Newcastle because of a few good Magic weekends. How many attendees were new Geordie fans? The only other time another sport tried to make serious inroads into Newcastle's soccer fiefdom was when Sir John Hall was in charge and he dared to put Falcons material in the United programme, until the fans revolted and got it removed. What will.Newcastle sports fans, 90% of them be concerned about in November 2021 ? RL WC or The Magpies ? Gosh that's a toughie.

To answer your question it 18% of magic weekend tickets were sold to North East post codes at the last magic weekend in Newcastle 

so that’s 12,000 tickets 

 

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

8 hours ago, Damien said:

Read the posts above about the Northern Powerhouse funding.

What Northern Powerhouse funding?

The whole Northern Powerhouse concept was a complete hoax and has had no funding.

The World Cup may have some government funding, but it hasn’t come from any mythical Northern Powerhouse 

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

10 hours ago, jroyales said:

We need our own Rugby League stadium so has hold all of our prestigious games. All money generated would be the Rugby League not companies such as Newcastle, Man. City, Man. Utd, Wembley, Twickenham, Wales / Scotland / Ireland Rugby Union and Liverpool.

When England RU have a game they generate countless millions of pounds that is subsequently spent on Rugby Union. What does Rugby League get, I believe it's only ticket money.

Develop Odsal creating our own Rugby League centre.

If it was financially viable it would be great, but sadly as we play so few internationals, it would hardly be used. Take 2019, the stadium would be used for the Challenge Cup Final and the Grand Final and that’s it, perhaps magic too. You can’t afford to run a stadium costing hundreds of millions that’s only used a couple of times a year.

[Damien]

38 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

What Northern Powerhouse funding?

The whole Northern Powerhouse concept was a complete hoax and has had no funding.

The World Cup may have some government funding, but it hasn’t come from any mythical Northern Powerhouse 

Try and split hairs as much as you want. The World Cup bid got the funding it got because it committed to holding 80% of the games in the Northern Powerhouse.

Whilst not pre-judging any decisions, there will be a big focus on cities, and there will be a significant footprint in London. But crucially our commitment to HM Government of delivering 80% of the tournament in the Northern Powerhouse will be met.

https://www.rlwc2021.com/article/113/a-message-from-rlwc2021-chief-executive,-jon-dutton