Half The Stadium Not On Sale: GB v Tonga

[GUBRATS]

28 minutes ago, Scubby said:

Wow, if you had one full glass and used it to fill half of another glass, guess you would have two half empty glasses? 

In 2002 GB got smashed 64-10 at the SFS and 4 years later, they won there and played Australia in Brisbane in front of 44k a fortnight later. In my lifetime, is usually quite a long time btw (unless you are Prince Phillip). 

I remember watching that match in a bar in Magaluf , disappointed doesn't describe how bad I felt watching that 

[Scubby]

1 minute ago, GUBRATS said:

I remember watching that match in a bar in Magaluf , disappointed doesn't describe how bad I felt watching that 

Was 0-0 after 20 minutes believe it or not, and 34-0 by half time   

[Rupert Prince]

10 hours ago, Gibbo said:

This tour will nearly bankrupt the organisers IMO

Its not a case of losing money its a case of how much will be lost and can it be sustained. 

If there are only 4 games,  2 of which are quite poor countries, it's hard to see how it can make money.

What would make money would be a TV deal, but I do not recall news about any sort of great tv deal.

What might make a bit of money might be a proper tour.  3 tests with some sort of intervening provincial games.   But summer rugby has put paid to that. 

[Abicus]

Eden Park the following week looks much much worse. And that's in a 50,000 seater.

[Gorbals]

Can't imagine the BBC paid a fortune for the UK rights either

The time difference must be a huge factor when it comes to the success, or otherwise, of international RL, or the NRL in the UK for that matter

I like a bit of NFL I do, but I can have a beer and wind down with it on a Sunday night. Many a time I've followed an NFL season quite closely but not bothered with the Superbowl live because it can go on until 3-4am. I've never followed the NRL because I hate mornings and don't want to watch sport at that time

In fact, I've probably watched more Masters tournaments than I have British Opens. No wonder the BBC resolutely holds on to whatever Masters coverage they have left.

Even the other game struggles with this. As someone who doesn't seek out news of RU, the only way I know England are doing well in the ongoing WC is because of the odd sports bulletin I catch on the radio. If it was taking place in France, I reckon I'd be being bombarded with "Rugby's Coming Home", or some other drivel, on every media platform.

 

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

What time does this game kick off UK time? 

The fact it clashes (or nearly clashes?)  with New Zealand v England World Cup Semi Final will keep the attendance down, the all blacks are the number 1 draw in the country. 

[Scubby]

2 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

What time does this game kick off UK time? 

The fact it clashes (or nearly clashes?)  with New Zealand v England World Cup Semi Final will keep the attendance down, the all blacks are the number 1 draw in the country. 

Yep, that was a wise move to put the games on against the NZ Rugby Union WC Semi Final  

[cookey]

This week,I've watched womens International tennis played in a near empty stadium,European golf being watched by two men and a dog and international cricket played in a stadium where you could literally count the crowd.On their various web sites there has not been one mention of the crowds.

On here,the only topic of conversation,for a game which hasn't been played ,is,how poor the crowd will be. Some of you really need to change the broken record.

[RayCee]

5 minutes ago, cookey said:

...played in a stadium where you could literally count the crowd...

The MOK can do that in near full stadiums.

But I get your point. As my mother used to say "It's being so cheerful that keeps me going".

[Scubby]

15 minutes ago, cookey said:

This week,I've watched womens International tennis played in a near empty stadium,European golf being watched by two men and a dog and international cricket played in a stadium where you could literally count the crowd.On their various web sites there has not been one mention of the crowds.

On here,the only topic of conversation,for a game which hasn't been played ,is,how poor the crowd will be. Some of you really need to change the broken record.

The broken record is going to hit the RFL's balance sheet hard! This tour is going to cost an absolute fortune. So yes, unlike other sports that get mega sponsors, RL needs crowds to show up or we are #######

[cookey]

29 minutes ago, Scubby said:

The broken record is going to hit the RFL's balance sheet hard! This tour is going to cost an absolute fortune. So yes, unlike other sports that get mega sponsors, RL needs crowds to show up or we are #######

Your constant negativity is really appreciated by all in rl.

[Scubby]

2 minutes ago, cookey said:

Your constant negativity is really appreciated by all in rl.......

who don't want to change

[Damien]

54 minutes ago, cookey said:

This week,I've watched womens International tennis played in a near empty stadium,European golf being watched by two men and a dog and international cricket played in a stadium where you could literally count the crowd.On their various web sites there has not been one mention of the crowds.

On here,the only topic of conversation,for a game which hasn't been played ,is,how poor the crowd will be. Some of you really need to change the broken record.

Each of those sports has numerous events where they make a small fortune and get great crowds. They all have a strong international dimension that is taken very seriously and none of them have any trouble attracting blue chip sponsors. Any minor events that you describe are glossed over because they are somewhat irrelevant in the bigger picture. 

[RugbyLeagueGeek]

Just read an article that says how the 1987 RU World Cup had an average attendance of just over 20k, with stadiums around 60% full. I can't help thinking if that was RL, then we'd have called it a failure and stopped after the first attempt. The RU World Cup has grown to become the behemoth it is now. Are we going to see another 9s tourney or will that end up on the shelf after this weekend?

RL needs to develop its international events and build and build and build. This was one of the things that infuriated me about getting rid of GB v Aus Ashes Series. These were always sell outs over here, and the last series over there was a sellout too in 92. Then for some inexplicable reason we stopped doing them. I can't think of any other sport that would just jettison one of its most successful international competitions and all of the associated history for no discernible reason. It's insane, but that's RL for you.

[Scubby]

3 minutes ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

Just read an article that says how the 1987 RU World Cup had an average attendance of just over 20k, with stadiums around 60% full. I can't help thinking if that was RL, then we'd have called it a failure and stopped after the first attempt. The RU World Cup has grown to become the behemoth it is now. Are we going to see another 9s tourney or will that end up on the shelf after this weekend?

RL needs to develop its international events and build and build and build. This was one of the things that infuriated me about getting rid of GB v Aus Ashes Series. These were always sell outs over here, and the last series over there was a sellout too in 92. Then for some inexplicable reason we stopped doing them. I can't think of any other sport that would just jettison one of its most successful international competitions and all of the associated history for no discernible reason. It's insane, but that's RL for you.

Rugby Union had put no World Tournaments on before 1987. RLWC Final attendances went from 95% capacity (2008), 100% capacity (2013) to 73% capacity in 2017. Touring Australia would have been risky for GB financially. Touring PNG and NZ (where international RL is struggling) is downright nuts. It is not even about GB or England. It is the saving face attitude to push GB through regardless of the red warning signs. It is going to hurt!

 

[RugbyLeagueGeek]

57 minutes ago, Scubby said:

Touring Australia would have been risky for GB financially. Touring PNG and NZ (where international RL is struggling) is downright nuts. It is not even about GB or England. It is the saving face attitude to push GB through regardless of the red warning signs. It is going to hurt!

I'm no fan of how they've brought GB back this year – it is rushed, ill-considered, and instead of complementing the existing home nations calendar, it has replaced it. Very poorly thought out.

However, I do think there is an important place for GB as I've mentioned countless times on these forums, but it needs to be part of a much more extensive international calendar, that complements the home nations activity instead of replacing it.

GB v New Zealand was never a massive draw in either country. However, for me, the ditching of GB v Australia Ashes series was so stupid it would be like if golf ditched the Ryder Cup – absolutely insane.

[Gibbo]

1 hour ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

Just read an article that says how the 1987 RU World Cup had an average attendance of just over 20k, with stadiums around 60% full. I can't help thinking if that was RL, then we'd have called it a failure and stopped after the first attempt. The RU World Cup has grown to become the behemoth it is now. Are we going to see another 9s tourney or will that end up on the shelf after this weekend?

RL needs to develop its international events and build and build and build. This was one of the things that infuriated me about getting rid of GB v Aus Ashes Series. These were always sell outs over here, and the last series over there was a sellout too in 92. Then for some inexplicable reason we stopped doing them. I can't think of any other sport that would just jettison one of its most successful international competitions and all of the associated history for no discernible reason. It's insane, but that's RL for you.

It was not long after 92 the rumblings of a take over of the game was in place with Super League trying to take control off the ARL and its teams that led to full blown war in Australia a couple of years later.

Internationals have never fully recovered from those times along with the change in playing the game in Summer in the UK.

[Jim from Oz]

12 minutes ago, Gibbo said:

It was not long after 92 the rumblings of a take over of the game was in place with Super League trying to take control off the ARL and its teams that led to full blown war in Australia a couple of years later.

Internationals have never fully recovered from those times along with the change in playing the game in Summer in the UK.

Precisely

Regular 3-test series GB v Oz for the Ashes was a victim of the moronic Super League war … and for some equally moronic reason, an Ashes series has not been held since 2003

It means a whole new generation of RL fans in Oz (and the UK) are growing up without any knowledge of this brilliant historic RL rivalry and instead are fed the rubbish that Origin is the "pinnacle" of RL !

Depressing

[Gibbo]

14 minutes ago, Jim from Oz said:

Precisely

Regular 3-test series GB v Oz for the Ashes was a victim of the moronic Super League war … and for some equally moronic reason, an Ashes series has not been held since 2003

It means a whole new generation of RL fans in Oz (and the UK) are growing up without any knowledge of this brilliant historic RL rivalry and instead are fed the rubbish that Origin is the "pinnacle" of RL !

Depressing

It goes a bit deeper than that I think.

You are reading one page of a fairly lengthy book in my opinion.

 

[Harry Stottle]

12 hours ago, Abicus said:

Eden Park the following week looks much much worse. And that's in a 50,000 seater.

And it's a 3 header.

[Exiled Wiganer]

We know that:

- games against the Aussies and Kiwis over here can make money; and 

- the World Cups can make money. 

I am guessing nothing else does. So, how about... 

year 1 world cup

year 2 9s and NZ tour

year 3 confederation cup - top 8 teams

year 4 ashes / Pacific Cup 

I see no reason why the 9s can’t grow as everyone learns from this version (maybe don’t ask the NRL to run it the week after the GF). I have always liked the idea of a confed Cup, but it was shelved on the basis that 9s would work as the other main event. 

The next part of the tour will be a test of how feasible it is to ever attempt to play NZ in NZ, or any South Pacific teams. On paper, at least, there was compelling logic in playing Tonga and PNG, alongside NZ away. But, maybe in reality there is no appetite for these games. We shall know more in a month’s time. My money is on the action on the pitch being fantastic again. 

[sweaty craiq]

21 hours ago, Clogiron said:

Whether it's GB or England the brand has little stature in Aus/NZ. Results like today's, albeit in a nines competition only goes to confirm it in their eyes. The top players are in action in their comp every week so even if they are a die hard fan there's nothing to excite them, Australia always win anyway so why should they want to watch a one sided game. I doubt if a team from this isles under any brand will ever be invited to play a 3 test series in Australia during my lifetime. The Aussies might be coming over to play a test series here next year but by the time the club's have withdrawn their players it will be nowhere near their strongest side and they will accept that because it will still win the series comfortably.

Leaving Lang Park after the WCF we had Cons saying how the best team lost, how the game was much Higher standard than SOO and they couldn't wait for a tour, nothing like seizing the moment.

[Mattrhino]

I don't know why anyone is shocked NZ vs Oz can hardly draw 5 figures. NZ games in the 2017 RLWC played in NZ were horribly attended. 

The only saving grace was going to be the Tonga match but that has been wrecked and the Port Moresby game will be great but holding a game in 3rd world country although great as it may be will not make a dime. 

This forum called this happening 18 months ago,  why the didn't scrap it and take the Australian offer of a UK tour this Autumn is beyond me. Although some on here still argue we shouldnt have taken the Aussies offer. 

[Mattrhino]

Honestly for the money that will be lost on this tour and the embarrassing crowds that will occur. 

Im sure we could have flown the whole of the Kiwis,  Tongans and Papa new guinians over here first class and played a few tests over here and still come out better. 

[Dave T]

8 hours ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

Just read an article that says how the 1987 RU World Cup had an average attendance of just over 20k, with stadiums around 60% full. I can't help thinking if that was RL, then we'd have called it a failure and stopped after the first attempt. L

Well that doesnt make sense. Our 1995 WC had an average of 15k and was lauded as a great success and starting point. So we had worse results than that and didnt scrap it.