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Championship & League 1 play-off structure, 1895 Cup final before Challenge Cup final


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Four less neutral attendees here. Thought the kick off times were ideal last year as it gave us time to travel down in the morning, check in to our hotel then watch the Challenge Cup curtain raiser and then the 1895 main event.

We had already booked the Saturday night for this year based on the same kick off times but the new kick off time means we wouldn't be able to access the hotel in time for getting to Wembley in time for the 1895 final.

End result, hotel cancelled and we'll just wait and see if Leigh get to either final(!) and do a day trip on the train. Although we risk missing out on the cheaper advance train tickets, it will still work out cheaper than paying for two nights in a hotel.

Well done to the RFL for doing the right thing on the play off venues though.

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2 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Well done to the RFL for doing the right thing on the play off venues though.

Yep, shame, that having learnt the hard way that this was the right way to do it about 20 years ago, we had to re-learn this lesson once again.

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3 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Four less neutral attendees here. Thought the kick off times were ideal last year as it gave us time to travel down in the morning, check in to our hotel then watch the Challenge Cup curtain raiser and then the 1895 main event.

We had already booked the Saturday night for this year based on the same kick off times but the new kick off time means we wouldn't be able to access the hotel in time for getting to Wembley in time for the 1895 final.

End result, hotel cancelled and we'll just wait and see if Leigh get to either final(!) and do a day trip on the train. Although we risk missing out on the cheaper advance train tickets, it will still work out cheaper than paying for two nights in a hotel.

Well done to the RFL for doing the right thing on the play off venues though.

Unfortunately not everyone can be pleased, I stayed for the 1895 final with my mate who was a Widnes fan, and tbh it was embarrassing and boring. I expect it to be a far better atmosphere and occasion this year.

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28 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Unfortunately not everyone can be pleased, I stayed for the 1895 final with my mate who was a Widnes fan, and tbh it was embarrassing and boring. I expect it to be a far better atmosphere and occasion this year.

I don't think many people will be turning up at 12 either to be honest Dave because of the rush to get there at that time. The later kick off was very much the lesser of two evils in my view. Hope it is a success all the same. Without wishing to necessarily repeat myself whenever this topic comes up, but personally I'd be scrapping the Bash and hosting the 1895 Cup Final at Blackpool as a standalone event, as was the case with the Northern Rail Cup.

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4 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Four less neutral attendees here. Thought the kick off times were ideal last year as it gave us time to travel down in the morning, check in to our hotel then watch the Challenge Cup curtain raiser and then the 1895 main event.

We had already booked the Saturday night for this year based on the same kick off times but the new kick off time means we wouldn't be able to access the hotel in time for getting to Wembley in time for the 1895 final.

End result, hotel cancelled and we'll just wait and see if Leigh get to either final(!) and do a day trip on the train. Although we risk missing out on the cheaper advance train tickets, it will still work out cheaper than paying for two nights in a hotel.

Well done to the RFL for doing the right thing on the play off venues though.

Or you could have just rang the hotel reception and asked to leave your bags there, like any hotel in the world allows you to?

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3 minutes ago, Gav Wilson said:

Or you could have just rang the hotel reception and asked to leave your bags there, like any hotel in the world allows you to?

Yes I'm sure that would have been fine and maybe I didn't phrase it well, but the point remains that leaving on Saturday morning to have enough time to get to the hotel, drop the bags off and then get to Wembley for 12 (ideally earlier) is a big ask in anyone's book.

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37 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

I don't think many people will be turning up at 12 either to be honest Dave because of the rush to get there at that time. The later kick off was very much the lesser of two evils in my view. Hope it is a success all the same. Without wishing to necessarily repeat myself whenever this topic comes up, but personally I'd be scrapping the Bash and hosting the 1895 Cup Final at Blackpool as a standalone event, as was the case with the Northern Rail Cup.

The difference we will have is with people maybe heading in at 1pm for the 2nd half.

The perfect illustration of this is the difference with the previous double headers at Wembley:

NZ v Wales as the first game finished with a very healthy crowd, and a bustling atmosphere. Australia v Fiji (and Widnes v Sheffield) finished with pretty much empty grounds with only the die-hards remaining in the ground. This way, Sheffield would have picked up the trophy at 1.55pm with maybe 20k plus in the ground instead of less than 10% of that. 

Events should build up rather than fizzle out.

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5 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Yes I'm sure that would have been fine and maybe I didn't phrase it well, but the point remains that leaving on Saturday morning to have enough time to get to the hotel, drop the bags off and then get to Wembley for 12 (ideally earlier) is a big ask in anyone's book.

But getting transport home after the late kick off was also a challenge. I know it was for us as we had to leave shortly after the 2nd half kicked off.

It is a very safe bet that the 1895 Cup Final will have a far bigger crowd in the stadium than last year.

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4 minutes ago, Dave T said:

But getting transport home after the late kick off was also a challenge. I know it was for us as we had to leave shortly after the 2nd half kicked off.

It is a very safe bet that the 1895 Cup Final will have a far bigger crowd in the stadium than last year.

Whether that bigger crowd will be paying any attention to the game - I'm thinking every Magic weekend ever where you get team A playing team B to the background noise of team Cs fans - is another matter. In terms of the post-match transport, I think that's always going to be a challenge when trying to do a double header where one of the games is set in stone as 3pm.

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2 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Whether that bigger crowd will be paying any attention to the game - I'm thinking every Magic weekend ever where you get team A playing team B to the background noise of team Cs fans - is another matter. In terms of the post-match transport, I think that's always going to be a challenge when trying to do a double header where one of the games is set in stone as 3pm.

I think you are unfairly talking down the atmosphere at Magic. The lesser games always have a far better atmosphere with more neutrals in, as they usually applaud and respect the players. 

I think we shouldn't forget as well that the likes of Leigh, Widnes, Bradford, Fev etc who may fancy their chances of making the final have rivalries with some fans of clubs hoping to make the CC Final, and I think the atmosphere will be decent. 

The Final last year wasn't a very good experience at all.

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27 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

"In further positive news, Sky Sports have confirmed they will broadcast the entirety of the 2020 Championship play-offs after impressive viewing figures last year"

Scotchy won't like this news!

What a joke!  Playoffs had good figures put some more champ games on sky then!  Sigh...grumble grumble... sky....grumble grumble

(Sky's the joke not the viewing figures statement)

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28 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Obviously the new structure in the play offs is much fairer, but I still think that being a final with so much at stake it should be played at a neutral venue, the league leaders have still recieved their reward of only needing to win one game to reach the final. 

Now they have made this tweak, I think it is fine, I think it is a very good reward for finishing top.

I think we have seen at Old Trafford that the neutral venue is a huge leveller. In the last 15 years, the League Leaders have won the Final only 6 times, with 9 Champions finishing lower down. 

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7 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Four less neutral attendees here. Thought the kick off times were ideal last year as it gave us time to travel down in the morning, check in to our hotel then watch the Challenge Cup curtain raiser and then the 1895 main event.

We had already booked the Saturday night for this year based on the same kick off times but the new kick off time means we wouldn't be able to access the hotel in time for getting to Wembley in time for the 1895 final.

End result, hotel cancelled and we'll just wait and see if Leigh get to either final(!) and do a day trip on the train. Although we risk missing out on the cheaper advance train tickets, it will still work out cheaper than paying for two nights in a hotel.

Well done to the RFL for doing the right thing on the play off venues though.

This has to be a wind up..........

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3 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

I don't think many people will be turning up at 12 either to be honest Dave because of the rush to get there at that time. The later kick off was very much the lesser of two evils in my view. Hope it is a success all the same. Without wishing to necessarily repeat myself whenever this topic comes up, but personally I'd be scrapping the Bash and hosting the 1895 Cup Final at Blackpool as a standalone event, as was the case with the Northern Rail Cup.

So probably the only person on here who didnt call for the final to be a curtain raiser just happened to book his hotel...... What's up with you man? - drop your bags and go to the game.

Dont forget this match isnt supposed to have a massive crowd - you will get a few 1000 for kick off then by the last 10 mins there could be 30,000 in so it's a great occasion for the smaller clubs.

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27 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

What is the point of an event where the attendees are there to watch something else?

Just don't watch it, rather than keep having this debate. We know you don't like it, people have answered the above question many times. You don't like it, that is perfectly fine. 

 

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28 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

Viewing figures that impressive they are showing fewer games than last year.

That is disingenuous. Assuming they cover Summer Bash their commitment to the Championship remains the same as last year. 

If somebody will pay for another 15 to 20 games to be broadcast, I'm sure they will show them. 

Just like them not showing Catalans games (as things stand) ain't a reflection that they have lost interest in SL. 

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4 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

That's not the question I asked. Whether it get more people before or after the CC final what does is the point of it if people are there to watch the CC final 

Yes, it's why I want us to stop the kids game before too. Nobody is there to watch that pish. 

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2 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

It isnt disingenuous at all.

What would be disingenuous is to make the claim, as was made, that the viewing figures of the championship were so impressive they have chosen to show these games. 

Also rumours are they arent showing the summer bash, so even besides Toronto it's likely to be a drop

There were rumours last year too. They showed it, just like all the others have been televised. 

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2 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

It isnt disingenuous at all.

What would be disingenuous is to make the claim, as was made, that the viewing figures of the championship were so impressive they have chosen to show these games. 

As far as I recall , they've always shown the ' Bash ' or NRC final and the play offs , except when we had licencing , then it was shown by Premier Sports 

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8 hours ago, scotchy1 said:

 

But the idea that last seasons viewing figures and a return to P+R have realised some previously ignored broadcast value just isnt true.

It really is odd that you are in a grump because TRL stated in their article that there were decent viewing figures last year. 

Your downer on the Championships is worse than Piers Morgan on Meghan Markle! 

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I think Scotchy should get on to Simon Moran and advise him how to run his concerts better. All of those support acts he puts on are a waste of time and money.

I can confirm 30+ less sales for Scotland vs Italy at Workington, after this afternoons test purchase for the Tonga match, £7.50 is extremely reasonable, however a £2.50 'delivery' fee for a walk in purchase is beyond taking the mickey, good luck with that, it's cheaper on the telly.

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