Anfield World Cup games to move to Wigan

[Griff]

2 hours ago, Dave T said:

I don't like Anfield, but it was one of the marquee venues that gave the tournament more prestige. 

Does Wigan not have a marquee at the back of one of the goals ?

Certainly used to ....

[Scubby]

Does this mean I have to leave 15 minutes before the end?

[Mr Frisky]

3 hours ago, Dallas Mead said:

Real shame this.  Moving from a world famous city and stadium to er….Wigan.  Not good.

Take it you haven't been to Liverpool... or outside Anfield...actually the inside is almost as worse, but you would have seen plenty of 40/20s as the pitch is like a 12 year old pitch size as far as RL goes... 

[Waynebennettswinger]

Have to agree with some of the comments on here about Anfield. It is iconic but this is down to the atmosphere of those amazing European nights in particular. As a football stadium it’s very good, but I have been to 3 RL matches and as a venue for RL, sorry it’s not all that. 

Comparisons with Old Trafford are likely to cause the football fans on here to go nuts but having experienced both Anfield and Old Trafford as a RL fan there is only one of these venues that I would have major RL matches at and it’s not Anfield.

[M j M]

28 minutes ago, Waynebennettswinger said:

Comparisons with Old Trafford are likely to cause the football fans on here to go nuts but having experienced both Anfield and Old Trafford as a RL fan there is only one of these venues that I would have major RL matches at and it’s not Anfield.

Quite, it's a very underwhelming venue when you experience it first hand. 

[Waynebennettswinger]

8 minutes ago, M j M said:

Quite, it's a very underwhelming venue when you experience it first hand. 

Which is very different when it is full of Liverpool fans on European nights that is certain.

I have only been for RL and to take a French friend who was visiting on a stadium tour. This lad is a Bordeaux fan but loves the famous atmosphere at the likes of Bayern Munich, Anfield and the Camp Nou. You sum it up well as underwhelming as a stadium, as he certainly wasn’t blown away, again that would be hugely different with a full football stadium but having done a similar tour myself at the Camp Nou I thought that was an incredible venue even when empty!

[Damien]

I don't think this is a big deal. As others have said an England quarter final can be moved to a bigger venue and 25k is fine for a quarter final involving the other teams.

[Eddie]

7 minutes ago, Damien said:

I don't think this is a big deal. As others have said an England quarter final can be moved to a bigger venue and 25k is fine for a quarter final involving the other teams.

Definitely better to have a full 25k stadium than a half full Anfield imho. 

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

In response to Dunbar and Hawkman, the short piece in The Times quotes Liverpool FC as saying that it is related to the redevelopment of the Anfield Road Stand.

[Dallas Mead]

2 hours ago, Mr Frisky said:

Take it you haven't been to Liverpool... or outside Anfield...actually the inside is almost as worse, but you would have seen plenty of 40/20s as the pitch is like a 12 year old pitch size as far as RL goes... 

Been to many, many games at anfield mate as a lifelong Liverpool fan.  In the new main stand mainly which is absolutely awesome. Yep, the pitch is too small for RL but just playing a RL World Cup game is (would have been) great publicity for the sport as opposed to Wigan.  We needed to jazz things up a bit and do something different, not the usual #localgameforlocalpeople approach as per usual.

[Jim Prendle]

1 hour ago, M j M said:

Quite, it's a very underwhelming venue when you experience it first hand. 

I was there when Liverpool beat Barcelona a couple of years ago. Underwhelming it certainly was not.

[Mattrhino]

I'm just staggered it wasn't moved to Leigh.

[DoubleD]

The difference is that with Wigan we’re effectively fishing in the same pond, where there are already lots of matches. It’s potentially oversaturated now. With Anfield, whilst I dislike the stadium for the reasons already stated, it did add prestige and is targeting a different market, one which we will now miss out on potentially 

[Scubby]

Weren't the wheelchair games also meant to be there which means Liverpool would have had a real host city feel.

[M j M]

46 minutes ago, Jim Prendle said:

I was there when Liverpool beat Barcelona a couple of years ago. Underwhelming it certainly was not.

Meh, Odsal was rocking when there were 24,000 in for a big game. Lots of stadia are great on big events. Doesn't mean that when you strip away that veneer they aren't found wanting.

[Mattrhino]

Even if it is the best stadium in the world we really shouldn't be staging WC games on a pitch 10 yards too small

[Dave T]

I really hope this is the only change. This was an ambitious World Cup schedule, but the majority of games were in standard heartland venues - this moves from prestigious to heartland again. Another forced change or two like this and it won't be great. 

[del capo]

Notwithstanding current problems Wigan remains probably THE most iconic brand in World Rugby League.

A full house can be virtually guaranteed making the event truly atmospheric.

The wider Robin Park arena complex can cater for all the supporting acts- promises a memorable day.

Maybe the only issue would be whether the Organisers can make enough money out of it for our Legacy given the corporate offer lacks  boxes and therefore opportunity......

[del capo]

6 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I really hope this is the only change. This was an ambitious World Cup schedule, but the majority of games were in standard heartland venues - this moves from prestigious to heartland again. Another forced change or two like this and it won't be great. 

'Heartland'  being the operative word - massive  central  Gov funding - levelling up - all part of the process.

[Dave T]

2 minutes ago, del capo said:

'Heartland'  being the operative word - massive  central  Gov funding - levelling up - all part of the process.

Yes, I know that, so I understand we had some sparing events in non- traditional RL towns, and this was one of those - and it has gone and not been replaced like-for-like. 

[Damien]

48 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Yes, I know that, so I understand we had some sparing events in non- traditional RL towns, and this was one of those - and it has gone and not been replaced like-for-like. 

I do understand your concern but I'm not sure where else we could go. We are already playing games in every other major city in the North so it would have been a case of taking the games to an existing venue. It may well also be the case that other big stadiums aren't available too. For all its faults Wigan is a good size and should get a good crowd.

Putting the World Cup back a year was always going to cause issues and was never going to be as simple as the Aussies liked to make out.

[Tommygilf]

50 minutes ago, Damien said:

I do understand your concern but I'm not sure where else we could go. We are already playing games in every other major city in the North so it would have been a case of taking the games to an existing venue. It may well also be the case that other big stadiums aren't available too. For all its faults Wigan is a good size and should get a good crowd.

Putting the World Cup back a year was always going to cause issues and was never going to be as simple as the Aussies liked to make out.

London should absolutely be considered as a replacement. Coventry maybe too.

England are now playing in Bolton and most likely Wigan in the tournament now, which feels a bit more lowkey than the vibe they will want to show.

[Padge]

Can I just point out that this will not benefit Wigan Rugby League other than a profile raise.

[Damien]

17 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

London should absolutely be considered as a replacement. Coventry maybe too.

England are now playing in Bolton and most likely Wigan in the tournament now, which feels a bit more lowkey than the vibe they will want to show.

I said the North because that is what the Northern powerhouse funding was dependent on a minimum number of games in the North. This is what the original schedule was created with in mind. Therefore if Anfield is gone then it needs to be replaced by games in the North.

[del capo]

7 minutes ago, Damien said:

I said the North because that is what the Northern powerhouse funding was dependent on a minimum number of games in the North. This is what the original schedule was created with in mind. Therefore if Anfield is gone then it needs to be replaced by games in the North.

Yes  80% of funding had to be spent up North.

Padge whilst WIgan RL  will make nothing directly I'm sure the Arena will sell a few pints and as you say will improve profile. The game is likely to be worth 500K + to the local economy

Even the Bahreinis ( DW'S new soccer owners ) may take notice that there is another sport in town after all.....and one that can bring a World Cup to them.......