Harry Stottle Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 Now that Toronto and Toulouse are out of the way - so to speak - so the RFL don't need to go running scared of the final being under subscribed if it is played with the inclusion of any of those overseas clubs at a neutral venue in this country, I suggest that the final returns to a ground other than that of the competing teams. With the interest in the Championship this year I consider it could draw a very good attendance and if as expected but not certain that it is between Fev and Leigh neither ground would be big enough, it could also be a double header with the L1 GF. Obviously it is over 2 weeks away and this would not occur to those who run the RFL, they will think about this just before the play-offs are due to begin about September. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Blues Ox Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 Home advantage for the highest ranked team is fine by me. Finishing higher in the league has to hold some weight in what is such an important game. 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Stottle Posted January 29 Author Share Posted January 29 10 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said: Home advantage for the highest ranked team is fine by me. Finishing higher in the league has to hold some weight in what is such an important game. Finishing top carries other advantages which have been earned. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jughead Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 It’s fine as it is and rewards those for finishing first and second with a bye in week one, home ties in week two and the team in first get the possibility of further home advantage in the final. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Stottle Posted January 29 Author Share Posted January 29 7 minutes ago, Jughead said: It’s fine as it is and rewards those for finishing first and second with a bye in week one, home ties in week two and the team in first get the possibility of further home advantage in the final. So let's switch it to the SL final, would you consider it fair and just reward if the team finishing in pole position got home advantage in the final. Forget about the history of Old Trafford for a moment would the same setup as the Championship club's have be accepted in SL? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 (edited) Agree full, a one off event at a neutral venue - Headingley, Saints or Wire for example, or York (good for a night out after). Edited January 29 by Eddie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jughead Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 21 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said: So let's switch it to the SL final, would you consider it fair and just reward if the team finishing in pole position got home advantage in the final. Forget about the history of Old Trafford for a moment would the same setup as the Championship club's have be accepted in SL? That’s not a fair comparison given the history of the Grand Final. Home advantage is just reward for the second tier, as it’s not cost effective to hold games at neutral venues. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man of Kent Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 Ideally any final should be a neutral venue so I’m with Harold on this one. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudger06 Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 Let Stadium management companies big and small throughout the land bid to host the Championship Final / MPG......matters not wether they happen to own a club or have a club as tenants, the deal as to whom hosts the final finalised well before the season begins...... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudger06 Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 1 minute ago, Smudger06 said: Let Stadium management companies big and small throughout the land bid to host the Championship Final / MPG......matters not wether they happen to own a club or have a club as tenants, the deal as to whom hosts the final finalised well before the season begins...... Same with SL GF except OT should always have First refusal before going to a bid due to its friendly relations with RL and the history of tests and Finals been held there....... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Kevin Sinfield Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 It should be at Headingley Stadium, the true home of Rugby League and the best ground in Super League imo 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 55 minutes ago, Jughead said: That’s not a fair comparison given the history of the Grand Final. Home advantage is just reward for the second tier, as it’s not cost effective to hold games at neutral venues. Who says it’s not cost effective, have you got the stats to share? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jughead Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 5 minutes ago, Eddie said: Who says it’s not cost effective, have you got the stats to share? 6 of the previous 7 Championship Grand Finals with four figure crowds says so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUBRATS Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 4 minutes ago, Jughead said: 6 of the previous 7 Championship Grand Finals with four figure crowds says so. Maybe that's because the last 3 have been held at a non neutral venue 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Gordon Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 We once got 21k at Headingley for this game and the second highest TV viewing figures on Sky for that season. We could try and get back to that. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jughead Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 Just now, GUBRATS said: Maybe that's because the last 3 have been held at a non neutral venue The last Championship Grand Finals at neutral venues; 9,164, 6,800, 6,049, 7,263, 9,443, 11,398, 7,104. The MPG attendances; 7,236*, 6,562*, 6,888*, 9,246, 9,974, 9,235. * denotes the middle eight nonsense. The best attendances have been 2009 at a neutral venue and then two games in Canada and one in France. One five figure crowd in thirteen attempts. There’s nothing there to suggest that a neutral venue is a particularly smart move from any angle. It might be nice for the fans but people aren’t attending and don’t appear to want to either. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudger06 Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 1 minute ago, Jughead said: The last Championship Grand Finals at neutral venues; 9,164, 6,800, 6,049, 7,263, 9,443, 11,398, 7,104. The MPG attendances; 7,236*, 6,562*, 6,888*, 9,246, 9,974, 9,235. * denotes the middle eight nonsense. The best attendances have been 2009 at a neutral venue and then two games in Canada and one in France. One five figure crowd in thirteen attempts. There’s nothing there to suggest that a neutral venue is a particularly smart move from any angle. It might be nice for the fans but people aren’t attending and don’t appear to want to either. Depends which Stadium wins the rights as to cost effectiveness...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUBRATS Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 I suppose it comes down to what those most likely to attend would prefer ? , I wouldn't dream of telling the SL clubs where their GF should be held as I won't be attending it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jughead Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 3 minutes ago, Smudger06 said: Depends which Stadium wins the rights as to cost effectiveness...... Four were used during the period neutral venues were used so it doesn’t look good that any are in any way worth the outlay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Shepherd Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 Not bothered where it's played. Happy for the top ranked side to get home advantage, also happy for it to be at Headingley or similar (although the grounds on the other side of the hill are a bit soulless) Curtain raiser for the grand final works too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 30 minutes ago, Jughead said: 6 of the previous 7 Championship Grand Finals with four figure crowds says so. Do you know how much it costs to use a neutral venue and what the effect on attendance is by doing so then? Please expand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 17 minutes ago, Jughead said: The last Championship Grand Finals at neutral venues; 9,164, 6,800, 6,049, 7,263, 9,443, 11,398, 7,104. The MPG attendances; 7,236*, 6,562*, 6,888*, 9,246, 9,974, 9,235. * denotes the middle eight nonsense. The best attendances have been 2009 at a neutral venue and then two games in Canada and one in France. One five figure crowd in thirteen attempts. There’s nothing there to suggest that a neutral venue is a particularly smart move from any angle. It might be nice for the fans but people aren’t attending and don’t appear to want to either. 9k is a more than respectable attendance for a second tier semi pro final in a regional sport. I can’t think of many if any other sports in Europe that would get a crowd like that for a similar game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUBRATS Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 1 minute ago, David Shepherd said: Not bothered where it's played. Happy for the top ranked side to get home advantage, also happy for it to be at Headingley or similar (although the grounds on the other side of the hill are a bit soulless) Curtain raiser for the grand final works too There is no similar to Headingley , Yorkshire options are too big ( Huddersfield ) , decrepid ( CAS and Wakey ) , soulless ( Doncaster ) , other side of the hill are all Fine ( Wire and Saints ) but obviously further away for the White Rose teams Unless of course we're considering football stadia as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jughead Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 1 minute ago, Eddie said: Do you know how much it costs to use a neutral venue and what the effect on attendance is by doing so then? Please expand. It varies on the venue. I also know that crowds hovering between 6-7,000 will not cover those costs and it will be a loss making exercise for The RFL. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUBRATS Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 1 minute ago, Jughead said: It varies on the venue. I also know that crowds hovering between 6-7,000 will not cover those costs and it will be a loss making exercise for The RFL. Does that matter ? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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