Attendances (Multiple Merged Threads)

[Tommygilf]

5 minutes ago, Damien said:

I'm not sure why you keep talking about the LSV like its the only option. I'm not even sure why the focus is on whether if the LSV having to sell out but you are happy with a semi final in front of a quarter full Elland Road. You think only 6k would go there, I think that's nonsense for a Wigan v Saints game.

Realistically its there, Warrington, Widnes or Salford. I think the sport should be aiming higher. Bolton also appears to be fading out of the picture with regards to RL events.

And there is also the Women's Cup Final too to consider.

[Damien]

4 minutes ago, Eddie said:

The RFL couldn’t have known who was going to be in the semi finals when they booked the event though. Also lots of people like going to both games, I have a prior commitment or I’d definitely have gone, and I’d be much less likely to travel 4 hours each way to watch one semi final. 

You dont have to be Nostradamus to work out that there's a fair chance in RL that you may end up with a Lancashire or Yorkshire derby for a semi final. That is why for most of the games history semi-finals have been booked after the quarter finals, often with less weeks notice than this year.

Loads more people don't watch both games than those that do. Many have no interest in sitting there for 4 hours, especially in an old, uncomfortable stadium. A sales strategy around buy one get one free for a premium event is pretty poor and often looks awful on TV.

[Tommygilf]

13 minutes ago, Tony Angelino said:

Wigan v saints depending on availability should have been played somewhere like bolton or Preston for a 25-30k stadium or Widnes to ensure a certain sellout.

They decide the venues beforehand. In RL land, Huddersfield and Leeds are reasonably safe bets to be at least "in the middle" whilst being home to appropriate venues. For the same reason, Villa Park and Sheffield hosted FA Cup Semi finals in the past. 

[Eddie]

4 minutes ago, Damien said:

You dont have to be Nostradamus to work out that there's a fair chance in RL that you may end up with a Lancashire or Yorkshire derby for a semi final. That is why for most of the games history semi-finals have been booked after the quarter finals, often with less weeks notice than this year.

Loads more people don't watch both games than those that do. Many have no interest in sitting there for 4 hours, especially in an old, uncomfortable stadium. A sales strategy around buy one get one free for a premium event is pretty poor and often looks awful on TV.

Can many stadiums be booked at a fortnight’s notice these days? After the draw the RFL would have had to get the football fixtures out, see what ground was free that weekend and then approach them, hoping that there wasn’t a snooker comp, wedding show or conference on that weekend. They could quite easily be left with nowhere suitable to hold the game, and would then (quite rightly) be accused of being incompetent. 

[Eddie]

1 minute ago, Tommygilf said:

They decide the venues beforehand. In RL land, Huddersfield and Leeds are reasonably safe bets to be at least "in the middle" whilst being home to appropriate venues. For the same reason, Villa Park and Sheffield hosted FA Cup Semi finals in the past. 

I’m amazed that for one of the biggest games in a professional sport’s calendar, so many people on this forum think Wigan to Leeds is too far for fans to travel.

[Tony Angelino]

What was the last stand-alone semi-final that topped 20k?

I remember a couple of saints v Leeds semi-finals at Huddersfield around 2008-2010 that looked good on tv.

[Damien]

1 minute ago, Eddie said:

Can many stadiums be booked at a fortnight’s notice these days? After the draw the RFL would have had to get the football fixtures out, see what ground was free that weekend and then approach them, hoping that there wasn’t a snooker comp, wedding show or conference on that weekend. They could quite easily be left with nowhere suitable to hold the game, and would then (quite rightly) be accused of being incompetent. 

I already answered this. There are various RL venues that could be used as backups in such an eventuality. Plenty on both sides of the Pennines. This double header being decided in advance started in 2018, I really dont think all of this got so much more difficult in just the last 4 years.

[Tony Angelino]

8 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

They decide the venues beforehand. In RL land, Huddersfield and Leeds are reasonably safe bets to be at least "in the middle" whilst being home to appropriate venues. For the same reason, Villa Park and Sheffield hosted FA Cup Semi finals in the past. 

I actually preferred the FA cup semi-finals at villa park and Hillsborough to Wembley as playing at Wembley twice for the 2 finalists lessens the occasion somewhat.

[Tommygilf]

Just now, Eddie said:

I’m amazed that for one of the biggest games in a professional sport’s calendar, so many people on this forum think Wigan to Leeds is too far for fans to travel.

Quite. I don't think Elland Road is the absolute best venue ever for this (though it may well become it when it is redeveloped), but it is hardly a chore given the possible venues that have been chosen.

Likewise, Bolton has been the venue for this event in recent times (pre Covid) and then Leigh in 2021 with heavily reduced capacity despite Yorkshire sides getting there. No harm in moving it around IMO.

[Tommygilf]

1 minute ago, Tony Angelino said:

I actually preferred the FA cup semi-finals at villa park and Hillsborough to Wembley as playing at Wembley twice for the 2 finalists lessens the occasion somewhat.

I agree on that absolutely.

[Tommygilf]

5 minutes ago, Damien said:

I already answered this. There are various RL venues that could be used as backups in such an eventuality. Plenty on both sides of the Pennines. This double header being decided in advance started in 2018, I really dont think all of this got so much more difficult in just the last 4 years.

The Womens Cup final being a part of the day became a thing.

[Eddie]

6 minutes ago, Damien said:

I already answered this. There are various RL venues that could be used as backups in such an eventuality. Plenty on both sides of the Pennines. This double header being decided in advance started in 2018, I really dont think all of this got so much more difficult in just the last 4 years.

Other than Headingley which RL venues in Yorkshire could be used for a CC semi final? I’m not counting Huddersfield btw, as the Giants don’t own it. 

[Tony Angelino]

2 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Other than Headingley which RL venues in Yorkshire could be used for a CC semi final? I’m not counting Huddersfield btw, as the Giants don’t own it. 

Doncaster? Hull?

[Tommygilf]

Just now, Eddie said:

Other than Headingley which RL venues in Yorkshire could be used for a CC semi final? I’m not counting Huddersfield btw, as the Giants don’t own it. 

Even Headingley in Spring onwards has potential YCCC clashes. Rhinos once played Salford whilst the Cricket was on and they asked the League fans to be quiet which went down well

[Tony Angelino]

6 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I agree on that absolutely.

Wasn’t it something to do with paying for the new Wembley or something?

[Tommygilf]

Just now, Tony Angelino said:

Doncaster? Hull?

Hull is unfair as a neutral venue imo. 

I suppose Donny is far away from everyone!

Both are shared facilities though

[Tommygilf]

Just now, Tony Angelino said:

Wasn’t it something to do with paying for the new Wembley or something?

Probably, FA wanting more money I assume.

[Tony Angelino]

8 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Hull is unfair as a neutral venue imo. 

I suppose Donny is far away from everyone!

Both are shared facilities though

What’s York city knights capacity?

Im guessing that’s a shared venue as well?

[Damien]

13 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Other than Headingley which RL venues in Yorkshire could be used for a CC semi final? I’m not counting Huddersfield btw, as the Giants don’t own it. 

Huddersfield do own part of it. Its odd that we had a fair few semi finals booked at the last minute at Huddersfield but you don't count it. I think we even had them at Hull. We also had semi finals at Doncaster. Then of course you have Headingley. We have also had semi finals at Elland Road. There are more than enough venues in Yorkshire before you need to look at somewhere like Cas, Hull KR or Odsal.  You seem to be looking for issues that have never existed in 100 odd years.

[Damien]

23 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

The Womens Cup final being a part of the day became a thing.

I'm not really sure why that should be an issue and couldn't be played at one of the other venues if there were separate semi finals. Indeed its a whole different debate whether the Women's Cup Final deserves its own centrepiece event rather than being tagged on to a double header men's semi final.

[Tommygilf]

16 minutes ago, Tony Angelino said:

What’s York city knights capacity?

Im guessing that’s a shared venue as well?

8k, and yes that is too.

The only out and out RL venues with no other tenants or interests in Yorkshire are almost entire unsuitable for hosting a semi final at the present time. Headingley is the closest you'll get.

[gingerjon]

46 minutes ago, Eddie said:

I’m amazed that for one of the biggest games in a professional sport’s calendar, so many people on this forum think Wigan to Leeds is too far for fans to travel.

The reason for the double header coming into being was fans thinking that even shorter trips were too far.

[Tony Angelino]

Wasn’t st. James park newcastle talked about hosting double header semi-finals?

[Tommygilf]

22 minutes ago, Damien said:

I'm not really sure why that should be an issue and couldn't be played at one of the other venues if there were separate semi finals. Indeed its a whole different debate whether the Women's Cup Final deserves its own centrepiece event rather than being tagged on to a double header men's semi final.

I still think the Womens Cup Final being at a marquee stadium live on the beeb as part of a 3 match festival is better than being at a relatively low key RL ground as a prelude to a mens semi final with 10k in.

[Eddie]

34 minutes ago, Damien said:

Huddersfield do own part of it. Its odd that we had a fair few semi finals booked at the last minute at Huddersfield but you don't count it. I think we even had them at Hull. We also had semi finals at Doncaster. Then of course you have Headingley. We have also had semi finals at Elland Road. There are more than enough venues in Yorkshire before you need to look at somewhere like Cas, Hull KR or Odsal.  You seem to be looking for issues that have never existed in 100 odd years.

Ok fair enough, I don’t know why Doncaster, Hudds or Hull would be better than Elland Road for Saints v Wigan, and they may all have football fixtures on that day, but you’re right they may be available.