Challenge Cup Final 2023 - Four Games

[daz39]

1 hour ago, RP London said:

Have they, got any evidence? 

Only from people within the game but unfortunately i forgot to get a written confirmation for internet forums.

[Archie Gordon]

Well, I suppose the random Cup Final date generator has at least picked a Saturday in season. 

[JonM]

3 hours ago, RP London said:

Really? They asked one of the man City women's players about playing at the academy ground or double headers at the eitihad and she said stand alone. 

That's a rather different scenario to playing at Wembley though.

[RP London]

38 minutes ago, daz39 said:

Only from people within the game but unfortunately i forgot to get a written confirmation for internet forums.

When you say within the game do you mean within the rfl or just this stuff that's on social media that is expected Ince something like this is announced rather than when you have options?

[Anita Bath]

3 hours ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

I agree that 12th August is a terrible date.  It clashes with the opening of the grouse-shooting season.  What a choice (and sacrifice of one or the other) I will have to make!

So no chance of ticket sales to yawnion fans then.

[Chrispmartha]

 

[daz39]

58 minutes ago, RP London said:

When you say within the game do you mean within the rfl or just this stuff that's on social media that is expected Ince something like this is announced rather than when you have options?

From the RFL/Womens game.

[daz39]

10 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

 

Give over lass, some old blokes on a message board don't agree, stop being so positive.

[gingerjon]

20 minutes ago, daz39 said:

Give over lass, some old blokes on a message board don't agree, stop being so positive.

She's absolutely allowed to be excited and I'm sure it will be a tremendous experience for the players.

But every other top tier women's sport is moving towards, or has already reached, increased professionalism, standalone matches and independent structures.

Oh, and paying them properly for their time, developing new audiences and expanding sponsorship reach.

Curtain raiser games do none of that.

[gingerjon]

2 hours ago, Scubby said:

Is the Year 7s final boys or girls or both?

If it is boys only what message is this sending to young girls who play the game?

They can be a curtain raiser in years to come.

[Dunbar]

I am delighted for anyone who gets to play a Challenge Cup Final at Wembley.  And if the most important thing is the experience for the players then this is the correct decision.

But we have seen the type of profile that women's sport is able to generate now and I really don't think the best approach is a curtain raiser to a men's game.

[Jughead]

Still moaning about women playing at Wembley? Bloody hell. It’s great. Inside ten years the womens game has gone from playing at bloody Dewsbury to playing at Wembley, the progress is phenomenal, really. 

A standalone event at a Super League ground isn’t progress, is it? A womens cup final at Headingley keeps it insular and small time. A womens final at Wembley at this stage can only be seen as positive. It’ll get there eventually, with proper governance and a plan around it, but for now, a double header at Wembley is a better move than the final at Elland Road or Bolton. 

[Dunbar]

3 minutes ago, Jughead said:

Still moaning about women playing at Wembley

Different views about how we can all see the Women's game excel.  Not moaning.  A big difference. 

[Jughead]

2 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Different views about how we can all see the Women's game excel.  Not moaning.  A big difference. 

No, it’s definitely moaning. I’ve seen plenty of the womens players celebrating that they’ll potentially get to play at the spiritual home of the Challenge Cup and where the England womens football team just created history. I haven’t seen one womens rugby league player say that they want a standalone event either off the back of this news or in any interview, unsurprisingly it’s just people on here who think this. 

 

[Dunbar]

16 minutes ago, Jughead said:

No, it’s definitely moaning. I’ve seen plenty of the womens players celebrating that they’ll potentially get to play at the spiritual home of the Challenge Cup and where the England womens football team just created history. I haven’t seen one womens rugby league player say that they want a standalone event either off the back of this news or in any interview, unsurprisingly it’s just people on here who think this. 

 

I have already said how delighted I would be for anyone to play a Challenge Cup final at Wembley.  Again, if we make decisions based on the experience of the players then this is fine.  But sometimes development decisions include other factors than just how happy the players are.

And I am happy for you to disagree with my opinion on how to best develop the women's game, that is what these forums are for. 

But don't tell me what my attitude is.  I am not moaning about the Women's Challenge Cup Final being at Wembly, I have an opinion that the development of the women's game would be better served with a stand alone event.

[David Shepherd]

16 hours ago, Scubby said:

Is the Year 7s final boys or girls or both?

If it is boys only what message is this sending to young girls who play the game?

Look at the women, keep developing and you too could play at Wembley?

[RigbyLuger]

Where's the evidence that the women's final get a "big" paying crowd elsewhere? We're in a great position with our broadcasters that there's a desire to show women's sport in general, and we can piggy back off it.

[Scubby]

11 minutes ago, David Shepherd said:

Look at the women, keep developing and you too could play at Wembley?

It's 2022 mate. I'm talking boys and girls here at aged 11. Y7 boys get to play at Wembley and girls don't

Edited August 13, 2022 by Scubby

[gingerjon]

5 minutes ago, RigbyLuger said:

Where's the evidence that the women's final get a "big" paying crowd elsewhere? We're in a great position with our broadcasters that there's a desire to show women's sport in general, and we can piggy back off it.

We're about to claim the biggest standalone women's crowd in either code.

[Dunbar]

1 hour ago, RigbyLuger said:

Where's the evidence that the women's final get a "big" paying crowd elsewhere? We're in a great position with our broadcasters that there's a desire to show women's sport in general, and we can piggy back off it.

There is plenty of evidence from other sports (and indeed ours) that when you decouple the women's game from the men's and let it thrive in its own right then the benefits are immense.

The game is at Wembley next year before the men.  Great, let the players and clubs enjoy the occasion but let's move very quickly to the point where we can have a stand alone women's final and another occasion that we can celebrate in our game.

[Jughead]

Just now, Dunbar said:

There is plenty of evidence from other sports (and indeed ours) that when you decouple the women's game from the men's and let it thrive in its own right then the benefits are immense.

The game is at Wembley next year before the men.  Great, let the players and clubs enjoy the occasion but let's move very quickly to the point where we can have a stand alone women's final and another occasion that we can celebrate in our game.

The last standalone final attendance was 1,022. Let’s walk before we run. 

[Dunbar]

12 minutes ago, Jughead said:

The last standalone final attendance was 1,022. Let’s walk before we run. 

This argument would have been used for football and rugby union as well. Before they realised that the women's game will grow in its own right.

There is huge momentum in women's sport at the moment and it would be entirely typical of Rugby League not to take advantage of it due to our own lack of ambition. 

Edited August 13, 2022 by Dunbar

[Jughead]

2 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

This argument would have been used for football and rugby union as well. Before they realised that the women's game will in its own right.

There is huge momentum in women's sport at the moment and it would be entirely typical of Rugby League not to take advantage of it due to our own lack of ambition. 

Ah yes, that old chestnut. Let’s compare ourselves to far bigger sports. Yes, the womens European championship final got 90,000 there. Right now, we’d kill to get 10% of that at a standalone final, most likely at a Halliwell Jones or Headingley (fine venues but not elite cup final finals by any stretch), it is not really a good look, is it? 

From a commercial view, a Finals Day/Weekend that incorporates a Men’s Final, a Women’s Final and maybe one day a Wheelchair Final and/or PDRL Final is likely more attractive than York v St Helens women at Warrington as a complete after thought to the men’s game. It just looks very rugby league, that, doesn’t it?

We aren’t anywhere close to a position where women’s rugby league should be a standalone event at an elite venue. Let’s walk before we run. 

[Dunbar]

3 minutes ago, Jughead said:

Ah yes, that old chestnut. Let’s compare ourselves to far bigger sports. Yes, the womens European championship final got 90,000 there. Right now, we’d kill to get 10% of that at a standalone final, most likely at a Halliwell Jones or Headingley (fine venues but not elite cup final finals by any stretch), it is not really a good look, is it? 

From a commercial view, a Finals Day/Weekend that incorporates a Men’s Final, a Women’s Final and maybe one day a Wheelchair Final and/or PDRL Final is likely more attractive than York v St Helens women at Warrington as a complete after thought to the men’s game. It just looks very rugby league, that, doesn’t it?

We aren’t anywhere close to a position where women’s rugby league should be a standalone event at an elite venue. Let’s walk before we run. 

We have a World Cup this Autumn that should showcase the women's game magnificently. 

My view is that this should be followed up with some stand alone elite women's game to show it can grow in its own right.  Your view seems to be that the women's game will grow best if it is shown as a curtain raiser to the mens final (at least for the next few years).

We have both stated our views.  Let's just hope that women's Rugby League can thrive.

[gingerjon]

11 minutes ago, Jughead said:

Ah yes, that old chestnut. Let’s compare ourselves to far bigger sports. Yes, the womens European championship final got 90,000 there. Right now, we’d kill to get 10% of that at a standalone final, most likely at a Halliwell Jones or Headingley (fine venues but not elite cup final finals by any stretch), it is not really a good look, is it? 

From a commercial view, a Finals Day/Weekend that incorporates a Men’s Final, a Women’s Final and maybe one day a Wheelchair Final and/or PDRL Final is likely more attractive than York v St Helens women at Warrington as a complete after thought to the men’s game. It just looks very rugby league, that, doesn’t it?

We aren’t anywhere close to a position where women’s rugby league should be a standalone event at an elite venue. Let’s walk before we run. 

You must be livid that the women’s Grand Final is a standalone event.