Separating the World Cups?

[Futtocks]

International Rugby League has today launched invitations to tender (ITT) for three Rugby League World Cups in three years:

Women’s Rugby League World Cup in 2028
Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup in 2029
Men’s Rugby League World Cup in 2030

Source: https://www.intrl.sport/news/irl-launches-tender-process-for-three-rugby-league-world-cups-in-three-years/ 

[Damien]

I'm more than on board with them separating the World Cups and think that it is a good thing. I think it allows each to have its own focus and becomes much more manageable for bidders.

[Futtocks]

36 minutes ago, Damien said:

I'm more than on board with them separating the World Cups and think that it is a good thing. I think it allows each to have its own focus and becomes much more manageable for bidders.

Mostly, I'm in favour. I did like the way there seemed to be some RWC action every day for large parts of the Autumn, but  hosting the combined tournaments is something that few RL nations would be able to fund.

Plus you can sell the women's and wheelchair events without some of the "regional novelty" stigma that gets attached to the men's game, both by the sport's detractors and some of its supporters.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

I'm more than on board with them separating the World Cups and think that it is a good thing. I think it allows each to have its own focus and becomes much more manageable for bidders.

Agreed 

Watching the scenes in York yesterday shows the women's game is starting to stand on its own 2 feet 

Twice as.much RL to watch as before....can't be bad 

[Eddie]

It’s a shame the men’s isn’t moved back to an odd year, so it doesn’t clash with a football World Cup year. That said I guess few people outside of England who’d be interested in our World Cup would care about that anyway. 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

6 minutes ago, Eddie said:

It’s a shame the men’s isn’t moved back to an odd year, so it doesn’t clash with a football World Cup year. That said I guess few people outside of England who’d be interested in our World Cup would care about that anyway. 

There can be a little.tie in too....cheer on your country in one sport then the other 

Assuming they don't overlap 

[sam4731]

1 minute ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

There can be a little.tie in too....cheer on your country in one sport then the other 

Assuming they don't overlap 

I think the biggest mistake the organisers of the RLWC2021 team made was not making it overlap with the FIFA WC. I know it sounds ridiculous on the face of it, but if you can line it up right and make England vs Greece on straight after an England football match, that's BBC1 viewers in the bag, if nothing else just because they've left the telly on.

Also what better marketing is there than, "Can't go and watch the football, why not watch England play France in Bolton next week?"

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

14 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

I think the biggest mistake the organisers of the RLWC2021 team made was not making it overlap with the FIFA WC. I know it sounds ridiculous on the face of it, but if you can line it up right and make England vs Greece on straight after an England football match, that's BBC1 viewers in the bag, if nothing else just because they've left the telly on.

Also what better marketing is there than, "Can't go and watch the football, why not watch England play France in Bolton next week?"

Yep maybe that could work 

I certainly don't think it's a big problem they are in the same year 

[Futtocks]

FIFA World Cups (in normal, non-Qatari circumstances) tend to be Summer events, finished months before any RWC would start. The next one, for instance, starts in mid-July 2026.

[Odsal Outlaw]

I think separation is good. Leverage them as stand alone events. I would imagine if England bid for the Wheelchair WC as a stand-alone there would be good tv coverage and healthy crowds as it would be the only RL in town.  Although I do wonder why it needs to be October for Wheelchair.  Could another time of year be even better? Even pre season of men’s/women’s to provide more content year round.

Edited October 9, 2023 by Odsal Outlaw

[Hopie]

If the combined event can't make a profit, the standalone events are in deeper trouble. Women's and wheelchair crowds are even smaller than men's, and usually have cheaper tickets.

Given the sports are both still in the early stages, the levels of competitiveness are just not there either. 

[NRLandSL]

14 hours ago, Futtocks said:

International Rugby League has today launched invitations to tender (ITT) for three Rugby League World Cups in three years:

Women’s Rugby League World Cup in 2028
Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup in 2029
Men’s Rugby League World Cup in 2030

Source: https://www.intrl.sport/news/irl-launches-tender-process-for-three-rugby-league-world-cups-in-three-years/ 

Should Seperate the Men’s World Cup into Heritage Nations and non-Heritage nations if they actually want to grow the tournament 

[sam4731]

5 hours ago, Hopie said:

If the combined event can't make a profit, the standalone events are in deeper trouble. Women's and wheelchair crowds are even smaller than men's, and usually have cheaper tickets.

Given the sports are both still in the early stages, the levels of competitiveness are just not there either. 

Surely the staging of a wheelchair world cup is a lot less too though. Fewer players, fewer stadia/arenas, simpler infrastructure etc

[Damien]

10 hours ago, Hopie said:

If the combined event can't make a profit, the standalone events are in deeper trouble. Women's and wheelchair crowds are even smaller than men's, and usually have cheaper tickets.

Given the sports are both still in the early stages, the levels of competitiveness are just not there either. 

RLWC2021 was ran to the budget it was based in the funding it received. If funding was different than everything about it would have been different. Then there was a year's delay due to Covid and huge added costs. It would have been very profitable otherwise.

Costs for a wheelchair event should be fairly minimal really. Venues needn't be costly and squad sizes are small.