Wigan v Penrith World Club challenge at the JJB

[Adelaide Tiger]

6 hours ago, graveyard johnny said:

shame its not a packed central park 

Why on earth would you want to play the game in New York ….. bonkers idea!

[Coggo]

13 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Marvelous.  The Rugby League public in Wigan, as no doubt the rest of the Super League fan base would, are flocking to see their team against the best of the NRL.

Logical conclusion.  Play the next game in Las Vegas.

 

9 hours ago, Anita Bath said:

Thats logical….make and absolute success of hosting the game at the participants home ground so now take it to the other side of the world.

I can feel another call for RL world cup in the US coming……

I struggle with the idea that Wigan selling 23k (maybe 25k eventually) tickets or so for a ‘World Championship’ game at their own ground means the WCC shouldn’t be taken abroad to be seen by a wider, more international and influential audience.

Small time thinking, no?

[Dunbar]

40 minutes ago, Coggo said:

 

I struggle with the idea that Wigan selling 23k (maybe 25k eventually) tickets or so for a ‘World Championship’ game at their own ground means the WCC shouldn’t be taken abroad to be seen by a wider, more international and influential audience.

Small time thinking, no?

Sure, I like your ambition to take the greatest game of all to a new audience.  That is a valid view.

I tend to see games and occasions like this as a reward for fans who follow their teams for years and decades and we shouldn't make it inaccessible for people to see them.

One of the greatest nights of my life was watching Wigan vs. Manly ar Central Park as a 17 year old.  If that game was in Vegas I would have had no chance to experience it and I want others to have that memory. 

[Whippet13]

27 minutes ago, Coggo said:

 

I struggle with the idea that Wigan selling 23k (maybe 25k eventually) tickets or so for a ‘World Championship’ game at their own ground means the WCC shouldn’t be taken abroad to be seen by a wider, more international and influential audience.

Small time thinking, no?

Whilst international development is absolutely critical to the future of RL, it is equally important we nurture our own domestic market and audience. The WCC is one of the things we have at the moment which does that in a cost effective and sustainable way.

Rather than looking at a random one off game like the WCC that may or may not happen next year the strategy should be to put something sustainable in place internationally. That might mean joining the Vegas RL festival in the future, but rather than just randomly saying "yeah let's do it", a discussion needs to be had on the bigger picture.

[sam4731]

1 hour ago, Coggo said:

 

I struggle with the idea that Wigan selling 23k (maybe 25k eventually) tickets or so for a ‘World Championship’ game at their own ground means the WCC shouldn’t be taken abroad to be seen by a wider, more international and influential audience.

Small time thinking, no?

I do find it hilarious that we put an international between England and NZ in the middle of nowhere (Denver) in 2018 and got over 19,000 for it, yet we are celebrating getting 23,000 for the highest profile match in our sport in a rugby league hotspot.

I'm not advocating having this match elsewhere, I'm just saying that putting high profile games in other places can draw crowds with the right marketing especially places which might have a vague idea about RL e.g. London.

[gingerjon]

4 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

I do find it hilarious that we put an international between England and NZ in the middle of nowhere (Denver) in 2018 and got over 19,000 for it, yet we are celebrating getting 23,000 for the highest profile match in our sport in a rugby league hotspot.

The Challenge Cup final and the Super League Grand Final both have a higher profile.

[Damien]

1 hour ago, Coggo said:

I struggle with the idea that Wigan selling 23k (maybe 25k eventually) tickets or so for a ‘World Championship’ game at their own ground means the WCC shouldn’t be taken abroad to be seen by a wider, more international and influential audience.

Small time thinking, no?

If the game is to be taken overseas to Vegas, or somewhere like Dubai, then the WCC needs to be taken much more seriously by all parties and treated with the respect it deserves. At the moment we still have the will it or won't it take place and even if it does take place we potentially have a NRL team taking part that doesn't particularly want to.

A decision to go elsewhere should be a strategic with clear monetary rewards and buy in from the RFL and NRL over a period of time. It needs a clear fixed place in the calendar and a big financial prize. I still think we are way off that with far too much falling on the English club with regards getting the WCC on and them always having to bend over backwards. I think we need to be getting all of that in place first and then see. With those in place there's still a heck of a lot of mileage in making the WCC bigger and better in England and Australia too and going to bigger stadiums becomes much more feasible.

[Damien]

It should also be noted this will be the highest attended WCC for a decade and the largest attendance on these shores since 2011. That's where we are coming from.

While that's great I think the sport can, and should, be doing much better. Again it needs to be treated with the respect it deserves from all parties to really improve on this.

[Damien]

23,500 now sold with not a seat available anywhere other than less than the 80 or so that are left in the South Stand. Unless more become available in the remaining side sections this is people's last chance to get them

 

 

Edited January 19 by Damien

[Coggo]

5 hours ago, sam4731 said:

I do find it hilarious that we put an international between England and NZ in the middle of nowhere (Denver) in 2018 and got over 19,000 for it, yet we are celebrating getting 23,000 for the highest profile match in our sport in a rugby league hotspot.

Wasn’t that long ago these games were played at much bigger, neutral grounds. 23k+ at the JJB is bare minimum stuff.

I’m not knocking Wigan BTW, just hopeful this is the start of something much bigger for the WCC, particularly with the reported BBC coverage.

[Damien]

2 hours ago, Coggo said:

Wasn’t that long ago these games were played at much bigger, neutral grounds. 23k+ at the JJB is bare minimum stuff.

I’m not knocking Wigan BTW, just hopeful this is the start of something much bigger for the WCC, particularly with the reported BBC coverage.

Its not been played at neutral ground since 2010 and the 3 games at Elland Road, which is an anomaly in RL terms due to it being a bigger Football stadium in the same town/city as the RL team. 

The only other games played at a neutral ground since 1991, when Wigan played Penrith at Anfield, have been at Huddersfield, which is smaller than the DW, and the Reebok, which is only slightly bigger. None of those got a bigger attendance than we will see this year at the DW.

Edited January 19 by Damien

[Dave T]

I think there is a valid conversation to be had around venue selection both in the UK and potentially internationally. 

None of those conversations need to involve any criticism of this year's event. 

[GeordieSaint]

We’ve had these WCC games at Headingley, Saints and Wigan in recent times. Haven’t they all pretty much sold out each time? 

Edit: I take that question back. 16k+ and 21k+ at Saints\Wigan last time out.

Edited January 19 by GeordieSaint

[Chrispmartha]

12 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

We’ve had these WCC games at Headingley, Saints and Wigan in recent times. Haven’t they all pretty much sold out each time? 

Edit: I take that question back. 16k+ and 21k+ at Saints\Wigan last time out.

Just short of 20K last time at headingley

[gingerjon]

21 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

We’ve had these WCC games at Headingley, Saints and Wigan in recent times. Haven’t they all pretty much sold out each time? 

Edit: I take that question back. 16k+ and 21k+ at Saints\Wigan last time out.

I think this is the first 'prestige' rugby league game for a fair old while where it will not be possible to turn up on the day and attend.

That is really positive.

[Futtocks]

5 hours ago, Damien said:

23,500 now sold with not a seat available anywhere other than less than the 80 or so that are left in the South Stand. Unless more become available in the remaining side sections this is people's last chance to get them

 

 

I'm very much looking forward to the inevitable "why a sold out WCC is bad for Rugby League" thread.

[marklaspalmas]

30 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

I'm very much looking forward to the inevitable "why a sold out WCC is bad for Rugby League" thread.

I'm surprised at you. Surely you've been around long enough to know that standard TRL protocol is to 

1. Slate a moderately sized sold out venue as unambitious. Then loudly call for larger venues. Then 

2. Slate a larger not sold venue as a disgrace, PR & marketing disaster. Then loudly call for more moderately sized venues. Then

Ad nauseum

[Whippet13]

The game will be sold out very shortly, it looks like the South, East and West stands have no tickets left on sale and the North (the "away" end) has less than 100 tickets remaining.

[Padge]

1 hour ago, Futtocks said:

I'm very much looking forward to the inevitable "why a sold out WCC is bad for Rugby League" thread.

Stadium too small will be coming your way soon.

[Damien]

A reminder of how special the WCC can be. What a team Widnes had:

 

[ATLANTISMAN]

Calm down folks 

To my knowledge the only rugby league match where SOLD OUT resulted in the serious touts (Same old guys mainly Millwall fans who control the football theatres etc in London) travelling up to a match was the deciding ashes test at Elland Road way back in the 90,s 20 pound tickets were going for 50 pounds:) 

I remember seeing the king of the touts Fat Ted outside the stadium (He can still be found outside Twickenham for 6 nations phantom of the opera etc on a regular basis) 

However we are getting there :))))

Edited January 19 by ATLANTISMAN

[sam4731]

2 hours ago, Futtocks said:

I'm very much looking forward to the inevitable "why a sold out WCC is bad for Rugby League" thread.

"Rugby League is meant to be accessible to the masses unlike football. We should only ever sell half the capacity for a stadium to show how we are in touch with the man on the street"

[Odsal Outlaw]

57 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Calm down folks 

To my knowledge the only rugby league match where SOLD OUT resulted in the serious touts (Same old guys mainly Millwall fans who control the football theatres etc in London) travelling up to a match was the deciding ashes test at Elland Road way back in the 90,s 20 pound tickets were going for 50 pounds:) 

I remember seeing the king of the touts Fat Ted outside the stadium (He can still be found outside Twickenham for 6 nations phantom of the opera etc on a regular basis) 

However we are getting there :))))

England v Ireland at 2013 RLWC in Huddersfield had touts! What a sold out event that was by the way. Great day.

Edited January 19 by Odsal Outlaw

[The Rocket]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

A reminder of how special the WCC can be. What a team Widnes had:

 

It`s a shame that new fans today won`t be seeing the long-range tries like they had in those days. That`s the sort of things that gets people hooked on the sport.

[Click]

12 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

It`s a shame that new fans today won`t be seeing the long-range tries like they had in those days. That`s the sort of things that gets people hooked on the sport.

There were no tries in those highlights that you don't see in a regular season of SL, I have no idea what you are talking about.