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How to restore the magic of the Challenge Cup (Merged Threads)

Martyn Sadler
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Dave T

Dave T

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I'm just not sure you are gonna click your fingers and make the Cup more attractive, it's going to need something bold to work. 

I know it may seem lazy to revert to cheap tickets, but I do think that needs to be part of the offering here. Even at Premier League clubs when it comes to cup games the price is usually half what it is for league games, maybe even less. 

Personally I'd be charging £10 for adults and free for accompanied kids. I think we need to forget gate receipts being a huge driver here, as let's be honest we can see crowds as low as 2-5k at the likes of Wire now for the cup, so hardly a main driver anyway.

But every time we stage these games, particularly on TV, we damage the brand. Sell these games as a great intro to RL - a chance for anyone to sample it without cost being a barrier. 

We are in a vicious cycle at the moment where low crowds damage the cup brand and this in turn affects the final attendance. This surely affects commercial performance of the cup. 

 

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The Blues Ox
The Blues Ox

Open draw and as many teams in from the top 3 divisions is a must in my opinion. At the moment its basically a SL competition that 4 Championship teams get the opportunity to play in. The end result w

phiggins
phiggins

Moving the final away from Wembley will be the start of a slide, just like internationals have slid this century. Do other sports obsess so much over the number of empty seats rather than the people t

whatmichaelsays
whatmichaelsays

This is my take on this as well. The idea that we can "downsize" the CC Final to greater profile, relevance and commercial success just doesn't make sense to me.  I think it's a fair criticism to

Rugbyleaguesupporter

Rugbyleaguesupporter

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Posted

A season ticket is a commitment. For most people spending 13 evenings or weekend days at rugby instead of other activities is alot. 

Cup games (often with less than a months notice) will clash with something else, or a person is quite content with seeing around 13 matches- they don't want more. 

It's a bit like how I see the cinema. I go about once a month. I could go more, but chose not to. I'm happy with 12 visits a year 

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Dave T

Dave T

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3 hours ago, Rugbyleaguesupporter said:

A season ticket is a commitment. For most people spending 13 evenings or weekend days at rugby instead of other activities is alot. 

Cup games (often with less than a months notice) will clash with something else, or a person is quite content with seeing around 13 matches- they don't want more. 

It's a bit like how I see the cinema. I go about once a month. I could go more, but chose not to. I'm happy with 12 visits a year 

There is also the challenge that quite often the Cup games are lesser events. Clubs don't make any effort with the 'event' sometimes not all stands or bars are open, the crowd could be half that of a league game etc. 

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Dave W

Dave W

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If SL clubs can't be bothered with it, why not have their participation optional?

It's an RFL competition. Include them all in the last 32 draw but allow them to opt out if they they think it's a game too far/meaningless competition/other priorities etc.  Call their bluff!

Part of the problem is the Road to Wembley is ridiculously short for too many teams.

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Wellsy4HullFC

Wellsy4HullFC

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4 hours ago, Dave W said:

If SL clubs can't be bothered with it, why not have their participation optional?

It's an RFL competition. Include them all in the last 32 draw but allow them to opt out if they they think it's a game too far/meaningless competition/other priorities etc.  Call their bluff!

Part of the problem is the Road to Wembley is ridiculously short for too many teams.

If any SL teams opted out, the cup would soon be dead. Would lose it's credibility completely.

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Wellsy4HullFC

Wellsy4HullFC

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9 hours ago, Dave T said:

I'm just not sure you are gonna click your fingers and make the Cup more attractive, it's going to need something bold to work. 

Already suggested something bold. 

It's too bold for some though 🤣

8 hours ago, Rugbyleaguesupporter said:

Cup games (often with less than a months notice) will clash with something else,

Luckily my bold plan accounts for that 😉

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Tommygilf

Tommygilf

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9 hours ago, Dave T said:

I'm just not sure you are gonna click your fingers and make the Cup more attractive, it's going to need something bold to work. 

I agree with that, but I'm 100% convinced that a system that ended up with cup games on Season Tickets for home fans would instantly boost attendances and make the whole thing seem, visibly at least, to be much more alive than it is now.

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Dave T

Dave T

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3 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I agree with that, but I'm 100% convinced that a system that ended up with cup games on Season Tickets for home fans would instantly boost attendances and make the whole thing seem, visibly at least, to be much more alive than it is now.

Agreed. League games look good. Cup games look worse, tge longer we leave it the more we spiral. 

That Leeds v Saints Cup game this year was the perfect illustration that current way of selling doesn't work. 

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gingerjon

gingerjon

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Restore the magic of the Cup by getting players to turn down £1m contracts just to play for their team in the final.

Ball's in your court, IMG.

 

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Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett)

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Rugby League World

Rugby League World

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Has the Challenge Cup become a poisoned chalice for rugby league? Revered for its past, but now suffering from declining interest from fans and clubs,...

View the full article

Rugby League World magazine is published every month, available on print subscription (worldwide) and online for desktop, tablet and smartphone
Follow us on Twitter/X @rlworld / Instagram @rlworld / Threads @rlworld
Like us on Facebook - facebook.com/rugbyleagueworld

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Dunbar

Dunbar

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34 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

FFS we've just done this haven't we?

 

14 minutes ago, Damien said:

This does seem to happen quite a bit, something is discussed widely on here then a few weeks later there's an article then we just repeat it all again 😂

It's like Channel 4 +1

I look forward to the new thread on the deliberate knock on.

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"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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Harry Stottle

Harry Stottle

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Posted (edited)
On 16/05/2024 at 03:52, Sports Prophet said:

I read an article on Total RL and got to wondering if anyone has any ideas to improve the standing of the Challenge Cup in the public consciousness.

We could start by giving every club the same funding, then see how it goes from there. If it was given a 12 year trial period it could just work.

Edited by Harry Stottle
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Worzel

Worzel

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Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

No, by my reckoning it would be close on 467,000 each.

1.35 million current funding x 12 ÷ 35.

Cool, let's all watch a semi-pro sport. That'll get the crowds in!

I'm slowly coming around to the @ATLANTISMAN view that the Challenge Cup is an anachronism in the modern era. Probably for similar reasons as your concern, fundamentally: No non-Super League side can compete, so it's just the same 12 sides (and realistically probably only 8 of those) who can win it, so it doesn't have any reason to stand out. Football struggles to get people excited by domestic cup competitions anymore, and they have hegemony, so what chance a small, minority sport like ours?

 

Edited by Worzel
Typo that changed the entire meaning of the second paragraph. Doh.
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