England v Australia 2025 - coming to the UK!

[Damien]

7 minutes ago, Odsal Outlaw said:

Yes I do see this argument. Altho for NZ I would definitely consider it for same logic stated originally on finances. 
 

anyway, hopefully I can go to all 3 next year wherever they are. Would defo love to be heading to Wembley!

Yeah I can see the argument for NZ but I do think perception and selling the game is important too.

[WN83]

3 hours ago, Dave T said:

It absolutely should be out of the question. 

Without a doubt. Play there as a first test and your minimum losing out on 10,000 in ticket sales (we'd get a minimum of 30k on at Elland Road IMO). Play it as a second or 3rd test and we have a chance to win the Ashes in either of those games and wow, you could be missing out on 20,000+ in ticket sales (sell out at Elland Road, huge crowd at Old Trafford/The Etihad etc). Wigan isn't big or bold enough either IMO but unlike Leeds, Wigan doesn't have a 40,000 seater Stadium a mile up the road. 

 

[Dave T]

36 minutes ago, Odsal Outlaw said:

Understand why you say that. But I am genuinely interested in the economics of a full price Headingley sell out and how many we’d need to get at Elland Rd to deliver the same financial return. And if we sat here in 12m time with a sellout at Spurs, Man City and Headingley with record profits I’d take it. But also completely get the point that we should consider Headingley too small.

I just don't see any reason to include Headingley in any list like that. If you are looking for a modest capacity to go alongside say, Spurs and Man City, Huddersfield is a better option than Headingly.

[Hopie]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

You do realise all clubs are different don't you? That barrier is why we have had no internationals at the Etihad since we played Australia there and is why we had no Magic in Newcastle last year.

Magic wasn't in Newcastle this year because they tried to book it and it was too late, you can play matches during the football season at football grounds because we do all the time, you just have to book it in advance.

This is much less of a problem for internationals because we book them before the football fixtures are decided and the Premier/football leagues are willing to work around other events at stadia. If what you say about Man City is correct there are multiple stadia in the NW bigger than Wigan, although you seem to have found an excuse to not most of them for some reason. 

[Damien]

8 minutes ago, Hopie said:

Magic wasn't in Newcastle this year because they tried to book it and it was too late, you can play matches during the football season at football grounds because we do all the time, you just have to book it in advance.

This is much less of a problem for internationals because we book them before the football fixtures are decided and the Premier/football leagues are willing to work around other events at stadia. If what you say about Man City is correct there are multiple stadia in the NW bigger than Wigan, although you seem to have found an excuse to not most of them for some reason. 

Some clubs don't allow it or need the money. I'm not sure why you're not getting that.

[Hopie]

25 minutes ago, Damien said:

Some clubs don't allow it or need the money. I'm not sure why you're not getting that.

So not the football season being a barrier which is what you said.

[M j M]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

I just don't see any reason to include Headingley in any list like that. If you are looking for a modest capacity to go alongside say, Spurs and Man City, Huddersfield is a better option than Headingly.

I think he's trying to work out the corporate market you can tap into at Headingley. Now there's no reason that can't also be had at Elland Road despite that ground's limitations but you definitely won't get it in the same way, either capacity or rates, at Huddersfield. 

[Damien]

52 minutes ago, Hopie said:

So not the football season being a barrier which is what you said.

Stop being obtuse. If clubs don't allow it in the football season it's a barrier.

[Dave T]

59 minutes ago, M j M said:

I think he's trying to work out the corporate market you can tap into at Headingley. Now there's no reason that can't also be had at Elland Road despite that ground's limitations but you definitely won't get it in the same way, either capacity or rates, at Huddersfield. 

I get that, but we can't look at one income stream and let that override everything else.

Playing an Ashes test in a regular SL 20k stadium would be a big no-no.

[Odsal Outlaw]

2 hours ago, M j M said:

I think he's trying to work out the corporate market you can tap into at Headingley. Now there's no reason that can't also be had at Elland Road despite that ground's limitations but you definitely won't get it in the same way, either capacity or rates, at Huddersfield. 

Yes, I do agree that Headingley isn’t the ideal place for an ashes match, so maybe playing devils advocate a bit.  But for example there was a comment on this thread of why play it at Headingley when you could get 30k at Elland Rd? Well … what if 20k at Headingley made you more money than 30k at Elland Rd and caused higher demand for the other big stadiums?

I would love to see a Wembley test opening up the series though.  But I don’t think the ashes can support three big stadium choices.

[Odsal Outlaw]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-14055627/Evertons-stadium-considered-host-Ashes-Test-Australia.html

Everton in running for an Ashes test. Apparently Leeds vs Hull for Yorkshire and Spurs seen as too expensive!

[Damien]

5 minutes ago, Odsal Outlaw said:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-14055627/Evertons-stadium-considered-host-Ashes-Test-Australia.html

Everton in running for an Ashes test. Apparently Leeds vs Hull for Yorkshire and Spurs seen as too expensive!

I'd be happy with Wembley, Everton and Elland Road if that's what we go with. I would prefer Spurs over Wembley, due to the more realistic capacity, but if the finances add up better with Wembley let's do it. Be bold and back ourselves, if we don't for this series we never will.

Edited November 7, 2024 by Damien

[Dave T]

27 minutes ago, Damien said:

I'd be happy with Wembley, Everton and Elland Road if that's what we go with. I would prefer Spurs over Wembley, due to the more realistic capacity, but if the finances add up better with Wembley let's do it. Be bold and back ourselves, if we don't for this series we never will.

I often argue for moving away from Wembley for the Cup, but I like it for internationals. I'd always wanted to go to Arsenal, but I don't think I'd choose it over Wembley having now been to both.

I think Wembley lends itself well in the way you can close off tiers and sections that still looks great on TV and retains the atmosphere in the ground.

When we played the Aussies with 42k in it worked nicely, and obviously that game with 67k was great.

[Hopie]

Good options, I wonder what the next article will guess. Good to see coverage in a variety of papers too!

Edited November 7, 2024 by Hopie

[17 stone giant]

14 minutes ago, Hopie said:

Good options, I wonder what the next article will guess. Good to see coverage in a variety of papers too!

Got to get the Twickenham story out there, even it's never going to happen. Send out those press releases saying the RFL would be more than happy to use Twickenham for the forthcoming Kangaroos tour. Praise the stadium as iconic and talk about how lots of people love to watch both codes etc. Not forgetting it was used before in 2000.

[17 stone giant]

Listening to the latest podcast with Martin and Jake and they mentioned (around 32 minutes in) that they're considering switching the Women's Ashes in 2025 from Australia to England.

That's surely got to be a no brainer. Play it at the same time as the men's Ashes. Perhaps one of the tests as a double header (Wembley I would do), but the other two in the north perhaps as standalone.

[WN83]

It does all feel a bit of guesswork but I like the idea of the new Everton Stadium. People like to go and see new Stadiums and loads of football fans, with an interest in Rugby League would be tempted. You'd also have locals in Liverpool who might not be able to get a ticket for the early Everton games who'd jump on board. It's a good capacity in terms of being ambitious but still looking decent with 30-35k on (bit of guesswork mind) and who knows, we might be able to push it up towards capacity. 

Edited November 7, 2024 by WN83

[gingerjon]

9 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

Listening to the latest podcast with Martin and Jake and they mentioned (around 32 minutes in) that they're considering switching the Women's Ashes in 2025 from Australia to England.

That's surely got to be a no brainer. Play it at the same time as the men's Ashes. Perhaps one of the tests as a double header (Wembley I would do), but the other two in the north perhaps as standalone.

I'd stick with it being in Australia. Cricket tried them overlapping and all that happened was that women's got massively overshadowed. May as well use it as an opportunity for England women to get experience of touring and play some games where rep games might not usually be played.

And double headers remain terrible ideas.

But they will switch it and do it about as half baked as possible.

[Archie Gordon]

10 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

I'd stick with it being in Australia. Cricket tried them overlapping and all that happened was that women's got massively overshadowed. May as well use it as an opportunity for England women to get experience of touring and play some games where rep games might not usually be played.

And double headers remain terrible ideas.

But they will switch it and do it about as half baked as possible.

I'd quite like it if the women's series happened closer to the first game in Vegas and away from the men's. Spread the joy/tragedy of the Ashes over the whole season. And give the lasses their own platform.

[gingerjon]

41 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

I'd quite like it if the women's series happened closer to the first game in Vegas and away from the men's. Spread the joy/tragedy of the Ashes over the whole season. And give the lasses their own platform.

The bit in bold is the important bit, however it's achieved.

[sam4731]

2 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

The bit in bold is the important bit, however it's achieved.

Vegas is a good start.

[Jonty58]

I don’t think the Aussies will come.

[17 stone giant]

7 hours ago, gingerjon said:

I'd stick with it being in Australia. Cricket tried them overlapping and all that happened was that women's got massively overshadowed.

Is there any reason to believe that it would be 'out of the shadows' if it was held separately? I personally doubt that it would be. I think it would be much more likely that it would only get the interest in the heartlands. By combining with the men's, there is a chance that a wider audience will take an interest.

7 hours ago, gingerjon said:

May as well use it as an opportunity for England women to get experience of touring and play some games where rep games might not usually be played.

They can tour in other years. I can't see what is special about touring in 2025, as opposed to 2026, 2027, etc. 

7 hours ago, gingerjon said:

And double headers remain terrible ideas.

Not always. I've been to plenty in The Hundred and it has contributed to the women playing in front of large crowds (and in the bigger stadiums) that they probably wouldn't have done if held separately.

[gingerjon]

35 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

They can tour in other years. I can't see what is special about touring in 2025, as opposed to 2026, 2027, etc. 

There's a World Cup in 2026. In Australia.

Be quite a good idea to have some experience of playing together as a team out there in advance.

[wroteforluck87]

Seen a not of chat about potential venues for playing NZ is this all just hypothetically or have we a game with the Kiwis penciled in aswell as the Aussies?