Page XIII: Why Women’s Super League Grand Final shouldn’t be at Old Trafford

[Rugby League World]

ARE THE best games of rugby league always those high-scoring encounters with lots of tries for supporters to cheer? This season’s Grand Final between Wigan...

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[up the robins]

I agree the women's game deserves its own day and should be about promoting the excellent way the women's game is developing.

I do believe a neutral ground would be better with a suitable capacity so the game looks better  for marketing make it a festival of all what's good about the women's game.  

There are many good quality stadiums with smaller capacity like  doncasters 15,000 capacity stadium would look good on telly and let the women have their own day in the spotlight and build to bigger and better stadiums with the growth of the women's game.

The RFL should go all out promoting the game as a big event in one of sports biggest growth areas.

[sam4731]

I understand the rationale behind having a neutral stadium for the women's grand final but at the moment the sport isn't big enough to expect fans to travel. The last 2 grand finals have got bumper crowds because the home team was playing. It's a goal to aim for which we can maybe start by having the Sky picks as standalone events rather than double headers. Get the game proper exposure on telly at a sensible time. Either that or sell full and exclusive to FTA rights even if that means a money reduction.

[gingerjon]

"It’s all very well having the Challenge Cup Finals and internationals as double-headers..."

It's actually not, and it would be the worst of all worlds to have the Women's SL Grand Final yet another curtain raiser.

I agree that it should move to a neutral venue. It's going to be between two M62 teams for the foreseeable so it's not like anyone is going to be expected to make an impossible journey at short notice.

[Black Country Wire]

Playing a home game does give a genuine advantage (incentive?) for finishing higher up the table.

[Just Browny]

13 minutes ago, Black Country Wire said:

Playing a home game does give a genuine advantage (incentive?) for finishing higher up the table.

Agreed. For a final based on an end of season play off series, there's no particular reason why the final *has* to be a neutral venue: the main reason on RL is that you need a neutral venue is for the extra capacity.

[Liverpool Rover]

You could see what playing the cup final meant to the players and moving the Grand Final to Old Trafford will do the same. Though Man Utd might not like the idea of having two games back to back on their pitch.