wtf is a main event?

what more can they do other than play rugby league?

Think he means some kind of final.

If you haven't been to one, how can you know whether it's good or not?

I've been to every single one and loved them all. The fixtures this year are pretty pants though.

It's time for this to be used to showcase the challenge cup, doubt the BBC would give it the coverage as sky do.

This is the problem , it has to be Sky therefore superleague. I wish people would give it a chance. We are so impatient as a collective of fans.

The RFL will get it right, they have to however, be given a chance to do so.

been to all the previous ones - but probably not bothering this time. I suspect this year will see its lowest crowd yet.

Perhaps holding it every 2 years would help. Build a bit of anticipation to it - they could do the derby games every time then.

The "last 16" would make it interesting, but wouldn't work for two main reasons:
1. most people are not going to plan to go to Edinburgh if they are only going to get a couple of weeks notice that their team is there.
2. BBC have the rights to the Challenge Cup, and they are not going to show eight games. In fact, they wouldn't even show four.

However, it would give the Championship teams something to play for in the earlier rounds, as some luck with the draw could see them with a big day out.

The thing is the BBC *COULD* theoretically broadcast 7 or 8 games. BBC3 and BBC4 don't start until 7pm - there is bandwidth available and they could also simulcast on BBCHD which shows bog all during the day.

exactly, the red button service managed to broadcast hours of winter Olympics throughout the 2 weeks that it was on...they could do it if they wanted to. There isn't even a need to show all 8 games live on TV...it might encourage more people to attend if they couldn't watch it on TV.

if it was the last 16 of the cup, I would definitely go - regardless of who Saints were playing. You would be guaranteed a number of all Super League games, plus the x-factor of being knockout games and potential upsets.

I went to the 2 in Cardiff and was due to go last year but in the end couldnt.

Really wanted to go this year. But I left it too late to get somewhere cheap to stay.

I was going to do a day trip but the last train out of edinburgh is at 7pm

I loved it in Cardiff as it was so close to the city.

I think the main stumbling block is your first point. At the moment, the fixtures fall as follows:



Only 3 weeks between the 4th and 5th Rounds. And again another 3 weeks between the 5th and QF. You'd probably need at least 6-8 weeks to get a decent sell, which could be done by moving the 4th 3 weeks earlier.

Something else which I've noticed (that also happened last year) is the large gap between the QF and SF. Why not hold the SF as a double header and mix it in with a 7s or 9s weekend for the clubs that didn't make it?