Yes watched both codes there, massively underwhelmed by the place. Felt it had a total lack of atmosphere . Its an athletics ground not a rugby ground.

If you want a tournament that nearly bankrupts the game then this is a great plan

We saw in 2000 what happens when you just plonk games slaphazardly in towns that dont care about RL.

I'm all for taking games to new places but they require a much bigger marketing spend and are a gamble. Games involving the small nations aren't very attractive, so the policy of having them midweek in the heartlands is the only way of making money.

RU also copied this policy in 2015 with small games played midweek (some even with afternoon kickoffs while people were at work) at places like Gloucester and Exeter. The only games they risked outside their heartlands were an England game at the Etihad, Scotland games at Newcastle and Leeds due to closer for Scotland fans to travel, and the All Blacks (biggest brand in ether code of rugby) at Newcastle.

2013 worked so why break a winning formula? We just need to try and build and get those 10k crowds to 20k the 20k crowds to 30k+ that 60k for the Wembley Semis to a 90k sellout and so on and so forth.

also learn from the success of The Big Bash in Aus, and keep the tickets prices low and pack out the grounds with free tickets to school kids rather than show empty seats.
the benefit of showing a full ground to a TV audience with a proper atmosphere is worth a lot more in credibility terms than trying to up the ticket prices and take a short term revenue game on gate receipts.

You're right - it's the stadiums fault. We should take it to a northern four sided ground where the stands are close to the pitch, maybe like the John Smiths stadium in Huddersfield, because then the atmosphere will be electric

The real money in these big tournaments is made through sports tourism.
the 25 million from governments is being given on the expectation that the tournament will attract at least that much in tourism dollars for the economy.
For that reason, the best places to hold games will be places that RL fans from Australia, NZ, France, Usa, Italy, Canada etc will want to visit and spend dollars in.

Don't use thought, common sense and logic on this forum, people will give you abuse for daring to actually THINK!!!!