World Cup and Leigh? Do those things really sit right?

IMO we should be thinking bigger than the 'withdraw to the safety of the M62' approach they seem to be taking. Have games at big irrelevant stadiums in irrelevant locations and just spend the next two years selling and giving tickets away.

Saddened in "I want RL to fail" shocker.

World Cup and Keighley

Fiji and South Africa two absolute GIANTS of the game .

I was amazed that Cougar Park got a game at the time but also very pleased.

And what happened, the ground was heaving, the atmosphere was brilliant, the game was enjoyed by all, so I believe, and everyone went home happy.

Now if something similar could be repeated again this next time then the game really is doing it right.

It seems to be towns and cities that bid, not stadiums. Hull Council have already put themselves forward with their two stadiums. I suppose a Wigan bid could include the Pie Dome and Leigh's ground.

Leeds will go for it with Headingley and Elland Rd, but will the new South Stand be ready in time?

An interesting one to think about is if Wakefield council will bid. They're not built yet, but there could be two spanking new stadiums there in time.

Just seems a bit strange if it is councils (I'm not entirely sure that it is) when you consider London. Would Wembley and The Stoop make two seperate bids or just one.

Carwyn Jones has stuck his hand up for Wales and suggested the Millenium Stadium. Be interesting to see if and how that one is used.

All in all, the best approach is picking the right sized stadiums for the right matches and only book larger stadiums if confident. A match at Hillsborough would be brilliant, but we have to be sure the tickets can be sold.

Rochdale bid for Fiji clash www.independent.co.uk/sport/gene ... 49630.html

Rochdale bid for Fiji clash www.independent.co.uk/sport/gene ... 49630.html

Hull bid; news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 251710.stm

Hull bid; news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 251710.stm

leigh, fax, oldham, rochdale, cumbrian clubs etc to get the smaller games

scotland games for whitehaven / workington as they are near scotland

these games will get no more than 10,000 and these neglected RL areas will support these well.

england games have to go to the big stadia ie 40,000 - 80,000

Agree with pretty much everything people are saying, apart from Saddened.

Why shouldn't Leigh get a smaller group game involving Tonga? We've done everything that the RFL have asked of us in terms of off the pitch criteria, and surely we are way ahead of Rochdale in bidding for a game. We've got 2000 of our own fans in the town, the vast majority of Leigh RL fans know or are familiar with Lee Hansen, Jimmy Viekoso and Tau Liku. We're easy to get to for the towns around us like Wigan, Warrington and St. Helens. Just off the M6, M62 and M60 and on the East Lancs. I'd be confident that we'd get a good crowd for a RLWC game at the LSV.

I'm also with Daly on the stadia for England, 3 group games should be Australia-Wembley Ireland-Hull Fiji-Wigan

I'd prefer the RLWC games were played in larger stadia. Larger stadia means bigger exposure. Trouble is, would we be able to fill those stadia? Probably not without a massive publicity campaign.

However, the loss of the FIFA world cup yesterday opens up a large gap which, if the RFL are quick, they could fill with the RLWC. The PM has already given us lip-service backing. Surely we could push this further. Try for stadiums like Anfield, Old Trafford, CoM, Wembley. If the RFL market it properly we would have a chance at pushing to fill them.

The decisions for venues is quite big but many have already been made from past experience, i.e. Wigan/Hudds/Hull for England games in the north I'd expect. The final will be at Elland Road again as a 40,000 capacity is about right with cheaper tickets to fill.

Group games we have some nice stadiums to use, Warrington, Leigh, Widnes, Saints new ground, Headingley, Salfords new ground.

We've got to get the blend right of capacity grounds and not under selling games. We have the grounds now though to come across very well on TV.

Yes, Marketing is one thing, but I think ticket pricing structure is more crucial. Take for example the NZ match at Hudds last season. There was 20k ppl there, but there was around 4k empty seats in the middle of one of the stands that runs the length of the pitch. There was a massive buzz about this match, it should have sold out, but folk don't want to spend £30-40 for one international. They want to spend £10 and that's why it was absolutely packed behind the sticks. Some of the tickets were more than double one SL club match. It might be an international, but folk don't want to fork out that sort of money.

The RFL have a great opportunity with FIFA's embarrassing decision. I've always thought RL misses out by not trying to convert soccerball fans. RL is down to earth and affordable, two reasons why soccerball fans become disillusioned. With FIFA kicking England in the teeth, England's football team being a bunch of underachieving millionaire prime donnas and more and more families being priced out, RL really needs to step into the void and onto soccerball's toes now. For example, if Salford struck up a deal with United and gave away a free ticket to everyone who attended a United match and only 2% of that 75k turned up that'd be 1500 ppl. Not a lot to United, significant to Salford.

I think strategies like that to get different sports fans in leading up to the comp is a good idea. Then we can show them how good and affordable the product is. Get your Peacock's or your Tomkins on a Question of Sport or even This Morning and Loose Women plenty of times (sit Joel Tomkins in between Jane MacDonald and that Nolan, show them that photo of Joel without his jersey on and watch them try to restrain themselves). Make sure anything that is ever said on the BBC about RL always references the WC. And, put together affordable ticket packages. E.g. Three England pool matches for price of one or buy a ticket for England-Fiji at Wigan and get Fiji-Ireland at Leigh for free.

Ee, there's nowt so tight as Yorkshire folk.

yrs
A Yorkshireman

I think for smaller games perhaps a free or discounted ticket for a game at your clubs ground when you buy a season ticket for the 2013 season or renew for 2014 season. For example all leigh season ticket holders get a free or discounted ticket for a group game at LSV.

Just a thought...

Discounted tickets, yes, but no free tickets please.