Sky wouldn’t necessarily be the problem. It would be the fact that it would leave some clubs without games for large periods of time which would cause cash flow issues, as well as player preparedness issues (from both sides, some would complain that the players would be out of shape and lacking in match sharpness, others would complain that a club used it as a mini-preseason and came up to the business end of the year fresher and fitter)

Im just not sure why we insist that all matches in the same round are played on the same weekend. We could sell to the BBC 1 challenge cup game a week throughout the summer. Play it on a Saturday when we don’t have the Sky game anymore. 4 games from round 4, 4 from round 5, 2 from the quarter finals, the 2 semi’s and the final would be all played on a different week would give us 13 weeks coverage. A weeks break for the magic weekend (which is on the biggest sporting weekend of the year anyway)a two week break for Wimbledon, and a weeks break after round 5, the QF, and the semi would pretty much mean that round 4 could start at the same time and the final can be at the same time, but we would have coverage for 13 out of 20 weeks instead of 5, giving a much better flow to the competition and keeping interest.

As for the impact on Sky, well I think it would be an advertisement for the game which is good in the long run for them, but from the other side, it also means that they don’t have the 5/6 weeks loss of content the currently have because of the Challenge Cup. As well as giving clubs more flexibility if they did need to rearrange fixtures.

Not only that Smokey but, its fair to assume that the attendance this year was compiled in the same way as the previous attendances at the new Wembley.

Sales of 60k then smokes leaving 12.5k unsold

Is it 60k we have decided on now?

Why not 50k? why not 85k? why not 61250? Or 63451?

Hey MAN,

Might be easier to blame the RAIN for the crap attendance, eh?

I don’t think anyone is making excuses. Most are quite happy with the attendance of the CC final. Except those who had decided to make up their own attendance and get angry about it.

I for instance have decided there were 7 people there, and I am furious about it. There should be at least 12 people there, and if it wasn’t for Super duper league ruining everything by getting more people to attend more often, then we could have been back in those halcyon days when we saw a team of postmen defeat a team of shepherds in front of 15 and a half people. And if you don’t believe that you must REALLY HATE RL

Not many Leeds fans hung around to see Warrington presented with the CC last year.

Wasn't worthy of a response Sal.

You lost me with your complete dismissal of international RL.

There's no point debating with parochial one-club supporting fools.

Enjoy your off-season immediately after the SL Grand Final.

Don't forget to wrap up too or else you'll catch a chill.

You take a beating so well - shame I was hoping to engage you in some manful debate. Seems you want to hark back to the 1960s, the world has moved on shame you haven't. The world cup will be an interesting barometer of demand for international RL. The idea of playing both semis back to back at Wembley should draw a crowd if not then the RFL really are flogging a dead horse.

Sal... you've never got it and you never will. I accept there are lots of parochial one-club supporters just like you who are not interested in international RL and the bigger picture. The sport has never crawled out of it's northern backwater because it's infested predominantly by those with opinions just like yours.

May you continue to lavish praise on your hero Danny McGuire as he's twinkle-toeing in for his next hatful of inconsequential tries in meaningless fixtures against teams like London, Widnes and Cas during those precious two months of June & July which must be protected as part of the SL season no matter what the cost. Wouldn't want you or precious little softcock Danny Mags dying from frostbite in Dec or Jan now would we?

Now please excuse me while I rest up, elevate, compress and apply the requisite amount of ice and compression after that severe beating you've just manfully handed out to me.

It will be interesting given the RFL's talent for marketing and promotion.