Good post that Donners.

Quote: Ste100Centurions "To quote myself .... "even if they were, I doubt that Toulouse as a Championship club would have been asked". My main point revolves around Toulouse & the RFL's inability to run a fair league, I would go as far as to say that they are actively complicit in aiding the potential promotion of TO13, would anyone be surprised if it were proven true ?'" Ste, It looks like Toulouse's original home fixture against London has now been switched to Headingley, as part of a reverse 'double header' https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/r ... 1-10105339 So, technically, they don't have a home fixture against London Broncos at all - i.e. one at Toulouse RU, one at Trailfinders, and one at Headingley.

Quote: Ste100Centurions "To quote myself .... "even if they were, I doubt that Toulouse as a Championship club would have been asked". My main point revolves around Toulouse & the RFL's inability to run a fair league, I would go as far as to say that they are actively complicit in aiding the potential promotion of TO13, would anyone be surprised if it were proven true ?'" Ste, It looks like Toulouse's original home fixture against London has now been switched to Headingley, as part of a reverse 'double header' https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/r ... 1-10105339 So, technically, they don't have a home fixture against London Broncos at all - i.e. one at Toulouse RU, one at Trailfinders, and one at Headingley.

Fundamentally, every club in the competition, should have to play a full program of fixtures -including all cup competitions that are part of the league that they are is. It's not difficult
For some of the overseas clubs (especially Toronto), perhaps it's ok fo them to play their home cup fixtures at the "away" ground, although, even this isn't quite in keeping in the spirit of the competition.
Yes, there can be logistical issues but, EVERYONE knows about these prior to their application to join and to their having been accepted into the comp.

Bond's, for clubs that may reach a final but, may not sell their allocation are just ridiculous and again, EVERYONE knows that there will be some issues if certain sides make it to a major final.

Those "running" the game should already have a plan in place for all eventualities and to be caught out when there is a surprise participant in a major final is just amateur time.

We could certainly have a Catalan v Toronto final at some point and there SHOULD be something in place to mitigate any negative issues that may arise from this (attendance being the obvious one).

You're right. Times do change. But that also means that the RFL needs to change with it - and that's my point. I'm not just talking about simply "advertising more" and doing more of the same things that clearly aren't working - I'm talking about making changes that ensures that the CC Final is and remains relevant in the wider sporting market. The cup needs an entire rebrand. New and casual fans don't care about the history or tradition. Regular fans know that Groupon deals are never far away. The whole match day experience is dated and tired. In the age of Instagram, the event lacks FOMO.

Your comments about RL fans having more 'big days out' kind of point to the main issue - we're trying to drink from the same well over and over again, and not being "smart and proactive" in making the CC Final an event that new audiences want to buy into. Yes, the typical RL fan is probably spending their money on other events, so be proactive and adapt to that. The traditional fan base isn't enough to grow the game anyway - why not make the CC Final something that breaks the mould and does something daring to attract new sets of eyeballs?

I'd personally rebrand the whole CC competition - make it something new, something daring. What makes the CC Final distinctive? What makes it different to everything else out there? If we have to irriate a few traditionalists along the way, so be it. The traditionalists aren't turning out at Wembley any more, so let's make something that people want to buy. It's an entertainment product first and foremost - if we entertain people, people will buy it.

But what's our idea of pre-match entertainment? That boorish oik from Rugby AM MC'ing a fan park, 20 minutes of an X Factor quarter finalist and Abide with Me. By all means respect tradition, but modernise and move with the times.

You can make the CC Final something exciting. You can make it something that entertains people and something that people want to buy. You can also dismiss all of the above as "pie in the Sky" and "something the game can't afford" but do you know what happens to businesses that don't adapt to the market? They die.

Or maybe because the prices are ridiculous. High cost with low attendance.

To me it would surely make more sense to lower the cost to slightly below mid-range and sell more?

60,000 people @ an average ticket price of £50 = £3,000,000

80,000 people @ an average ticket price of £38 = £3,040,000

Stadium near enough full, speccies happier, looks a better prospect to potential sponsors, more revenue generated from food and drink kiosks, local area generates more business from greater footfall... Seems a no brainer to me.

My ticket for this year's final was £20 I think, from the RFL website. The year before it was £10 (admittedly that was a deal my mate found on the Leigh Sports Village website) and they ended up sitting us in £50 seats after closing the upper tier! Either way, there is no shortage of cheapish tickets.

I've never paid £50 for any rugby league ticket in my life, and I've done every Challenge Cup Final and Grand Final Wires have been in since 2009.

Cheapskate, you sound like a Huddersfield fan they are knocking season tickets out at less than £150 (£80 for under 30's)

Same. When I’ve been I’ve never paid over £40 a ticket and there was plenty of tickets available at £20.

Price is not the issue. It’s the fact that people aren’t that bothered about it. The sport needs to make it more relevant, exciting and interesting to the general public.

At the risk of repeating myself, the RFL should allocate 3,000 tickets to the top 23 clubs in the UK leaving 20,000 for general sale or sale to the finalists when they are known. Sale or return by Xmas at £20.00 a ticket. The clubs can then sell these on at a slight profit or include them in Season Tickets or as rewards for spending money in the club shop. Some clubs like London will only sell 100 or so, but others like Wigan, Leeds and Saints will easily exhaust their allocation and by the time the semi-final double header happens, we should be looking at maybe 60,000 tickets already sold.

Clever clubs will arrange packages now for next July, including coaches, accommodation etc and make it an event, but the RFL needs to assist with this by Negotiating good deals with coach, train and accommodation suppliers NOW.

I've just looked at a return coach from Manchester to London, returning on the Sunday with a night in A travelodge all for £100. Add my £20 ticket and I am looking at £120.....or 50p a day.
Maybe clubs could look at a carpool initiative?
Point is, moving the date is hardly going to be a game changer (no pun intended) but with some intuitive marketing, bigger gates can be achieved

This

As could playing Fev on a Wednesday if the Fev part timers have other work commitments.

Not sure how many clubs would take part if they had the potential fine imposed on them. Only the RFL could run a competition where it costs you money to get in the final.