Crazy suggestion, why not try a cricket ground? Employ some temporary seating, you could easily fit in a good 4,000 extra through making it rectangular, tickets for the oval would be cheap and could go fast.

Huzzah! It only took us one and a bit pages.

AJ Viking mentioned £15 is too much for a group game. Fair point in his opinion. IIRC I think I paid that amount for the England V Australia game at the DW Stadium last year (give or take a fiver.) However when you hire out a stadium you have pretty much got it for the day, plus whatever preparation you need beforehand. Maximise the use of the pitch especially at the smaller group games.

As previously mentioned as well, try to locate games in areas that have a large population of that nations ethnic mix. Like playing one or two Fijian games around Manchester because of their links there.

Opening round of games, for example, could be.

Day One - Friday night.
England V Australia - DW/KC Stadium. 8pm kick off.

Day Two - Saturday.
Fiji V Ireland - Salford's new stadium. 1pm kick off.
Papua New Guinea V Samoa - Salford's new ground. 3pm kick off.
Scotland V Tonga - Wrexham. 5pm kick off.
Wales V Cook Islands - Wrexham. 7pm kick off.

Day Three - Sunday.
USA V Lebanon - The Stoop. 5pm kick off.
New Zealand V France - The Stoop. 5pm kick off.

Avoid having double headers on weekdays, and if possible no games midweek as this minimises attendances due to people at work etc.

Unlike Australian cricket grounds, I'm don't think county cricket grounds have facilities for extra seating so the ground becomes a rectangle. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Also I doubt the groundsman would like it if 34 rugby players were trampling his wicket.

Also, I don't think we should use Wembley, perhaps the Olympic Stadium, to ride on the 2012 wave? If we look at the Quarters, we're probably going to end up with;

Australia/France - Craven Cottage, Near the Centre, if I can remember it from the Everton match last year is easy to get to. Is big enough (27,000) and would get the recognition needed.
England/Tonga - DW Stadium, in a Place that loves Rugby League, and is well deserving, probably best place to have it, but this could be transferred with Hudds/Leeds/Hull.
New Zealand/Fiji - Craven Cottage, Double Header with Aus/France, limits stadiums, and limits costs. Boosts Crowds.
Samoa/Wales - Racecourse Ground, speaks for itself, should be the home of Crusaders, and will no-doubt attract a good crowd.

Semis;

Australia/England
New Zealand/Wales
Both should be held at a 35,000/40,000 stadium, as a double header, I would say Anfield, Sheffield, or Elland Road.

Final: Olympic Stadium?

double headers

Is Wembley going to be considered?

I think you will find its due to the previous man who ran the SMC being back in charge again.
HTH

Apart from a good laugh, what I mostly got from this thred is how deluded some people are. Using somewhere like LSV for a minor game isnt thinking small, its thinking practical taking into account potential attendance and costs involved. Your having a laugh if you think we can get any higher than 25-30,000 for any group game. Who wants a double header in October/November? If some on here had their way we would be suing 50,00 seater stadiums and most likely get a small attendance and lose money.

Ticket deals would be a good start not free tickets.

Quote: Chorlton RL "Hull bid; Quote: Chorlton RL "i remember 12 months ago when test match RL was being banned from the KC www.thisishullandeastriding.co.u ... ticle.html www.thisishullandeastriding.co.u ... ticle.html

Quote: Chorlton RL "Hull bid; Quote: Chorlton RL "i remember 12 months ago when test match RL was being banned from the KC www.thisishullandeastriding.co.u ... ticle.html www.thisishullandeastriding.co.u ... ticle.html

Sounds like a really good idea to me.

Now, that's a double header I'd pay to see

52 players on the pitch at any given point in time

The Olympic Stadium idea would have to be dependant on a) the capacity at the time and b) whether the running track is there. As it happens, I reckon it will be irrelevant as I dare say they will be doing the demolishing/rebuilding to convert it to whatever purpose it will have after the Olympics, as Eastlands was out of action for a year after the Commonwealth Games if memory serves me right.