Best series we had in the last 40 years (1990) the Wembley game got 54000. A.coulpe of years later 73000 for the World Cup final.

The interest and media exposure on terrestrial was far greater at the time.

You say, if done properly. What do you mean by that?

Announced a lot longer than a few months before and marketed properly. London is a huge city with absolutely loads of sports fans. If the RFL can't get 90,000 to watch a rugby game between Australia and Great Britain at Wembley then they're doing something very wrong.

The biggest internationals at Wembley in recent times have involved England (apart from a WC final).
In fact, the biggest internationals over here (outside of Finals) over the last 20 years have involved England. Why do you think GB would sell so much more?

Besides, isn't the idea that they tour?

I don't think GB will particularly sell more than England, but they should easily be filling Wembley for a test match against Australia. They've failed previously because they don't have a clearly set out, long term international calendar and have to try and sell tickets at the last minute. If they have everything sorted well in advance then there is absolutely no reason why they shouldn't sell out Wembley.

Ah I was wondering if ireland was involved. When Ireland was involved they didn't use GSTQ as the anthem right?

According to the BBC it will be England v NZ/Aus when it's in this country and then Great Britain when we tour over there which makes sense.

Has Brian Carney come out of retirement or something?

Regards

King James

Once again, you quote "properly", without actually explaining it.

New York has lots of sports fans but I doubt an RL game would breach five figures if played there.

The RFL struggled to get 25k to watch the last time the aussies were here. Why are you so confident that in the space of just a few years, there will be a massive (and it would take a massive shift) shift in RL popularity. Hosting a game at Wembley would once again show the LACK of interest in the game with huge blocks of empty seats.

RL fans in general terms tend not to travel far for games and you are relying on London to suddenly take interest in something which has not take there in over 35 years. No amount of marketing would change that...unless it was something worthwhile.

Momentum needs to be created by having images of full stadia, creating the buzz of excitement, that if you are not there to see it, you are missing out.. This has to start in stadia the RFL are confident of selling out, Not going for the biggest one out there hoping. Its just pie in the sky wishful thinking.

Controversial idea but I'd go for having England v Australia as a warm up game to a Union game at Twickenham or Wembley. Expecting to get a lot of flack for this but hear me out. If you get this to happen you'll get a bigger crowd in allowing them to see the two games one after another and seeing how much more entertaining RL is. Allows a direct comparison; this could help get some more fans surely?

Only an idea and can never see it happening but worth saying; this is a forum after all

PS: I'd HATE a RL game to have to play second fiddle to a game of Yawnion but if it benefitted the game in the long run by attracting new fans it'd be a small price to pay.

What might help and I say might if we finish up in this years word cup final and it would be better if we won it that would help to fill Wembley

I agree, an example being the England v New Zealand second test down in London in 2015.

However would it be that much of a risk? If that were to happen, the rah-rah fans have a little laugh and carry on as they would have anyway. The League fans know that it's a rare bad game?

However the intensity and passion in RL can still create phenomenal matches and viewing even when the weather sabotages the quality.

As I say it's far from a well thought through and complete plan, just an idea

Yeah

To the time when international RL sold out Wembley fingers crossed.

God forbid...

wembley? do we play internationals there anymore?

Yeah and when domestic RL was on its backside and crippled the game with its short-termist, backward attitudes.

It was also a very different time in terms of both society and media. There wasn't the huge concentration/consolidation of media in London/South East and within an upper-middle class-only spectrum. There were still regional editions of national newspapers, very few tv channels, no internet and little else in terms of social or leisure activities.

It was p!ss easy to sell out Wembley back then and the RFL didn't do anything other than announce when the game was happening.

It's not like that today.