i was talking to 'the old guys' in my local a while ago and i remember them saying that they where going to build a national RL stadium in blackpool...but they picked wembley instead

I think a national RL stadium would be a massive boost to our sport and a cash cow as is Twickers for Union.

I've posted this before , but Twickers generates £25M per year from corporate hospitality alone for the Rugby Union. That does not include ticket sales or sponsorship or TV money, corporate hospitality alone!

The RFL's total income is around £12M per year.

Aside from the events that could move there straight away the administration of the RFL would move there saving on existing costs too.

So we have a total income of 12m per year, and we are going to pay for a national stadium for RL how.

Lets keep on using Wembley and use the money to grow the game shall we. Once we start selling Wembley out against france and wales never mind the Roo's and Kiwis then we can maybe just maybe build our own stadium.

spot on..

Well it won't be this week anyway, I'll give you that.

There would obviously be a number of parties involved in the funding, local, national and European government, Sport England/lottery and banks.

RL has a major advantage in that there would immediately be events which could be scheduled in a national stadium to finance loans for the construction.

I know it would not be easy to achieve and in the current climate is probably a non starter but it should be on the agenda.



Ah, that would be never then.

I see a contradiction looming for those flatcappers who want a national RL stadium in the North of England. To build a RL stadium would require growing the game to create the greater marketability needed to drive higher revenue which of course requires expansion ARGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If we build it, we'll go bust.

Yeah, because Twickenham has proven to be a real millstone round the RFU's neck hasn't it?

Sorry?

Twickenham – national stadium of a sport associated for the past 100+ years with the ruling elite, hosting every year an international series in spring and another in autumn, in the capital, within easy reach of the corporate entertainment market.

Proposed RL national stadium – somewhere up north, confirming the prejudice that the corporate world already has of RL as a minor regional sport, difficult to reach from most of the country, out of sight and out mind of the national capital, for a sport with maybe three international matches a year and no entry into, or history with, the lucrative corporate entretainment market.

And you think they're somehow comparable?

We should stick with the national stadium we already have, and utilise it properly rather than indulging in pipe dreasm.

That is a very bleak and hopeless summary TB. You seem to be of the opinion that things will never change. One thing is for sure, with visionaries like you RL will always be a second class poor relation to Rugby Union.

Feel free to point to any factual inaccuracies you feel there are in it.

You may call it 'bleak and hopeless' – on the other hand, I'd say that any talk of emulating Twickenham's £25m corporate revenue in a RL only stadium in the north – or any stadium outside the capital – is pure fantasy.

Especially when we can get Club Wembley members to actually use their free seats and corporate entertainment facilities at RL's current showcase event.

Just shows how much the draw of international rugby at Wembley has been sucessful over the years.
We played the aussies in 1990 infront of a crowd of 54,500 and in 1992 infront of 73,631.
The most recent international at wembley was 1995 where 66,500 watched England vs Australia final.
The group game in the same year attracted 41,000 also at wembley.

Think the above shows that Wembley is the home for international RL but should only be used for finals or semi's now.
Can't see the argument for "lets keep it in the north" when 73,631 went down for a world cup final.
Wonder if it would attract that many now. I hope so!