I went to Wembley for the 2013 World Cup semi against the Kiwis and came away buzzing (well maybe I was buzzing once the numbness had worn off) to think how we could take more internationals there and have it as a big international venue for us and move the challenge cup to Cardiff. Since then in the following 7 years, the international side has played zero fixtures at the venue and very few in the country. The amount of southern accents I heard in a crowd of nearly 70,000 that day was so encouraging and I hoped for a legacy but this is rugby league!

I’ve always felt we’ve missed a trick in terms of attracting locals to Wembley (Or other London venues) by not playing more internationals in the South. An England side gives people in the South with a vague interest in Rugby League a team to support, whereas a Warrington v Catalans, Wigan v Hull game etc means very little to anybody other than a die hard league fan.

That's where an Ashes series would be huge for us. First tests at Wembley were always a big deal.

Those days have gone now that our game no longer gets the same media coverage down south where since 1996, they are now more interested in Union games at Wembley involving the top Union clubs like Harlequins, Saracens, Wasps etc.

Hardly surprising, now that our International team no longer includes former top Union stars, especially those from South Wales.

Personally I think there is more to it than just the cost, it is more about the perceived value.

By that I mean most people will spend more than they should on something they really want to do, but once the magic of these things disappear then they start to appear too expensive or too time consuming.
Trips down to London were very rare when the habit of going to the Final just for the game (and not being a supporter) was established. Over the years this habit was kept going by the fact you knew when it was happening, where it was staged and the fact that pubs and clubs would set these trips up.
Over the years the trip to London has become more common place and less appealing
The final itself has been moved both venue and time
There has been another final to rival it that follows very closely behind
The introduction of SL has diminished the importance of the CC
Pubs and Clubs are disappearing and are not organising this type of trip due to the lack of locals
The supporters of the finalists are still willing to go and spend that extra - but not as many neutral supporters

All of the above has an effect on the mindset of neutral supporters - take one in isolation and you can deal with it, all together and it needed some smart marketing from the RFL to get over this size of a hurdle, and while they have tried they have failed.

A lot of this is true which is a shame. I still think that the RFL should push neutral ticket sales to amateur clubs at a reduced rate (with funds going to each club) more and more. Especially the newly formed London clubs. Start from open age and work down to the young kids, 3-4 full coaches per club would make a big difference.

Club day outs still occur in RU and are very well organised.