The Challenge Cup!

Quote: moto748 "As pointed out, the semi-finals at the Macron is actually a good idea (especially for me, sitting only 7 miles away The BBC I believe want the CC final to be in early May or early June as the August date doesn't work for them either.

For me historically the CC particularly away ties was about having the day out and having the craic. It is now competing with the GF, Magic Weekend, catalan trip, potential aussie trips and if there are internationals they invariably now have one in the capital. The game is a blue collar sport and fans have limited budgets and they will spend their money where they feel they will get a better craic/deal. For me scrap the magic weekend and only play internationals in London if the opposition is Australia.

The CC has been dying on its harris for years as spectacle e.g. when was the last time that there was a real giant killing result or even close to a giant killing result. Historically a trip to say Featherstone or Workington in any round would have been a tough tie and now its just by how many points will a SL team win by.

For me home ties in the CC should be included in the price of the season ticket. This should then you would like think get both teams in marketing overdrive to sell tickets for the tie. The home team should receive receipts for tickets sold in their ticket office and the away team the receipts sold via their own ticket office. Has anyone seen any marketing around Wigan or in the social media actually actively selling tomorrow's game?

As to the final itself I would not sell any tickets for the tier in the gods to the general public but would give these away free to areas of London, other RL development areas, amateur clubs in the RL heartland and other sectors where the could be a future income streams. As part of the free ticket offer a prize draw say a trip to Australia for 4 people for 2 weeks covering flights, hotel, a couple of nrl games and a bit of beer money. The real cost will be the marketing in getting take up of the free tickets but it would add to the spectacle with a full or near to full house versus a half empty soulless match that inspires just apathy with hardened fans and more importantly potentially new fans.

Changing the date of the final will do nothing unless it is backed up some real razzle dazzle marketing. If the RL don't have the appetite for this then let's say then the CC has had its day and move on or offer it to a promoter to try and drag into the 21st century. Along with many others for me the CC was really what rugby league was all about with league matches a pipe filler waiting for February to come around which was the start of the competition. Now I'm not really bothered one way or the other if we win or not other than I don't want Saints to win it. I am looking forward to tomorrow's game which should be a sell out but I'd be surprised if there are more than 10k on the ground tomorrow for a 2nd v 3rd and less than 10 miles apart from each other.