Yeah, I've heard that too. It's an utter, utter joke.

I think that £250k is an estimate including such things as merchandising and sponsorship income, not just prize money - it was quoted as the "cost" of getting knocked out. Last I heard, it was £100k prize money for the CC winners (and £35k for the beaten finalists).

Even so, it pays more to lose the CC than to win the GF.

How on Earth have the RFL ever allowed a situation like that to develop?

No, Mr. Lenegan quoted that the winning team 'received' £250 K for the Challenge Cup final win, but for the premier super league grand final event, winner £30 K loser £15K. Shocking when you compare it ( as he did ) to Oxford winning the conference league at Wembly and receiving almost £500K as their share of gate money.

The big issue is that the league has been mis managed for far too long and we need professionals in charge, not amateurs who don't know what they are doing. It is ridiculous that the Leeds based RFL seem to be so incompetent and yet so 'in charge' of this great sport. Time for change.

The only one who won't like whats coming, other than the chimps at the RFL is Mr & Mrs Etherington, but its about time they had their wings clipped too. Far too much influence over the game to their own advantage and it is holding everyone back.

Good luck to IL and the rest of the chairmen, about time too.

That won't even cover the cost of flying the squad to Aus for the WCC

Wow.

I'm genuinely shocked by that.

I already knew that GF winners received less than the CC winners, which was already a joke, but I had no idea that the difference was so much.

30k for being crowned champions is an utter joke.

Like OL said, it won't even cover the cost of the trip to Oz.

RFL are a joke (not the first - or last - time that's been said).

It'd be a strong signal if he and Lenagan were on the same page about it all.

Is the £30k prize money or share of gate money? I seem to remember a couple of years ago reading that Leeds got about 10 times that as prize money for winning the GF while we as league leaders got about £80k after failing to make the GF (we were effectively third place).

I also remember Tony Colquitt when still at Saints (as CEO IIRC) being asked on Radio Manchester whether the Challenge Cup wins or GF wins were better financially said the cup was, as the gate money was split between the two finalists (minus the RFL share). Whereas for the playoffs all playoff game ticket money goes into a pot and is split after the GF between all 8 competing clubs. Prize money he said generally is split between the players (as they earned it) and that the clubs themselves earn from gate share rather than prize money.

That is my understanding as well. The CC is way more lucrative and given it gets bigger crowds (78K for the CC v 66K for the GF this year) you can see why clubs are so keen to get there.

Just looked at the thread on the Virtual Terrace about this topic and it says there are 7 clubs meeting up to discuss matters and Leeds are not one of them.

Why have a club who are a large part of the problem taking any part in organising a solution ?

They need to be put in line and realise that they are not bigger than the game itself.

Well according to someone who was at the end of season club dinner the other night IL was bemoaning the influence of G and K Hethrington on the RFL. So it looks like IL does see them as part of the problem.