I think an important argument is the bit about how hard it is to reach and win the Grand Final compared to how hard it is to win at Wembley.

It really is monumentally difficult to win the Grand Final. It's not just the consistency required during the season, it's the intensity of the play-offs, which is perhaps only matched in the Challenge up at semi-final stage. I reckon most of us are aware of this, and inevitably now think winning at Wembley is much less of an achievement - which it is.

But the other thing is surely the razzamatazz that surrounds these different tournaments

During the Super League period, while there's been no concerted effort to downplay the Challenge Cup, the absence of Wembley and the change to summer did coincide with an era during which the game's controlling forces - i.e. Sky - were doing everything in their power to enhance their own competition. (The proof of the importance of this is surely the lack of respect with which winning the Minor Premiership is held - finishing top of the league is actually an immense achievement, but Sky never want to highlight it because it may detract from the other trophy).

In the old days, 'Cup Fever' was magnified by the attention that the BBC and others gave to the contest. Now, those with the power to promote have less of a vested interest in the Challenge Cup. Maybe we need look no further than that?

It hasn't lost its romance, I just genuinley believe that people have better things to do than sit and watch a training session for 80 minutes, a home tie with Barrow it not appealing at all and you know before you attend, that, basically your going to be bored half to death.

(And before Rogues or twosevenzero chirp up, yes, I do go watching Liverpool)

No disrespect intended, but that sounds a bit self-contradictory to me.

If it's still romantic, how can you call the first round an 80 minute training session and say you have better things to do?

To me, the romance of the Cup was the chance it gave these smaller teams to test themselves against the bigger teams. It was the possiblity - no matter how remote - that David might do Goliath.

What you just said there seems to prove to me that the romance (call it innocence of another era, maybe) has gone.

The semi is 3 weeks before the final. That gives the teams in the final knockout footy pretty much week in and week out for August and september. This makes it very difficult for any team to win both.

Yes I agree.

We all used to 'go down to that London' in May. To be honest, I have no idea now when the Final is held.

The TV companies have also helped trash the Challenge cup.

SKY can't cover it and the BBC now only have a few matches per year on TV.

Last weekend we had the situation of the BBC changing the channel of Saturdays match at half time ! Would they have done that with Union ?

I do think Sky would add an element of glamour, it gets no mention during the weekly rounds and Eddie and Stevo dont even acknowledge it as a trophy tbh - its 100% about winning the SL. Having said that Clare Balding is a great presenter, a credit to the sport

Sky don't care and the BBC don't do any publicity until the week before.

Then the BBC split the coverage between two channels for the same game! What a farce.

Its lost alot of its romance and thats very upsetting.

Sunday i was just hoping we didnt get any injuries for the following weeks league games.

I've said for a while now that I'm just not interested by the cup.

Yes it's got tradition and history but it's just not what it once was.

10/10 I'd take the hub cap over it. I seriously mean that as well.

It doesn't get the fan fare but for me last season that was the best feeling I've had at Wigan in a long time. After we got the hub cap it was great to think back to those great wins at Wire, Leeds, Hudds and Saints and have a good pat on the back for what was our most enjoyable season in a decade.

The GF was amazing but I felt more of a sense of a relief that we'd managed to secure what was ours with it.

Come out on top in a close game in the cup and it will all come rushing back. I suppose that's where we have the added benefit of the Northern Rail Cup as some of our most talked about games have been knock out fixtures.

Certainly wasn't anyone questioning the magic of the cup at the LSV on Friday, and I doubt many Wigan fans will either if you end up beating Saints in the semi or anything along those lines.

Whats the Romance thats been lost........?

if its the lack of cup upsets, they have always been few and far between. They have never been as common as in the round ball game.

If its the loss of the Twin Towers and the old Wembely then forget it the new wembley is a magnificent place the old wembley was iconic but it was toilet.

I doubt its the loss of Ray French or Eddie Waring as commentators.

Maybe the BBC is poor. Its clear from all the message boards the BBC coverage is not getting any better and many people think its giving our game a poor image.

But i think the lack of interest in the early rounds (which has always been there Ive stood in a crowd of under 1500 at Wildesrpool in the 80's against Blackpool I think) is not down to the Lower League clubs but down to the Squad rotation of the big clubs. I would pay as I did yesterday to Watch a virtually full strength Wires play a keighley cougars side who had one player I knew. but I wouldnt Watch a Wires Second String V Keighley.

those of you of a certain Age may remember the locker cup pre Season Friendly which was a full blooded and very popular game between Wires And Wigan it remained so until John Monie (I think) decided too many players were getting injured/or unnecessarily knocked about and started fielding reserve players Wires Followed suit and then it died a slow death.

We would pay to Watch our own stars wee in the wind and while we may bang on about the youth many people wont pay top dollar to watch them..

If you get to wembley this year you'll soon forget this thread.

On a personally level its simple.

Its all about the GF. Losing a tomkins or a richards for a season because he got injuried yesterday is not worth the CC. like it or not

I agree, the cup needs a big upset i.e Batley hanging on against Huddersfield, to re discover the magic of the cup.

It isn't just about the occasional good game, which any competition in any sport will now and then serve up.

It's that overall the CC no longer seems to capture the imagination of the fans.

It's seems like years since we used to await each draw with excitement.