Unfortunately I can’t be there as I’m already at a family wedding that day. Yes the question was asked to ‘just move it’ but for forum rules I cannot give the brides response, however it began with F and the second word ended with f.

I do worry though for the crowd. I’d hope we’d take 20k down. Throw in 8kish for the Fev v Leigh fans. Huddersfield though I’m concerned about, realistically and with the best will in the world I can’t see them taking anymore than 6-8k. Neutrals probably another 4k. So the best we can look at is 40k in a 63k capacity stadium.

The RFL now have to be offering deals to rugby clubs, discounted tickets for X amount sold. Same for schools, colleges. Encourage coach trips packed with RL fans, or just sport fans. It’s demoralising to see Wembley year on year half full when some of my best childhood memories from the old Wembley were it packed out.

It’s not even hard to do, takes little marketing and ultimately will result in more income. Probably the exact reason why it won’t happen.

I read somewhere that the peak viewing figures for the Wigan v Saints semi-final on Saturday was just over 1 million.

Oh and just to add I'm gutted to be missing the final as we are all in Pefkos, Rhodes for my wifes "Big" birthday, a trip that was postponed from last year due to covid restrictions, so we'll be tele watchers!!

All undoubtedly true.

Mine was a slightly flippant comment as I've got foot in both camps. I'm pretty tired of the "I go to games and that's the only model" approach. I know loads of people who'd happily pay an NRL Kayo type model to stream games. Stuff like that isn't even entertained as crowds are the be all and end all.

I know it's very niche, but my old man had a very mild stroke a few years back. Sadly, one of the side effects was a massive deterioration in his eyesight. He no longer goes to games because of it, but he'll watch them when they are on TV. He'd 100% pay X amount PCM to live stream home and away games.

Look at us as a club and our annual enforced road trip - Wembley + 2 months of away games & magic on the horizon. Do you genuinely believe that's the best thing under the current climate?

Whilst not being as worried as yourself about the crowd, partly because it will be what it will be at this stage and like I said previously a large proportion of "Fans" (And I basically mean the ones who comment a thousand time more than they actually go) will focus on the negatives that, if anything will negatively influence and impact peoples thoughts.
But
On your point about getting Clubs/Fans to games/Finals I'll say the same thing I've said for 15/20 years

The RFU make it part of their membership criteria that clubs/Amateur clubs etc. take "X" amount of tickets as part of it's membership criteria (Or at least they used to do).

If the RFL made it part of theirs that each SL Team had to take say 100 each, Each Championship/League one club 50 each and say each amateur club had 20 say (People can do the Maths on the ticket numbers etc.) they would be able to get 20/25k sold in advance of the day plus the Neutrals/others who purchase from the RFL
Clubs could Sell/Promote/Raffle these tickets from the start of the year, every year locally etc.
Without going into Boring detail a local sporting organisation bemoaned the fact that their end of season County awards ceremonies had dwindled attendance numbers over the last 10 years and year on year I proposed a similar thing above. Make it a criteria that each Club had to receive "X" tickets and they could raffle them off (So in effect costing them nothing) and people would get a good night out etc.

Numbers doubled the first year they implemented it (Albeit I accept were taking in Hundreds rather than 10's of thousands, but the principal is the same).

Edit - Missed the bit about the enforced 6 week Road trip May/June in my reply
Whilst not ideal, and accepting that Yes it does have a negative impact it is one of those things, for now, we can't control.
And certainly the old "Build our own stadium" crew aren't contributing in any kind of viable way as commercially it just doesn't and wouldn't stack up.

Someone with a better understanding of how the financials stack up on Streaming games, coupled with the legal implications of the impact on the SKY/Ch4/BBC deals

I can't imagine it would be either simple or cheap
So whilst in theory agreeing, and again in theory would accept a No reduction actual/Physical crowds coupling with an increased online/streaming crowd, I'm not sure how that balance would/could work 9Without impacting on crowds and in turn how that would affect further TV deals and other commercial impacts.

I suppose whether it is expensive or not is dependant on what you want to compare it to. The tickets are cheap as chips compared to an England RU Autumn International for example and are certainly cheaper than the FA Cup Final next week (and bear in mind some Liverpool fans will be making a third trip to Wembley inside three months as well) but they are expensive compared to a Lancashire T20 match for example (unless it's Yorkshire)

What I will say, is that RL fans have it FAR easier than any other sporting fan in the country.

https://twitter.com/thechallengecup/sta ... 89857?s=12 Saturday's @Betfred #ChallengeCup Semi-Final between @WiganWarriorsRL and @Saints1890 peaked at over 1 million viewers and pulled in the highest audience share in the UK for any game of Rugby League since the 2017 World Cup Final...

https://twitter.com/thechallengecup/sta ... 89857?s=12 Saturday's @Betfred #ChallengeCup Semi-Final between @WiganWarriorsRL and @Saints1890 peaked at over 1 million viewers and pulled in the highest audience share in the UK for any game of Rugby League since the 2017 World Cup Final...

There’s nothing wrong with the ticket prices, you can’t give them away at the end of the day and £30/£15 for the cheapest seats is great value. It doesn’t change the fact it’s tough times for many families though and as a bloke who goes to football, rugby league and cricket, we’re absolutely a family game and more so then those other two games. Football stadiums are filled by huge swathes of young blokes and cricket internationals are exactly the same. Lancashire games have plenty of families there but it’s very affordable. I look around me at rugby games and there are so many groups of mum/dad and kids (and maybe grandparents). It’s totally different having to fund a trip down south for a family of 4,5,6 etc than it is if you’re going on your own with your mates.

I don’t have an answer to it mind. The tickets are cheap enough IMO and I wouldn’t want the final on our doorstep, so I’m stumped.

Personally I don't want to move the final away from Wembley because I'm a fan of all things "traditional". The one good thing about this year is I get to go to a new stadium otherwise I'd be peed off that we aren't going to Wembey.

The only place I can think of as a more northern venue that is "good enough" would be Newcastle. 52,400 seats, good area for the weekend and it's not THAT far away. Problem then is where does Magic Weekend go to?

You can't play it at OT because that takes away from the Grand Final, so as you say....what's the answer?

Good idea.

I know those RU tickets are like gold dust. The clubs can sell their allocation (to approved suppliers), or sell to members who want to see England play.

Hopefully the new Everton ground (if it goes ahead) will be a good option.

I think its unfair to compare us to say Liverpool, whilst they may have had three trips to Wembley, its likely the majority of those crowds won't necessarily be the same supporters over the three games (apart from the few thousand mega rich ones). They could fill their allocations made up of non season ticket holders who have purchased their match tickets from regular season ticket holders or touts. Not many working class lads can afford three Wembley matches, a season ticket, champions league final tickets.... Unless they are drug dealers or their missus is on OnlyFans.

Does look like a good option, more so than Anfield which has similar legroom to Elland Road (and Economy Ryanair).

Go back to the 80s and at least a quarter of the crowd at Wembley were made up of neutrals made up of Amateur Clubs and rival/lower league clubs. Coaches and coaches of them.