Time for a national RL stadium? : Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:47 pm  

Would it be feasible or could we afford as a sport to build say a 50k stadium for the sole use of RL? Almost the RL equivalent of Twickenham in RU, Wimbledon in Tennis, Lord in Cricket or Wembley for Football?

We are currently gypsies using all different stadiums for different events and the cost of that can’t be that cheap either can it?

I’d love to see us get a proper base where we can build some history and have memorable club and international matches.

I guess once we have somewhere like that it could be used for other events such as Athletics & Concerts maybe? Although the initial costs would be great wouldn’t it benefit RL in the long term?

Is it a pipe dream tho?

: Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:52 pm  

Yes it certainly is a pipe dream. Where are you going to get the funding from for such a big project? For a ground that would be played on half a dozen times a season at the most.

You would have to get an awful lot of other events being held there to even begin to come close to justifying it imo.

Re: Time for a national RL stadium? : Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:54 pm  

[quote="thepriestman85"]Would it be feasible or could we afford as a sport to build say a 50k stadium for the sole use of RL? Almost the RL equivalent of Twickenham in RU, Wimbledon in Tennis, Lord in Cricket or Wembley for Football?

We are currently gypsies using all different stadiums for different events and the cost of that can’t be that cheap either can it?

I’d love to see us get a proper base where we can build some history and have memorable club and international matches.

I guess once we have somewhere like that it could be used for other events such as Athletics & Concerts maybe? Although the initial costs would be great wouldn’t it benefit RL in the long term?

Is it a pipe dream tho?[/quote]

Yes until we can fill the likes of Wembley and Old Trafford for internationals on a regular basis

Re: Time for a national RL stadium? : Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:56 pm  

thepriestman85 wrote:

Would it be feasible or could we afford as a sport to build say a 50k stadium for the sole use of RL? Almost the RL equivalent of Twickenham in RU, Wimbledon in Tennis, Lord in Cricket or Wembley for Football?

We are currently gypsies using all different stadiums for different events and the cost of that can’t be that cheap either can it?

I’d love to see us get a proper base where we can build some history and have memorable club and international matches.

I guess once we have somewhere like that it could be used for other events such as Athletics & Concerts maybe? Although the initial costs would be great wouldn’t it benefit RL in the long term?

Is it a pipe dream tho?

i agree

but they will probably use if for different things not just Internationals like Challenge cup final and Super League final, maybe move the magic weekend there

Re: Time for a national RL stadium? : Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:01 pm  

Yes until we can fill the likes of Wembley and Old Trafford for internationals on a regular basis

Wouldn't have to be as big as that tho would it? Could we fill out at 50k stadium for our bigest games?

I realise it uses RL wise wouldn't be always full but

Three internationals at the end of the year
One mid season international
GF
CC final
NL1 GF

You could possibly have the millennium week there and at a push the CC semi's also.

We could do with a base tho.

Would we get Government funding maybe?

: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:02 pm  

50k is not big enough to hold the GF or CC Final.

: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:03 pm  

Actually, i was told when at Saints Friday that we are in talks about one of the Olympic venues to make it our national stadium. As i say, this is just a rumour and will probably stay as just a rumour.

Re: Time for a national RL stadium? : Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:03 pm  

thepriestman85 wrote:

Wouldn't have to be as big as that tho would it? Could we fill out at 50k stadium for our bigest games?

Last season the CC final had an attendance of over 80k, the Grand Final had close on 70k so why would we want to move those games to a stadium which would significantly reduce the capacity for the games?

: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:05 pm  

They could always move big SL games there like they do in Union.

The season start for example could be a double header held there, and then the Magic Weekend and Grand Final would be held there as well (Challenge Cup should stay at Wembley)

: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:08 pm  

what would be the ideal

a) location
b) capacity
c) type of stadium. roof/no roof, oval/square, running track/close up to the field, terrace/seats/partial terrace
d) other marketable events/uses
e) funding