Re: 2021 Challenge Cup Semi-Final Draw : Thu May 13, 2021 8:51 am  

Restricted stadium capacities are based on seating, Headingley has around 14000 seats, making a limit of 3500.

So, around 120 more tickets per club.

(And Leigh has hosted a semi before - in 2016)

(And, of course, so has Doncaster a couple of times.)

Re: 2021 Challenge Cup Semi-Final Draw : Thu May 13, 2021 9:53 am  

Chris71 wrote:

It is simply a very poor decision by the RFL to hold the semi finals at Leigh and its decisions like this and these thought processes that think it would be OK that hold the sport back.

If the press release is to be believed and the semi finals had been scheduled for this date over 6 months ago then surely someone somewhere within the RFL would have come up with 2 options with respect of possible lockdown scenario's.

The first option being if there were still strict restrictions in the place and the second option being if the restrictions had been eased to allow fans to attend.

The other issue I have with the RFL statement such as 'Several stadiums were considered based on being a neutral venue for the 4 Semi Finalists, being available on June 5, being able to host Rugby League, being geographically located somewhere accessible for the fans who would want to attend', hell fire Southampton is geographically located somewhere that's accessible, its even got a train station unlike Leigh. You would think they would look for somewhere more central rather than a stadium a stones throw from 3 teams who had a very real chance of reaching the semi's in Wigan, St's & Warrington.

As for the idea of a triple header for me the jury's out on this as to why they feel it was such a good idea or to suggest this to the BBC for the coverage. The football season is over when the Semi finals take place and feel the RFL once again have missed the chance by a country mile to really promote the sport to a new audience.

But even ignoring the above the biggest thing for me looking at it is, this is the sports prestigious competition at the Semi Final stage and the RFL seem to think a fitting venue to hold such an event is the Leigh Sports Village!!! That for me just sums up why the game is falling on its backside.

Can you ever imagine the FA holding the FA Cup Semi Finals at Blackpools Bloomfield Road or Oxfords Kassam Stadium for example? Not even the League Two Play-Offs would be held at venues like that as the FA regard their product highly and as such for prestige events they select venues fitting of the occasion..

No one has yet suggested a better venue that:

Was available
Wanted to host the game
Did not require a non-refundable deposit
Would break even despite reduced crowds

Tell me where you would have hosted the games?

Leigh is a standard Super League stadium, not the best but certainly not the worst. It might not be that attractive to a neutral but let's be honest neither is Huddersfield, Hull or Headingley.

Re: 2021 Challenge Cup Semi-Final Draw : Thu May 13, 2021 10:27 am  

As another poster alluded to earlier (can’t find the post now) this decision appears to me, to benefit Leigh because they do not get direct Super League funding. If this is the case, then heyho.
No matter where the semis are played, plenty of fans will be disappointed at not getting a ticket. I’ve resigned myself to watching it on tv.
I was very angry and bemused at this decision at first, although still very disappointed you have to respect the reasons and the cause, BLOODY COVID.

[Chris71]

Re: 2021 Challenge Cup Semi-Final Draw : Thu May 13, 2021 10:30 am  

Airlie Street wrote:

No one has yet suggested a better venue that:

Was available
Wanted to host the game
Did not require a non-refundable deposit
Would break even despite reduced crowds

Tell me where you would have hosted the games?

Leigh is a standard Super League stadium, not the best but certainly not the worst. It might not be that attractive to a neutral but let's be honest neither is Huddersfield, Hull or Headingley.

No one knows what was or wasn't available
No one knows if any other ground wanted to hold it or not or if they were given the option.
How do you know that Leigh did not require a non refundable deposit?
Who's to say the event will break even at Leigh, unless you know the breakdown of costs?

The KCOM is well known as a great stadium but I would have ruled it out despite it being the GF venue last season as its not centrally located.
Headingley has been used throughout the pandemic but with Yorkshire Cricket season it was likely a fixture clash.
Huddersfield another ground that is a good stadium and located centrally and has good ties with the game etc
The common issue with all the above grounds is that there was a good chance any of the 3 teams playing out the stadiums would make it to the Semi's which would be an issue.

Did the RFL think outside the box and look at Derby's Pride Park or Bramall Lane?

It just seems a very short sighted view and one that for me under sells and under values the Challenge Cup as a competition to the media and general public as whole considering its the Semi Final ties.

The RFL statement just doesn't add up as to it being geographical etc as that's just baloney, so if it was to keep money within the game of RL or other considerations/constraints they should state that not try and tell us its for reasons which don't make sense when you look at it.

Re: 2021 Challenge Cup Semi-Final Draw : Thu May 13, 2021 10:31 am  

Airlie Street wrote:

No one has yet suggested a better venue that:

Was available
Wanted to host the game
Did not require a non-refundable deposit
Would break even despite reduced crowds

Tell me where you would have hosted the games?

Leigh is a standard Super League stadium, not the best but certainly not the worst. It might not be that attractive to a neutral but let's be honest neither is Huddersfield, Hull or Headingley.

Disagree. Its a backward, narrow minded decision all about cost not growing the game and the image we are portraying on TV.

Firstly I'm not keen on the idea of a Triple header. Women's RL is a minority version or a minority sport, the revenue and viewers it brings in is almost non existent at this point. At Bolton a very small crowd turned up for it and largely seemed to be players friends and family from what I could see. Removing that from the event would have freed up some more seats for the Men's games. The Women's game is growing but now isn't the time to be turning away fans from the main events which is the Men's game.

I'm not keen on a double header either, as people only really want to see their own teams as seen by the Hull and Warrington fans heading home in their thousands at Bolton. Leaving the Saints fans sat on a top tier in Bolton and the ground looking empty on TV.

If the BBC were about having a double header a bigger ground should have been booked. I'd assume Huddersfield would be allowed a similar restricted capacity to the KCOM, and that would mean about 2k seats per team. The RFL have deals with Brammal Lane, Anfield, St James' Park, Ricoh, Riverside and Bolton for the World Cup and a Cup Semi would help promote the World Cup too.

Instead were saving a few quid and keeping our sponsor of the Sunbed Cup sweet...while turning away fans who are desperate to go watch. I can honestly see RL being part time again in 5 year such is the mismanagement.

Re: 2021 Challenge Cup Semi-Final Draw : Thu May 13, 2021 11:21 am  

FWIW, the John Smith's Stadium is a Covid Vaccination centre and the Giants first home game isn't scheduled until June 11th.

Re: 2021 Challenge Cup Semi-Final Draw : Thu May 13, 2021 12:53 pm  

Off the top of my head, in the north over 20k capacity.

Headingly
DW Stadium
Bolton
Old Trafford
Etihad
Hillsborough
Bramall Lane
KC Stadium
Anfield
Goodison Park
Ewood park
Valley Parade
John Smiths

Hell, the RFL own Odsal, I dont know its current state but if they have been planning it that long maybe that could be made ready.

Are we saying none of these stadiums are available ?

Airlie Street wrote:

No one has yet suggested a better venue that:

Was available
Wanted to host the game
Did not require a non-refundable deposit
Would break even despite reduced crowds

Tell me where you would have hosted the games?

Leigh is a standard Super League stadium, not the best but certainly not the worst. It might not be that attractive to a neutral but let's be honest neither is Huddersfield, Hull or Headingley.

Re: 2021 Challenge Cup Semi-Final Draw : Thu May 13, 2021 2:05 pm  

steve_norton wrote:

Off the top of my head, in the north over 20k capacity.

Headingly
DW Stadium
Bolton
Old Trafford
Etihad
Hillsborough
Bramall Lane
KC Stadium
Anfield
Goodison Park
Ewood park
Valley Parade
John Smiths

Hell, the RFL own Odsal, I dont know its current state but if they have been planning it that long maybe that could be made ready.

Are we saying none of these stadiums are available ?

Yes let's spend a few 100k on Old Trafford or Anfield to play a game in front of 10k fans and make a massive loss, at least those 10k fans will look great on TV for the national audience

In order to schedule a game at most of those stadia it would have to booked months in advance as football clubs carry out their maintenance in the summer, not sure it would have been responsible for the RFL to book one not knowing if any fans could attend, turned out to be a wise decision because only 10k fans max could attend and they would have lost a fortune.

Re: 2021 Challenge Cup Semi-Final Draw : Thu May 13, 2021 2:48 pm  

steve_norton wrote:

Off the top of my head, in the north over 20k capacity.

Headingly
DW Stadium
Bolton
Old Trafford
Etihad
Hillsborough
Bramall Lane
KC Stadium
Anfield
Goodison Park
Ewood park
Valley Parade
John Smiths

Hell, the RFL own Odsal, I dont know its current state but if they have been planning it that long maybe that could be made ready.

Are we saying none of these stadiums are available ?

We certainly dont want to be playing at Odsal.The image it portrays on the TV is exaclty what we dont want as it is a run down old stadium.
When you get the chance to promote the game on terrestrial TV like the BBC its important that viewers especially new to the game not only see the sport but also see that its played in modern stadiums.The TV coverage at a modern ground actually adds to the game and my concern about Leigh apart from a lack of fans is when i have seen games at Leigh on TV the stadium doesnt come across well on TV.This is probably due to the lack of a good high position for the TV cameras.
The other concern for me its an artificial pitch which for rugby league i personally dont like

Re: 2021 Challenge Cup Semi-Final Draw : Thu May 13, 2021 3:32 pm  

bonaire wrote:

We certainly dont want to be playing at Odsal.The image it portrays on the TV is exaclty what we dont want as it is a run down old stadium.
When you get the chance to promote the game on terrestrial TV like the BBC its important that viewers especially new to the game not only see the sport but also see that its played in modern stadiums.The TV coverage at a modern ground actually adds to the game and my concern about Leigh apart from a lack of fans is when i have seen games at Leigh on TV the stadium doesnt come across well on TV.This is probably due to the lack of a good high position for the TV cameras.
The other concern for me its an artificial pitch which for rugby league i personally dont like

Didn’t know it was an artificial pitch?

Makes it an even worse decision!????