True.

Personally would like to see the challenge cup moved to the last bank holiday in may. Think part of the problem is that it's to close to the GF which detracts from the event. Not sure how you fit the rds in.

Agree that the new wembley is a let down, and doesn't feel particularly special.
Though I suppose some of that depends on if you win or not.

Bloody hell, talk about jumping the gun.
First of all, it isn't sold yet and more importantly, the new owners, if/when there are some, may well want to continue staging the event.
If not, we find a new venue

The old stadium was a ****hole. Designed to be mainly standing, once they stuck seats in the bottom tier, it was useless. Rubbish facilities too. The new one is far superior.

I hope the game doesn't move. The Wembley Weekender is one of my yearly highlights.

The new owner will want as many events there to keep revenue high and make back their £800million back as soon as they can. I know it's not a stadium filler anymore but it will make money. I imagine the RFL have a deal in place to play it there for the next few years anyway.

Yes, the Challenge Cup is contracted for a while yet as I understand it. But the American mindset is all about "revenue" so the writing is on the wall. Look what has happened to ticket prices of football clubs taken over by Americans.

AS mentioned by other posters, The Challenge Cup Final at Wembley is a great event, IMO better than the GF but, IF it has to move, it has to move and if any new owner comes in and starts to jack up prices, it may push the Cup Final in a new direction.

It would be a pity but, not the end of the world. However, nothing is for ever and all things are negotiable so let's not worry about it.

Personally I think the challenge cup should move around the country, as magic weekend has. Send it out to tender, get a local authority’s to stump up some cash and make some money from the game.

England games should be played in the capital.

As much as I don't think the new place has the same emotive feel about the place it's massively better than the old girl in terms of view and seating. Also I'd rather it wasn't moved given it's only 35 minutes drive and a leisurely 20 minute walk to the turnstiles for me.
Maybe the RFL will redevelop Odslum and make it the 'wembley' of the north or will the plan be to simply use the Manchester stadium?

Wherever the location it has to be moved to the end of May for the final, means no massive gaps between rounds, far less chance of conflict with school holidays and thus reduced potential of those that can attend.

It’s not in a Wembley owners interest to price RL out. They make money from hosting the Cup Final so why wouldn’t they continue to host it?

Only three stadiums in the country have a capacity that the CC final gets though so you can’t really do that

The attendance at the final looks to be on a downward trend, so that may not be the case for too much longer.

As well as Wembley, London Stadium, Emirates Stadium, Millennium Stadium, Old Trafford, City of Manchester Stadium, Anfield, St James Park and Murrayfield could all soon be big enough.

As a Salford fan I'd be more worried if they sold off the HJ or John Smith's to ruin our big Semi-Final day out!

Downside of May is that I think you’d need to move Magic Weekend too. It would completely kill the crowd having both of those in the same month (it’s a surprise the RFL haven’t thought about it!)

I would like to see it moved off the bank holiday weekend though. Last week in July perhaps? Before the football season starts to help get an extra bit of publicity.

we simply bin off 'magic' weekend, this then means we don't need to squeeze in two games over Easter.

I think would have to move from Wembley if it was to be end of May bank holiday, football play offs weekend

Old Wembley was a dump! Couldn't wait till they knocked it down

Good point.

For me I’d move magic weekend from May as well, certainly not the same weekend as the FA Cup Final. Not that we should base the game around what football does, but it’s madness going head to head with their big events and/or bank holidays when people are away.

Open the season with Magic Weekend, Challenge Cup Final last weekend of July.

Why does it need to be played on a bank holiday weekend? I think mid to end of July would be ideal.

Exactly. August bank holiday is always awful for public transport as well. For 70,000 fans coming from the North, any other weekend would be much better.

I'd do it that the magic weekend was Rd 23 in july (gives it something to promote it), challenge cup 1st bank holiday in may (when nothings really going on in other sports).
It doesn't need to be a BH, but people will make more of a weekend of it if it is.

Old Wembley was a dump, but that was because it was "old" It had received no investment for years because it was overdue for replacement. I went to the new one in 2010 and was not impressed. But correct me if I'm wrong, the new stadium was built with a contribution of £100m of government money as the "National Stadium for Football and Rugby League" so perhaps the RFL will have some say into what happens to it. I enjoy the GF at Old Trafford, but we can't have two finals there. I've never been to Cardiff, but from what I've seen on TV and read it seems the ideal venue.

Could play it in Denver?

There was tons of problems for people coming in via Euston last year - so all the Wigan fans. Transport just in London itself wasn't great. Took us 2 hours from SE London.

The old Wembley was falling apart but the atmosphere generated there was far better than what we have at the new stadium. I'm puzzled at why having stumbled on the right design for atmosphere at Cardiff that they didn't just build a copy instead of spending countless millions on a new set of plans.