It is when a) the cheapest ones available to the pie eaters were £22 b) it's £33 just an adult and child (with kids even aged 3-5 having to pay £11) and c) when you're going have to fork out for cup final tickets the following week to make sure you get one. The scheduling of the Challenge Cup as a whole is an absolute farce as far as I'm concerned.

We get a student loan after Easter, in May this year. If that's your only income it makes not difference whether the game is in June or August, you need to budget for it.

People just look for an excuse not to go to games, if you want to go you will make sacrifices.

I am still going.

What I am saying is that we need to make it as easy as possible for people to go if the sport is going to get bigger.

Am I the only one who wants to see semi-finals infront of 30k?

Your average football fan is not the same as your average rugby fan.

Football fans paying that much are usually United, Chelsea and Arsenal fans. They can afford it. Loads of them are either loaded or 20-40 year old men with no wife and kids because they have spent all their time following their team.

Students and pensioners get concession prices so it's even cheaper - but the same principle applies, if you want to go you will go

if you're a student you can get a half price ticket. £11 is hardly extortionate and nobody is forcing you to have a drink. If you can't manage 80 minutes without some kind of alcohol intake then you have bigger problems than your student loan. On the other hand it might explain where your student loan is going and why you can't afford 11 quid to watch your team in a major game.


Pensioners get a discount for the semi-finals and could get a ticket for the Cup Final at £10. My dad is delighted.


Or by increasing income that can be spent on grassroots projects.

By the way did anyone else notice the slight p[ii[/iss take of Leeds by the RFL in their article?

[iLeeds Rhinos are keen for another chance to raise the Challenge Cup for the first time since 1999 after narrowly missing out last year to Warrington Wolves in the final[/i



Obviously a Wire fan at the RFL!

I don't drink at the rugby and I don't drink when I go out at uni either.

But there are other costs involved than just the ticket. I am still going but I bet a lot of people won't.

We need to make our sport as easy to get to as possible and market it properly.

Easy answer, get a job then you work shy sod. Also, you don't have to drink do you. I afford United, Wire and saving for things. All about prioritising things, bet you're on the p*ss most weekends. Why aren't all SL games a tenner then? be great that, full stadiums. Just a poor excuse as to why you don't sell your allocation time and time again.

Easy to get to? It's ten minutes on the train, couldn't be any easier. United and Liverpool take thousands away from home, sure that's more expensive, £40+ at Chelsea.

Then why did you say other costs that had to be incurred included drinks? If you don't drink at games it makes it cheaper still doesn't it?

Of course there are more costs involved than just the ticket, that's the same for every single game of rugby league at every level.
If the semi-final had been placed a hundred miles away I might have sympathy with you, but it's at Warrington. It's 13 miles away. Most people travel further than that just for home league games. As a student you get half price entry plus discounted travel costs either from public transport or club travel. If you go on your club's coach travel then the entire semi-final need cost you only £19.50 including travel.

Is that really too much to expect from people for a Challenge Cup Semi-Final?

Quite a few empty seats at the HJ , maybe this SF should ve been played at a smaller venue?

A Wire fan would have omitted the word 'narrowly.'

At least 2000 empty spots in the stadium today. Saw a woman carrying a baby get elbowed in the face during the post match celebrations. Same old Wigan.

12,713 announced as the crowd, absolutely pathetic from both sets of supporters.

Wigan sold out their allocation. Can't blame us.

Lister that would be very apt for your pathetic crowds...........Jeez Skolars bring more to the game than your clowns.

We sold out allocation.

I am currently trying to get a job, switching from Wigan to Cov makes it hard though.

I don't drink actually. I have not been drunk for a very long time, not even today.

Yeh I agree all games should be cheap, get the fans in.

And yes Liverpoool and United take thousands away but they both average over 40k at home.

We did sell our allocation. Saints didn't.

Fairly sure I saw empty seats in the Pie end as well as the Saints.

No you didn't.

I do hope people try to argue with you Matt!

the problem with playing in a small stadium is that is becomes 'season ticket holders only'

when we played Wakey at the Keepmoat in 2008 it was a case of buy your tickets for yourself or miss out...without inviting any friends, family or workmates with you. A CC semi would be a perfect game to introduce new fans to the game, or turn occasional fans into regulars...but the RFL chooses to play in such small grounds.

Another one obsessed by Harlequins. Nice.

but then again, why take a baby to a rugby league match? seems both daft and pointless to me. the baby doesnt know whats going on, and will only be traumatised by the experience. It needlessly turns a fairly easy thing (walking into a stadium and staying there for a couple of hours) into a misson.
use a baby sitter or if you cant get one then accept the reality of your new found parental situation and watch it at home.
if she wasnt encumbered by the child she may have been able to dodge the offending elbow. perhaps harsh, but true.