Long gone are the days where 85,000-95,000 fans would pack out wembley to watch the challenge cup final.I have never seen so many empty seats at Wembley for a final! the only good thing about todays game is that Hull beat Warrington

It was a excellent game, but I must agree that it's starting to look awful on TV in terms of the crowd.

Not sure what we can do to address this.

New Club Wembley contracts from next year may help, but yep a lot of upper tier was empty. Shame as it was a great game and spectacle. Still our number one asset.

Everyone's on holiday.

Was at the game . The RFL anounced the crowd as 76k . Never in a million years we were in the top tier on the half way line and it was empty . Even if you take the 10k club Wembley off that total it was still an exaggerated figure IMO. pre match entertainment was poor the whole thing seems to be very downbeat these days. Very few neutral shirts to be seen eithier.

Regards , EW

Increase in prices aswell for tickets. Won't stop me going but a £30 ticket in 2012 was £45 yesterday, that will have an effect. Also in regards to Warrington we have creamfields right on our doorstep which doesn't help our following to Wembley.

I wouldn't be surprised if they included the club Wembley seats given that they were sold but not necessarily attended. The game was a better spectacle for neutrals so that might help next year. Recent years have been disappointing one sided games. Overall though Wembley and the CC does seem to have lost some appeal. Although it is still a good day out to the final for the competing teams although the earlier rounds are increasingly poorly attended. The semi between Hull and Wigan a good example. Many people are away on holiday in Aug as I was for the semi. The CC started to suffer with the advent of the GF, the move away from Wembley and moving it away from its traditional slot in May. At least the product on the field as good this year.

And dont forget the Proms that would have been a draw for potential fans as well. Poor excuse for low turnout, the fabled Wire following never turned up again

The recent ticket price rises are obscene, I was shocked when I saw how much it was this year. Obviously won't put off the committed fans, but floating supporters and the thousands of traditional neutral attenders would be well down I'd think.

This trend started a few years ago. Wembley at one time was awash with shirts from all over RL land, not anymore.

I think it's a combination of factors.

Firstly and most significantly it used to be THE showpiece event of the season, it was played after the league had finished. We now have events such as the magic weekend and the GF as well, this wouldn't affect the numbers coming from the clubs involved but I think it reduces the numbers of neutrals.

Being played in the summer holidays won't help, a fair few will be away, IMO moving it forward to the last week before the holidays start would help.

To answer the question of why do people bother, just go on the Hull board and you'll get your answer.

I went every year for yonks, now I go *most years*. I didn't go yesterday (although I was considering a last-minute trip until the eleventh hour).

As Trainman says, a variety of factors. I don't think there's much doubt that the CCF was much better played in the Spring. Nowadays it's in the shadow of the GF in every sense.

That said, I can't imagine making the much longer journey to OT as a neutral, whereas doubtless I'll be at CCFs in the future.

It's too close to the GF now, they are barely 6 weeks apart. It was perfect when it was in April/May but I guess that coincides with the end of the beloved Premiership and Championship seasons, play-offs, FA Cup final etc. and Wembley availability isn't always there.