Exactly. I was told to shut up last year because I didn't go but people dont understand that not everyone can afford it but I can tell you that if I have the money and can get the time off from whatever job I'm lucky enough to find then I WILL be going whether its in February May or whatever.

Total attendance just over 60,000 over the two days - the stadium looked sadly empty

- is it really worthwhile - all that expense for something IMO doesn't do the great game justice.
What is wrong with a more localised special event - how about using the City of Manchester stadium, Anfield, Elland Road, etc.


I know we give a boost to the tourist accomodation industry and other asociated industries in Cardiff or Edinburgh when we visit - but come on, a lot of fans cannot afford the expense.


A day out in Manchester,Leeds or Liverpool is an affordable option and much easier to reach for more core fans.
Time for fans to speak up - what do you think????

I think the whole concept is a waste of time. A lot of fans will only watch the games they want to watch, therefore the less popular games will end up with very few fans. I think the whole thing should be scrapped to be honest.

I'd personally be in favour of spreading out the 'extra' games for clubs and having a series of double headers at various venues in a similar vein to the old 'on the road' games. Solves the problem in a flash of people coming and going over the course of 9 hours.

As mentioned before the cardiff council/welsh agency give money for it to ber staged in cardiff

Manchester city council would not do that, and whats the point? we may aswell just play the normal game venues

If wire vs huddersfiled has been before wigan vs saints im sure more wire fans would of stuck around

I dont think its best to play it week1 though not becuase of the weather etc but the team are not at full speed yet and that mean more mistakes, penalties etc from rules changes/interpretations etc

Market it
or
Come up with a simple finance solution

Did you go to Cardiff?
60,000 makes it worthwhile. I don't think it would work in Manchester as fans would only turn up for their own match therefore there would be fewer fans per game. Also East Manchester for a day out? Come on what pills are you on?

bah humbug...

It was a great event of RL and great entertainment.

As for the venue, which big Premier League club is going to allow 7 games of RL in February on their precious turf?

My idea would be,last bank holiday in May, weeken before decides the fixtures, i.e. 1st v 2nd, 3rd v 4th... And finally have the championship games in the other stadium.

Your attitude just about sums up the situation. You have never been but feel qualified to pass objective comment! Get off your backside and support the game or bugger off and watch another sport.

Its for both but primarily for the RL fans to create a special event. If the RFL had followed your sentiment then the CC final would never have moved to Wembley in 1930! It wasn't too popular initially but history has shown that the innovation in 1930 was a brave move and the rest is history. As for the cost, the value for money couldn't be better. For those with season tickets and the 50% discount with a further discount on CC final tickets the pricing couldn't be better. At those prices I think it is an excuse rather than a good reason not to attend.

Bloody stupid post. Can everyone afford to go to Cardiff for a game of rugby? Of course those who went will defend it, they obviously like the idea because THEY WENT. This doesn't make them any better or any more qualified to have an opinion. It's people like you with the high and mighty attitude that annoy me, every fan of Wigan or any other club is a fan of the greatest game. If all those who weren't there buggered off like you say the game would be dead in water.



They are a fan of Wigan (a rugby league club) on a rugby league forum, surely that qualifies them to have an opinion?

As someone who attends as many games as possible (i presume you never ever miss one?) I can say that it wasn't an excuse. You need to look around and realise that Cardiff, for most people, is a long distance away. For some this is not an issue, for others it's just too expensive. Don't be so narrow minded. It is not the ticket prices (which I thought were well priced) that were the issue. If you read all my post you will see that I like the idea of the event, it's the location that (in my opinion) causes issues.

60,000 people will disagree with you. I have no objection to you saying that at the moment you couldn't afford to go but to suggest that the event is a waste of time without having sampled it does not qualify you to comment.

Ok so you are happy with the ticket prices, you also like the idea of the event but the cost of travel is the issue. Well how about coming with us for free next year and then decide if the event is good and should be supported.

Hang on, the whole point of having it at the Millenium Stadium is to promote the game to the Welsh, not bus load the existing fans to fill the stadium otherwise we may as well have it in the North West.

If they are serious about having it at the Millenium Stadium they have to promote it so the stadium is packed full of Welsh Rugby League fans. I'm sure it's better to give away tickets to schools and RL clubs and make money from selling fod and drinks than have a stadium half empty looking embarrasing and then turning round at the end saying it's the best one yet, Nigel Wood sounded like comical ali when he said that.

No matter where they have it they can't have empty stadia any more, they need to give away a boat load of tickets to the schools because you know they will turn up.

For starters, it's nowhere near 60,000 people. Many of those will have weekend tickets, therefore will be counted twice.

If you read my original post you would have seen that I went last year and wanted to go this year. I haven't said it's a bad idea, in fact I said it's a good idea, just not implemented in the best way in my opinion. Like I keep saying, it's not whether some people want to support the event, but whether they can. Obviously some people dislike the idea and will not attend ever, but not everyone who didn't attend has this mindset. Even if they did, it doesn't make them less of a fan, and the sport cannot afford to lose them.

He has sampled it. I know this as he responded to my original post and stated this.

The problem with the thing is the cost. I am a student, like he is, and the ticket price is fine but the hotels and travel are not cheap and that is the issue for a student. A lot of Rugby fans are families and people who are students and of student age and I think that is the problem we have. Its damn expensive to take a whole family or for a student to afford it. The friend I attend the Wigan games with managed to go this year as he works but he had to go with Wire fans (i know lol) but I simply could not afford it as I have more important things to spend well over £100 on than a trip to Cardiff to watch Rugby. The most annoying thing for me is actually that, as in May I no longer need to attend University, I would have had some of my student loans as surplus and could have afforded it. Sadly that is how it goes sometimes.

DAMN YOU JAMIE PEACOCK!

Stupid idea having the opening day when Wales were playing Scotland.

That is probably the stupidest thing I have ever heard. How can people who didn't go possibly be as qualified to have an opinion as those that did.

If you couldn't make it for financial reasons, other commitments or whatever then that's a shame. Even if you just couldn't be bothered to go, I don't have an issue with that, it's a long way if you don't want to watch all the games. But if you didn't go, don't sit there and say it should be scrapped. That's what is pathetic.

Was it really that much more expensive than for a run of the mill away game?

Take away the accomodation (I only went for the Saturday), I spent £12.50 for the ticket and £21 for the coach. The rest was on food and drink, yes the Stadium beer was £3.60, £3 for a pie, £4.10 footlong hotdog. But at the same time we found a bar about half a mile away from the ground which was £1 per pint and £3.99 for a Chicken & Bacon Burger and Chips.
I decided on the day to drink moderately (think I only had 3 pints all day) and came home having spent next to fook all, certainley not much more than say a trip to Harlequins / Hull. Having Hoffman as first try scorer in the coach sweep helped a little.

You tight get

Ey I had a Stadium hotdog and pint I'll have you know.

BTW - The sign in the stadium said

Pint - £3.60
Pie - £3.00


Pie & Pint Deal - £6.60


How is that a fooking deal?