Living in London now I decided to pop down to watch it. Never been as a neutral before. No chance the crowd was that. I was in the upper tier of the Warrington corner and there was nobody around. Hull definitely brought more but even so, I reckon the real figure of people sat there was around 50-55k. Still atmosphere was good. Barely saw any neutral shirts. To be honest, for the first time it felt hostile in a few parts. Was walking behind a group of 5 Wigan fans, a Hull fan let them walk past before stopping me (walking on my own) to tell me about how poor our support was. Also saw a woman wearing a CasHullFord shirt smack a Warrington fan in the face on the way out over something or other. Isolated incidents for sure but certainly didn't feel as friendly as it has done in past years.

The neutral support is definitely down on what it has been probably largely down to cost of the tickets and travel. And this time of the year is certainly not ideal hopefully the great game of show this time can draw some more deport for the next final!!

took over 2000 to saints in the cc cup although it was free coach travel

league games, we have taken good numbers to all away games, including the ones over the pennines

even if we attract another 1500 hundred pass holders its progress

Never in a million years was that a 76000 attendance. I sat up in the gods and had about 10 rows of empty seats in front of us. I'd say the top tier (39000 capacity) was about half full at best, and the club Wembley seats (16500 capacity) were almost empty. They are clearly counting these towards the attendance. Bottom tier was full, I'd say the attendance was closer to 55000.

Fantastic day out regardless but doesn't look great on tv, maybe it's time to start offering the middle tier to the competing team's fans, and the upper tier at a cheaper price? Better filling them on the cheap than not at all.

Wire fans didn't turn up in huge numbers because it's just another home fixture. Not a novelty anymore.

Good bit of bravado, though there is some truth in what you say. Appearing at Wembley four times in eight years is likely to get boring for your hangers-on. But you'll note from other comments that it isn't the absence of Wire fans at Wembley that's the problem. It's the absence of neutrals. The Challenge Cup Final doesn't feel like the massive attraction that it once was due to its second rate status in the eyes of our owners at Sky, and the high price of travel, tickets, burgers, beer etc hardly help with that.

All this "doesn't look good on TV" stuff, is it really that important?

Worth bearing in mind that in the all-singing, all-dancing NRL, the Cowboys and JT play every week in front of crowds Wigan or Saints would be ashamed of (14-15000), and the likes of the Rabbitohs play most of their home games in massive, almost deserted stadia.

I don't think it's that vital in itself, especially as memories of the 95,000 we used to boast fade ... but it feels like it adds to the demise of the Challenge Cup Final as a major RL event. Plus, it's the only part of the game that is exposed on national TV (apart from the occasional Test match, so many of which end in disappointment). It might only be a cosmetic victory, finding some way to bump Wembley back up to a full house, but I think we need to try.

Having a few poor finals in a row surely doesn't help. Neutrals watching Wigan v Hull FC, Leeds v Cas and Leeds v Hull KR weren't exactly spoiled. Hopefully a close final this year with the underdog winning will help next year's crowd.

As mentioned, I don't think the move to August was smart either. Having it so close to the Grand Final makes it feel secondary to me. When it was in April/May the cup games kept my focus far more as the games weren't as spread out, there was an imminent chance of making a final, and by comparison the league games around that time felt less urgent as there's always loads of games still to go when the cup is on. I also think having the big CC games later on detracts from the Super 8s.

The vivid red seating at Wembley doesn't help the cause as this simply emphasises where there are gaps in the crowd.

The obvious timing for me would be at the end of the first phase, before the super 8s. It's a nice bridge between the 2 halves of the season and would only bring the competition forward 1 round

Another big problem with this, I think, is that the genie's out of the bottle.

Too many clubs have proved in recent years that it's possible to get to Wembley having played no-one of significance. In other words, by luck.

That doesn't really apply to the Grand Final, which is only reached by beating the best.

There may still, because of others factors - like Wigan totally losing the plot in 2001 - be one-sided Grand Finals. But at least there is no doubt that the two teams there have proved themselves. In comparison to that, Wembley feels like a bit of a circus. This year's final was great - it would have graced OT no problem, but last year's did immeasurable damage to the competition.

I think that's a good idea. I doubt it will happen though. Sky have a vested interest in ensuring that any RL competition where TV rights rest with another broadcaster takes second place by a long way to their Grand Final - and given that the RFL are in bed with Sky (remember the last time the RFL negotiated SL TV rights with Sky without any other competitors?), there is no impetus to promote the CC competition within a fixture schedule that is controlled by Red Hall.

I also think they purposefully schedule the CC final at the same time as the Super 8's to make it as difficult as possible for one team to win both as a 'levelling tactic'.

I've certainly not been bothered about the cup. It's become more of a hindrance to the league.
It's lost all it's spark no matter how many times the bbc rave about it pre matches.
Late entry for the top 8 of SL makes the the whole thing less exciting.
I'd probably like to see a shorter season with more international games at the end, or more mid season international matches to give more players a chance to play for our country before end of season tournaments.

For a national stadium the roads in and out of the stadium are 3rd world standard. Enough to put a few off

Third world roads have mud roads, rivers with no bridges

i think you know what i meant! the road in and out of the stadium is totally inadequate!

Bet you wished you did bother after that performance

We've been like that all season

I don't think any Wigan fan can laugh at Wire's attendance after your showing for the semi final. I hope they gave the taxi driver a decent tip

Why do people bother with the CC ?

What an utterly strange question.

In many respects The Challenge Cup Final is Rugby League.
Yes, since the advent of Sky and the Grand Final, which is also a magnificent competition, I agree the interest level have gone down. But why question its existence ?? What good does that serve ?
We should not run the great old competition down, we should be getting behind it. It needs the League to raise its prestigious value and prize money.

We neglect the Challenge Cup final and all it stands for at the gems peril.

Negative titles such as "why do we bother" show a lack knowledge and respect of RL history and what it means to so many who love everything it stands for.
Amazed that Wigan, of all clubs, whose name was made in the Challenge Cup, should now have supporters who question its relevance.

This,

This thread is essentially the problem with the modern game. Too many cannot remember the pre Super League era. The challenges cup saved Wigan from financial collapse is the late 1980's. It was the only real trophy of note they had won in 20 years when they clung on to win the 1985 final.

The fact it's a showpiece event on free to air television should make it a priority for fans, yet too many look down their noses at it. Fans that is, not the players or coaches or club owners. Take a look at the reaction of the players at the end of the cup final this year. Take a look at Wanes reaction to winning it in 2013. They live for it.

A more apt question would be, why DONT people bother with the CC final (or semi final in wigans case). Find out why the gates are down and do something about it.

hull fc got to the cup this year by beating the best,wigan,warrington,catalans,st.helens.i don`t look on that as luck.

Well said. Wigan's attendance at the SF was a joke. 1,500 at most.

Why do we forever make excuses? Oh Creamfields was on, the roads around Wembley are rubbish, the Proms were on, the bloody sky had a cloud in it.

Pathetic excuses. The Challenge Cup is by far and out my favourite cup competition in all of sport, it's magic, grace and elegance which should ignite every RL fans passion. I remember my first CC final (Wigan v Sheffield, not the best I must admit!) walking hand in hand with my Dad and Grandad down Wembley Way with an old bed sheet I'd scribbled players names down on. Watching as the Wigan coach arrived and Gary Connolly giving me a smile and a thumbs up.

Watching as swarms of fans from all RL clubs descended on the stadium, drank, sung and laughed together. Walking into the stadium and being absolutely mesmerised by the atmosphere and the crowd.

Walking out of Wembley, sad and downbeat but gee'd up by a gracious Sheffield fan who shook my hand and said "You'll be back and you'll feel the joy of winning here."

The feeling of watching Wigan win at Murrayfield and twice at Wembley is by far and out the best feeling I've had watching Wigan in my lifetime. It defeated the Grand Finals I've been to. Nothing compares to a Wembley win.

It needs addressing urgently, watching that final was embarrassing, do the fans not feel the way I do about the cup? What needs to be done to bring it back to life? First all I'd change it back to May, after that I'm not sure.

The Challenge Cup is magic - bring it back.