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.

I think we take a good following regardless (Widnes away on a Thursday night for the last 3 fixtures a prime example) because we're used to it. I've been following FC home and away for 30 years so the long journey down the M62 is the norm. We have no choice so we do it, and blooming love it too. Since moving to the KC, an away game is the nearest we get to the hostile atmosphere of the Threepenny Stand which we all miss so much.

Hey, I was there! 300 mile round trip notwithstanding.



In these desperate times, you've gotta take your laughs where you can.

Fantastic post.

The challenge cup was magic once upon a time but now it's just a hindrance to the lead up to the grand final. To get it back to anything as the showpiece it was then it needs to be moved to the start of the season with the final being played in May

They tried that a few years back, it resulted in the early rounds being played before the league started, most people complained at that too. A few have suggested it and I agree the best place is probably after the last league game before the split.

Good call, a mid season comp would give everyone a much needed break from the league games. Its still throws up the problem though of playing the final a month before the grand final

Part of the problem is the new stadium. It's an impressive piece of engineering but it's too big and lacks character.Even the FA cup final doesn't fill it so what chance have we got. Modern stadiums are designed with safety in mind consequently they can be filled and emptied much quicker. This means that the atmosphere doesn't build before kick off and that the victory lap is often done in front of a handful of stragglers. For me the answer is move away from Wembley.

The average attendance over the last thirty years or so has been around 78k so, if they were to move away from Wembley, that would only leave Old Trafford, Twickenham and The Millennium big enough. The capacity at the Etihad of approx 60k would be ideal and would look good packed to the rafters but you would then run the risk of disappointing so many unable to get tickets.

The atmosphere never builds before kick off like it used to. It's the modern way. Everything is orchestrated like at the Grand Final with little flags being placed by your seat and you being encouraged to wave it to ear shattering music. The old way was no music and the fans being left to sing during the build up.

I am not sure what the answer is to be honest. May be things have just gone stale with it being at Wembley year after year. Perhaps a shake up and revolve it around Twickenham, The Millennium and Old Trafford (as a last resort) every three years.

The average 78k crowd includes Club Wembley though. I reckon that the Etihad would be the perfect ground for it. Limit the number of neutral tickets sold, give 25,000 to each club and have a ground packed to the rafters. I can say this now that blooming monkey's off our backs hahaha

That would get my vote. Better to have a packed out final for which tickets are like gold dust than a half empty one. As a spectacle that works better.

On a personal level I would go more often as a neutral if it wasn't for the trek.

I do think the GF has taken over for neutrals as the final to be at. It's easy to get to and there's no having to stay over if you don't want to. Tickets are lot cheaper too. My Wembley ones were £45, my GF ones are £15!
I've not missed a GF since my first one in 2004, love the whole event!

I go to the CC final every year... not missed one for over 30 years...
It's because it's 'away' is the main attraction. A lads weekend away to drink beer, eat curries and watch a bit of Rugby


It's just the whole craic that I enjoy, be the venue be in London, Cardiff or Edinburgh, it doesn't really matter. In fact, I enjoy it more as a neutral when Wigan aren't there!
Going to Old Trafford isn't the same (to me), being a day trip to watch rugby with a couple of beers before, after and during the match... just like it is watching any SL or cup game, (With the exception of Catalans away, which is also a bit of a holiday

) albeit with more atmosphere.

If the final was before the split as imsuggested it would be 10 weeks before the GF.