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2021 Host cities and venues

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Which do you consider not up to quality? There was only Darwin and Cairns that weren't decent stadia imo
Australia doesn't have rich soccer clubs like in the UK so will always have a dearth of top quality rectangular stadiums in comparison.

It s areal shame port moresby isnt 25k plus as that would have certainly boosted the crowd avg for the tournament.

6 games in FNQ and a final in Darwin, all in the midst of summer heat.
They tried to justify it with governments paying for it but since they didn't come close to meeting their financial targets its pretty fair to say their venue choices were a massive failure.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,848
6 games in FNQ and a final in Darwin, all in the midst of summer heat.
They tried to justify it with governments paying for it but since they didn't come close to meeting their financial targets its pretty fair to say their venue choices were a massive failure.

Fair enough didnt realise you were talking about fixture choices rather than quality of stadia or spread of venues used.
 

taipan

Referee
Messages
22,409
2017 had a far better spread of venues than 2008 (13 across 3 countries). Plenty wrong with the RLWC17 but spread of venues wasn't one of them.

When you leave out Sydney,it would be akin to leaving out Headingley.
A better spread that didn't perform as expected.The saving grace for 2017 was the Tongan team.An no idea about sub tropical heat in 2017.
 

deluded pom?

Coach
Messages
10,897
Its very unusual not to be able to drink in your seat at a RL gam ein UK. In fact I haven't been to any that you cant including the CC final (except for a short time at the Hull derbies after some bother but that didnt last long)
You can no longer take alcohol to your seat at the GF. They change the policy from one year to the next but it hasn’t been allowed for a few years now. The problem was there is always trouble of some variety, usually alcohol fuelled, at the GF due to the kick off time and people being on the pop all day.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,848
When you leave out Sydney,it would be akin to leaving out Headingley.
A better spread that didn't perform as expected.The saving grace for 2017 was the Tongan team.An no idea about sub tropical heat in 2017.

Sydney got two games, you can blame the NSW Govt for not stumping up to get any of the finals.
 

deluded pom?

Coach
Messages
10,897
Did Wigan bid? I assume it would be Latics that would have to do the bidding.
I'm not sure to be honest. For some reason the Wigan and Leigh bids were listed side by side at the presentation the other day. Leigh is in the Wigan metropolitan borough.
 
Messages
3,884
Here is a dissenting opinion.

The choice of venues made two major blunders:

(1) No opening game between England and Australia at Wembley. They could have attracted a 60,000 + crowd to Wembley for an Australia vs England kick off match. It would have done the world of good for rugby league in the south of England, and might have even been used to promote the London Broncos. Newcastle could have been used for a different England pool game. The Wembley game would have also boosted the southern England interest in the World Cup and hence the southern England attendance at the semi-final at Emirates.

(2) No French pool games in France. Should have played at least one French pool game in Toulouse, and perhaps two others in Avignon and Paris. We need to let the French public know that rugby league is played in France (Perpignan would have been a waste of time since rugby league is already well established in Perpignan).
 

Storm13

Juniors
Messages
1,606
Here is a dissenting opinion.
(2) No French pool games in France. Should have played at least one French pool game in Toulouse, and perhaps two others in Avignon and Paris. We need to let the French public know that rugby league is played in France (Perpignan would have been a waste of time since rugby league is already well established in Perpignan).

The French need to let the public know the game was and still is played in France. Can't keep waiting every 8 years for a World Cup in England, and moan that their is no fixtures.
 

deluded pom?

Coach
Messages
10,897
Here is a dissenting opinion.

The choice of venues made two major blunders:

(1) No opening game between England and Australia at Wembley. They could have attracted a 60,000 + crowd to Wembley for an Australia vs England kick off match. It would have done the world of good for rugby league in the south of England, and might have even been used to promote the London Broncos. Newcastle could have been used for a different England pool game. The Wembley game would have also boosted the southern England interest in the World Cup and hence the southern England attendance at the semi-final at Emirates.

(2) No French pool games in France. Should have played at least one French pool game in Toulouse, and perhaps two others in Avignon and Paris. We need to let the French public know that rugby league is played in France (Perpignan would have been a waste of time since rugby league is already well established in Perpignan).
The UK government have stumped up £25 million quid for the tournament to be played mainly in the north of England. France were never going to get any games. Ditto Wales. If they can sell out Newcastle they will have attracted s huge crowd to an England game against someone other than Australia or New Zealand. A massive plus IMO. Also we are going to four groups of four. Are you suggesting we put Australia and England in the same group? England will probably meet Australia in the semi or the final, if they do play each other, at a stadium that will hold either 60,000 or 70,000+.
 

jim_57

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,360
I really like that they're putting a lot of faith in the England brand drawing crowds no matter the opposition. I guess they had to but it could be a real game changer if they can get 40-50k+ at both Anfield & Newcastle, plus 25-30k+ at Bolton and Sheffield all against teams other than Aus/NZ. Then the semi & final.


Then we have the 2023 friendly against France at LSV (with 2 stands closed) to look forward to as England's first home game after the World Cup..
 

Pommy

Coach
Messages
14,657
Here is a dissenting opinion.

The choice of venues made two major blunders:

(1) No opening game between England and Australia at Wembley. They could have attracted a 60,000 + crowd to Wembley for an Australia vs England kick off match. It would have done the world of good for rugby league in the south of England, and might have even been used to promote the London Broncos. Newcastle could have been used for a different England pool game. The Wembley game would have also boosted the southern England interest in the World Cup and hence the southern England attendance at the semi-final at Emirates.

(2) No French pool games in France. Should have played at least one French pool game in Toulouse, and perhaps two others in Avignon and Paris. We need to let the French public know that rugby league is played in France (Perpignan would have been a waste of time since rugby league is already well established in Perpignan).

The groups are seeded this time so England, NZ, Aus and most likely Tonga will not be playing each other in the first round.
With this format the days of England vs Aus openers are gone.
As has been said a devolved English body stumped up the cash to play the games in the north. If they wanted the cash games couldn’t go abroad, ditto to taking many down south.
SJP is still a 52,000 seater stadium, we couldn’t sell out Suncorp for the last final so let’s be realistic.
 

Irish-bulldog

Juniors
Messages
785
So I wonder what the amount they think wwe will need to hit to make a profit ?, wonder how close 25 mil pounds gets us ?.
 

deluded pom?

Coach
Messages
10,897
I really like that they're putting a lot of faith in the England brand drawing crowds no matter the opposition. I guess they had to but it could be a real game changer if they can get 40-50k+ at both Anfield & Newcastle, plus 25-30k+ at Bolton and Sheffield all against teams other than Aus/NZ. Then the semi & final.


Then we have the 2023 friendly against France at LSV (with 2 stands closed) to look forward to as England's first home game after the World Cup..
And that game at the LSV will be played in 2023. Many a true word spoken in jest jim.
 

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