UK Tri Nations Venues

[Jeffles]

Manchester out, Wigan in doubt for Tri-NationsMonday, June 13, 2005

THE Rugby Football League is hoping to have tickets on sale for this autumn’s Gillette Tri-Nations series by the first day of July. But it looks as though the tournament will be going ahead without a game at the City of Manchester Stadium.

‘Rugby Leaguer & League Express’ understands that the RFL wanted to play the final of the tournament at the Manchester venue on 26 November, but stadium officials are likely to turn down the bid. The stadium is scheduled to host several major concerts later this year, and officials are reluctant to host another Rugby League game, despite the success of last year’s clash between Great Britain and Australia, because they are reluctant to put pressure on the pitch.
That means that the RFL could return to Leeds United’s Elland Road stadium, which staged last year’s final.
Or it could decide to take the final to Old Trafford, only six weeks after the engage Super League Grand Final on 15 October.
The last major international game to be played at the home of Manchester United was the 2000 World Cup Final, which attracted a crowd of 44,329 spectators, although only after about 15,000 tickets were given away in a promotion with a regional newspaper in the north-west.
And doubts have arisen about whether a Tri-Nations game will be allocated to Wigan’s JJB Stadium.
‘Rugby Leaguer & League Express’ understands that JJB Stadium bosses are reluctant to allow markings on the pitch for any game that might be allocated there.
That would cut across the agreement between the RFL and tournament sponsor Gillette for Gillette’s logos to appear on the pitch, and it could see a game switched to Bolton’s Reebok Stadium, whose officials are thought ready to accept the sponsor’s logo on pitch markings there.

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Thanks to http://www.totalrl.com/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?newsid1118666971,20773,

Their loss IMO. The RFL need Manchester more than they need Wigan, but I think Old Trafford is too big (without a guarantee that GB will be there and because it is not a RLWC).
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[southsman]

Disappointing as this means alack of Staduim choice for fans in the West . They may have to go for Bolton which can be a bit of a nightmare to get to. So much easier for fans to get to Man City or Man Uniteds grounds. Upset that something can't be worked out with Wigan. Unfortunetly St Helens ground is a mess and too small .
Is Warrington's ground an option?? Nice brand new venue.

 

[Billy the kid]

I think the JJB is suitable, I think Reebok and the Mcalpine is too big.

Southsman, Warrington is not suitable because it is not a all seater stadium.

I belive the RFL go for the stadium that are too big in capacity.

 

[southsman]

Capacity of Super League Venues

Wigan 25 000 All Seater
Hull 25 404 All Seater
Warrington 14 500 The new Halliwell Staduim has 2 ends of terraces
St Helens 19 100 Not an International Venue with terraces
Widnes 14 500
Leeds Headingly 23 000 but not all seated.
Huddersfield 24 000 All Seater
Bradford 24 000 Terrace seating so no good for International football.
The rest are to small.

Soccer Grounds that could be used
Bolton Reebok Stadium 28 0000 all seater
City of Light (Man City) 48 500 All seater
Manchester United (Old Trafford) 68 000 All Seater
Leeds (Elland Road ) 40 0000 All Seater
Blackburn Rovers (Ewood Park) 31 300 All Seater

Does the RFL risk having a Great Britain vs Australia in London ?
Possible Venue Stamford Bridge (Chelsea) 42 000

Venues -- City of Light or Wigan Game 1 Australia vs Great Britain
McAlpine Huddersfield Game 2 New Zealand vs Great Britain
KC Staduim Hull Game 3 Australia vs Great Britain
Reebok Bolton Game 4 New Zealand vs Great Britain
Final- Elland Road

 

[Green Machine]

Does the RFL risk having a Great Britain vs Australia in London ?
Possible Venue Stamford Bridge (Chelsea) 42 000

I hope they do. I don't see a problem with staging a game in London. As with previous games, if it is marketed right, a good crowd will turn up. By playing a game in London gives the tournament national credibility in the UK

 

[griff]

They should do everything possible to try and get the City of Manchester Stadium to agree to host the game. Damage to the pitch can be minimised and is a bit of a cop out, they just need to cut the grass a little longer for RL games than they do for soccer games.

Old Trafford is too big, and Elland Road is apparently a bit of a dump. Ewood Park was a disaster for that Kiwis test a couple of years ago. Maybe think really outside the square and go for Leicester's Walker Stadium?

 

[ali]

Why not Liverpool? Anfield or Goodison Park.

Or if they want a smaller venue, what about Oldham? Or even the North east. The ammatuer scene up there isn't too bad. There are awesome stadiums in Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough.

 

[Stevo_G]

I think the JJB is suitable, I think Reebok and the Mcalpine is too big.

Southsman, Warrington is not suitable because it is not a all seater stadium.

I belive the RFL go for the stadium that are too big in capacity.

jjb is 25000 and reebok is 28000 not that big difference and bolton not far from wigan

can't see why can't have game in liverpool

 

[Jeffles]

Liverpool has some merit if the venue is available.

 

[southsman]

Makes the drive for the Bradford , Leeds , Hull fans alittle further but true great ground and not far from Wigan , St Helens and the main heart of Manchester. Not sure whether Liverpool F.C would be interested. Don't think any other sport other than Sooccer has been staged there. Think the Champions League Winners will be happy about their ground being cut up by tough league men.

Just play it at Wigan... Good staduim, good location and good facilities. Still like the idea of a London game if it's marketed correctly . Northern fans will travel 4 hours down the M1 to get London especially if we open the Gillette Series in England with that game.

Another option even though it's a huge capacity is Millenium Stadium in Cardiff. League fans don't mid travelling down their and it also promotes the game in Wales.

Then there's Goodison Park home of Everton , it's alittle run down these days and preferably we want a quality venue that fans can enjoy and no offence to Everton but the ground is need of an upgrade. There's talk they'll be moving to a new stadium in the near future.

 

[Jeffles]

1) They try to balance games between both sides of the hill. Of course the drive is far for Hull, Leeds etc but their fans are encourgaed to go to Elland Road, KFC, etc.

2) "Just play it at Wigan" - have you even read the article?

3) Millenium Stadium is too big I think

4) I think St Helens played at either Anfield or Goodison Park. Liverpool (either ground) won't be that bad a location. You have a good catchment of RL clubs (Wigan, Saints, Warrington and Widnes).

 

[southsman]

1) They try to balance games between both sides of the hill. Of course the drive is far for Hull, Leeds etc but their fans are encourgaed to go to Elland Road, KFC, etc.

2) "Just play it at Wigan" - have you even read the article?

3) Millenium Stadium is too big I think

4) I think St Helens played at either Anfield or Goodison Park. Liverpool (either ground) won't be that bad a location. You have a good catchment of RL clubs (Wigan, Saints, Warrington and Widnes).

Sorry but St Helens play at Knowsley Road and to be honest it's a old stadium but generates good atmosphere.

 

[Jeffles]

Problem with Knowsley is ho bad it looks on Tv, the limited corporate facilities amd the limited capacity. This is supposed to be a showcase of international Rugby League not a bloody chook raffle.

 

[griff]

I didn't read the article properly and thought they were talking about the opening game rather than the final, so that would rule out Leicester.

The big risk associated with the Tri-Nations is that the home team don't make the final. So a stadium as big as Old Trafford would be a lot harder to fill.

The City of Manchester stadium was government funded wasn't it? Seems a bit odd to not let the national team of a priority sport play there because you want to keep the grass nice for a concert.

Guess it will just be Elland Road again.

 

[roughyed8]

Anfield stadium (Liverpool F.C) was used twice in the early 90s by RL, once for a pre season charity shield game, and the Wigan vs Penrith panthers WCC game (in 93 i think) also i think RU used it for a tour game North vs All Blacks ?. If they would let it be used for a tri nations game i think we could fill it but the problem would be parking for the fans i remember going to the wcc game and taking 30-40 mins just trying to find a parking space. As for the Reebok its a hell of a lot easier to get in and out of than the JJB or the Galpharm(Mcalpine) both of which are landlocked with one road in/out, the Reebok is next to a Motorway with loads of parking space available.

 

[yankeeboy]

It seems riddiculous that people are talking about having International RL in such small venues. Here in Texas, high schools play in 20k seat stadiums, not professional teams of the most popular sport in the area. If they can't get 40 000, then Great Britain shouldn't be hosting the Tri Nations.

Game should be at Elland Road, City of Manchester, Old Trafford, or Anfield, with perhaps a game at St James' Park in Newcastle or at a London football venue.

 

[roughyed8]

yankeeboy,i can see your point re the stadiums all great venues,but unfortunately league isnt the most popular sport in the area, Man Utd for instance get more for a home game than the whole of S.L put together. the last time RL could confidently take more than one game to stadiums of that size was the 1994 Kangaroo tour when there was a 50,000 crowd at Wembley and 40,000 crowds at Old Trafford and Elland Rd, the policy of the RFL at the moment is to use the mid size stadiums such as JJB, KC and REEBOK to guarantee virtual sell outs their thinking apparently is 25,000 capacity stadiums packed out give a better impression to tv viewers and potential sponsors than 50,000 capacity stadiums with banks of empty seats on show. League lost a lot of fans for international games due to the superleague wars, also the broadcasters insistance for games to ko at 6pm on saturdays is another big problem for fans with kids with people complaining of not getting home untill after 11pm putting them off, of course the broadcasters are happy cos the have a big viewing audience in the bars and houses.

 

[Jeffles]

The Biffo raises many good points. Saturday arvo kick offs were great. I remember staying up late as an 11 year old to watch the 1994 tour.

I think the RFL have a good policy now. They play most matches in smaller grounds but take the educated chance for bigger games (final and Australia Test).

 

[yankeeboy]

I think that they should go for 35-40k venues. They aren't too big, but won't look horrible if a crowd of 25-30k shows up.

Have the RFL considered playing a GB test in Wales? Millenium Stadium is the only suitable venue, and it's huge, but I think they could get a decent crowd.

For a London venue, they could use Highbury, White Hart Lane, or Upton Park. If they wanted to go with a smaller venue, then they should use The Valley or Selhurst Park. It is sad that the RFL would want to hold a test in a venue like Loftus Road that doesn't even seat 20k. It is only a 3 hr drive from Leeds to London. Why don't fans take the initiative and go to see their national side in London?

This would still leave 3 games for North England-- one against each of the other countries, and the final. I would have one game at Elland Road, one at Anfield or Goodison Park, and the final at City of Manchester, if available or at Old Trafford. You could also play games at Hull, though it is a small stadium, or at St James' Park in Newcastle or the Stadium of Light in Sunderland.

The RFL really needs to try to attract sell out crowds to all of the venues. I think that they shouldn't even be considering playing the game at any RL venue- they can do much better.

 

[Jeffles]

Highbury is a sh*te venue - falling apart and it is quite small. Stamford Bridge, Craven Cottage or Loftus Rd are better venues for the capital.