World Club Series/Challenge mostly in UK

[Diesel]

Why is it that most of these games or series of late, need to be held in the UK?

They talk about it being profitable, is that because of the exchange rate or sponsorship?

Is it to strengthen the Super League clubs that play so they don't have to travel?

Or guatenteed crowds, and the Australian public are just not interested as much?

I only remember the 1993 & 2014 games in Australia.

 

[Rabbit toes]

Poms would melt in this weather and it would be even less of a challenge for the Australian teams.

 

[betcats]

Plus it promotes the game more if the NRL teams go out there. I know it isn't the same scale at all but look at the hype Liverpool get when they play out here compared to the hype Sydney FC would get in England.

 

[Captain Apollo]

I think the RFL in the UK are able to get more sponsors for the event, combined with better crowds, which generates greater revenue.

With 2014 WCC, (iirc) the Roosters received something like $30k or less for actually winning the event. Much of the revenue raised went on meeting overheads (e.g. airfares and accommodation for Wigan).

 

[Pommy]

I've said it time and again the NRL is missing a big opportunity to make money in the UK. The WCC should been seen by the NRL and NRL clubs as an equivalent of Chelsea or Liverpool playing games in Sydney and attracting new paying fans to the league.
I don't see what benefit it would have for anyone being played in Australia. If Roosters can't get a decent crowd when playing another NRL team what chance have the of getting a good crowd playing St Helens it would only be of benefit for ex pats really.

 

[morley101]

I've said it time and again the NRL is missing a big opportunity to make money in the UK. The WCC should been seen by the NRL and NRL clubs as an equivalent of Chelsea or Liverpool playing games in Sydney and attracting new paying fans to the league.
I don't see what benefit it would have for anyone being played in Australia. If Roosters can't get a decent crowd when playing another NRL team what chance have the of getting a good crowd playing St Helens it would only be of benefit for ex pats really.

They got a reasonable crowd of 31,515 in 2014.

 

[Pierced Soul]

unfortunately fans wouldn't support in in australia so it wouldn't make any money. it's set up to coincide within the first few rounds of the SL season, not sure exactly what happens but i imagine the teams involved have a bye for that round? i cant see the teams in the nrl agreeing to use thier byes for these games. as rabbit toes said the poms would melt. our players struggle to adapt to early season heat, the poms would lose half their teams in warmup

 

[BuffaloRules]

This is a one sided contest that doesnt hold much interest for Aussie NRL fans...

 

[alien]

This is a one sided contest that doesnt hold much interest for Aussie NRL fans...

i'm pretty sure the english clubs have won more world club challenges than the australian clubs, and plenty of australian supporters care about it if it's their club playing in it. they should have it in australia every second year, and when it's in australia it should be played 2 weeks after the nrl grandfinal

 

[Pommy]

i'm pretty sure the english clubs have won more world club challenges than the australian clubs, and plenty of australian supporters care about it if it's their club playing in it. they should have it in australia every second year, and when it's in australia it should be played 2 weeks after the nrl grandfinal

Australian fans don't care in a finals series. What crowd did we get against sharks last year at SFS? Do you think the fans of teams in games 1 and 2 will really give a shit about playing some no mark super league team?

 

[alien]

Australian fans don't care in a finals series. What crowd did we get against sharks last year at SFS? Do you think the fans of teams in games 1 and 2 will really give a shit about playing some no mark super league team?

they shouldn't have the series. just the world club championship game

 

[Captain Apollo]

I've said it time and again the NRL is missing a big opportunity to make money in the UK. The WCC should been seen by the NRL and NRL clubs as an equivalent of Chelsea or Liverpool playing games in Sydney and attracting new paying fans to the league.
I don't see what benefit it would have for anyone being played in Australia. If Roosters can't get a decent crowd when playing another NRL team what chance have the of getting a good crowd playing St Helens it would only be of benefit for ex pats really.

As morley 101 posted, it got a decent crowd of over 31,000 people. The problems related to the overheads. There was no clear delineation of who was responsible for what between the Roosters and the NRL, so publicity was not as good as it could have been.

Further it had not been spelt out clearly beforehand that it was from the game revenue that all overheads, such as accommodation and airfares for the entire Wigan team had to be deducted. That is why the problem occurred.

There was an article published in the Sydney Morning Herald published not long after the game spelling this out, however I cannot find it.

 

[siv]

Went over last year and saw all 3 games

It was a great promotion for ESL and fans came from hundreds of miles to see the NRL clubs in action and talk with Aussie fans

Atmosphere if you go is great

Scheduling is the main.issue for me. I still prefer a pre-season comp during the 3 trial weekends

 

[betcats]

i'm pretty sure the english clubs have won more world club challenges than the australian clubs, and plenty of australian supporters care about it if it's their club playing in it. they should have it in australia every second year, and when it's in australia it should be played 2 weeks after the nrl grandfinal

They would rarely win over here imo, I'd rather watch my team play an nrl trial tbh.

 

[alien]

They would rarely win over here imo

that's ok. they win quite a lot when it's over there

 

[BuffaloRules]

i'm pretty sure the english clubs have won more world club challenges than the australian clubs, and plenty of australian supporters care about it if it's their club playing in it. they should have it in australia every second year, and when it's in australia it should be played 2 weeks after the nrl grandfinal

I'm not so sure that the English teams have the overall better record but could stand corrected and I can't be bothered looking it up.

Of course the English club has every advantage going their way usually with travel, climate, the fact they are in season etc..

 

[Patorick]

As morley 101 posted, it got a decent crowd of over 31,000 people. The problems related to the overheads. There was no clear delineation of who was responsible for what between the Roosters and the NRL, so publicity was not as good as it could have been.

Further it had not been spelt out clearly beforehand that it was from the game revenue that all overheads, such as accommodation and airfares for the entire St Helens team had to be deducted. That is why the problem occurred.

There was an article published in the Sydney Morning Herald published not long after the game spelling this out, however I cannot find it.

 

[Perth Red]

Everyone benefits from it being over there. Clubs make more money, RL in UK gets a bigger profile boost than RL here would, games are more competitive and SL fans turn out to support it. Everyone's a winner!

 

[I Bleed Maroon]

The NRL clubs would massacre them if they played over here. The pom players aren't used to the heat, plus can you really see Wigan beating Brisbane at a sold out Suncorp? Not that it matters, glorified trial and all.

 

[LESStar58]

i'm pretty sure the english clubs have won more world club challenges than the australian clubs, and plenty of australian supporters care about it if it's their club playing in it. they should have it in australia every second year, and when it's in australia it should be played 2 weeks after the nrl grandfinal

Agree. I look forward to early mornings this weekend and Melbourne are not even playing! Then again St. Helens are!

There was a push to have it in Melbourne in 2013 when it was a stand alone fixture and the NRL in their infinite wisdom said no. Not sure how Easts managed to wrangle it to the SFS the following year but the NRL gave up a sure fire way to promote the game in Melbourne!