See, this is the sort of stuff that frustrates me. This sort of promotion for 2018 should be starting today - the first working day after the last final.

Offer clubs a period where they can sell tickets (even offer a discount on face value to club members) and allow the club to pocket a commission. That way, they have a whole calendar of events, fixtures etc to push their tickets and raise funds. I'm sure that some of our bigger amateur clubs - your Stanningley's, St Pats/Judes and Siddalls of this world have enough members to easily fill a bus at the very least if it's promoted right.

Seem to recall an interview with either Wood or Rimmer where they claim the CC final to be 3rd ranked occasion behind SL final and Magic Weekend. Seems like promotion for CC final is more of an afterthought.

There are of course other issues affecting the CCF attendance, but engaging community clubs is certainly a trick they're missing.

As I said in my previous post, we take plenty to the MW, and we make a bit of money for the club in doing so. If similar offers/timescales were available for the CCF, we'd certainly do the same.

We're not a huge club, we have c90-100 juniors and an open age. Plus parents & other family members, if priced accordingly we could easily do two coaches.

The problem is that Newcastle is way more attractive at the moment (to people at our club as neutrals). It's less travel time, cheaper, you generally get a better view, and you see 3 games.

It doesn't include the empty club Wembley seats, first time it's been open for public sale

Regards

Lord Byron

I'm not sure if this applies because it's a different beast now it's in August but I went to every CC final with my amateur club for a number of years and you had to get in there early to get a place on the coach with your mates. Obviously it was in may and there was no magic but at the very least that's one amateur club who used to run at least one coach a year down to Wembley.

I have been to Wembley 27 times most for the challenge cup about 18 the rest Great Britain or England and most times on coach or car the best times was may for me

I reckon so

Are the rfl looking to move the final away from Wembley? Just completed a survey for them and one asked which venue you would like to see the cup final played at. With more promotion I wouldn't mind it being kept at Wembley, if not Cardiff would be my second choice...a lot better pre and post match around the ground /city centre and we would come close to selling it out most years based on previous years crowds...

Cardiff hosted their Pride weekend over the August Bank Holiday, so the city was pretty busy already, and transport links weren't good either with no trains running between Newport & Cardiff, so M4 was pretty choked.

Hence, just be careful what you wish for.

I think the RFL have an agreement the final will be played there until a certain date. The stadium is 10 years old so if it was a 10 year deal that may now be up?

That would be the crucial thing, the RFL has a habit of being a bit sloppy on the details. I like Cardiff, I've done RL there as a day trip and a weekend away, but bring the CCF forward to early July and it could be a winner. Probably get a more interest from the locals as the RU and football will be out of season too.

Can someone please explain how an event staged over two days that attracts a 60k crowd for 6 matches is bigger than an event that draws almost 70k for one match? Only thing that I can think of is that Magic is bigger financially for the RFL whist the CC is still the more lucrative event of the 3 events for the clubs involved in the final.