t-r-i-n-i-t-y wrote:
OK, let's take Tonga vs. Italy for example. Bar local marketing, how would anyone expect that to have a massive crowd?
The Tonga team are a very attractive side containing many NRL players and play a typically attractive brand of island rugby. They will feature a haka, which, in itself, is a draw card to many.
The Italian team is made up of many top level NRL players and will be high quality with many feeling they may be a dark horse side. If they knock off Wales at the millenium which is highly likely then all those factors will combine to make this a very attractive fixture. The Aussies are in Ireland that weekend so this game will be a fixture that has practically the whole of the West Yorkshire area as its fan base.
Coupled with the usual cheap tickets available at this world cup, I would think this will be a very attractive fixture. Get members of the teams doing press and media spots in Yorkshire and the North in general and this game should attract an attendance North of 5,000 at the very least.
Bradford, Leeds, Huddersfield, Castleford, Wakefield, Batley, Desbury and Featherstone are all within a very short distance of Halifax. This fixture should appeal to enough of the supporters of those clubs as well as the host Halifax club, roughly 50,000, to attract a very decent attendance at the Shay.
in total my mate bought 26 tickets to various games and paid roughly £140. 
