Re: Why has the Cup lost its romance? : Mon May 09, 2011 1:17 pm  

i live 35 miles away i still made it,
i think theres alot of hypocrites on hre,
not pointing at anyone in particular but i just think there are

[Pemps]

Re: Why has the Cup lost its romance? : Mon May 09, 2011 1:29 pm  

truewiganer wrote:

i live 35 miles away i still made it,

Well done you. I live 6 miles away and made it but you're the better fan

truewiganer wrote:

i think theres alot of hypocrites on hre,
not pointing at anyone in particular but i just think there are

I assume by calling people hypocrites you could point us to the hypocritical posts that said people have made?

Re: Why has the Cup lost its romance? : Mon May 09, 2011 1:35 pm  

Mini rogue didn't go as he was working and preferred to use a dys holiday for a more competitive game.
Mrs. Rogue didn't go as she had a previously arranged function to attend.
Both would have gone had the game been on Friday.

Re: Why has the Cup lost its romance? : Mon May 09, 2011 1:43 pm  

I'm a season ticket holder and didn't attend. I would have done if it was on Friday or Saturday or a more competitive game but I chose to spend a bit of free time with my girlfriend instead.
I know there's that great flag that says 'My wife said it was Wigan rugby or her, I'll miss her' or something to that effect, but I'm playing it smart. I miss a not very competitive game, tell her it's a massive game and get in her good books making her more likely to agree to marry me. Once that's done with I can go to every single game and ignore her all I want, whilst she's free to spend more time with friends/see the family/have an affair. It's all planned out.

Re: Why has the Cup lost its romance? : Mon May 09, 2011 1:46 pm  

Cruncher wrote:

I'd be interested to hear from any regulars who didn't go yesterday and to know why.

?

Okay then, here goes...I live in Bury, dont drive, and couldnt be bothered getting a bus to Bolton and a train then to Wigan for a guarenteed 50+ point win.

Re: Why has the Cup lost its romance? : Mon May 09, 2011 2:04 pm  

It's a combination of things.

Super League started and got weekly coverage. 20 years ago, only the cup competitions were televised, so they were special.

Then the Grand Final was introduced, which I love, but given that winning the GF is the culmination of a whole season's hard work, puts that ahead in terms of it being an achievement. To win the Challenge Cup, for instance, you only have to win five or six games, against the 20-odd it takes to win Super League.

Moving the whole sport to Summer didn't help the Challenge Cup either. For several years it was effectively a pre-season tournament, as opposed to something which took place to pretty much cap the end of the season.

Then, Wembley closed. The CC was about Wembley - it's as simple as that. Yes, we have the new Wembley, and it's technically better, but it's not the old Wembley, is it? Be honest - winning the CC at Murrayfield was great, but not as great as if we'd have won it at the old Wembley, is it?

In a nutshell, the whole sport has changed, but the CC hasn't, really. I rather fancy that only a damn good marketing campaign, sustained over several YEARS with Wembley as the focal point of it, along with it remaining on free-to-air TV, will stop the decline.

Re: Why has the Cup lost its romance? : Mon May 09, 2011 2:07 pm  

I think people's perception of the cup will change once we get to Wembley again and have a day out there. You cant not get excited over a Wigan v Saints/Warrington final at a sold out Wembley. I agree that it is now second best to the league and playoffs, but it has been 13 years now since we have been to Wembley. Add to the fact that final was embarassing and since then its been held all over place (Cardiff, Edinburgh) the magic has been lost.

But once we win it this year, Wigan fans will want to return to Wembley every year!

Re: Why has the Cup lost its romance? : Mon May 09, 2011 2:12 pm  

Coventry Warrior! wrote:

I think people's perception of the cup will change once we get to Wembley again and have a day out there. You cant not get excited over a Wigan v Saints/Warrington final at a sold out Wembley. I agree that it is now second best to the league and playoffs, but it has been 13 years now since we have been to Wembley. Add to the fact that final was embarassing and since then its been held all over place (Cardiff, Edinburgh) the magic has been lost.

But once we win it this year, Wigan fans will want to return to Wembley every year!

You're right in that respect. The Cup final is ALWAYS exciting for the teams that are in it, and once it's upon us, the RL Community will no doubt be watching.

I think what's being said, is that the anticipation is not at fever pitch like it used to be, and the CC was a proper event that everyone watched. It isn't really, any more.

I've not read all the thread - but if it hasn't happened already, how long do you think it will be before you get Warrington fans bleating about how wonderful the CC is, and how we're only having this thread because we've not won it for a few years?

Re: Why has the Cup lost its romance? : Mon May 09, 2011 2:14 pm  

ROBINSON wrote:

In a nutshell, the whole sport has changed, but the CC hasn't, really.

That's an excellent summing up. I'd add that televised sport has changed, but the BBC hasn't, as well. Much as we all moan about the SKY muppets, they put the Beeb to shame.

Re: Why has the Cup lost its romance? : Mon May 09, 2011 2:22 pm  

I only went because it was free. (I live in Wigan). I wouldn’t have paid. My Dad’s on holiday and I couldn’t give his ticket away. It was pretty boring tbh (apart from the pigeons). The lack of competitiveness was the reason.

I still love the excitement of the cup though. I rushed home to turn the TV on and watched the draw. I guess nowadays shocks are far and few between, which is sad but true and thus the ‘romance’ is in decline.

Don’t know if the cup is ‘dying’. It would be interesting to see if say we play Saints in the quarters at home (if we both win) what the crowd would be. Would it sell out like the league game on Good Friday – probably not, but I reckon we’d be pushing 18-20k, or is that overly optimistic?