jim
Marquee Player
Posts: 1,150
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Post by jim on Jan 17, 2009 18:08:01 GMT 10
Not much has been made of this game but I'm quite excited and think it's pretty improtant. I will be very interesting to see how many fans will show up without the Russell Crowe factor. Over 5000 would be great as far as I'm concerned.
This came up last year and I'll bring it up again, the possibility of hosting a WCC in the USA that is. I think a properly marketed WCC in jacksonville with Axemen and Jaguars (hopefully) promoting it coiuld draw 20k+. I think the american market is a very important one for RL because if we can manage just a small chunk here and there it would probably eclipse anything we ever hope to achieve in smaller countries like Fiji, Wales, ireland etc.
I'd like to see more AMNRL clubs taking it on themselves to host games like this, there was somthing abotu Bellamy going to NY recently and someone from the NY knights said they'd like to have the Storm play a game there. That would be massive, with proper promotion they could easily match the Jacksonville crowds.
Also having the WCC there could solve the perception the game has at the moment, Australians don't take the game very seriously because "it's always in England and they're scared to play us here", if the game were in neutral territory or a 3 game series with 1 home each and a neutral game then it could solve that problem.
Anyway I've said my piece for now, Leeds by 12.
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Post by Druzik on Jan 17, 2009 21:17:08 GMT 10
Yes this is an important game to be played.
I thhink Leeds will get it though.
I hear that the weather is crap so that could keep the crowds away, but persisting with it will be good for the game.
But Salford could cause an upset... who knows with these trials.
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jim
Marquee Player
Posts: 1,150
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Post by jim on Jan 18, 2009 21:09:37 GMT 10
Leeds 12 - Salford 10
Crowd 5000+
Leeds played with 16 and Salford 25 so it was very much an exhibiton game. The crowd is very encouaging though, if Jacksonville can get 5000 to a trial game with just the club promoting it and TBH one average club playing then I think it sits well for them to hold more sucessful event in the fututre. Internationals should be a start, a USA international V a country like Wales, or Tonga for Example could draw quite well.
Something more needs to be done to capitalise, 1 game a year won't and the AMNRL only runs for 8-10 weeks so very little progress can be made with just 4 or 5 home games against some mis-matched opposition. Like I said early and International in Jacksonville this year should be priority.
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Post by HKR AWAY DAYS on Jan 19, 2009 7:22:56 GMT 10
The American's are extremely patriotic and I'd imagine they'd support any sport their country is competing in. It will take years for RL to break in but this is a very encouraging start!
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Post by Kiwi fan on Jan 19, 2009 7:34:54 GMT 10
5000 is a good crowd. Maybe there should be an international as a warm up match maybe USA vs Jamaica or Japan or some like that.
I don't see a WCC challenge drawing 20k in America, they won't understand the significance of the event. They couldn't see how Leeds vs Manly is anymore significant then Leeds vs Salford just telling them that these are the two best teams in the world wouldn't work, IMO. I think you might get 12k but not 20k. The WCC should be staged in NZ, Eng, Aus or France or Wales as we follow the two competitions all year and should be able to see the biggest club game in our own back yards.
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Post by Marv on Jan 19, 2009 19:36:02 GMT 10
Leeds 12 - Salford 10 Crowd 5000+ Leeds played with 16 and Salford 25 so it was very much an exhibiton game. The crowd is very encouaging though, if Jacksonville can get 5000 to a trial game with just the club promoting it and TBH one average club playing then I think it sits well for them to hold more sucessful event in the fututre. Internationals should be a start, a USA international V a country like Wales, or Tonga for Example could draw quite well. Something more needs to be done to capitalise, 1 game a year won't and the AMNRL only runs for 8-10 weeks so very little progress can be made with just 4 or 5 home games against some mis-matched opposition. Like I said early and International in Jacksonville this year should be priority. spot on Jim, some sort of exebition test with Eng/NZ/Aus and a curtain raiser with USA v Ireland/Samoa (just thinking of potential ex-pat populations with USA opponents) do this during the AMNRL season if possible |
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Post by Marv on Jan 19, 2009 19:38:15 GMT 10
I don't see a WCC challenge drawing 20k in America, they won't understand the significance of the event. They couldn't see how Leeds vs Manly is anymore significant then Leeds vs Salford just telling them that these are the two best teams in the world wouldn't work, IMO. I think you might get 12k but not 20k. The WCC should be staged in NZ, Eng, Aus or France or Wales as we follow the two competitions all year and should be able to see the biggest club game in our own back yards. Its a good point but at current the WCC is a bit stale, even people in England are waking up to the fact its not really fair on the NRL side, and we know the game wouldnt make a lot of money in Aus, maybe its time to od something different. The NFL take a regualr season game to the UK every year now, I dont see why RL couldnt do a similar thing on a smaller scale. |
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Post by Druzik on Jan 19, 2009 19:57:51 GMT 10
Well we do!
The Magic weekend is precisely that... I suspect that you"ll find once the non heartland areas are done in the UK, magic weekend will to the occasional game in Paris, Barcelona and even germany to expand the horizons... why not?
NRL, various teams have trials in non RL cities, Cronulla titans are in Darwin, Warriors are hitting odd place sin NZ... and Perth and Adelaide are getting regular season games on the roead this year too.
The WCC probably needs to look at a more neutral venue... or make it a 2 match series.
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Post by Marv on Jan 19, 2009 23:13:58 GMT 10
Well we do! The Magic weekend is precisely that... I suspect that you"ll find once the non heartland areas are done in the UK, Well I sort of disagree in the fact that magic weekend is bigger really, they take a whole round of games on the road, yet the return is much smaller as they attract less spectators than a single NFL game. will to the occasional game in Paris, Barcelona and even germany to expand the horizons... why not?.. I dont see why not, depending on how Barca goes this time round obviously, Paris could be good. The WCC probably needs to look at a more neutral venue... or make it a 2 match series. The timing of it is crucial also |
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Post by Druzik on Jan 20, 2009 0:32:30 GMT 10
Well we do! The Magic weekend is precisely that... I suspect that you"ll find once the non heartland areas are done in the UK, Well I sort of disagree in the fact that magic weekend is bigger really, they take a whole round of games on the road, yet the return is much smaller as they attract less spectators than a single NFL game. I dont see why not, depending on how Barca goes this time round obviously, Paris could be good. The WCC probably needs to look at a more neutral venue... or make it a 2 match series. The timing of it is crucial also 1. The promotion needs to be better... we need to get over the prejudices that still exist in most of the British Isles when it come to rugby league. 2. Yes, the Barca game this year will be a great Litmus test for the game. 3. I agree, timing is crucial, but I think its the only way we can grow the tournament. |
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Post by Druzik on Jan 23, 2009 6:48:38 GMT 10
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