On May 12th 2021, the RFL announced the Challenge Cup Semi-final would be hosted in Leigh Sports Village, which has a capacity of just 12,000. Covid restrictions mean that capacity at Leigh Sports Village is extremely limited with only 600 fans from each club able to attend.
Please support this petition and give fans a collective voice in saying that the reason presented by Mark Foster, the RFL’s Chief Commercial Officer that the event was booked months ago and so must take place in an unsuitable stadium, is not acceptable.
While it is up to the RFL to determine the most viable solution, it seems obvious to most this could be achieved by splitting the three games and hosting them in larger capacity stadiums, even where the games are on the same day. The fans of our game demand that the RFL revisit this decision and within the Covid restrictions explore all options to maximise the available attendance for each set of fans and should make this effort transparent to the fans.
While everybody is concerned about the commercial aspect of the game, it's not about the money for fans. It's culture, family and friends and atmosphere, it's our sport. Like the recent European Super League debacle in football, we the fans of Rugby League will not stand by idly while we are unnecessarily prevented from accessing our game.
Updates
May 12, 2021
The RFL continues to hide behind the claim that this venue was booked months ago but we know better. My friends and I grew up in these stands and it is heartbreaking to see the joy of a semi-final locked away from the people who keep this sport alive.
May 12, 2021
Seeing this level of support reminds me why I fell in love with our sport in the first place. The authorities can no longer pretend that we belong on the sidelines while they make decisions that strip the soul out of our game.
25 Comments
Pre booked isn't an excuse. Yorkshire clubs always get forced to do the extra mileage too. The RFL don't even try to hide their bias anymore. These games should be at Huddersfield or Leeds. We've had to put up with Bolton for the last few years. Surely even the RFL can see that a higher capacity stadium would allow more fans and therefore more ticket sales.
Why Leigh 12,000 capacity when football grounds or eg Huddersfield must be available to make it a showcase with larger crowd and a more neutral location !
When is there gone to be a public enquiry on how RL is run?
Doncasters ground obviously.
we are a spectator sport
absolute joke.at the very least should be split 1 game at dinner time another at teatime or is the bbc running the show.
Just can't understand why they pick a small stadium perhaps the comments about brown envelopes isn't far off the the Mark
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On May 12th 2021, the RFL announced the Challenge Cup Semi-final would be hosted in Leigh Sports Village, which has a capacity of just 12,000. Covid restrictions mean that capacity at Leigh Sports Village is extremely limited with only 600 fans from each club able to attend.
Please support this petition and give fans a collective voice in saying that the reason presented by Mark Foster, the RFL’s Chief Commercial Officer that the event was booked months ago and so must take place in an unsuitable stadium, is not acceptable.
While it is up to the RFL to determine the most viable solution, it seems obvious to most this could be achieved by splitting the three games and hosting them in larger capacity stadiums, even where the games are on the same day. The fans of our game demand that the RFL revisit this decision and within the Covid restrictions explore all options to maximise the available attendance for each set of fans and should make this effort transparent to the fans.
While everybody is concerned about the commercial aspect of the game, it's not about the money for fans. It's culture, family and friends and atmosphere, it's our sport. Like the recent European Super League debacle in football, we the fans of Rugby League will not stand by idly while we are unnecessarily prevented from accessing our game.
Updates
May 12, 2021
The RFL continues to hide behind the claim that this venue was booked months ago but we know better. My friends and I grew up in these stands and it is heartbreaking to see the joy of a semi-final locked away from the people who keep this sport alive.
May 12, 2021
Seeing this level of support reminds me why I fell in love with our sport in the first place. The authorities can no longer pretend that we belong on the sidelines while they make decisions that strip the soul out of our game.
25 Comments
We need it to be held at bigger premises and on separate days so us fans thats waited 18 months to watch our teams can enjoy the semi's
Pre booked isn't an excuse. Yorkshire clubs always get forced to do the extra mileage too. The RFL don't even try to hide their bias anymore. These games should be at Huddersfield or Leeds. We've had to put up with Bolton for the last few years. Surely even the RFL can see that a higher capacity stadium would allow more fans and therefore more ticket sales.
Why Leigh 12,000 capacity when football grounds or eg Huddersfield must be available to make it a showcase with larger crowd and a more neutral location !
When is there gone to be a public enquiry on how RL is run?
Doncasters ground obviously.
we are a spectator sport
absolute joke.at the very least should be split 1 game at dinner time another at teatime or is the bbc running the show.
Just can't understand why they pick a small stadium perhaps the comments about brown envelopes isn't far off the the Mark
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We need it to be held at bigger premises and on separate days so us fans thats waited 18 months to watch our teams can enjoy the semi's