pmarrow wrote:
I personally feel the millennium magic should host challenge cup fixtures. Say like the quarter finals to eliminate most of the most sided games we are seeing in the challenge cup.
Sell all the games to the BBC and have a huge annual event which could bring in thousands if marketed correctly. IMO it would be worth a try, I just don't like the idea of all teams not equally playing each other twice. Its not fair especially if they use derby games early in the season which does have a knock on effect on the derby games come Easter time.
I've said in the past that they should look to make the Challenge Cup a completely neutral-venues tournament one year as an experiment.
The 4th round should be seeded so that SL and CC sides are separate, but all SL sides are away from home. R4 played mid-March.
Then R5 all games at Millennium Stadium on the first May Bank Holiday, with the draw straight after in the stadium.
QF all at Murrayfield at the end of June.
SF double header at any available 35k+ northern ground (ie Bramall Lane, Elland Road, Anfield, Goodison Park, Eastlands) played mid July.
Final at Wembley.
Greater take up by neutrals. More passionate games than MM. Championship involvement at least at the R5 stage, with greater chances of upsets at R4 as all SL sides are away from home. Possible increase in funding as Welsh Tourist Board and Scottish Tourist board may both fund events as they did the Magic Weekend, as well as a possible bidding war for a SF double header.
Possibility of getting more Cup games on other BBC channels (BBC4 or the red button?) as the cameras are already set up.
Fans already knowing where the next round is so can plan accordingly, and neutrals may even buy in advance. Could even set up a CC season ticket.
At the end of the day, R5 and QF only get between 30-40k fans, so even if 20-25k a day turn up to each round it's still an improvement.
Reckon it's worth a go one year personally, even if only an experiment.
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