Opinion: Should rugby league scrap triple headers?
Should rugby league scrap triple headers?
Elland Road recorded an attendance of just 22,141 on Saturday for the Challenge Cup triple header. The women’s final kick started the day, followed by the two men’s semi-finals of the cup.
On television, the 37,000 capacity stadium looked disappointing for both games, with fans clearly only there to see their own teams play.
University of Bolton Stadium held the last triple header – with a full capacity allowed – in the sport in 2019 again with the women’s final and the two men’s semi-finals. Bolton also hosted the 2018 event that saw Catalans and Warrington claim wins.
However, are there any benefits to the sport hosting all the games inside one stadium?
Spreading the games across smaller venues, Warrington or Leigh for example, may look better on television, and hold a better atmosphere. They are also more likely to sell out venues with a capacity of around the likes of 14,000.
Speaking on the latest podcast, Love Rugby League editor James Gordon and host George Riley discussed the future of triple headers.
Time to scrap triple headers?
“I was really looking forward to it and I was left a little bit deflated just because of how it looked,” said Riley.
“As a rugby league fan, what an opportunity. I’m a Leeds boy, so Elland Road; iconic, brilliant. But it just didn’t look good to me.”
Editor Gordon added: “I think this is one of the increasing problems with this multi-games approach. I have the same opinion on Magic Weekend as well.
“On Saturday I commentated the first two games and didn’t stay for all of the third. Ultimately, you’re telling people to sit on a plastic seat for up to six hours to watch all these games.
“The big problem is how it looks on a TV screen. The majority of fans are just coming for their team’s game. You could see as soon as St Helens and Wigan finished, the St Helens and Wigan ends evaporated.
“I think the problem you’ve got, you will never have a full ground for those matches. Then to put it on TV, look at Magic Weekend, any pictures or footage of it, the stadium is half empty.”
Do you think rugby league should scrap triple or double headers? Let us know in the comments below…
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