Super League CEO: Challenge Cup final may need move from Wembley
Rugby league may have to consider moving the Challenge Cup away from Wembley, says the chief executive of Warrington Wolves.
Karl Fitzpatrick said his “heart” was with staying at the 90,000-seat home of football in London but his “head is saying we may need to look at somewhere else”.
The 2024 final between Wigan Warriors and Warrington saw 64,845 fans head to the national stadium while this year’s showpiece saw 1,500 fewer fans in attendance.
Rugby league needs to go back to 2016 – when Hull beat Warrington – for an attendance of over 70,000 and one year prior for the crowd to breach 80,000.
“I understand the nostalgia and I understand the history,” Fitzpatrick told CityAM.
“I was a Wigan fan growing up, so I used to go to Wembley all the time. And it was a big occasion. Where it sits now, in order of priorities; it has dropped behind the Grand Final but now we throw into the mix Catalan [away game in France], then we have Magic Weekend [in Newcastle].
“Our demographic, they’ve got limited surplus income. So then going on a trip down to London can be expensive.”
Wembley day out expensive
The 2022 final was shifted to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium while the showpiece FA Cup-style competition final has flirted with Twickenham, Murrayfield and Elland Road since the 1950s.
Newcastle United’s St James’ Park currently hosts the rugby league Magic Weekend while Old Trafford stages the Grand Final – a tradition Fitzpatrick wants to continue after Sir Jim Ratcliffe builds a replacement for the Theatre of Dreams.
But as to which arena could replace Wembley – which will host the first Test of a three-match Ashes series this autumn – it remains to be seen.
He added: “You could have Toulouse [away], you’ve got Catalan [away], you’ve Magic and on top of that throw Vegas in the mix as well – goodness it starts to add up, it starts to be quite expensive.
“I’m not sure. My heart is saying yes [stay] but my head’s saying we may need to look at somewhere else.
“Hopefully the Ashes series has a big impact on the game at Wembley Stadium, but have we done enough as a game to really have a good shot at filling it? The answer to that may be yes, but I don’t know.”