They were both a joke as well, but at least both games involved London clubs so the travelling wasn’t an issue. I see no reason to tell two northern RL clubs to travel down to London for a Cup Final in an empty stadium.
There is still a very weird situation where people are acting as if stadiums are special, when it’s the people inside them that make them special. Stadiums are merely buildings, and they are nothing more than famous buildings with no soul when they are empty. This attempt to recreate things without fans is very strange, and the PL clubs insisting that their remaining games last season were played at their grounds baffled me, given that home advantage means nothing if the place is empty. It’s why I’ve not been bothered about RL games being played at neutral sites, because it makes no difference really.
I suppose the BBC may want to have their day at Wembley for the CC Final, but what difference does it make if the place is empty. The bigger the ground, the bigger the problem looks on TV. Watching games in empty 15,000 capacity RL grounds has been just about watchable, but PL games have been hard to watch in 50,000 seat stadiums, and watching a CC Final at an empty Wembley merely rams it home how big and how severe the issue is.
Interestingly, from watching NFL over the weekend, the Dallas Cowboys had over 20,000 at their home game on Sunday, and two of the Florida teams (despite high levels of Covid cases) have both had five figure crowds at their games. I still think the no fans ruling is too severe here, and the inconsistency in telling people to go to pubs and restaurants but not to sports grounds is stupid. Spending 30 minutes doing a weekly shop in a crowded Tesco is more of a hazard than spending 2 hours socially distanced outside at a ground.
One for future games.
https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/...ncils-cabinet/
Used it a couple of times. Was well handy.
EDIT: Post in wrong thread
The figures for this region make depressing reading:
The 5,723 cases in England by region
North West +2,215
Yorkshire and The Humber +762
London +584
West Midlands +572
North East +576
East Midlands +300
South East +299
East of England +209
South West +181
25 cases were not assigned to a region
The top 10 for new cases announced today
Liverpool +264 (2 cases are from specimens dated beyond day 7)
Manchester +240 (4 cases are from specimens dated beyond day 7)
Birmingham +232 (1 case is from a specimen dated beyond day 7)
Bradford +166
Leeds +132 (3 cases are from specimens dated beyond day 7)
Bolton +126
Newcastle upon Tyne +119
Sefton +113
Wirral +103 (3 cases are from specimens dated beyond day 7)
Rochdale +92 (1 false positive case also removed)
All cases were reported between September 18th and 24th unless stated in brackets
33 areas reported 1 or no new cases up from 28 yesterday
On the subject of media bias, more subtle bias from the BBC on their website. They list a whole load of sports and the Covid restrictions that apply to 'grassroots' playing of each.
They include netball, the American sport of basketball, tennis, swimming and, of course rugby union (just surprised they didn't include rowing). For each, they include a link to the governing organisation.
Two things:
1. No mention of rugby league.
2. They add the 'union' to 'rugby' when it suits that sport (ie, they could easily have just had a 'rugby' heading and included links to both the RFU and RFL, but chose to make the distinction and exclude rugby league full stop)
It's subtle, yet so very persistent.
I was kind of hoping that the move to Salford would make the BBC less 'London centric'.
There has been some evidence of that, but we do still seem to fall under the radar, and do get ignored at times.
I don't know if this is deliberate bias. I think it did exist, but I'm not so sure these days. I think it's more down to lazy journalism.
One issue that does annoy me is the 'rugby' thing!
I still don't understand how the RU got away with the branding of the 'Rugby' World Cup a few years back, or why our lot didn't object to it, or even challenge it through the courts. Maybe they did object, or just didn't care?
Perhaps we need another petition?
No fans at outdoor sports venues like rugby, football, cricket grounds, but big audiences not observing social distancing are allowed in the London Palladium for a classical music concert. This was last night:
https://twitter.com/ShentonStage/sta...69981871063041
Was that some king of trial event Webbo?
I think it is now safe to say we wont be seeing any RL in the flesh this season. Bit gutted not to see Jammer at least one more time (unless of course he decides to go around once more!)
Those couple of games we did attend at home have worked out very expensive!
To be fair, I think they are social distancing. I seem to remember some theatres taking out every other row of seats, which I think has happened here. Plus, when you book in your group, the system automatically blocks out seats next to you. You can also see that in the picture.
It is puzzling though why they think it can't be done in an outdoor sports stadium! Maybe it's a behaviour thing? Not much shouting or singing along done to classical music!
I would imagine that there would have to be some sort of controlled exit as you are right about normally crowded spaces when leaving most theatres, even when they are half empty!
Totally agree with you about sports grounds. It should be dead easy to maintain all the suggested controls...If people follow them!
Maybe the authorities just feel that theatre goers are more likely to comply?
I think the behaviour of sports fans is the factor here. Not negatively but in terms of singing, chanting, noise, etc, there’s probably more chance of stuff spreading. And given you can take a mask off when you’re drinking and eating that means loads will be supping ale and chatting away whilst shouting at the ref to get em onside etc.
I think it’s stupid that we can go to supermarkets but not stadiums, but I think that’s the reason why. I’ve been to the cinema in Manchester in the last fortnight and felt very safe, but it’s a quiet and static audience of people which it’ll never be at a ground. But I think if people are checked going in, if people are socially distanced and if the right rules are in place we have to get back to some form of life, and that includes supporting our clubs in person. Life is grim right now.