Yes you are, and have repeatedly



No they haven't. All We can go on is the amount both clubs have allocated and sold. That figure comes to 7,200. The rest have been held back for the x9's and sponsors. Unless both sets of fans have, somehow, been allowed to buy the majority of the x9's tickets, that's an unreasonable allocation for something which is only a warm up side show imo. Widnes fans have not been allowed to buy directly from the RFL for final tickets.



Minority means: The smaller in number of two groups forming a whole.

Few Means: Amounting to or consisting of a small number

Can you see the difference there?

Can you grasp it's significance?

As I have already told you Widnes have been unable to get tickets directly from the RFL for the final. Apparently they had sold out all the tickets that were not made available to the two finalists.


I know it has never sold out. The aim of doing something to fill it up more is commendable. The way they organise it is crap.


This is what I do not understand. They have already turned away Widnes fans from buying directly from the RFL and were told that they had sold out. Why would they do this and then ask fans to buy tickets that they had been told were sold out?

That's the RFL for you.


It depends entirely on how many fans upgrade their Saturday x9‘s tickets on Saturday and Sunday. This effectively creates an unforeseeable figure. Therefore the RFL should’ve simply given Priority to the Two competing clubs and sold them tickets directly when they went on general sale, and offered to sell tickets to both days of the x9’s and, for those who want to take a chance of not getting a final ticket, an upgrade of the x9’s tickets that could be purchased on the Saturday 11th July/ Sunday 12th of July if not sold out. This is not was has happened.



Not interested in the average attendances, only in the actual demand. That's all the RFL should be worried about.

If they have tickets left, then why did they tell Widnes fans they couldn't buy direct from them because they had sold out and could only buy direct from their clubs' allocation?

Did they lie about being sold out?


No thanks


I think the way it has all been handled is a joke. Telling fans they’d sold all the tickets that hadn’t been allocated to the clubs, and now saying that they have tickets available over the phone, is just plain crazy. They should've just sold them the tickets in the f*cking first place.




1) For me. Insure as many fans of the competing clubs get a ticket and that they, and they alone, have priority. (obviously along with the sponsors)

2) Don't hold a x9's tournament in the middle of the season.

3)If you must hold a x9's Tournament: Do not put yourself in a position where you try to guess how many of the x9's supporters might go to the final and have to turn down fans of the two competing clubs, because you are holding back a ridiculous amount of tickets for the x9's as you have promised they can all be upgraded and don't want egg on your face.

4) get pi55ied destroy


Every f*cking time


The job is to hold a cup final for the fans of the clubs involved and the sponsors who are paying for it. If it doesn't sell out, it doesn't sell out.

Holding a x9's tournament mid-season and managing the whole thing the way they have has been a complete farce.

Are you from the RFL?

Where have they claimed that they have sold out the tickets other than for the two finalists? If that was the case, the game would be sold out now (bar the 100 or so that Barrow haven;t sold yet).

Why? As per my previous point about if Gateshead would have played Leigh for example, there would have been a couple of thousand empty seats. For your argument it is unfortunate that two well supported teams have made the final, as i has led to a situation where you can;t have as many tickets as you want.

Again, I have never seen them claim they had sold out, and all the other club's websites say you can upgrade your 9's ticket by ringing the RFL. No mention of sold out.

So what if Widnes and Barrow sold every ticket available? Is that fair on fans who want to see their team in the 9's? Surely those fans would be in a worse position than you are now. Whether you like it or not, this is now a triple header. Call it anothing event all you want, you don;t actually know yet, It may turn out to be a hugely enjoyable event, and a permanent fixture each year, and one that helps the Finals day sell out.


Not when they have a stadium available to them which has a limited capacity. After this year this should never be an issue, but with a 9,600 capacity they need to be careful. They will have based tickets on things like average attendances and ST holders.

Again, never heard anything about this, although there was a time where they stopped selling through the RFL Ticketline, I tried to get some. Who knows why, they may have been holding a second allocation back for Barrow, who didn't need them.


Competing clubs include the 4 9's finalists, whether you like it or not. The RFL are doing exactly what you suggest in point 1.

Why? Just because it doesn't suit you this year?

I have already pointed out that I believe they will only be holding back a few hundred at the very most for the 9's. If they had 2k tickets still o sell at this point, they would not have made a press release about the event being sold out.

This shows that you have a chip on your shoulder then about the RFL. If they sell this event out, they have made a good decision.


No, their job is to sell it out, which is much better for thir sponsors. By making it a finals day which features 6 teams, they have upped the chances of it being sold out for the first time.

Fair enough, your opinion.

Jesus no, I'd never work for them and take the stick from fans no matter what you do!

I think I said about four posts ago that that would be my last post, so this on definitely is

We obviously don;t agree on this, which is fine, and it is what these boards are about, anyway enjoy your final, despite being a Wire fan, I will be supporting you, as I'dlike to see you in SL next time!

People I know, and fans on the TIW board have stated that, when they phoned the RFL after Widnes qualified for the final, they were told that the tickets were sold out. In fact, I have heard of no one, other than those who bought tickets for the x9’s, who had got Final tickets from the RFL.


I have explained several times why I think the whole thing is a farce, as well as badly organised, and I have no intention of repeating myself. If you don’t agree with it, you don’t agree with it. It won’t change my stance.


Well I have, and that’s why I’m not happy about the way it was organised.


Nonsense, the x9’s is nothing more than warm up game for the final that has been put in place with the sole purpose of attracting a few more species to the game. It is nothing like the Grand Finals, where there is a vitally important aspect in winning the game. I very much doubt it would mean a great deal for the fans of the x9’s tournament, if they missed out. The importance of this game to Barrow and Widnes could be immeasurable for their long term futures, and being there means a lot more than watching a meaningless x9’s tournament that no one particularly wants, including most of the clubs and players. You really couldn’t be more wrong if you tried.


If they base cup final attendance figures merely on average attendances and ST holders, then the RFL deserve all the criticism they get. Finals will always attract more fans from the clubs contesting them. Not only does it provide a better atmosphere, but it also gives those clubs a chance to expand their fan base and develop. This must surely be a major factor in reaching a final and also an incentive? To deny the finalists this opportunity is, in its self, disgraceful imo.





This is the Northern Rail Cup final. If the x9’s was an important stand alone final, it would have it’s own day in it’s own stadium, or a bigger stadium would be used to accommodate all of the fans, no matter which clubs qualify.


Nope. It makes no odds to me, but clubs who have to take part in it that are fighting for top 6 places and against relegation, would disagree. It’s a stupid idea to hold, what amounts to a friendly competition, mid season. Try answering Starbugs question, instead of telling us how wonderful and important YOU think it is.

Do you think they would do such a thing in SL?

How would they react to a competition like the 9 's if they were told to attend with 1 st team squads?

There'd be f*cking murder, and you know there would.



Make no bones about it; I despise them with every fibre of my being but, if I thought this was a good idea, I’d grudgingly say so. I think this could’ve been handled much better.


And that’s all I’ve ever expressed it as.



Well at least we can agree on summat.

Cheers!