So the question is, why should the RFL bring any WC games to London? The WC as welll as profile and future investment is also costly, so balance the cost of stadium against bums on seats financially probably makes no financial sense. So filling KC or anfield is better than half fiilling Olympic stadium. As for expansion and giving up on london maybe so! We have been trying for over 30 years to expand into the area, maybe at the moment priority is balancing the books short term

And there sadly lies the problem everything is short term, with big Ralph in the hot seat I suspect we will see no change

Northernbloke you need to open your eyes if you think Northern stadiums fill when big games are played there. No way does this happen and there is far more chance of filling stadiums in the capital for the world events and magic events, geordieland and Blackpool were almost empty.

A half full Olympic stadium is about as many people as a full KC.

Maybe it is, but two things, how much does it cost for Reg stadium, and what looks better on the tv screen a full stadium or half full?
So for similar numbers probably costs em.
And as for filling stadiums! When the last international was played in Stratford,
Do you really think if GF was played at Wembley they would fill it? Old Trafford will be full or close to it.
And where do the majority of the supporters come from for the games?

According to Big nige, half the 67k at the big bash 2013 were from South of Watford......

Of course they were.
And if that number is correct shows it was worth the event with the massive increase in support and participation in the london area

I am all up for trying to spread the word and the gospel of Rugby league, but the WC for example needs to make Money as well as put on the events, so question is financially what is the incentive for coming to London?

As I have posted elsewhere...the target, now 750k not 1 million will require a huge effort.
England can play 6 games max in 2021....in 2013 their 5 games including 2 double headers delivered 185,000 of the entire gate.....40%......so to hit 750k then the england games need to deliver 300k....50k average over 6 games......and the remaining 25 games will need to average 18,000..........call me a pessimist, but I don't see the 750k figure being hit without games in London....playing Australian games in Wales and Ireland was a disaster in 2013....the ANZACS need to be based in the capital where there is a good sized Aussie/Kiwi community.....Aussie and Kiwi games need to attract 25k+, because with the best will in the world, Cook Islands v USA isn't going to get the 18k unless it's part of a triple header at £5 a ticket......London knows how to put on events.....So I'd play all the England games, including QF's, Semi and even the final in London.....it's time for RL fans to stop whining about the expense and step up.......if you market 3 Group games, a QF, SF and Final for £150 now and pay the clubs 10% sales commission, you'd be able to spread the cost over 3 years...14 pence a day......but they need to announce the fixture structure now and make sure that England are based in the capital!

TBF, I was at that game in Bristol and ground was pretty full, and game was awesome, with USA winning in a big shock. Crowd was 90% behind Cook Islands. One of my favourite games of the world cup which I attended (better than England v Ireland which was a blowout).

Still memories of the first games in wales, and Stevo trying to do an Interview at Millennium Stadium, but then being upstaged by the compare singing "Deliah"