WIGAN AND HULL SET TO FACE SOUTH SYDNEY AND ST GEORGE IN AUSTRALIA

[Wandering Warrior]

You've not lost a match this year and will pay for one less next if you read your email for the Aussie sales spiel by Mr Shortarms.
What isn't stated is the price increase for next season on ST's due to inflation. This can cover the price gain you get for one less match quite stealthily. Then again maybe I'm being cynical or a realist?
One final question, there's two teams playing in a Super League game, why is it our home match? Why not take Hull's home game, not to coin a phrase, to Coventry?

[morley pie eater]

Morley as a Wigan fan of over 60 years I have supported them through thick and thin, praised them whe I though right and criticised wnen I thought it correct to do so.I stand by mystatement that IL is thinking of IL first and his main aim is to make money.You may not like my opinion but it matters not to me.

At the end of the day, Old Hooker, we're both Wigan fans with 115 years of support between us (you're 5 or 6 in front of me by the look of it). I respect your right to have an opinion. See you at Wembley in August

[Fan4Fifty]

The way most of us have been moaning about the quality of play this and for the last few seasons, I would have thought that the prospect of needing to go to one less game would have had us all jumping for joy!! Nowt so queer as folk!
Seriously though, and I know it's on a completely different scale, why do we think so many football clubs are playing pre-season matches all over the world just now? Branding, exposure, merchandising, finance. I want our owner to be financially successful because an unsuccessful one is no good to anyone. So 10 out of 10 for taking the initiative and let's hope it's hugely successful for all concerned, including of course the 'loyal 18'.

[DaveO]

Complete opposite on the Hull F/book site - all positive and looking forward to going, didn't come across one moaner (other than asking if they could make it for the full fortnight, as it's half term !!).

That's probably because it isn't them losing a home game. :eusa17:

I mean all they have done is swapped a slog across from Hull to Wigan for a trip to Oz for those who can afford it. I bet if it was them losing the home game all the fans who can't afford it or can't have the time off work (the majority I suspect) might take a different view.

[DaveO]

One final question, there's two teams playing in a Super League game, why is it our home match? Why not take Hull's home game, not to coin a phrase, to Coventry?

Because it is a Wigan idea. IL could hardly ask them to give up a home game when it was his idea.

[DaveO]

Seriously though, and I know it's on a completely different scale, why do we think so many football clubs are playing pre-season matches all over the world just now? Branding, exposure, merchandising, finance. I want our owner to be financially successful because an unsuccessful one is no good to anyone. So 10 out of 10 for taking the initiative and let's hope it's hugely successful for all concerned, including of course the 'loyal 18'.

They are taking pre-season games elsewhere. Not a Premier league fixture game against a top team. If they tried that in soccer there would be a riot.

If Wigan did the same and went pre-season I doubt anyone would complain.

The more that comes out about the Wigan idea the more obvious it is that it is an attempt at a money making exercise. The sponsorship from NSW tourist boards is paying the cost. In return Wigan have "sydney.com" on the shirts as sponsors for the rest of this and all of next season. I think the NSW tourist boards have got a good deal there!

I am not entirely sure if IL is hoping to make money out of selling packages for fans to go but it looks like it.

For Wigan it's all supposed to be about getting more sponsorship above this that pays for the game from the NSW tourist board and the most bizarre bit of the lot marketing the club to prospective Aussie RL recruits.

I'd love to know how IL is going to measure the success of this venture but as with Millwall also why he thinks he has to go so far to secure sponsorship and into an area saturated with RL already.

[fozzieskem]

Reading the FAQ it's very similar in tone to the millwall trip which produced nothing tangible at the end of the day it seems to me so now we're expected to believe anything long term will come of it once the contract runs its course.

"Fans are excited by this" I'm sure a small minority are those who can afford it and more importantly can get time off work to go.

It'll make us attractive to Aussie players..what happened to the "Wigan lad only" dream?or has that died as he's packing his suncream?

To me it's a sign the club has lost touch with its fans,the communication all season long even through the horrid winless streak was non existent,but the fact that for me at least shows his utter disregard for fans is the "season tickets cost less" next season,I don't give a toss about the price it's the fact Lenegan with this move is denying me a chancce to see my team play,I find that a staggering slap in the face.

The wife and I enjoy going to the game but given her changing shift patterns and more and more weekend games meaning she actually loses money when a game is a Saturday or a Sunday we are looking at the worth of a season ticket,as it stands it's looking unlikely,not as a result of this move directly but it's something we will be factoring in.

[Wandering Warrior]

One final question, there's two teams playing in a Super League game, why is it our home match? Why not take Hull's home game, not to coin a phrase, to Coventry?

Because it is a Wigan idea. IL could hardly ask them to give up a home game when it was his idea.

I know full well whose idea it was, I'm just throwing some mud in the water!
It's another short arms ego trip in my opinion, a Millwall the other side of the planet!

[Wandering Warrior]

Reading the FAQ it's very similar in tone to the millwall trip which produced nothing tangible at the end of the day it seems to me so now we're expected to believe anything long term will come of it once the contract runs its course.

"Fans are excited by this" I'm sure a small minority are those who can afford it and more importantly can get time off work to go.

It'll make us attractive to Aussie players..what happened to the "Wigan lad only" dream?or has that died as he's packing his suncream?

To me it's a sign the club has lost touch with its fans,the communication all season long even through the horrid winless streak was non existent,but the fact that for me at least shows his utter disregard for fans is the "season tickets cost less" next season,I don't give a toss about the price it's the fact Lenegan with this move is denying me a chancce to see my team play,I find that a staggering slap in the face.

The wife and I enjoy going to the game but given her changing shift patterns and more and more weekend games meaning she actually loses money when a game is a Saturday or a Sunday we are looking at the worth of a season ticket,as it stands it's looking unlikely,not as a result of this move directly but it's something we will be factoring in.

+1 on all aspects of this post.

[Wigan_forever1985]

As much as it pains me to say it someone on red vee raised a good point

if this game is to grow the RL brand as is touted, why go to Oz where the competition is already not only established but also in a position where it is regarded as way ahead of our own

why not Toronto?, a place that is putting a lot of resource into a team why not play over there to give fans a glimpse of what top flight games are like between two of the upper half teams?