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LATICS chairman Dave Whelan says he’d be ‘more than happy’ for Wigan Warriors to play their home Challenge Cup quarter-final tie against St Helens at the DW Stadium next weekend.

And he has advised his Warriors counterpart Ian Lenagan to ‘fight every step of the way’ to make sure that happens.

The venue for the game has been the subject of mystery and speculation since the draw was made yesterday morning, because Wigan Athletic entertain Wolves on Sunday week in their final Premier League clash.

The BBC has priority over which Challenge Cup game it will televise in its Saturday afternoon slot and, unsurprisingly, has picked the Wigan-Saints derby.

Premier League regulations mean the game would be unable to be staged at the DW just 24 hours before the Latics game - but Whelan says a Friday night slot would provide an ideal solution.

However, the broadcaster would be loathe to surrender such a mouth-watering clash to rivals Sky - hence the current impasse.

“It’s not my issue to resolve, but I have been encouraging Ian Lenagan to fight them every bit of the way,” Whelan told the Evening Post this afternoon.

“I have no problems at all with Wigan Warriors playing the game on Friday night, and us playing on the Sunday.

“Wigan have drawn St Helens at home. They want to play it at home on Friday night, and they should be allowed to do that.”

FULL STORY IN THE WIGAN EVENING POST (THURSDAY) ..

BBC have some nerve if they don't let the switch happen, they always make sure Rugby League is pushed down their ratings and do their best to undermine the sport. Sky for all their greed at least give Rugby League a fair shout when it comes to level of coverage.

If what's reported is correct then I'm glad to hear Mr Whelan is happy for us to play on Friday night, as for the Beeb controlling who plays when that shouldn't happen.

It should be for the RFL to liaise with clubs to see when their grounds are available for the ties then allow broadcasters to select which ties they want to screen.

If the Beeb want Wigan/Saints so much then they should have to make room in their schedules to screen it next Friday it's not as though they show anything that interesting on Friday nights anyway.

C'mon Mr L get em told!

Not ping Out is on on Fridays, though it'll be after the end of the game.

Whelan has backed nobody IMO . He is playing silly buggers , but in a very clever way .

They've screened 6 nations games on a Friday night, why can't they do the same with this?

After all it's a much bigger than any yawnion game.

Sky dictates when Superleague games are played ie. Friday , Saturday , Sunday or Monday nighst because the have bought the right to do so . The same as BBC have the rights to the CC.

I have been the worst critic of this in the past , but its a fact of life now .

100% Warrior wrote:If what's reported is correct then I'm glad to hear Mr Whelan is happy for us to play on Friday night, as for the Beeb controlling who plays when that shouldn't happen.

It should be for the RFL to liaise with clubs to see when their grounds are available for the ties then allow broadcasters to select which ties they want to screen.

How I see it is, currently the television companies pick their choice of fixtures and whatever follows be damned. HOWEVER, this causes a problem as to pick Wigan means the fixture is diluted and means home/away becomes a waste of time due to the fact Wigan cannot play at the DW 24 hours before the scheduled Premier League match.

It is down to the sport to arrange the ties and offer the fixtures available, not for the tv companies to decide when AND where these ties are played and arrangements made afterwards. The BBC do not, and will not recompense fans for having to travel for what will essentially be an "away" tie however it is dressed up, nor will they be concerned if the tie is won or lost as a result of any move.

The club must state the fixture will be played on Friday or any cost of loaning another stadium and transporting fans MUST be born of either the BBC and/or the RFL if they wish for it to be televised on the Saturday

What a misleading headline. if DW backed the warriors he would let us play on the saturday. There is NO rule that we can't. we won't ruin the playing surface and that is the only stipulation from the premier league.

The BBC have stumped up more cash than sky to have first pick of these fixtures and that is their prime slot. The blame currently stand with Whelan anf this article on p1sses me off more.

butt monkey wrote:How I see it is, currently the television companies pick their choice of fixtures and whatever follows be damned. HOWEVER, this causes a problem as to pick Wigan means the fixture is diluted and means home/away becomes a waste of time due to the fact Wigan cannot play at the DW 24 hours before the scheduled Premier League match.

It is down to the sport to arrange the ties and offer the fixtures available, not for the tv companies to decide when AND where these ties are played and arrangements made afterwards. The BBC do not, and will not recompense fans for having to travel for what will essentially be an "away" tie however it is dressed up, nor will they be concerned if the tie is won or lost as a result of any move.

The club must state the fixture will be played on Friday or any cost of loaning another stadium and transporting fans MUST be born of either the BBC and/or the RFL if they wish for it to be televised on the Saturday

:thum: Agree 100% ... but hopefully we'll be playing at the DW on Friday 11th