The Challenge Cup Final highlighted that even when two of the biggest teams in the sport play one another, the sport can’t sell out its biggest events and to remedy that Kyle Amor has claimed that the sport should look to music stars such as Taylor Swift.
Wigan Warriors faced Warrington Wolves at Wembley earlier this month with the Women’s Final and the 1895 Cup Final also on show that day but the game only attracted a crowd of 64,845, far shy of the near-90,000 capacity.
To remedy that former St Helens star and current Sky Sports commentator Kyle Amor has suggested that the game needs to dig deep in the pockets to make games akin to concerts and sell out the stadiums.
Derek Beaumont has done that on a far smaller scale at Leigh Leopards with the Leigh Sports Village regularly hosting live music to strong acclaim and high crowds.
Amor has now claimed that rather than T’Pau at Leigh, events such as the Grand Final and Challenge Cup Final should be aiming for Taylor Swift.
He made the suggestion whilst appearing on an episode of Sky Sports podcast The Bench with Jenna and Jon as he told Australian host Jenna Brooks that major events in the calendar need a “top headline act”.
Amor stated: “At the big games like the Challenge Cup and Grand Final particularly, even Magic Weekend, but more actually the big trophy games, I’d like to see a top headline act on.”
Potentially alluding to Beaumont and Leigh, Amor clarified: “I don’t mean one one from 15, 20 years ago. I’d like to see something current, something right now. Let the game spend a bit of money by putting people on.
I remember watching the Super Bowl when Rihanna was singing and there was a fan with an NFL t-shirt on, she had it pulled up and on the white t-shirt underneath it said ‘This football game is getting in the way of the Rihanna concert’.
“What that meant was you were getting fans that weren’t even there for the game but were coming because Rihanna was there. Now obviously it costs an awful lot of money, I get that, but I just think surely Simon Moran at Warrington has got some contacts in there where you could get a big favour.”
In 2023 the Grand Final saw The Reverend and The Makers perform but the game only garnered an attendance of 58,137.
Taylor Swift at the Challenge Cup Final?
With Warrington owner Simon Moran, a music mogul, referenced by Amor then he would go on to make the bold suggestion that the sport could attract and afford a star performer of the calibre of Taylor Swift.
He suggested: “Why don’t all the owners of all the clubs agree a fee at the start of the year? It’s like they’re all having a little bet on themselves to see who they can get.
“Imagine that, Taylor Swift or Oasis, it would be brilliant and that would be a sellout and it becomes a show. It doesn’t just become a game. If you put Harry Styles or Taylor Swift in there then that game would sell out five times over.”
To that point, Jenna Brooks suggested it wouldn’t just boost single-game attendance but also future attendance as she added: “What’s the saying? Once you see one game of rugby league, you’re a fan for life.”
The trend of Challenge Cup Final attendance figures is an interesting one but figures don’t often surpass 70,000. Meanwhile, Taylor Swift is performing in front of such crowds near enough every night as she goes on her record-breaking Eras Tour.