Champions Cup 2023

OldRio

Dates have been announced.

No information on the actual format that I can find.

https://twitter.com/patmccarry/status/1523976233792557058?s=20&t=oxwjg4q94wAS5qBfI_YlLw

Dubinusa

Shyte! They're sticking with the same format.

Cookiemunster

With 4 group games, it has to be the same as this season. Good to see that there's a gap between the quarters and semis next season and that it's back to 3 weeks between the semis and the final.

Eod100

Wonder why they're dropping the 2 legs? Was skeptical of it but think it worked out OK this season

Cookiemunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119040942#Comment_119040942

Probably because running off the quarters, semis and final over the course of 3 weeks was absolutely ridiculous. Reducing the last 16 to one leg gives them room to space them out.

crisco10

And just like that the English/French get their wish of reducing number of games. Down to 8 match weeks from the long standing 9.

Eod100

Also is London not hosting final anymore? No mention of it as location as far as I could see

Eod100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119040995#Comment_119040995

Don't disagree with you on that. Makes sense

Cookiemunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119041010#Comment_119041010

It was due to be 8 games last season too with a two legged quarter finals. This got changed to 6 games, with the quarters changed to a one leg last 16 and quarter final due to Covid.

phog

I get why they're dropping the two legged "Last 16" but f you don't get a home match then you lose out on one match ticket sales. The H/Cup/ERC games have been high earners for the Irish provinces, that could be a big loss if you lose that one game.

errlloyd

I think the second round of 16 was for the broadcasters. They wanted 6 weekends of a minimum of 8 matches.

It made no sense. Why was the rewards for Quins (topped their group) nothing more than an equal chance in a knockout game against Montpellier. Ultimately some of the teams in the round of 16 don't deserve an equal chance! It makes more sense to have the double legs in the Semi final. All of those teams arguably deserve an equal chance.

chief_sim

I think there is a (slightly) shorter season in place because it's a World Cup year.

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119041931#Comment_119041931

I don't think that's part of it.

English and French want fewer euro games, permanently.

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119041393#Comment_119041393

The Irish provinces are going to have to reduce their reliance on european games to generate interest and money and instead look to improve earnings through an improved and better promoted league product.

lawrencesummers

Was there not talk of an italian final?

I wonder how long before a SA final is on the cards?

Digifriendly

Having 16 teams in KO phase is again a poor decision. You could win just 1 of your pool games and still qualify. Reduces importance of pool games and quality of first KO phase.

Eod100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119042349#Comment_119042349

Don't remember anything about about Italian final. Not that either team would ever make it to a final but not sure giving it to them when they've no teams in the competition would make much sense. Less still when London had already been announced.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119042349#Comment_119042349

way too long a wait for an italian final, remember they were meant to have it before the original restructuring to the champions cup. a final in the san siro or stadio olimpico could be amazing, would have to involve at least one well supported team for it to be a success though

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119042381#Comment_119042381

Possibly there to keep broadcasters happy.

They are losing 2 pool games, but in exchange they're getting a knockout game which in theory will bring in more viewers than dead rubber pool matches.

crisco10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119042711#Comment_119042711

Probably. The irony isn't lost on me that the final 2 weekends of pool games back 12 years ago frequently had endless excitement and reasons to watch all the games. 6 groups, and the battle for 2 best seconds was unbelievable.

If it ain't broke etc etc

lawrencesummers

I hate the fact that there is only 2 pool games.

Much easier as a fan who loves an away fixture to get to one of 3 instead of one of two games.

Larbre34

Nobody can say they weren't warned, when the Brits and the French carried out the coup of eight years ago.

Quite a lot of what made the old Heineken Cup the old Heineken Cup is now gone. Wonder what aspect will disappear next. Maybe a Super League?

Bridge93

8 groups of three over these stupid untrackable massive groups is better if they really insist on having 24 teams. Would rather 5 groups of 4 though

8 group winners through

Home quarter for the top 4 teams. Two legged quarters if broadcasters really want all these games. Better than letting teams through to a last 16 after barely registering in the group stage

Two legged semi final

lawrencesummers

Something struck me in the last round of games.

THe ingenuity of alcohol companies to skirt around the ban on alcohol advertising by advertising their beer.

errlloyd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119046666#Comment_119046666

Mate, they're absolute beginners compared to how Marlboro has managed to stay in F1 over the years. From the mysterious barcode, to mission winnow.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119047201#Comment_119047201

Im not so sure, i watch F1 a good but and never noticed any Marlboro advertising. Must look into that

errlloyd

Initially when they were banned from putting Marlboro on the cars, they put a weird barcode on it. When the car was moving fast the barcode looked the same as the Marlboro logo had when it was on fast moving cars. When that got banned they founded a non profit called mission winnow, but stylised the font in such a way to do the same thing as the barcode.

It was all about continuity and subconsciously influencing people who were already smokers and f1 fans. Amazing stuff.

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119044776#Comment_119044776

8 groups of three over these stupid untrackable massive groups is better if they really insist on having 24 teams.

Groups of 3 wouldn't work as each group would always have one team not playing on a weekend as the other two in the group play eachother. Which would mean it would take up more weekends, which is exactly what the French and the English don't want.

Must love hardship

Are the broadcasting rights due to expire for BT sports & virgin/channel 4 this summer?

I wonder where they will end up? BT, SKY, Amazon?

Be great if there was just one subscription for all the rugby games, champions cup,urc, prem, top 14, internationals etc.

SaoPaulo41

Being played in Tottenham Hotspurs stadium

icdg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119050447#Comment_119050447

They are up though there is talk that BT (or rather, it’s as yet unnamed successor company) will retain the rights for an eight year period. I will be surprised if that long a deal is signed though, for competition reasons.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119046666#Comment_119046666

There are new rules this season in Ireland banning alcohol advertising in stadiums during sporting events (apparently not concerts or the like though). Therefore while the competition can still be referred as the Heineken Champions Cup generally (and TV broadcasts still use that brand), the French/Italian “Champions Cup” branding without the word Heineken has to be used in the stadium during matches. Where that leaves the Heineken 0.0 ads I’m not sure and it does seem like an attempt to circumvent.

errlloyd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119049476#Comment_119049476

Yeah but the solution to this is fairly easy. Each group has 1 French, 1 English and 1 URC team. All the URC teams always play on the same week, (and same for the other two leagues). So in the week where the English teams play the URC teams the French teams have domestic fixtures. The following week when the URC teams play the French teams, the English teams play domestically etc.

Must love hardship

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119055541#Comment_119055541

That is the maddest proposal for the champions cup I have seen yet

errlloyd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119055591#Comment_119055591

For the avoidance of doubt. I don't want that format, I was just saying it is possible to play domestic games in bye weeks if you want to have a 3 team group.

If I was choosing the format it would be 6 groups of 4 with a double round robin, straight to quarters for the group winners and best two runners up, randomly drawn semi-finals and final.

Cookiemunster

Next years finals are going to be in the Aviva rather than the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/1527213178555351040

sydthebeat

nice !!!!!

Eod100

Good to see Ireland getting big event after missing out on Euro games, RWC, joint football WC etc the last while.

Amazing, I will happily go to both games.

Cookiemunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119084312#Comment_119084312

The Aviva is getting the Europa League final in 2024 to make up for losing out on the Euros. And the UK/Ireland bid is the favourite for euro 2028. So it's not all bad.

icdg

Moved apparently due to a combination of the longer football season (because of the winter World Cup and shorter rugby season (because there being an RWC in Autumn 23).

They do intend to have a final at White Hart Lane at some point.

Also announced an extension of Heineken’s sponsorship agreement, though contrary to what Stephen Jones said in the Sunday Times recently, the name does not appear to be changing.

Eod100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119084416#Comment_119084416

Yup true. Looking good for Euros 2024. Forgot about Europa league. Probably biggest rugby event besides women's RWC that we have a realistic chance of hosting.

Brenatron100

This was mentioned in passing in the match commentary at the weekend and I thought I was hearing things, I even googled it and all I could see was Spurs stadium. He must have let it slip before the scheduled announcement.

MarVeL

Looks like early ticket sales kick off tomorrow if you are signed up to the newsletter.

"Golden Tickets are available for supporters via the EPCR newsletter sign-up. This exclusive priority window will offer tickets for both Finals as a bundle with a 50% discount for the EPCR Challenge Cup when purchased alongside full-price Heineken Champions Cup tickets. The priority window is open from tomorrow (Friday 20 May) at 10.00 BST / 11.00 CET until Friday week (27 May) at 20.00 BST / 21.00 CET."

Burkie1203

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119084416#Comment_119084416

This has majorly triggered Welsh rugby twitter and to a lesser extent some English fans.

You would swear bristol, Newcastle, Twickenham, Cardiff etc had not hosted finals since the last one in dublin in 2013

dajaffa

Anyone got the pre sale link yet?

Eod100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119088590#Comment_119088590

Nope but only signed up there. Seems people on twitter haven't got it yet either

Former Former Former

Renowned opponent of hyperbole (and lifelong Spurs fan) Stephen Jones is not pleased.

https://twitter.com/stephenjones9/status/1527336513763041284?s=20&t=jnIrADF6dlf2emYWZUgYBQ

Eod100

Looks like they've pushed back ticket sales to 2pm

errlloyd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119088642#Comment_119088642

I think everyone should post why they're blocked from Stephen Jones tweets on Twitter.

This is the only interaction I have ever had with him. Zero likes, comments, retweets or engagement. All I did was @ him and I can't even remember why. I can't guarantee this is why I am blocked, but it does seem likely that this is why I am blocked.

https://twitter.com/chrisplee/status/843892831337046017?s=20&t=6zHKTb-VRqwu2mX-4oh_7g

Eod100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119088745#Comment_119088745

Link just sent now

pickarooney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119089240#Comment_119089240

you clearly called Stephen Jones fragile while daring to contradict him with facts and stats!