where do you reckon then....

[cookie_834]

NEC was the best, i think that it was great it had good car parking loads of space for the fields and there are good hotels but if its grass you want Lincoln has loads of flat grass but hey thats only up the road from me

it was also jst across frm the train station. u cood hear the players and the games as u got out the station. i know CP had a train station bt tbh i dnt think many used it

 

[Cerberus]

NEC was the best, i think that it was great it had good car parking loads of space for the fields and there are good hotels but if its grass you want Lincoln has loads of flat grass but hey thats only up the road from me

I wouldnt listen to him though, its certian death if you do

 

[onasilverbike]

NEC Haters

OK, what was wrong with the NEC?

Easy access from Britain's Motorway network
Central Location
International Airport
Train Staion
Ample Car Parking
Flat Level Ground
Plenty of hotels in the complex, plus lots of cheaper guest houses etc. (even a campsite or 2) in the surrounding area.
Plenty of space for the trade stalls
NO LONDON TRAFFIC
No huge car crime problem

OK, so it was in an overflow carpark, but it worked didn't it?
XL turf on all fields, easy to spectate, what was the problem?

And there was plenty of publicity for the event around the city too!

 

[Cerberus]

Oh i am not saying anything about the NEC i am just trying to dis-credit Darren, just for the hell of it

 

[yorgie]

i love the idea of the eXcel centre, it's used to having big conferences, and is indoors- so it's not as effected by this country's crappy climate!

 

[onasilverbike]

i love the idea of the eXcel centre, it's used to having big conferences, and is indoors- so it's not as effected by this country's crappy climate!

And, no doubt, effing expensive!

However, the idea of an indoor venue has legs!

What about Stoneleigh Park?

 

[jeff]

OK, what was wrong with the NEC?

Easy access from Britain's Motorway network
Central Location
International Airport
Train Staion
Ample Car Parking
Flat Level Ground
Plenty of hotels in the complex, plus lots of cheaper guest houses etc. (even a campsite or 2) in the surrounding area.
Plenty of space for the trade stalls
NO LONDON TRAFFIC
No huge car crime problem

OK, so it was in an overflow carpark, but it worked didn't it?
XL turf on all fields, easy to spectate, what was the problem?

And there was plenty of publicity for the event around the city too!

It was very expensive for European teams to fly to Birmingham instead of Gatwick or Heathrow and the team attendance suggested that it may not be good venue. 136/7 teams I think at the NEC and there were alot more at CP.

We have to consider every team, player, vendor and spectator when choosing a venue and finding a good compromise is the hardest part of all.

Jeff

p.s.. I believe the reason they didnt have XL turf for every field is because they didnt have enough of it as they were let down by XL.

 

[yorgie]

despite birmingham's appeal as "the heart of the country", i have to say - despite locational biass - it would be better to have it near one of london's 4 airports (lutan, stanstead, gattwick or heathrow) as inside the m25, itd be easy for anyone to get to - as well as having good rail connections, motorways, air connection and even ferries! - as well as London having a huge number of hotels, easily enough to accomodate the number of players and spectators comfortably - and the docklands as an easily accessible area, and in the summer, a scenic one - by the river, nice and cool - As well as the 'sport' being more accessible to any passing audience, who may be interested to "nip in and have a look" - without doubt, London has it's advantages! What about hosting it at Campaign - the home of the campaign cup! It was there before :/

 

[Statch83]

Exactly what I was going to say.

ExCel is probably the most obvious place in London. It's fricking enormous, you could fit 5 fields, staging area and the trade show in about half of it. There's no problem getting there either, it's got 2 stations on the DLR, road links are good and it's right next to London City Airport for those travelling from overseas. There's also plenty of parking there, and 2 or 3 large hotels so accomodation is no problem either. Other hotels in Canary Wharf and Greenwich are only a few minutes away by tube and DLR too.

The other massive bonus is that it's indoors so weather is not an issue.

Also, and most importantly, it's a high profile London venue and with a little publicity could really draw in the crowds. If Millennium charged something like £1 for spectators I reckon they'd be able to cover costs.

On the down side it would be hugely expensive to hire out for the 6 days or so that setting up, playing and tearing down would require.

AND MY DAD LIVES AROUND THE CORNER WELL WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE

 

[flyingSQU1RR3L]

Well, instead of any of that, why not choose a field?

For example, the fields nearby Reading's Rivermead Leisure Centre. If the area can host two great festivals every year, I'm sure there's the possibility it can host the Campaign Cup.

Along with that, I think buses run directly to Heathrow or Gatwick from the station, and from the station a collection of buses stop nearby along with a taxi rank outside it. I'm not too sure on the price to hire the area out though, however.

Just a thought.