Hull KR CEO Paul Lakin on Hosting the World Club Challenge at Hull FC Stadium
Hull KR will stage the World Club Challenge at the MKM Stadium, home of rivals Hull FC, early next year. This decision comes after Hull KR secured their spot by winning the Super League title for the first time last month, earning the right to face NRL champions Brisbane Broncos.
Choosing the Venue for Maximum Attendance
The match is set for Thursday, February 19, but will not be held at Hull KR’s usual home ground, Craven Park. Instead, Hull KR’s CEO Paul Lakin explained the choice was made to maximize attendance in a larger venue.
"It was definitely a consideration to play it at home but it became a bit of a no-brainer. You want to hold it in the biggest stadium possible for as many people to see the best players in the world. We felt the World Club Challenge deserved a bigger platform."
Lakin emphasized that hosting the game at a smaller stadium would have caused frustration due to limited ticket availability.
"If we'd kept it at our ground, a lot of the conversation would have been about how many people couldn't get in. That would have created a lot of frustration, whereas this is a good-sized stadium that we will undoubtedly sell out."
A Historic First for Hull KR
This will be Hull KR's first-ever World Club Challenge appearance, making the early-season fixture against Brisbane a significant milestone.
While fans eager to see Reece Walsh and the Brisbane Broncos at Craven Park will now need to cross city lines, Lakin reassured supporters that keeping the match within Hull was the top priority.
"We're keeping it in our city, which was the number one priority. That wasn't easy because Hull City are playing at the ground on the Saturday."
Looking Forward
Lakin described the event as a proud moment for Hull KR to host such a prestigious game in their city.
Fans can expect a full-capacity crowd and a memorable occasion at the MKM Stadium.
Summary: Hull KR’s CEO Paul Lakin chose to host the World Club Challenge at Hull FC’s stadium to maximize attendance and provide a bigger platform for their historic clash with the Brisbane Broncos, keeping the event within Hull despite rivalries.