Summer Bash

The Summer Bash is an annual event organised by the Rugby Football League. An entire round of Championship matches are played in a city to showcase the sport of rugby league.[1] It has been held at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool since 2015.

Summer Bash
Other namesBlackpool Bash
LocationBlackpool
Teams14
First meeting2015
Latest meeting2019
Next meeting2022
BroadcastersSky Sports
StadiumsBloomfield Road
Statistics
Meetings total5
Largest victory London 46-6 Sheffield

Concept

The Summer Bash was introduced in 2015 after the success of the Super League Magic Weekend. It is an extra round for the Championship teams to compete in, usually a local derby. The event takes place over a single weekend in which three regular season games are played back-to-back on each day with an extra fourth game being played on the Saturday which is the final of the League 1 Cup.

History

2015: Blackpool

The games played were, when possible, 'local derby' matches in an attempt to maximise interest in the event. The "non-heartland" sides were paired against each other. An extra match on the Saturday, was the final of the inaugural League 1 Cup between North Wales Crusaders and Swinton.

Team Score Team Match Information
Date and Time Crowd
North Wales Crusaders14–8 Swinton Lions23 May 2015 12:00 BST
(League 1 Cup Final)		 8,650
Workington Town 26–20 Whitehaven 23 May 2015 14:30 BST
London Broncos 46–6 Sheffield Eagles 23 May 2015 16:45 BST
Bradford Bulls 18–4 Halifax 23 May 2015 19:00 BST
Dewsbury Rams 19–12 Batley Bulldogs 24 May 2015 12:45 BST 7,021
Doncaster 12–25 Hunslet 24 May 2015 15:00 BST
Leigh Centurions 31–12 Featherstone Rovers 24 May 2015 17:15 BST

2016: Blackpool

After a successful inaugural Summer Bash in Blackpool in 2015 it returned to Blackpool in 2016 with mostly local derbies being played apart from Bradford vs Leigh and Sheffield Eagles vs London Broncos not being geographical derbies and were based on league positions. Once again, the League 1 Cup final took place as the opening game to the weekend.

Team Score Team Match Information
Date and Time Crowd
Keighley Cougars22–18 York City Knights28 May 2016 12:00 BST
(League 1 Cup Final)		 9,521
Sheffield Eagles 14–32 London Broncos 28 May 2015 15:20 BST
Workington Town 24–28 Whitehaven 28 May 2016 17:30 BST
Bradford Bulls 20–24 Leigh Centurions 28 May 2016 19:35 BST
Dewsbury Rams 24–28 Batley Bulldogs 29 May 2016 12:45 BST 6,391
Oldham 24–25 Swinton Lions 29 May 2016 15:00 BST
Halifax 37–0 Featherstone Rovers 29 May 2016 17:15 BST

2017: Blackpool

The event returned to Blackpool's Bloomfield Road for a third consecutive year after the previous years record attendances. The Summer Bash once again opened with the League 1 Cup final.

Team Score Team Match Information
Date and Time Crowd
Barrow Raiders38–32 North Wales Crusaders27 May 2017 12:00 BST
(League 1 Cup Final)		 11,557
Oldham 28–38 Rochdale Hornets 27 May 2017 14:30 BST
London Broncos 42–16 Featherstone Rovers 27 May 2017 16:45 BST
Hull Kingston Rovers 20–19 Bradford Bulls 27 May 2017 19:00 BST
Sheffield Eagles 30–24 Swinton Lions 28 May 2017 12:35 BST 4,887
Halifax 22–32 Toulouse Olympique 28 May 2017 15:00 BST
Batley Bulldogs 12–13 Dewsbury Rams 28 May 2017 17:15 BST

2018: Blackpool

The event returned to Blackpool's Bloomfield Road for a fourth consecutive year after the previous years record attendances. The Summer Bash this year opened with a Women's Super League fixture.

Team Score Team Match Information
Date and Time Crowd
Featherstone Rovers Ladies 22–46 Bradford Bulls Women 26 May 2018 12:30 BST
(RFL Women's Super League)		 7,877
Barrow Raiders 22–38 Sheffield Eagles 26 May 2018 15:00 BST
Halifax 24–18 Featherstone Rovers 26 May 2018 17:15 BST
Toronto Wolfpack 28–26 Leigh Centurions 26 May 2018 19:30 BST
London Broncos 28–40 Toulouse Olympique 27 May 2018 13:00 BST 3,928
Rochdale Hornets 12–38 Swinton Lions 27 May 2018 15:15 BST
Batley Bulldogs 18–20 Dewsbury Rams 27 May 2018 17:30 BST

2019: Blackpool

The event returned to Blackpool's Bloomfield Road for a fifth consecutive year.

Team Score Team Match Information
Date and Time Crowd
Toronto Wolfpack 42–14 Toulouse Olympique 18 May 2019 13:15 BST 7,912
Rochdale Hornets 30–40 Swinton Lions 18 May 2019 15:30 BST
York City Knights 10–42 Featherstone Rovers 18 May 2019 17:45 BST
Halifax 21–14 Bradford Bulls 18 May 2019 20:00 BST
Barrow Raiders 18–30 Sheffield Eagles 19 May 2019 13:00 BST 7,158
Batley Bulldogs 30–14 Dewsbury Rams 19 May 2019 15:15 BST
Leigh Centurions 36–22 Widnes Vikings 19 May 2019 17:30 BST

2020: Blackpool

The 2020 Summer Bash was scheduled to return to Blackpool for a sixth consecutive year, however was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.

Team Score Team Match Information
Date and Time Crowd
Batley Bulldogs C–C Dewsbury Rams 30 May 2020 15:00 BST
Halifax C–C York City Knights 30 May 2020 17:15 BST
Featherstone Rovers C–C Bradford Bulls 30 May 2020 19:30 BST
Swinton Lions C–C Oldham 31 May 2020 13:00 BST
Sheffield Eagles C–C Whitehaven 31 May 2019 15:15 BST
Leigh Centurions C–C Widnes Vikings 31 May 2019 17:30 BST

2021: Blackpool

The 2021 Summer Bash was also cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Fixtures were never released.

Team statistics
Club Played Wins Draws Loses Points
1 Leigh Centurions43016
2 London Broncos43016
3 Swinton Lions43016
4 Dewsbury Rams53026
5 Halifax53026
6 Sheffield Eagles53026
7 Toulouse Olympique32014
8 Batley Bulldogs52034
9 Whitehaven21012
10 Bradford Bulls41032
11 Featherstone Rovers51042
12 Widnes Vikings10010
13 York City Knights10010
14 Oldham20020
15 Toronto Wolfpack22004
16 Hunslet11002
17 Hull Kingston Rovers11002
18 Workington Town21012
19 Rochdale Hornets31022
20 Barrow Raiders20020
21 Doncaster10010

Venues
City Stadium Years
1England BlackpoolBloomfield Road2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

Attendances
Year City Stadium Attendance
2015 England Blackpool Bloomfield Road 15,671
2016 Increase 15,912
2017 Increase 16,444
2018 Decrease 11,805
2019 Increase 15,070

Highest single day attendance
Year City Stadium Attendance
2017England BlackpoolBloomfield Road11,557

Lowest single day attendance
Year City Stadium Attendance
2018England BlackpoolBloomfield Road3,928

Highest weekend attendance
Year City Stadium Attendance
2017England BlackpoolBloomfield Road16,444

Lowest weekend attendance
Year City Stadium Attendance
2018England BlackpoolBloomfield Road11,805

See also

References
  1. "Kingstone Press Championship Summer Bash to rock Blackpool". www.therfl.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014.
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