Wigan and Leigh face ticket dispute ahead of Super League semifinal

Leigh Leopards and Wigan Warriors are due to meet in the Super League semifinal at the Brick Community Stadium on Friday, with kickoff scheduled for 8pm, after a short but intense build-up that has included a dispute over the allocation of away tickets. Wigan said it received written notice from Leigh owner Derek Beaumont on Tuesday that his club did not intend to fulfil the fixture in protest at the size of the away allocation, but both clubs and the league have been preparing for the match to go ahead.

Wigan said it offered Leigh a choice of 4,600 unreserved seats or 5,400 reserved seats in the North Stand, an allocation determined by the stadium’s ground safety officer and an independent safety advisory group following consultation with police. The club added that the Super League also sought separate safety advice and fully endorsed the approach. Wigan noted the number offered was well above the 10 percent minimum required for away supporters. In a statement, Wigan said, "At 10.37pm on Tuesday September 30, our club was informed in writing by Derek Beaumont of Leigh Leopards that they do not intend to fulfil this Fridays scheduled semifinal fixture" and emphasized that "the...