Magic Weekend: Wigan Warriors Vs Huddersfield Giants

[stegy]

Why should it stop people from going its a great weekend i have been to both days at the last three, i prefer Cardiff to Edinburgh but still plenty of beer seven games of first class rugby league for less than the price of KISS BALL say no more.

[cpwigan]

I am with Stegy on this one. It is the same as coaches and players moaning they play too many games yet they all organise and pay in friendlies for a month before the season starts. People complained when the fixtures for MM were pre determined, now they moan because they are random. Personally, I am more interested in how many Scots go to watch the games.

[ancientnloyal]

MM was good to start with as it was new and innovative.

The idea was to expand... we had poor crowds in cardiff for two years... celtic haven't benefited from increased crowds because of MM... Murrayfield had poor crowds and 2010 will have similar crowds... scottish people's benefit will be what? a franchise will be similar to celtic crusaders' crowds... so if we move to Dublin we again will less than half full stadia and the locals wont be able to watch the games on SKY throughout the season as they are irish!

It benefits nobody! well apart from the likes of highland convert who IS a league fan and being in scotland, has a genuine chance to watch wigan easily... it benefits a handful IMO.

scrap it like a 1994 Honda civic

[mitch2k9]

devastated the rfl should be putting a spectacle on for the fans and that would be darby matches. spent a fortune last year,and i can safley say the wig/saints darby was by far the best.so why haven't the rfl cottoned on to this.
give them what they want and they will come.

[stegy]

To be honest i don't know if this should be a seperate post but if the RFL want to move the game forward then they should have two top leagues Lancashire league and Yorkshire leauge with the end of season play offs between the top 4 from each and then the winners of Lancashire and Yorkshire play offs play out the final at Old Trafford. We would then be able to invite a Scottish,Welsh,French and London club to each league. It would also see the likes of Barrow Whitehaven Leigh and Widnes playing top class rugby league in the Lancs leauge and in Yorkshire they would have the likes of Halifax Dewsbury,Featherstone and Batley two leauges of 12 teams. More players playing at an higher level better choice for internationals. We would also be able to have 3 state games throughout the season Lancs V Yorks instead of the Majic weekend.

[highland convert]

Stegy. I think you are missing the point. Your suggestion is exactly the mentality the rl is trying to get away from. Hense the licenses not being granted to neighbouring teams, While the game is couped up in the two home counties it is a minority sport incapable of capturing a wide audience. The game has to spread, Jim

[j658]

I don't think the game necessarily "Has" to spread to survive. It has done fine for 100 years as a minority sport. But I certainly would like it to spread as it would result in higher profile which should lead to an overall raise in quality (this has certainly happenend in English football since the introduction of the premiership).

I agree that re the MM it is damned if we do, dmaned if we don't. One quote i've read here is when will the RFL realise that the should put derby games on. Well they did for the first 2 years of it (3 years in our case) and a good percentage of fans were not happy at playing certain teams 3 times (Wigan fans have quietened down on this score since we whacked Saints!!)

If it were my choice I would replace the MM with 3 representative games Lancs vs Yorks as was attemted a few years ago (with dispensation for players from out of those counties). Play 1 in Edinburgh, 1 in Cardiff and the last in London. To make this work we have to follow the State of Origin model and base international selection on appearance in those games. If it was really pushed for we could get 3 amazing games of rugby, spread the word and hopefully improve our international game.
Tomkins & Eastmond at half backs for Lancs vs Maguire & Burrows. Graham - Roby - Morley vs Burgess - Diskin - Peacock. Lockers Vs Sinfield. I'd love to see it.

[pieeater]

We are wiganers living in S.W.Ireland.We do have electric here and we do get Sky sports!!!!!!!!

[highland convert]

Pie eater, Would you go to Dublin to see a Dublin v Wigan tie. More to Sky's point would another 1000 dublinners tune in if Ireland had a SL team, It all counts to advertising revenue. And it expands the game. Jim

[j658]

My cousin is involved with the Dublin City exiles & he says there is certainly interest over there and Irelands showing in the world cup helped that. The club teams are nowhere near SL level at the moment.
The problem with holding the Magic weekend there is the cost. I'm going just before Xmas and despite getting dirt cheap flights with Aer Lingus it still cost £107 for return flights with the taxes & booking fee's. My other cousin went to Magic @ Cardiff for both days and got travel, accomodation & tickets for under £80.