magic weekend

[DaveO]

Don't be so negative 'exile'. James Graham said the same last year, and as I recall his team lost.
This is an event which generates a lot of interest in Rugby League and is enjoyed by many people who would never normally take time to see it.

I disagree. The vast majority of the people who go to watch are existing fans and even when they were derby games they never averaged as high a crowd as when the same derby's are played "at home". Twenty odd thousand per day is a low crowd.

It's a wonderful advertisement for our great game. Never, never undervalue the power of marketing. As I have said before if you can sell McDonald's and people eat it in preference to food, then you can sell anything.
If you don't want to go, don't go. But don't be a curmudgeon about those who do.

I don't think anyone is that interested now the novelty has worn off. I predict a quiet death for the concept over the coming seasons.

Dave

[cumbria_warrior]

I only wanted to know where most people sat haha, had every answer except that haha

[gpartin]

I only wanted to know where most people sat haha, had every answer except that haha

they've all got you on their ignore list CW I didn't want to mention it lol. Only joking of course but I've not got my tickets yet so can't tell you where I'm sitting. Still got to convince my mrs to let me go

[EDINBURGH-WARRIOR]

Have been to the last 3 weekends loved them all for different reasons , and have just ordered this years tickets from the Wigan box office .

The problem for the Magic Weekend is where does to go after Murrayfield .

DUBLIN , i dont think enough people can afford to pay for a family trip to Ireland to make it viable .Both Dublin stadiums too large .

PARIS , as above only more so .

Cardiff was a great location , walk out of the stadium right into all the pubs and resteraunts. STADIUM TOO LARGE

Murrayfield , Great for the fans with the the playing fields surrounding the stadium , Fans touch / tagg rugby league games , family area and close to the city centre .
STADIUM TOO LARGE

IMO this weekend needs to be taken back to central England closer to the Core Supporters and also near enough to large populations who can be tempted to try Rugby League for the first time and if impressed can easily travel to games the following weeks / months / seasons .Can anybody suggest an area and a stadium (not too large)that fits the bill with the same atributes as Cardiff & Murrayfield
(DW , JJB , Robbin Park exepted)

Regards , EW

[stegy]

I think that with Yorkshire and Lancashire being the hot beds of Rugby League we could still spread the net in these areas south yorkshire and north Lancashire Sheffield and Preston/Blacburn not to far for current fans and could attract more fans.I would have said Blackpool but ground to small however only a short train ride from Preston plenty of cheap family accomadation and entertainment.The event would need to move to the end of May bank holiday so it was outside of the KISSBALL season though.

[exile in Tiger country]

Have been to the last 3 weekends loved them all for different reasons , and have just ordered this years tickets from the Wigan box office .

The problem for the Magic Weekend is where does to go after Murrayfield .

DUBLIN , i dont think enough people can afford to pay for a family trip to Ireland to make it viable .Both Dublin stadiums too large .

PARIS , as above only more so .

Cardiff was a great location , walk out of the stadium right into all the pubs and resteraunts. STADIUM TOO LARGE

Murrayfield , Great for the fans with the the playing fields surrounding the stadium , Fans touch / tagg rugby league games , family area and close to the city centre .
STADIUM TOO LARGE

IMO this weekend needs to be taken back to central England closer to the Core Supporters and also near enough to large populations who can be tempted to try Rugby League for the first time and if impressed can easily travel to games the following weeks / months / seasons .Can anybody suggest an area and a stadium (not too large)that fits the bill with the same atributes as Cardiff & Murrayfield
(DW , JJB , Robbin Park exepted)

Regards , EW

Notingham?
Derby?
Leicester?
Coventry?
All have football teams with stadia around the 40,000 capacity. Don't know what the surrounding facilities are like, but I'm sure either Forest or Notts county's ground are fairly near the city centre. Nottingham Outlaws rugby league club are doing some very positive things re development with the local universities and have youth teams for boys and girls either active or recruiting.
Leicester City's ground is probably about 15-20 minutes walk from the centre.
It's just a coincidence that the first three are all within a half hour of my house, honest.

From a marketing point of view however, as others have said, it's mainly regular fans that go. SKY did a survey in Edinburgh last year and hardly anyone knew that an event was even taking place, and when a rugby tournament was mentioned they all thought it was a nines competition.
I still think it's pointless, and that if it does carry on it definitely should not be an extra game, just a regular fixture.

[wiggydoran]

other venues for Magic Weekend:

- Manchester - Eastlands (this as a smaller stadium outside and would be better for a fans area).
- Birmingham - Villa Park
- Newcastle - St James Park or what ever it is called.
- Sunderland - Stadium of Light
- Sheffield - Hillsbrough


These are a few stadiums- i looked at what had 30k - 35k capacity plus. I would not like to see it at Old Trafford or Wembley because it may devalue the getting to a cup final experience.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

The whole point of a majic weekend is to expand the boundaries of the game. If it is not proving to be viable then either the RFL continues to underwrite it or the idea is scraped. There is no point in moving the event back to rugby league heartlands!

One less game per season would certainly suit the players, it would also allow one of the games over the Easter weekend to be moved to the early May Bank Holiday.

The RFL needs to improve its marketing, give the kids in Scotland admission for £5! Subsidise coach transport from all clubs are just two ideas. Can anyone throw any more into the pot? Please send your answers on a postcard to Mr Lewis!

[trotski_tgwu]

Good idea but i think the Problem with magic wk-end is its in Dour Dull Dreekit Edinburgh, Where as we all kn Glasgow's Smiles Better

Could easily use Ibrox stadium with gd access for city centre & pubs good fascilities in stadium too

[josie andrews]

Good idea but i think the Problem with magic wk-end is its in Dour Dull Dreekit Edinburgh, Where as we all kn Glasgow's Smiles Better

Could easily use Ibrox stadium with gd access for city centre & pubs good fascilities in stadium too

I can vouch for all of that, and think Ibrox is a fantastic stadium