Where's the crowd?

[Panchitta Marra]

Unless the RFL bring back the derby atmosphere into these Magic weekends, support for this fixture event will become less and less.
Local support is very poor and cannot be relied on to bolster the crowds.
As players like Jamie Peackock have said in the press, it is a dying event the way it is currently played as poor fixtures.

[gpartin]

If the games were derbies this year the crowds would still have been down. I believe most fans would love to have a weekend where they can watch 7 games but the main problem for most, myself included, is the fact that it costs more than a week abroad. By trying to appeal to fans in a different area which they don't, they make it impossible for many who love the game. Who'd pay to watch 7 games of an alien sport? In manchester this would sell out and be the most talked about event in league imo.

[Kiwiseddon]

I think the RFL are looking into whether its viable anymore. Think I saw the article on Skytext but can't honestly remember.

Your right though. I applaud the RFL's efforts to promote the game but sometimes I think they get a bit carried away.

[ancientnloyal]

The actual figures for those matches if the game were either played home or away are as follows:

Bulls v/s Crusaders - 7,853
Hull fc v/s Quins - 13,965
Salford v/s Wire - 11,467 (at wire)
Leeds v/s Wakey - 9,783 (at wakey)
Cas v/s Catalans - 6,810 (at catalans)
Wigan v/s Hudds - N/A
Saints v/s KR - 8,202 (in hull)

so yes we'd have major losses... but it is an extra game and both teams do play each other home/away... any loss to the clubs? I'd say profit

[DaveO]

I have always thought it a stupid idea and that it showed the RFL's complete disregard for the International game. If a free weekend came up then use it for a game v France.

This would reduce the fixture list by one (something the coaches always want) only involving a small number of players. This is still my preference.

However if it must be domestic then the best suggestion for a club-based alternative I have seen was posted on rlfans by FatherTed. He suggested instead of it being a league fixture make it the last 16 of the Challenge Cup with the SL sides only entering the competition at this stage.

That would mean 14 SL clubs and two championship sides and you would not get coaches resting players as did Hudds potentially devaluing the fixture. I mean I wonder how many Hudds fans were put off going when they knew they would field a weakened side? Were it a CC round instead, no danger of that IMO.

This would also mean the league would be 26 games so we still lose one fixture and also it is just home and away so you would not get teams like Wire getting a free two points against pap opposition while other teams have to battle for the win i.e. the extra fixture would not distort the league.

I think this is a really good idea by FT so it's about as much chance of being considered as the RFL scrapping the salary cap!

Dave

[highland convert]

That is two magic weekends I have attended. You would be surprised how many attend from locally. A lot of the problem again this year was down to marketng. It did not help tha the Edinburgh derby game Hearts v Hibs was on the Saturday. Again as anyone who was there will testify it was bitter cold which would keep the majority of "lets give it a try" away. The 15 mins between the games was also too short, You had the option of watch the game or wander the other activities. There was no other way it could be combined. Endinburgh through the lotians and central Scotland has a high number of expat English. We appriciate the chance to see the games live. You might fill the house at Manchester but still defeat the object. What will happen when Sky demands a Scottish team, A south west team or another french team in the sixteen Some existing SL will be given the order of the boot. There is an attractive viewing specticle in RL but it needs more local content to enable it to spread. Had Edinburgh Saints v CL side been added to make it 4+4 rather than 4+3 it would have given a local imput and possibly boosted numbers.
Jim

[Mikey800]

My point is why the need to use such a vast stadium?? surely this isn't cheap, it makes the crowd look even worse than it actually is and it also dilutes the atmosphere?

I think this idea has run it's course. The RFL would be better starting the season a week later, or playing a mid season international to boost the international game.

[ancientnloyal]

I think we should just stop the gimmicks and messing around and leave our game alone. If a French club want to play at our level they should build up over a number of years and say to their fans and board members that they have a plan to get them to SL, it will take time and patience but if they are good enough on and off the pitch, they have a right to challenge for a license/promotion.

No legacy was left after Cardiff and no legacy will be left after Edinburgh... in 5 years time nobody in Edinburgh or surrounding areas will give two hoots about rugby league, if not already (those who dont follow already).

Stop the extra unfair game's. The profits are minimal to the RFL. The games are unfair... Huddersfield v Wigan (quality teams) warrington v Salford... speaks volumes and skews league tables.

I went to Magic to support Wigan not to mingle.

[highland convert]

Hear again those who live local to the game I expect. Not much point going to far into this thread as it has already run its course on Where are the crowds. to us that could go see the teams that it is not always viable it is great. We had a great weekend and the folks I spoke to from the site here were thoroughly enjoying it. OK some games may have been bland but you get that any week. Yes there were a lot from Scotland there. The numbers are good considering how far from home the games were.
Great weekend, same again next year please,
Jim

Mod please merge with the other thread,

[GeoffN]

Mod please merge with the other thread,