Not that I dont agree with you here, but again I point you to my earlier post. If the RFL choose to go somewhere like Newcastle, which is still out of the heartlands, they will probably have to pay for it all themselves.

At the moment the city where it is held is paying for the event. With the benefit of people staying over, shopping, and drinking, giving them the funds to pay for this.

If people are going to go to the match and go, then no city is going to pay for it, it will have to be the RFL.

It's a fair point and we are all just guessing here.

Maybe if it was in Newcastle the same people who went to Cardiff & Edinburgh still stayed over but even more day trippers attended.

Leeds vs Wakefield at headingley got nearly 14,000. The attendance at the first day of Murrayfield Magic for the same fixture plus three other was 26k. 26k for four games. Basically on average 3,200 fans of each club went.

As the table stands at the moment the first round of playoff games would feature Saints Hull Leeds Huddersfield Bradord and Hull KR. I see no reason why we couldn't get 40,000 through the gates for a meaningful playoff game rather than a contrived mickey up mid season. plus, it should be easier to sell playoff matches to the locals of Cardiff, Edinburgh etc than the present "wacky" format.

Maybe so looking at those figures

How many people could afford or would want to have another away day in between the cup final and grand final.

Its got to be Blackpool in August.

Newly in the Premiership, nice compact ground that could be filled and a great venue for all the family, plenty of accomodation,

a CARNIVAL

Blackpool where the streets aren't so much paved with gold as stale beer, urine, vomit and STDs.

It would seem fair to say that the idea of the magic weekend isn't quite dead in the water just yet, judging by the positive ideas that are being posted. Somewhere with a beach nearby sounds good, as Finglas pointed out we are a summer sport and should be promoting ourselves as such.

Bloomfield road only holds 12'555

A good point and probably the reason the playoff games are not that well attended. That's part of my reasoning. This would enable supporters of the clubs at the lower end of the league table to have their own little "grand Final" and might tempt more of them out maybe?

Correct me If im wrong

Wasn't the original concept of the Magic Weekend to test the waters of citys which could eventually have a Super League franchise?

Anywhere except Dublin.

Dont be silly.

sgtwilko will love it then.

maybe five/six years ago! I'm all settled down now perp!

I thought that was part of the published rationale, alongside the wider aims of generating publicity and supporting grass roots rugby in development areas.

One approach that i had ben thinking about was keeping the concept of the event and tweaking it.
As much debate exists about the validity of a 3rd 'SL' fixture.....derby/not derby matches/mismatches etc....

What about the principle of taking the quarter finals of the Challenge Cup 'on the road'.Benefits to me are that the matches are all meaningful,with something to play for.It elevates the prominence of the CC which is needed.The competition has marketability even outside 'the corridor' i believe.
Benefit is that it reduces the SL season by a week which could be used to simply start later or conclude earlier to give International preparation extra time.
Those are the pros the cons would be ...TV contracts=does the BEEB have ABSOLUTE exclusivity.Would the event need the draw tweaking(as has been suggested in the past) to bring 100% SL representation/would the CL support it?Does 2matches per day or 4 per day make a problem?

I am sure there are othe bugbears.

I think the main aim of the RFL was to accept the cheque for £500K on offer for taking the inaugural event to Cardiff. Any other justifications were secondary to that. I wonder how much the RFL received in years 2, 3 and 4 and whether
going forward it's a busted concept.

Yes I agree with Craigloiner. A smaller venue would be better.There is nothing more depressing than a televised game being played in an echoing stadium with row upon row upon row of empty seats. It does nothing for the image of the game.

I am constantly surprised by how many people misunderstand this event and make stupid "improvement" ideas and unjustified criticisms, even for RLFANS it is ridiculous
do these people actually attend the event? smaller stadiums, the challenge cup, two cities, a venue in the heartlands - all are at odds with what the event wants to and needs to achieve

Please tell us O wise one.

I've no problem with it being in Dublin.

What does it need to achieve?

Clearly the RFL dont know. Is it lay future foundations for future clubs or is to spread the gospel to places where the population couldnt give a rats backside about our sport?

IMO the decision to move from Cardiff was a bad one as it was great for fans (Ok the hotel situation could have been better in the city centre) however with the Crusaders getting a franchise was there a point still being in Wales?

I have heard Newcastle being mentioned as a venue, why? We had a club in the Newcastle area that the RFL wither to the darkside of the humber , why should we take our sport there?

We need a new concept or idea, the "Magic" weekend has lost its tricks, need something new

YES--- i have been to each of these events so far so can comment based upon actual experience of venues and cities.
YES--- I support these new concepts.

NO--- they are clearly not working in any of the formations used so far,so
YES new formats are WORTHY of considerations.The philospohy behind them is worthwhile BUT clearly the ones tried havent worked in the SIGNIFICANT way desired.

I've never attended. I've no interest in attending. Is attendance at this contrived event compulsory to have an opinion on it?

Does one HAVE to attend to be able to see that it simply is not working?

I like speccy's idea about the Cup quarters although the cheeky buggers appears to have nicked the concept of my round of playoff matches



Strange you'd have a hissy fit on this thread which is one of the forums better threads with an issue about the game being discussed sensibly and rationally with plenty of ideas, good and bad, being batted about.

I would say that people who have never attended are in possibly the best position to say why its not working



Its been suggested loads of times before this current outing. Get with the program mofo