As I've said on another thread, the point of of MM is to expand the game. But the RFL only seems to market the game to exsisting fans. I'm not saying they shouldn't but given that we're only getting about 30k a day each year that's not going to fill the stadiums that are being picked for these events.

I went last year and had a great time in cardif. However, I don't think I saw anyone inside the stadium from cardif who wasnt serving food or drink (not that I actually went round and asked each person individually where they were from)

Now, this to me seems wrong. We KNOW we're not going to fill the stadium so why not get a few key players from each club and send them into local schools. It's no different from what most clubs do already. A school assembly in 2 parts. First part about fitness and healthy living etc etc and the 2nd part about RL and the MM weekend. And at the end you hand out a junior ticket which requires a full price adult. So you get local people going to the game, so that's a boost on the gate and additional revinue from food & drink and other concession stands. And if you get these people interested in the game then that's a boost which at the end of the day is the whole point of the weekend right?

wheres that from?
lets say 40, ooo travelling fans over weekend ohh hes right if they all spend 250 each!
well it all makes sense now, clubs are 10 million better off!!

oh no there not are they cos they get sod all

Tomorrow attendance I reckon 35,000.

Cumbrian heartland - you are having a laugh is this the heartland that cannot get 5k spectators over three home games!!!

Cumbrian heartland - you are having a laugh is this the heartland that cannot get 5k spectators over three home games!!!

ok so its generally accepted that 10 million quid was spend this weeknd!

the sums are easy 40 000 people spending 250 quid each

thats ten million quid spent on our game! from loyal supporters.

anyone think we could have redirected this cash better?

30k spectators for three games is 10k a game not bad in my view it will be the biggest crowd Salford, Harlequins & Wakey will attract this year

I've always thought the game should try to expand gradually from its geographic core. So, I'd be looking at an MM wweekend at places like Old Trafford; Hillsborough; Liverpool; with say 30,000 free tickets to locals in each city. The current thing does nothing to expand the game and goes to remote areas which are unlikely to be able to produce a sustainable team / competition. If the game can't convince people to watch it in those culturally similar areas to its "heartland"then, if we are being realistic rather than optimistic fantasists, it'll never establish itself meaningfully anywhere in the country.

Lot of sense in this post.

exact bloody ly!
top man

the only way football teams are going to let 7 games of RL tear up their pitch is if we held it in the summer when they are due to replace their pitch anyway

I didn't think todays attendence was awful, but neither did it persuade me that the weekend is a good idea. The games were less attractive today (2 non derbys) yet it attracted a similar crowd to the previous 2...which makes me believe that it is the same die hard support who will go every year.

my biggest issue with the event is that the RFL doesn't know what it wants to achieve with it, the whole concept is muddled...if it wants to promote the game to new areas it has to promote it a lot more than just 2 days before!

I also question why they open all of a 60,000+ ground when limiting it to one tier or 3 stands would have made it look fuller for TV.

ok pure mathmatics!

60000 spectator over weekend @ 166 quid each = 10 million pounds

10,000,000 / 14 super league clubs = 714,285 and a few pence
discuss!!

The football season finishes soon. So, the event could be held a little later and, if held nearer to "home", it would not need to be on a Bank Holiday weekend.

I agree with the muddled thinking point - hence my suggestion.

its the theory that matters
if fans knew they wer moving 10,000,000 away from the game when they are being told they are helping the gane??

if it helps introduce a Scottish RL side proffesionally it would be worth it, and the games today were decent with some good attacking play on show...

but at the same time i'm not sure that a Scottish RU/Football fan would have been that impressed had they seen such an empty murrayfield on TV

Actually, why has it been moved this year? Surely the new welsh SL side would have benifited greatly from the extra exposure of playing a high profile game at the country's top stadium?

Very little difference in capacity now that the rebuilding has finished at Twickers.

The Magic Weekend would be a much bigger success if it had better timing in the calendar, but then again the ideal time would be at the start of the season which would undoubtedly mean bad weather.

wow there are some real idiots on here.

30,000 is a bad crowd huh?

Christ there are some fkin morons about, I wonder if any of you like RL or just got lost on the way to a soccer game and didnt realise.

Its a great format, its a great weekend away, anyone who knocks it hasnt been, and probably has never been to a game as a neutral ever either

And I would be willing to bet doesnt like internationals, especially if no one from their team is picked.

Depends on the context - an irish RU club game got 82,000 today yes 82,000!!!!!

I personally think the 30k is very good

I wonder if moving it to the 2nd bank holiday in May would have an impact

today SKY had the end of the football league season, almost a full round of premiership games, the Ricky Hatton fight, and a RU European Semi final to cover.

I'm sure they'd give the games much bigger build up in a quieter week, and they are the biggest media outlet RL has

30000 is a good crowd - but it's spread over three games and was probably never 30000 at any one time. That's numbers throught the gate all day. 30000 didn't watch Salford/Quins.

It's an extra game in the season that isn't needed. I'm not a flat capper but we shouldn't be taking a whole round of games anywhere - at all

Well i think it's great.

I'm in Edinburgh as we speak and I'm looking fwd to a feast of rugby tomorrow.

It's easy to sit at home and winge but give it a go before you knock it.


Been to Edinburgh castle and the Scotch Whisky Experience and all the locals I've met have known that Rugby league is in town.


If you don't like it, don't try and wreck it for those of us that do. (Leave that to James Graham).

4,000 for Quins v Salford I'd say judging by the TV angles.
16,000 for Wakey v Bulls
And then 29k for Wigan v Saints.

Good first day crowd I think.