We've been to ever one and have enjoyed every one (despite the result yesterday).

I wonder how many people actually went. If 30,000 went one day and 33,000 the next, is it the same 30,000 plus another 3,000 going, so in effect only 33,000 went?

Great venue yesterday and was allowed to take in soft drinks/water and a picnic so from that point of view was better than Cardiff when I had a bottle of water taken away at the gates.

I think that would have certainly been the case for the events in Cardiff and Edinburgh, but I suspect there would have been a greater turnover of fans this year, particularly given the huge difference in tickets sold for the day and weekend.

They got it right, this year in my opinion, which I'm sure was helped a little by the glorious weather.

We had a top day yesterday, the venue was great, the atmosphere in Manchester City Centre was fabulous, and the activity around the stadium itself was really good.

The problem, I felt, with previous Magic Weekends was that it was the expense and hassle of yet another weekend away to add to the trips we already make to Catalans, Wembley and London Broncos. It just gets too expensive. As a day trip, however, yesterday was a damn near perfect as you'll get.

I've also been saying that, as a concept, Magic Weekend needs to be relatively local so it can grow. If it's a success, and the economy improves, then by all means take it on the road. As it stands though, keep it in Manchester.

That would be utterly ridiculous moving that game to someone elses ground when that could be played at Elland Road too if you really want to have a pointless extra game on the road.

Over 100 years and we still can't get Manchester interested is what it is mate, no wonder other sports laugh at us if we think Manchester is a development area.

The venue is outstanding both around and inside the ground. Great atmosphere, cheap tickets. Next year the new tram system will be up and running properly meaning we can get the tram from the centre over to the stadium easily. Maybe transport will be arranged properly as there was thousands of Wigan fans getting onto a 2 carrage train that did not go directly to wigan. It was full to the brim and very uncomfy standing up all the way home in the heat.

I believe Wigan and Wire matches over the past few years have been some of the best. Maybe the RFL should mix it up and make it closer. Wire vs Widnes is a complete joke, two different leagues IMO. Putting both sets of fans off as the outcome is predictable.

Games:
Wigan Vs Saints
Wire Vs Catalans
Widnes Vs London
Leeds Vs Bradford
Hull FC Vs Hull KR
Salford Vs Huddersfield
Castleford Vs Wakefield

Abit more competitive, a few fixtures there that could be mixed up!

All in all a great weekend

Would you choose to hold it elsewhere or scrap the concept altogether?

I think Manchester was a good choice. Saying that after 100 years they're still not interested, whilst true to an extent, is a very pessimistic viewpoint. It's only recently (last 15 years or so) that RL have really started to invest at grassroots level in development areas, and Manchester hasn't had such a strong grassroots infrastructure in the modern era.

The Magic Weekend got the city talking and asking questions about RL.

I think the past four Magic Weekends have generally been attended by the same people who went to the first one in Cardiff 2007. The weekend just gone was attended by a lot of people attending their first Magic Weekend, and hopefully they enjoyed it, will tell their mates how good it was and come back in 2013.

The concept needs an element of stability and time to grow. Keep it at Manchester for the next few years & grow attendances gradually.

Manchester has been historically a strong RL area. in addition to Salford, Swinton who used to be a big time team in a big time stadium. There was a strong team in Broughton until the 1950s. Oldham, on the fringes of eastern Manchester were also a big time team until the last couple of decades.

The decline of these teams and the growing dominance to football has psuhed the prominence of RL in Manchester into the background.

The new Salford stadium and the steady improvement of Reds might be the start of a resurgence of the game in the area. If Swinton get their new stadium at Agecroft and stabilise in the Championship and if Oldham can get it together these factors will help also. The Magic weekend in Manchester, The grand final in Manchester and the World Cup final in Manchester can all help us to regain lost ground in the metropolis, with the media attention they bring to the game. This can only be a good thing . Manchester was on the verge of becoming a RL wasteland and the game needs a succesful presence there.

My preference would be elsewhere but that is by the by, the poster stated that we should hold it in Manchester to help development was laughable.

Lets be honest, if we couldn't get a good crowd in our own back yard then we should give up and go and watch soccer.

I don't think they were saying that as such, more that [usome[/u benefits of holding it in Manchester would be to build upon the recent success of the grassroots setup in the city & to take advantage of the BBC's relocation etc.

I'd hardly call Manchester our own back yard, more like a couple of doors down's back yard. For mine, I think it's a great idea to hold it in Manchester as it will tempt the non attendees of the further afield Magics out of their holes and get them interested in the concept.

Much preferred Manchester than Cardiff, not because it was a weekend away (I live 22 miles from Cardiff) but it felt much more concentrated than in Cardiff. Great competative games for the neutral also (barring Widnes and Broncos).

I don't think the magic weekend will ever work as a means of attracting new fans. Its overkill, new specCies are unlikely to be attracted by the prospect of watching several hours of a sport that they've not watched before. Even diehard fans struggle to watch more than a couple of games.

It should be accepted for what it is, a novelty weekend with a greater emphasis on the social side.

Not always the case. I was sat next to a group of about 40 school students, most of whom weren't already fans but who sat through three games on Sunday and thoroughly enjoyed it. Talked to a few 12-13 year-olds amongst them who said they would definitely like to see more.

One thing puzzles me about this Magic weekend. Why is it being regarded as such a success compared to previous ones? It was slapbang in the middle of the heartlands, we had absolutely fantastic whether and some great games but it was only marginally better attended than previous ones. Why is this one was then a success, despite having so many more advantages, than the ones that had gone before it?

Because sports marketing (especially when Sky are involved) is all about hype.

I appreciate that and that is something that RL has always suffered from, or lack of it to be precise. However why has this one been hyped up and not the others?

In fairness the RFL will know exactly how many different people bought tickets so maybe that's how they're gauging success whereas at Cardiff and Edinburgh it may have largely been the same people attending both days?

Absolutely loved yesterday. think the weather really helped, but i think the Stadium having it's own area really helped create a carnival atmosphere.

Where was Silverwood this weekend?

Injured. Apparently he was supposed to be the ref of the Saints Wigan match but was replaced by Ben Thaler.

I went for the full weekend, and watched at least part of every game, missed the second half of Cas Wakey to go for a walk and we didn't get there in time for the first half of London Catalans.

I really enjoyed the whole weekend (apart from the last 10 minutes of our game), and think Manchester is probably the best location for it, especially if it's not going to be on a bank holiday.

With the Grand Final being at Old Trafford, if we keep the Magic Weekend at the Etihad then it gives RL and good base in a major city for two of our big 3 club events, which can be built on.

I had a great Sunday, barring breaking a toe, and splitting my jeans on the 'activities', no complaints there though, they are great.
The weather was amazing, and Sun, Beer and Rugby with your mates, what more can you ask for? To an extent, all the games excl. Saints were great, even the Catalans game was close up to the last 25 mins.

I think mixing it up would be a difference.
I think the attendance would drive much higher if they had 'equal' games. I'm not just harping on about this because I'm a Saints fan, in the opening 2 magic weekends, we were better than Wigan.

I'd be having.

London Vs. Widnes
Catalans Vs. Huddersfield
St. Helens Vs. Leeds
Wigan Vs. Warrington

Cas Vs. Wakefield
Salford Vs. Bradford
Hull Vs. Hull KR

Or 1-2 3-4 so on, but don't announce it until the week before, adds to the drama as every game will be interesting, from todays table every game is close and would certainly be entertaining, maybe Hull KR-Leeds less so, but both take a big following so good atmosphere at least.
They need to get the fans to the ground for me, the opening games were dead. Having a 'bigger' game on first would attract more fans, get them to stay around the ground longer

So what was started to be about spreading the RL gospel, is now about an extra game that the players and clubs could probably do without. Pretty much most of the country north of Middlesborough and south of Sheffield have always looked at RL as being that game played along the M62 and now Wembley for the CC Final is the only time the game will take an event outside it's traditional heartlands.....

If it's not about taking the game to new audiences, I'd bin it and revert back to a 26 game season + Play-offs.....the season could do with be truncated as well......February is half as warm as March on average....and it's getting colder!

34 weeks between the start of March and the End of October.....the Exiles game can be played mid-week a la SoO....see how important it becomes with players pulling out all over the shop... 26 weeks regular season, 4 weeks play-offs and an end of season tour down under/or they come north.......

Even with it being in the heartlands, it can still be spreading the gospel.

During Wigan Saints yesterday I was sat next to two young Mancunian lads who'd never been to rugby before but won tickets from school and went along. They loved it, and were talking about going to watch Salford home games.

How much coverage did the Magic Weekend get, I'd say without a doubt more than a normal round of Super League, all weekend rugby league with the focus of a Sky Sports channel, that can't be a bad thing.

To improve attendances I think there need to be big incentives for clubs to sell tickets themselves as well as the RFL. I know Hull pushed it pretty hard, but how many other clubs did everything they could to sell it out? (serious question, not having a go here!)