It's about reducing the number of games by removing them not chopping and changing, and it's not every 5 minutes, this is just not true is it?
The only thing that we can confirm regards 'magic' is that it has increased the cost to fans to watch a game but with no increased or worse lowered revenue for clubs, it also eats into attendances for the derby games and even the challenge cup.
Worse it puts more pressure on players as does the faux champions play off system, and that in turn makes it harder for the national team to compete in the late autumn internationals/world comps.

What hard evidence have you that magic has directly influenced Newcastle getting to where they are? It's a hell of a lot to lose to get another mediocre championship club that didn't actually earn promotion but were granted it by the RFL. Newcastle could have developed no worse without magic being located in Newcastle.

Having a n engineered event that actually does a lot of damage to all clubs/national team and has a detrimental effect on player welfare is not ever a good idea, it's plain insanity, but then it's typical in rugby league that some people think that running with an idea and sticking with it despite its continued failure is somehow going to magically start to make things better

You ask for evidence that Newcastle have benefitted. Where is your evidence for all the negative points you make? And NO! Flat earth YouTube videos don’t count.

The initial point was made that we have 'newcastle' (thunder) due to magic weekend being in Newcastle, I asked for evidence of that claim, you go first.
Even if there were any hard evidence there is no cost justification whatsoever for holding the event, Newcastle is never going to be a hotbed of rugby, it's just another small outpost and always will be.

Let's look though at how Gateshead had multiple times more fans attending home games than Newcastle post huge investment and consecutive 'magic' in Newcastle. They required no 'magic' weekend to garner interest in the club, did people just come off the streets to go see games or was there already an interest in attending.
Just because London has a team with well supported soccer teams and multiple rugby union teams it doesn't equate to big numbers attending even against the top sides.
Yes Gateshead declined, that was going to happen given the circumstances but there was latent interest there already, there's simply no evidence that redeveloping the club has been significantly aided by having the magic event.
*over 6000 for the St.Helens home game of 1999, even the London home game saw over 2,600, current average even including the big travelling support from Bradford for the pre MW is under 1000.

But what are your thoughts re the rest of the aspects of magic?

Do you disagree with my premise that the event draws significant sums away from clubs directly, that it has a direct effect on player welfare by adding this contrived game into the calendar, that it adds more costs to supporters such that this can dissuade from attending other primary events including the local rival games?
Do you disagree that having an extra weekend of a contrived fixture and the mini cup/play-off system adds even more pressure onto players, more fatigue/injuries and that is likely to directly affect how we go at national level?

No!

Going to any game at the moment would make it a magic weekend for me!

We have Newcastle Thunder because Shane Richardson threw loads of money at it years ago.

When he left enthusiasts didn't let it go and now we have a multi-Millionaire at the helm.

To me Superleague is about rich owners throwing lots of money away on Rugby League

So "hot bed of RL" "small outpost" maybe, but the rich owner is the whole point here................................

If only we could stop rich owners picking their own clubs and allocate them clubs. I'd allocate Kurdi to Bradford Bulls

Do you think magic weekend has made any significant difference to Newcastle as to where they are now, I think I prove that there is no evidence that it has, they would have got to where they are without magic.

As I thought, you've got absolutely squat to back up what you say.

and to add weight to your views,what has Magic achieved, other than for a bunch of RLfans to boost the local economy with no real connection to the game, get vexed and Sky can put multiple games on.

scrap it, move th CC Final back to Cardiff, London isn't the grand day out it was in the 70's, it's more expensive for a weekend in London than a week in Lanzarote.

The whole game needs to stop thinking it is On The Buses or a Carry On film.

When I was a kid growing up in Hull going to Leeds was an adventure, now (well, pre covid) I'd go there for lunch and be back home by 5.

You may be right because they got to some very decent crowds indeed years ago when they had a season in Superleague. There was no Magic then.....

I have no doubt some of their current smaller crowds go enjoy Magic, but Magic isn't a vehicle for building up local clubs. There's no real record of that

I recall a criticism of it being in Wales where a few hundred at most Welsh people dropped in but the local Welsh RL scene didn't change.

I remember when a Millionaire set up Celtic Crusaders and probably 5,000 welsh fans attended the first game.

That's the evidence that shows growth is only really possible with heavy investment, and prolonged heavy investment at that.

Congratulations, the first post from you where you haven't mentioned France or North America.

Wales is RU territory, but I'd rather go to Cardiff than Newcastle.

I'd rather we scrapped it for the reasons I mentioned upthread, it has so many negatives that the sports leaders ignore and seemingly some of the people that run/own the clubs. Player welfare is everything, but the demand for more games to generate more income is not only in direct conflict to that which everyone should be concerned about, but damages income and the entertainment because of this greater demand.
We see all too often how the CC and play off games are affected attendance wise, large swathes of fans are not interested in these now 'minor' games, there's nowhere near the importance on them, not even the semi final or final are a real draw and it's not because of the final being in London.

The fact we have a system to decree champions with a mini tournament is in itself also having a detrimental affect never mind the playing of loop games including traditional derby games. On top of that this all adds up to the national team either missing the better players due to injuries or overly fatigued, yes that can apply for a host of reasons, the sport is brutal, but clubs pound the players week in week out more often than not, jabbed up, coerced to play through and then expect them to turn it on against national sides that are made up from the best league in the world whom play far fewer games.

If we don't have a successful national team then interest dwindles in the games, there's no wider national interest and thus sponsorship/money dwindles, rinse and repeat until you have a real problem throughout the sport incl at grass roots.

rubbish, SL players are just lazy, one game in a week?

you're a snowflake bumpy

We don't have a successful national team, and we don't play Australia and NZ much nowadays. They don't seem interested. Can't see how reducing games to keep the International players fresh for games that don't happen much is any sort of a plan..

I assume the business plan is maximise gate revenue hence the number of games and I don't like that plan either. I certainly agree with less games but that put's us into less revenue. Does that put us into lower wages for players? It's a balance and I would guess if you cut games there would be detrimental effects and Australia would still not be interested.

Do you conversely think the Australian National team is a massive driver for interest in RL in Australia??

Surely Origin is that driver now??

For once I agree with you, Origin is the big thing in Aus, we tried it (half d and half hearted) with both Yorks v Lans and The Exiles, they don't work. Until everyone over the age of 50 is booted out of the RFL blazer squad RL in the UK will continue in decline.

I live in reality. It will be hard enough to get the youth going again. Sorry that puts your 50 + scenario to bed. The reason they have 50+ in positions is because they know the game and don’t have to take orders from a young snotty nosed kid who THINKS he knows.

Confirmed (or as confirmed as can be!) to move to the beginning of September. Chance to advertise both Magic and the World Cup opener in November, but that might be too ambitious thinking for the sport right now..

Can’t see fans being let back in this season either so it doesn’t matter how far they put it back.

Booked my 3 bedroom house on AirBnB for Magic Weekend, even if fans can't go I get free cancellation upto the 29th August so nothing to lose. 2 Leigh fans & one unfortunate crusty pie having a weekend of beer, rugby & golf, love it !

Over 50's vaccinations to begin by May so will have my Covid passport ready to go to away games.

Bring it on !

Covid passport.? No such thing according to the people who think they know how to run the country.

We'll be fine if there's 50% of fans let back in. We usually celebrate that as a success.

A minister suggested it, but scientists say that those who have had their jabs can still carry and transmit the virus to others whilst not being affected themselves.

All the oldies round here think that are free from the problem and are out in force forgetting the distancing breathing on everyone else......

Still to see how we manage any "crowds"........

Just another indication of how we are very much a selfish "i'm alright Jack" nation.

What things do you think the rest of us should do to move our society forward?

Stop listening to a gerbil and his conspiracy theory rubbish??