news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 819616.stm Suits me..........

news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 819616.stm Suits me..........

Me too

Pointless. let's spread the word in the north west.

I will still probably end up going as I see it as a good weekend away (I live in Birmingham) and if rumours of it being the first weekend in June are true, then it's my birthday, so even better!

However, I agree that the whole premise of this is to show it to other areas that are not that clued up about the game. I'm not just saying this because it is where I live, but surely somewhere like Birmingham is better? Or Coventry? I play for a local RL team (wont be next season - I've had to have a knee reconstruction on two ligaments - thanks to RL...) and I can safely say that RL is increasingly becoming more and more popular in the likes of Coventry and Leicester. Surely bringing something like the Magic Weekend to a place like that makes much more sense if the RFL are serious about expansion...

I don't think Coventry/Birmingham really have the base yet for it. If it came to the Ricoh - I couldn't imagine many more than 1 or 2k from the local area attending as Union simply dominates the player pool. There's rumours that a Championship 1 side is in the 2/3yr pipeline so if they do well and build a nice fanbase then potentially, but it really is a long way away yet.

Shame i will miss it due to doing the Three Peaks Challenge the first weekend of June .

I can't see 1 or 2k non rugby fans going from Manchester so on that basis you get more at the Ricoh and job done the word has been spread !!!

suits me as well..been to the common wealth games 7`s tournament years ago and you get a great view where ever you sit so may be tempted to go again

I just can not believe the RL it’s a great weekend some where you can stay over meet fans of other teams have a great time with friend and foes alike, but Manchester in a brick dessert I ask you, it will bomb but I will go and just watch the Wire but if where to be at Cardiff I would go again watch all the games stay over for 2/3 nights and have a great time. Yet again step the wrong way.

The problem with Cardiff and Murrayfield was that both places were very expensive for fans and 30,000 fans in each stadium looked awful on TV. Manchester should easily sell out for both days and I've no doubt the RFL have already done some kind of deal with the powers that be in the city.
Has Des still got his pub in Moss Side?

Sure I remember everyone moaning this time last year that Cardiff was too far, RL fans must be more difficult to please than in any other sport!

Yeah your right hardest to please bunch of all!!!
Lets take Darts supporters they go all over the country watching their heroes and as long as they can Dress up and have tables full of Booze look at the carnival atmosphere at every single venue..

When making their decision to take the MM to Manchester perhaps the RFL would have considered the state of the economy and the lack of ££££'s in all our pockets.

Cardiff or Edinburgh might well have been a weekend to far for many RFL fans pockets.

I am glad its in Manchester & well done to the RFL.

Yes, I'd go with that. I was about to tell Mr F that Cardiff was out for me this year because of the expense. Manchester is definately in.

More than happy its at Eastlands no more tedious coach trips.

Not that I agreed with this ridiculous extra fixture anyway, but given it was usually justified as 'taking RL to a new audience' (even though this was largely untrue), what precisely is the point of it now?

I don't agree with it either (the extra game, not the venue) but as it's in Manchester it will be daft not to go for the Wire game.

As ours will be the only game I'm going for though I won't be going if tickets are more than £20.

Its usually good value for money,think i paid £15.00 for my 2 day ticket last year for seven games of Rugby not bad value at all,plus next year should be a little easier on peoples pockets with them not having to shell out on Hotels,Meals out and expensive travel to the venue.

Who gets the money from this fixture?

I think it is a good idea, why do people think you have to travel to different parts of the UK to spread the game? A spectacle of 7 games over a weekend no matter where it is will attract anyone who is interested in the game. If someone isnt interested then dumping 7 games on their doorstep is not going to suddenly make them interested, where as someone who has a inkling may well be tempted by a Magic Weekend and associated hype. Also not everyone who is already an avid fan and interested will be travelling from the M62 corridor I live in Norfolk and it is a lot easier to get to Manchester (3 1/2 - 4 hours) than Cardiff (8 hours +) or Scotland (11 hours +). So work permitting I will be going where as otherwise I would not and it is better to present a full stadium as the face of the game than a half empty one, the amount of times have yawnion fans telling me we cant even fill a stadium is beginning to wear thin.

Prehaps the RFL are trying to promote the game in Manchester, seen as Salford can't...

Taking the weekend to Manchester doesnt keep in the context of the original idea, but as we have just seen at Wembley 42K in London - I think we will be able to sell the Etihad out... But im not sure everyone will stay for the games on thier day this meaning it wont look sold out - as travel to Manchester is so easy I wonder whether or not fans will just watch thier games and then decide to go home... However as mentioned earlier well done the RFL - for providing a cheaper option.

Idea being to make money

Manchester fits that bill.

Last Saturday the stadium also announced they had 7 World Cup games. Now either they jumped to gun on the RFL announcement or in typical football fashion they dont know their WC from their MM. Damn sight more practical than Cardiff or Murrayfield though!

Playing in east Manchester IS spreading the word. You could ask a number of locals who Sam Tomkins is and I reckon most wouldn't have a clue.

Think Salford might be the winner from this, cashing in on those who get hooked and travel to Barton to see what a league match is like.