2009 - 3 games on the Saturday - attendance 29000

2010 - 4 games on the Saturday - attendance 26000

I make that a drop of around 33%.







at the RFL

About as surprising a post from you as knowing Leeds would win the match in last minutes again.



Anyone know what Ryan Hall said that Eddie apologized for ? Didn't catch it

Oh you flatcapper.

It will take just a bit longer and then we will see attendances improve.

I just wonder who came up with this idea not to mention franchising and 3 divisions ?

i wonder how many scottish folk turned up.

Its a free country, we all have our opinions and we are allowed to express them. All you have expressed are your views of me. What are your views on the reasons for the huge drop in interest. Ideas might look good on paper, but the proof of the pudding and all that.

Just imagine how much money Leeds have lost on this venture. They would have had 15000+ for this fixture instead they effectively had 6500.

Incidentally it was a question LL. Those figures suggest the fans have lost interest, therefore I think it could be classed as a flop.

Come on LL based on the evidence, do you think it is a flop or another success for Rugby League, simple question

I apologise I mistook the "icon_lol.gif



" as taking the P. In future when I see it I will know you are just expressing your own views and are not happy about it afterall.



If memory serves me right these fixtures are additional so Leeds wouldn't lose money on a lost fixture, and again (correct me if I'm wrong) the RFL get paid some money from the Edinburgh/Scottish tourist board for this event. If this arrangement doesn't happen anymore then not sure we should do it anyways.
As for reduction in crowd, lets wait until after tomorrow when the average or total can be compared. Though all sports are feeling the pinch at the moment.

The magic was so good everyone dissapeared no wonder fans of other sports laugh at RL.

Personally I have no respect for the RFL as there is no transparency, so yes I was laughing at the RFL. Your statement of clubs not losing money is, if you don't mind me saying, excellent spin which could almost have come from the RFL. Money from the tourist board?? have to say I wasn't aware of that. As for feeling the pinch...10% or even 20% could be put down to the recession, but 33%...even you have to admit that is a big drop in interest.

Tomorrows figures will I fear confirm the trend as there are only 3 games tomorrow. As a marker last year there were 4 games with an attendance of 30000. Lets hope the people of St Helens/Wigan/Cas/Huddersfield/Hull KR oh and Catalan turn out in force. If 33000 turn out for the games tomorrow then I will apologise on here to the RFL

Correct on both counts. I think the biggest scandal is that Ceefax has listed the Leeds game as Wakefield winning 30-28, so I've had the wrong score for the past 2 hours

Don't they pay their players then for the extra game, and the Hotel bills for the players and officials of the club

Players would be paid anyway, would imagine the RFL assist with the accomodation and transport costs.

He used the f word during his interview

Think this will be the last magic weekend as we know it. Nothing's been planned for next year and some coaches are now questioning the reasons for having it.

Why,did he mention Featherstone?

Who gives a S*** anyway



I can't believe the RFL get away with this if I played for a team who'd got a decent home form why would I want to play in a stadium thats a third full max FUBAR'ing your form, this could cause a down slope in your season.

Yet again this is my opinon, I wouldn't want to spend my hard earned cash on pleasing the ar5eholes in Red Hall

Was I the only one who saw the title of this thread and assumed it was about Salford?!




Whilst the attendances do seem to be down for this year's event I still think it's good to have another showpiece event for our sport.

I also think there should be a Championship Magic Weekend.

Changing the derby games as had an adverse effect on attendances IMO.





And why go to a stadium knowing full well you cant fill



The RFL know best NOT

If you average out the attendance to games it is more like a 50% drop, but attendance to attendance it is more 10% than 33%.

Folk can use all sorts of numbers, all I saw was a mostly empty stadium all day which is embarrassing for the game.

There is - at Blackpool!! Encompassing the NR Cup Final, and NR Nines!

And a better 'cheaper' weekend away that 'over priced' Edinburgh

No better place for RL than Blackpool in the sunshine



(or equally Leigh in any weather conditions

)

the magic idea has lost its novelty value, and now people can't be bothered going all that way for a normal league game.

Don't see the point of it anymore. Just play the 26 league games and have an extra week free for internationals or start the season a bit later, or reduce the easter programme to one match instead of two.

We can always try the alternative strategy of holding games at a small stadium in Yorkshire/Lancashire, we can all stand around and stare shiftily at outsiders who we suspect might have not watched the game before



At a time when Union are holding big games at large stadiums and trying to make an event of it, the RFL have quite correctly deduced that we need to do something similar to try and generate more interest. Yet there's almost a palpable sense of glee at the thought of just packing it all in, forgetting about more media exposure and just returning to the heartlands so we can accept the status quo.

Would probably be better to play some BIG games elsewhere as the extra match. Say over 3 weekends in the year play a big game like Wigan v Saints or Leeds v Bradford somewhere with another game as the curtain raiser like Wakefield V Salford or Castleford V Catalans.