What is the point of Magic? 14 teams 1 stadium 2 days no fans. Rar rar game there the other week filled the stadium and reports are suggesting that there's less than 35000 fans over 2 days. If Wigan and saints had played at say anfield or eastlands, the one game would had drawn a bigger crowd than whole of magic weekend

Are you speaking from first hand experience or just another negative supporter sniping from the side-lines?

If you mean did I go yesterday, yes I did. Thought it was like being in an empty tin can. Im not sniping, just think its been an rfl flop. simply asking what's the point? Derbies at Wigan and Knowlsey Road are a far better experience. If we're trying to expand the game, I'm sure that anyone who's never been to a game wouldn't watch it and think 'gosh I wish I was sat in one if those 50000 empty seats'.

They are giving 30,891 as the official crowd. If there was any more than 20 thou I'll show me backside at top of King Street. And you are dead right about neutrals, the standard of play (Wigans game not as bad as the others) and reffing was fairly abysmal.

I went yesterday. Wigan & Wire fans travelled well and made some noise (Saints took far less which was poor), however there was probably only 20-25k at anytime throughout the day, which is about a quarter full.
I believe the attendances are even worse today (as informed by my mate who's still there). At £12.50 a ticket there's not much more the RFL can do to make it a success. Some things they introduce work (Grand Final at Old Trafford increased attendances from 45k to 70k within a few years). The Magic Tournament obviously hasn't. I can't see how any money was made yesterday??

Scrap it.

Try the olympic stadium (London) just after the games have finished next year.

I didn't go to the magic weekend.

BUT the RFL seem set to do the magic weekend and this version of it based in Wales, kicking off the season and derby matches is a far, far, far better idea than the Murrayfield version.

It’s not a bad idea to really kick off the season with a big fuss and some razzmatazz.

There are big problems with crowd numbers obviously but the on the field product especially the games between the big sides have been as good as ever.

We maybe need to find a venue which more people are prepared to travel to.

City of Manchester stadium, a location in the midlands?



I thought that but i don't think people will travel that far.

Maybe we should just do the one day and have just the big derby matches Wigan vs Saints, FC vs KR, Wire vs Hudds and Leeds Bradford.

Harsh on the other teams but they aren't the ones with massive support

What about this for a really crazy idea

4 games on saturday
3 games on sunday as it is already

In december they pull out 8 teams out of a draw and they play on the Saturday the rest play the Sunday.
(this is just to know what day to turn up for the fans)

Every one gets in the stadium and 10 minutes before kick off those 8 names pulled out go in to another draw and they pull two out of the hat.

Announcer "And our first team to play is (name drawn) Hull KR"
players come out start to warm up

Annoucer "And they will be playing Leeds Rhinos"

=#FFFFFFThis is a silly idea on a few levels, only those that quote me will read this section

Just got back, and irrespective of the result, won't be going again.

Lol just seen the added bit.

The aggregate number for Saturday's games was 30,189. That's the average number. Virtually all the Wire fans went home after their match. I know, I was there. I watched all four matches. The first one was packed, the second empty, the third filled up and the fourth was very busy too but without the ton of Wire fans who had made the place really buzz for the first match. Wire fans may have taken loads down, but those loads did not stay for the day. Therein the hub of the problem. For all we know, the RFL could have sold 65,000 tickets for the weekend but we would never get 65,000 people in the stadium in one go because there are 7 matches and not everyone will do as I did and watch them all. But that does not mean it is a failure of an event or even that the RU do a better job. It just means ours is a festival event and theirs is a match.

I thoroughly enjoyed the day and for me the result of our match was a bonus because I didn't expect a win from Saints due to them being distinctly underdone and without Leon Pryce, who is a significant influence on Saints.

How can anyone complain about this event.... 14 teams, 1 stadium, 2 days.... rugby be on show after the off-season... cheap tickets.... great city.... what more do you want?

I love the magic weekend, best concept the RFL have come up with. What else can they do? The downfall is in the pathetic fans of Rugby League who will sit at home and complain about the empty stadium.

The thing is, it creates interest and media interest. The negative is it's in 1/4 empty stadium on the first week of the season when historically most clubs record better than average crowds.

PLaying it at say City of Manchester would work, the games would likely sell out. Getting the stadium for a full weekend at this time of year is impossible though.

Hope much interest would Yeds idea create

can't imagaine the players would like it and the local pubs.

I dare you to try and get the COMS for one game at this time of year nevermind 7.

Millenium stadium is the place to have it, the first round games would usually be played in horrible conditions (sometimes snow) and the quality of games are shocking. We have seen some great skill on show this weekend and some close games because the conditions are perfect.

Play it at Man Citys ground (Open air bars outside stadium)
Brand it as Manchester Magic
Have it in April/May on a Bank Holiday weekend
Have a trophy/prize for best performance and best try and award it at end of the last game.
If the numbers are looking low say by 10,000 capacity give 5,000 tickets away to local school kids or sell them £1 a piece to the schools in the area.
Have bands/pop acts in and around the stadium aswell as beer tents/bars and comedy tents and make it something people want to go to like a festival.

You're right it's a crazy idea. We had enough injuries yesterday, no need to beg for more.

I went down yesterday and stayed for the four games. The atmosphere for the Quins/Cats game was atrocious - if anyone switched on their tv and saw the crowd for that game they'd have a right old laugh at our sport. It filled up a little towards the end of the day, but the attendance was pathetic all things considered.

Clearly it was a good idea, but it simply doesn't work. Time for a rethink.

Festival of RL a good idea - but should it really be for 'extra' superleague points.

February timing is awful - just luck that it wasn't snowy. Freezing on the terrace in the snow is dedication for one game at a time, less likely for a whole weekend, fans will watch their team only.

How about making the festival weekend the 4th or 5th round of Challenge cup - draw 7 or 8 games first to play the festival and then the rest go by normal home or away draw. That way the other clubs have a chance - anything can happen in cup rugby and the league can stay play each club twice, home and away.

Closed roof, slippy pitch (especially yesterday) and lots of injuries. Hmm must be a correlation there!

Freezing on the terrace.... it was indoors!

I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed it as an occasion.

Now it's coming to an end for this year I think it is important that the rfl now recognise that in the current economic climate that they do something to encourage this festival to be held possibly around the grounds so that cash raised is going into clubs and local econmies were the club is based.

There is a lot of other factors e.g. Accommodation in the local area.

But it will raise the profile of the game say in Wrexham should all the teams play there on one bank holiday weekend.

The concept is good but it needs fine tuning now before it loses considerable amount of face

the games have to mean something.

rejigging the playoffs and then playing the entire first round in one venue would work, but i don't think the top teams would go for it (loss of home advantage).

playing the quarters of the challenge cup over one day could be good.

I hope they dont stop it because I haven't had the money to go yet but as I finish Uni this year hopefully I will have a job and the chance to go next year. The start of season thing could have been bad but the weather was apparently quite good and the roof probably meant it didnt matter much anyway. The reason the standard of rugby (someone mentioned this earlier in the thread i forget who) wasnt as high and there was so many injuries is probably because it was first match back the May ones always seem better because of the simple fact that the season is in full swing by then.

I agree that the change of stadium to somewhere like Manchester would be a good idea but everyone around there would already be into Rugby because its so near most of the teams.

I DO complain about the attendance but not because I dislike the idea but because I cant afford to go and there will be so many fans that CAN afford to go and instead choose to sit at home and moan about the fact that the stadium is half empty.

Having it at any soccer stadium is a total non starter. No soccer club is going to allow 7 games of RL to be played on their surface no matter what time of the year it is.

So, we are stuck with having it at 'rugby' venues that can accomodate. Which basically means Millenium, Murrayfield and Twickenham.

I went yesterday but dont agree with the concept of the weekend at all.

Imagine if Man U were told they had to play Chelsea 3 times but Arsenal only got Latics ?

Its a farce and makes a mockery of the league.

If they want extra revenue then promote another club and get an extra round.

Doubt I will go next year.

What's the point of the RFL putting on a first class event in first class facilities at a fantastic city venue with 14 SL teams if some of the so called RL fans can't be d to turn up? If you don't like it then go and watch girls hockey or something. The majority of fans who were there yesterday felt a great buzz about the city and saw some great RL. Yes it would be great if there were more speccies there but the solution to that is to get your s off your chairs and get there!

Im just glad we came out if it with no serious injuries, that pitch was ridiculous on saturday.

I've never been and never will its a waste of time.

I went last year with the family, but this year they didn't fancy it and as a Uni student i just can't afford to pay out a fortune for train/hotel tickets (ok I should probably have booked a coach place, but it's a long trip). I'm annoyed to have missed the opening game and a derby and those tarring all those who didn't attend as people who couldn't be bothered or just won't support the sport is wrong. The RFL should IMO come out and say whether this event is for existing fans or to try and gain new ones. If it's for existing fans then I don't see the sense in playing it so far away. If it's for new fans then don't have it at the same time as the 6 nations and the Manchester derby. At the moment it seems to be trying to please everyone, with no real benefits as far as I can see. Saying that I think it's a good idea, just not quite being implemented in the best way.