news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 819616.stm So, off to Manchester, then.....

news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 819616.stm So, off to Manchester, then.....

Utter rubbish. Waste of time now. Looks like even the RFL can't be bothered with it anymore.

Yep, I'm inclined to agree

I thought the point of the magic weekend was to show off RL to areas where it is not popular in order to generate a bit of interest?

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...

The bulls have played at Leicester's stadium before and they've updated it since so playing down there wouldn't be too bad an idea. Decent hospitality and a chance to get RU watchers in to watch a different sport.

Expansion is dead and buried, the RFL never had a plan to expand SL in terms of new areas that amounted to anything more than flying by the seat of their pants, and in the present harsh economic climate there is as much chance of a SL club in Coventry or Leicester as there is in Covent Garden or Lesbos.

World Club Challenge: Manly v Lesbos.

I'd watch that.

I come originally from down that way. Its a pretty good stadium now, with the big new cantilever stand. Towers over the Leicester Royal Infirmary car park - as I can vouch for from numerous visits there in last 12 months. Zero chance of your last point though, mate. Leicester is a Union town through and through, has been since before my mother was born just up the top of the road from the stadium, 80-odd years ago. With a successful and very well supported Union side, can see about as much chance of their fans taking to league as say Wigan's taking to Union?

Probably, I've got family down there and unfortunately had to visit the hospital so saw the new stand as passing. My cousin keeps telling me he'll take me to a RU match but it would be good to get down there for a RL match and show him what he's missing.

Wishful thinking I suppose but I can't help but think that there's scope for both with RL being a summer sport?

Its a good stadium to have it at, decent atmosphere and decent legroom etc. Extension hasn't really worked thus far but i don't see why they cannot take this series to Birmingham and have it at Villa Park. RL is too extreme, to go to Wales and London straight away was risky being such Union places, somewhere like Birmingham has the neutrality to become another League hotbed. Of course this haas nothing to do with the fact that i'm a student down there at the moment too

This is my point. Birmingham is an ideal place for it. Going to London and Wales and missing out the next major city has always struck me as a bad move. There aren't that many rugby union fanatics in this area (Birmingham/Black Country), with the exception of Worcester Warriors. To bring something like the magic weekend down here could have massive potential!

Why is it that people are seemingly thinking the best bet is "a RU area" such as Leicester, because then all the Onion fans will flock to see these games, and then switch codes?

This is arrant nonsense. The LAST people to be aiming at is Onion converts. It's just the same as if, say, Onion held an Odsal Magic event to kick of their season. (a) would anyone on here who doesn't already watch RU go? and (b) if yes, is there any reasonable chance they would be 'converted' from RL to Union?

No? Thought as much.

Exactly we should look at sorting out the problems in RL's heartland first and then expand slowly aiming at areas where RL seems viable not RU strongholds. We aren't going to wake up the morning after a Magic weekend to see RL fans everywhere and the RFL need to accept that progress and expansion will take time.

If we're pushing the Magic Weekend as a showpiece event then it makes sense to put it in the heartlands.

The main thing that RL needs is money. More money in the game means more interest from higher profile sponsors. Higher profile sponsors will lead to higher exposure.

But you're not going to get that with half empty stadia.

Having the Magic Weekend in Manchester means that the fans going don't need to spend as much money on transport and accommodation. Which is going to mean more people will consider going and perhaps buying weekend tickets instead of just going for the day their team is playing. IMO the whole weekend thing should have been in the heartlands from the start, get it as a solid point on the RL calendar like the GF and CC, get good crowds for it ( and I don't mean 60k over the weekend, I mean 60k in the stadium both days) then consider using it as an expansion tool and put it in places like Cardiff and Edinburgh. Maybe make it a every 3rd year on the road event.

If we end up with Millennium Magic at the Etihad Stadium then it is absolutely essential that it is a total sellout on both days. And I mean absolutely packed to the rafters with a jumping atmosphere! The RL need to go to town and create a massive carnival atmosphere with fireworks, pre-match (and between match) entertainment, loads of clowns, stilt walkers, fire breathers etc.

It needs to be an incredible event IMO - otherwise we're going to be looking pretty pathetic. Basically if we can't pull off a decent event in Manchester we might as well dump the idea altogether.

The stadium holds 47,000 according to Wikipedia, so it really ought to be possible to pack it out both days. But the RL need to get it announced ASAP, tell us the fixtures and come up with some cracking promotional offers for families etc.

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.

If they do it as before, with contrived "local derbies" and counting for SL points, then we will almost certainly see the champions playing a team that finished well outside the playoffs. That is grossly unfair - again, and for that reason I want nothing to do with any of it.

Wonder if they will gift Wire a probable two points as well by having them play Widnes? Assuming Wigan get Saints, how would they view that?

It is contrived. And it is wrong.

Well its obviously going to count for SL points, otherwise nobody would even bother turning up with their first team squads.

I agree on the derbies issue. It's easily solved. Just go 1v2, 3v4 and so on

Wire v Wigan
Saints v Hudds
Leeds v Cats
Hull v KR
Bulls vs Cas
Salford vs London
Wakey V Widnes

Looks OK to me. Wire vs Wigan as the top billing on one day, and the Hull derby on the other.

Could not agree more. Have said precisely that previously, and I will change my stance if they do those - some cracking fixtures there. But it is so sensible that it has no chance of being adopted...

The RFL need to decide if they want a mid-season Summertime 'festival of rugby' type event which it used to be or if they use the Magic concept to open the season. I loathe the 'magic' part of the name btw.

Either name it something similar to 'The Big Kick-Off 2012' or if they are intent on the derby games or playing it mid season then names along the lines of 'Super League Summer Classic' or 'Rugby League Rivalry Weekend'. 'Magic Weekend' sounds too vague and tacky. People unfamiliar to the game may get an idea what it is if you mention the Sport in the marketing.

Fair enough, that fixture list would be good but IMO the proper derbies are much better, so there should be a mix of the two!

Warrington v Wigan
Huddersfield v Saints
Bradford v Leeds
Cas v Wakey
Hull FC v Hull KR
Salford v Widnes
Quins v Catalans

This would be my preferred choice.

And, on paper, gift Leeds two points at our expense - which could make the difference between finishing in the play-offs or outside? And, I fear if we have another year like last, between survival and oblivion?

1v2 3v4 etc etc but based on the week before, so you only know who you are getting at the last minute.