We have not seen any figures yet for attendance at Anfield, but the word is going around that they will be disappointing. I am therefore wondering whether the SL clubs have done any market research on possible venues ( I am assuming that it's now SL and not the RFL that carries responsibility for the event). It's standard practice in business to gather information from existing and potential customers. And clubs have websites, Twitter, ST holder lists, club shop purchasers etc etc to at least target a very simple questionnaire ( "score 1-10 on the following venues how likely you are to attend"icon_wink.gif. If this has already been done then my apologies, if not then it would seem we are not simply missing a trick, but not conducting a very professional job of managing Magic Weekend.

We'll see, but it's a bad venue for it. Doesn't have the space outside of a Etihad, the central location with Cardiff or Newcastle, or the novelty of Edinburgh.

There is also the Liverpool FC thing. Hardly any Everton or Man Utd fans would want to go, which covers half of the city and a huge percentage of rugby league fans.

That's doesn't make sense.
So if its Liverpool vs Everton...no Everton fans will go?

Yes it does.

Going to watch your own team is different to watching other games there.

The "Liverpool FC thing" ... I cannot believe this would stop a rugby league supporter attending.

Wire fans are loudest as per usual.

What do Liverpool and Man City fans do when it comes to the Grand Final? Do they all boycott it rather than go to United?

But when we've held it in Edinburgh n Newcastle the main issue from those who complained about the venues was distabde was Anfield is well within travelling distance for lost league fans. I recently recall reading a post about how if its about expansion holding it at areas within the heartland that have no real rugby league presence it was a very valid point Anfield falls into that criteria


And by your logic only manure supporting wire fans attend the grand final?? If your a scouser or mancuniam there maybe a reasoning but both city's are not overflowing with enough rugby fans that the attendance figures being good or bad if they attend or not.

You cannot please everyone and people will have their own ideas on where it should be held or where they would like it to be held.

If we're looking to use it for expansion rather than £££ Barcelona would be a good place to do it

As said, going to watch your own team is different to watching other games there.

I just think it might be a factor. Despite what some rugby league fans believe, you can love (and be tribalistic) about more than one sport.

First day was 30,057 compared to 38,881 at Newcastle last year. Perhaps tomorrow might be a bit higher with Saints treating it as a home game.

Rows of empty seats on TV again. It's passed it's sell by date as a concept. Either let the Hearn's work their magic with a London venue, move it to the RCD Espanol Stadium in Barcelona, or abandon it to history. Embrace change.

Mmm I'm not sure the line up on Sunday will exceed 30,000 - let's see. 4 teams over 75 miles away


Salford Red Devils vs Hull Kingston Rovers
Leeds Rhinos vs London Broncos
St Helens vs Castleford Tigers

Smaller venue? Bolton, Wigan, Elland Road? I'm not sure what this weekend is doing for the sport. It's not positive, the city of Liverpool don't care.

I have no idea what the rationale was for Liverpool. To be honest I don't know what the aim of the weekend is now. It was to be a showcase of the sport played in non RL regions of the UK in keeping with the theme of desperately trying to make it a national sport.

Radio 5 are so enthralled by the showcase they covered Leinster vs Glasgow Warriors FFS.

Disagree, I thought it was a great day.

Well come on you wasn’t really expecting see every seat taken?Probably used to seeing that stadium full when you’ve watched Liverpool so your eyes not used to it being half empty and don’t get this obsession with empty seats.The fans who go seem to enjoy it and the players seem to so can’t see the problem and long may it continue.

Principality Stadium - Cardiff

Take it back to Manchester City.
Make it a home or away fixture...not an extra.
Allow alternating teams to be classed as a home team and that team gets a free entry with the season ticket.

Manchester City was just a whole better round stadium experience with so much more room.

I'd take it to one of the following, Stoke (brittania), Nottingham (City ground), Birmingham (villa Park) or Coventry (ricoh). There's a chance of filling all of those grounds and they have potential for expansion. Coventry would probably be best.

As usual, those who went enjoyed it, and the Wires71s of this world sat at home and moaned. Before suggesting it is moved to a stadium in Catalunya that no Catalan people would wish to visit.

I enjoyed it, but a few niggles. The 917 'Soccer Bus' direct to Anfield didn't start running until 3.30pm, and the signs for it advertsised the [size=150Majic weekend[/size. Coming back, they seemed determined to line up ten buses before letting any one of them go. What was that about?

Never seen so many people on Central Station through, and I've been using it for 50 years...........

Great day enjoyed it..my only gripe was the half ten train was rammed cos a train earlier was cancelled.god knows what the last train was like...and central station was just chaotic... Coach for me next year

We went and all thought it was a God awful decision to host it at Anfield. We like the magic weekend but won't be going next year or if it's at Liverpool.

Location of the ground not central enough
Northern Rail an embarrassment. The trains home were a disgrace as were BTP and their shoulder shrugged attitude.
None of the people of the city we met including the bars and pubs even knew the event was on.
Anfield road end is an absolutely terrible stand

Great day,great stadium really good stewards and staff,just a shame it was not marketed in the city very well if at all. As for transport everyone knows Northern rail is beyond crap.

3 non RL fans came with us and loved it.