well, if we're trading frozen wastes trump cards, I was on Hermaness on Friday & the northernmost human in the UK (for about 30 minutes).

(and Antarctica is pretty cool too)

Aspull is pretty cold at this time of year. I drove through there last night.

You want to try to play bowls there your so wrapped up in all winter clothes you cant send your bowls properly.

Tbh I'm glad we're only debating where it could be and what the format of it should be. When it was first announced as Newcastle I thought there was a real possibility we could now be talking about scrapping it.

Whatever format they use and wherever it is, I would definitely look to move it slightly later into the summer and bring the CCF forward to May/June. We know how much the CCF can affect league form and there's no way it should be slap bang in the middle of the Super 8's stage (not that it is going to affect us this year

)

May: Challenge Cup Final
July: Magic Weekend
October: Grand Final

I'm still wildly ambivalent about the whole thing, but if there's any change to be made they should put it on a bank holiday weekend, so people aren't playing pocket billiards with their car keys half way through the Sunday afternoon.

I love the thought that anybody could be "wildly ambivalent"!
I think a venue in the South West would be good for next year.

(I'm just a walking oxymoron

)
Shunting it around the country is what they should do as it [ihas [/ibecome a showcase. But I think it's best to give venues a (say) 3 year run at it & unless they completely screw it up we could well be in a position where cities are actually banging on Red Hall's door for the right to host it (now wouldn't that be a thing?).
Probably a bit early, but anyone got numbers as to what Newcastle has had poured into its coffers this weekend? That's the single most important criterion that will swing things.

Having said that, I'm not sure Penzance would know what hit it if our lot descended en masse

Agreed, the CCF was just fine where it was; moving it to later in the season is bad for interest in the CC itself, and bad for the league too.

I had a fantastic weekend introducing my Sunderland supporting friend to RL who really enjoyed our match. I loved the North East, the night life was good, the scenery beautiful and the people friendly.

But, would I pay quite a bit of money to watch a game in a 2/3rds empty stadium devoid of any atmosphere again if it wasn't a chance to catch up with my friend? Absolutely not. Would I go to a Manchester Magic Weekend again? Probably, as it's nice and cheap.

All that being said, my football supporting friend loved the experience and is planning to get to a Wigan home game against a bigger team this season, so I suppose that makes it worth it.

I enjoyed it as others have said I'd move it to August bank holiday and make it part of the Super 8s (top and middle 8s only obviously). I'd keep moving it around to keep attracting new fans, hopefully that way more people watch the games on tv, thus making us more attractive to sponsors and broadcasters. Plus it's a day out for the majority of clubs who don't tend to make finals or have players running out for England