I don't understand the purpose of a magic weekend in Edinburgh.
Or Dublin, or anywhere that isn't at least a seed-bed for growing Rugby League.

Does it bring people to see games that otherwise wouldn't? I doubt it.
Does it stop some people from going, who otherwise would? Yes.

Nothing against places such as Edinburgh, it's a lovely weekend away ... but what is the RFL's actual purpose for the Magic Weekend?

To increase the media profile of the sport by creating another "event" to go alongside the Challenge Cup Final and Grand Final.

To spread the gospel to non-traditional areas and attract new fans to the game.

On the first point it fails spectacularly (Saturday didn't even get a mention on the BBC late evening news sports section). On the second part of the reason it was pulled from Cardiff is that targets for ticket sales to locals weren't being met. Not convinced they are much better in Edinburgh from anecdotal evidence.

If it's not achieving either of those goals then it has no need to exist.

Maybe it needs a bit of a rebranding to pull in the punters, how about "We all hate Leeds scum, we hate rharnos weekend?" its all we heard all weekend, so its already got a chance of spreading by word of mouth.

As said by a fair few, it is a good idea, but it does need to be looked at.

The location being the key, and I feel the midlands is the best choice Personally, I feel there is interest there from the people I know who are from the midland. The survey I did a while back actually showed that a fair few people in the midlands who follow rugby union also follow rugby league, and I feel hosting this at the City Ground in Nottingham will show the grounds full the majority of times. It is accessable to most supporters from the heartland where the sport is supported, and I feel it could be a success.


The RFL are known for being brave (but often claimed 'stupid' by some), and I feel something brave needs to happen for this concept to even be considered for next year imo.

And it has Hooters right near it.....winner!

A weekend in Nottingham kind of doesn't have the same appeal does it?

See above reply re: HOOTERS

But is a lot easier to get to, if you only want to go for the day ....

Isn't the Spring Bank weekend when the football play-off finals are held ?

Fantastic isn't it ?

I remember when our club used to be laughed out of court .... I'm with Millwall on this one : "No one likes us ... We don't care"

All those bitter, bitter Wakefield fans on Saturday night and having to choke on their beer for the rest of the evening. The 'best' they could come up with is a 'Melbourne' jibe (a team that needed to cheat to beat us).

The problem is with holding the game at Old Trafford is that Sir Alex Taggart hates anyone but his beloved Man U setting foot on the pitch and the only reason the GF is held there is that the RFL pays big bucks to the Reds to do so.

Remember when they had the World Cup Final there in October 2000 ? Taggart was still blaming League for a defeat about eight weeks later.

As an alternative Scottish Magic Weekend venue ... May I cordially suggest https://www.scottishfootballleague.com/res/images/photos/SFL/SFLClubStadium/Ochielview%20Park.jpg" >

Ochilview Park - Stenhousemuir

It boasts the following great features :

- A bus service to Falkirk (which occasionally goes after 6pm on Sundays)

- A Premier Inn, so teams can be accomodated in comfort

- The Highland Toffee Factory next door

- Several branches of Greggs, so you need never go hungry.

- A Bank Of Scotland cash machine

- A world class stadium that can hold over 3500 fans

- Interesting roundabouts

- Keith Chegwin's never been there

So come on RFL, next magic weekend, why not give Stenhousemuir a go ?

Given the parochial nature of our sport, how big is the market to sit and watch SIX other games featuring teams you spent 99% of the rest of the time hating ?

Is there that big a 'casual' market for a round of ordinary league matches (especially, as CGH has pointed out, most of that time you're spent freezing your extremities off or suffering from cramp in the seats) ?

Haven't a clue mate - their fekkin' season seems to last forever.