I've gone for keep and maybe look at Newcastle. Cumbrian Clubs such as Whitehaven, Barrow and Workington are not much more than an hour away and would recieve encouragement watching so many top level games within striking distance of home also Gateshead Thunder just over the Tyne Bridge. Would be good to develop the clubs in this area with a view to future franchiase applications. Scotland is going to offer nothing and is mightily expensive and efforts and Cardiff gave us Celtic Crusaders who promptly moved from South Wales virtually to the English border!!.
St James Park would be a great venue right in the City plenty of accomodation in both Newcastle and over the bridge in Gateshead. Good venues for nights out,eating etc, good transport links and plenty of parking. Closer than either of the other options used so far for most of the teams involved. Those new fans likely to attend are those likely to already have an interest in the game and with luck and good promotions will hopefully bring along friends who don't.
From a selfish point of view, I'd prefer it to be in Cardiff. I absolutely loved it there and the Millennium stadium is a fantastic stadium. It also has a roof which can help if the conditions are poor.
From a rugby league point of view, I'm thinking the magic weekend in it's current form has run it's course.
Cardiff, played at the new ground for Cardiff City and Cardiff Blues...Capacity half that of the millenium stadium and would be full both days. Still very close to the city centre.
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