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...

No it isn't. Workington to London? Whitehaven to South Wales? Add to the list four more back of beyond places for 2013. Can you imagine the expense involved following a CC1 team from 2013 onwards? But as usual if the RFL deems it is 'for the good of the game' then the loyal fans of existing CC1 teams will just have to lump it.

You could always move to Toulouse . . .

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the soccer people have north and south versions of their 'conference' leagues, which I'd think would be the equivalent, in the sense that they are part-time, of the championship teams. Difficulty for RL would probably be the lack of clubs to make up two regional divisions. It's big price for the Championship teams to pay though.

Workington to Bishop's Stortford, Blyth to Gloucester.. its not far off. Though Bishop's Stortford are in there because of an administrative mess up, Gloucester genuinely are in the northern part of football at that level.

I wouldn't call Northampton the back of beyond either, can't get much more central than that in England!

I don't see how they cant have a northern conference and southern conference could pave way for more teams to join, or RU teams forming RL teams as the competition for places wont be as fierce.

Then the winners of each division have a playoff and they winner of that goes into the championship. Have a money prize depending upon where they finish in the league would be more appetizing for amateur teams to compete.

I also have a sneaking suspicion that the ticket prices will increase now it is going to be in Manchester only due to the face fair amounts of the support wont have to fork out for accommodation.