Anyone know the breakdown?

I.e. I've bought a weekend pass, will that count as two tickets sold?

I'd imagine it's 30k over the 2 days. Not 30k on one day.

It is, so you'd expect approx 20k sold for Saturday, 10k for Sunday based on what's happened in recent years. The East stand is sold out for the Saturday now. Reasonable numbers but not spectacular, and also a worry that pretty much all the accommodation is sold out which may put some off. Anyone know what promotion they are doing in Newcastle itself? Surely they can do something at a Newcastle United home game?

Well, that's just put me off. I hope Newcastle doesn't become a habit, cos I can't see me trailing 300+ miles up there for it. I've happily been to Manchester in the past, and don't mind that, but it's just too far for me now.

Although it's been Manchester for a couple of seasons, Newcastle isn't too far away from the "heartlands" and there are plenty of watering holes to keep the fans happy.
Plus, it may help add some fans in the North East.

It's exactly the type of location that we should be looking for.

I certainly don't begrudge them giving Newcastle a go; you can't please everyone with venue choices, I realise that. I liked it when it was in Cardiff, which is fairly near me, and also cos I think the Millennium Stadium is a cracking venue. And in my view, Wales is a more fertile spot for recruitment than Tyneside. But that may not have pleased fans from the heartlands so much.

We had booked a caravan in Whitley Bay for 6 of us for the weekend only to find out the owner has just sold it on so had no where to stay. Looked last week - The cheapest we could find on offer in newcastle itself was £300 per room per night. We were offered a studio in Gateshead for 5 people for £1022 for two nights

Nothing in newcastle, gateshead, South shields, North shields, Whitley bay, Tynemouth at all for any reasonable price. We've managed to find a hotel in Darlington and will have to get the train in. It's the school holidays - but really!!!!!
A full house isn't going to happen for lack of accommodation. Back to Manchester for me - people can travel in each day.

There isn't really a perfect venue for everyone, while Cardiff isn't far for the Lancashire clubs it's a trek for the fans in Hull and West Yorkshire. Manchester is ideal as its slap bang in the heartlands, but of course that means we aren't promoting ourselves to a new audience.

Is that what this thing is really for?

If so then the jury is out if it's considered a success.

Yes, as I said, you can't please everyone. But jools' sad story upthread convinces me that it's a non-runner for this year for me anyway. My faith in 'promoting ourselves to a new audience' isn't as great as some people's, I think, but we're serious about doing that, then I would have thought the Midlands, which seems to shown quite a spurt of interest in league in recent years (Coventry, Hemel, the All Golds etc) is worthy of a chance.

Sunderland is only 25 min on metro. Durham, Darlington all very close too.

Bit concerned at numbers as walk up won't be that high and it will include tickets sent to clubs.

Eight weeks to go. 30k then 25k a hopeful target.

The lack of accommodation is worrying as those wanting to stay will not want to stay in middles borough as I imagine they will want to go out for a drink so driving or getting transport elsewhere is a bit pointless as you may as well go home once you start talking about travelling 30 mins to and from accommodation.

Coach trips maybe a way to go to get more in.

Hopefully it will be a success although I still think the format would have been better suited for the first games of the super 8's. Meaning an even number of home and away games for the clubs, although it would require moving the dates.

As far as I can see the lower bowl of St James' fits 35k-40k, and some of those won't be sellable as many tickets are unreserved, so surely we can sell the bottom of the ground out for the Saturday at least.

The RFL have got to think of other ways to get round the accommodation issue though, even getting the 11 clubs (excluding Catalan) to fill just 1 coach each gets another 500+ on the gate.

Cardiff is 3 hours away for the Lancashire clubs!

Prices are crazy for accommodation and most seems booked up - I feel it could be killed off by the low crowd.
I am looking for accommodation for 4 - my dad, me and my grown up kids - and we do not want to share beds!!
I cant see anything under £1000. Which is crazy - it would cost more for that game than for all other games put together