You'll be saying RL started before 1996 next.

I fully appreciate that fact and the more interest in the grass roots side of the sport, the better, but is it worth staging such a large high-profile event just to get a few extra people to visit amateur clubs?

Staging the MW in london for example could do wonders for the interest in quins if marketed correctly. As I mentioned before, the same could be said for gateshead (not a SL club btw) in the north east.

My point is that I really can't see the point of going to scotland to promote the sport when there's still so much that can be done in places like london, wales, france and even manchester, who all have professional clubs where the interest can be focussed after the event. Afterall its the top level game that gets kids playing the sport and thus many end up doing so in the amateur game.

The list of places where they could stage the game could be quite long if you use those criteria but no doubt there other factors to consider too....like;
Does Gateshead have enough accommodation to handle 30 - 60k of RL supporters, is there sufficient public transport, is there a stadium available close to a city centre, do they want us there etc etc.

Ditto London - you could of course say that London has more than enough accommodation and oodles of public transport to suport an event like this and it may well work but I can't quite see a venue which ticks the boxes, from a social point of view, as Millenium and Murrayfield did. Wembley? The place is a cr@p-hole and if it wasn't for the tradition of the CC I'd warrant the majority of RL supporters would like to go elsewhere, certainly for MM anyway. Part of the attraction is the social element, where you can stream in and out as you like, to fetch others in, to get a bite ouside or whatever. Wembley has nothing else to offer other than an industrial estate. There are other stadia of course but getting the right size, at a suitable location, is difficult.

There may well be heaps of other desirable alternatives to host this event but how many are viable? Indeed, how many of them want us?! I'd read that there were representatives of two other English cities attending Murrayfield, one of them being Newcastle and I think this is a fantastic coup for the RFL. To create competition for hosting the event is great and promises to create some funding for the game.

No. And it wouldn't be worth staging a high profile event to get a few extra people to visit one SL club or one Championship club either. And if that's why we did it, you'd have a point. But that's not why we do it.

The reason we held Millennium Magic was that Wales and Cardiff paid us to take an event there, to replace the lost cup finals. The reason we moved it is that the WRU didn't deliver on advertising and other support, and Edinburgh and the SRU made us a better offer. It also provides a good 'show piece' event for the the whole RL family. And raises the profile of the game.

Getting locals interested in a) one super league club or b) some amateur clubs or even c) rugby league in general from grass roots to the international game is a nice bonus.

I agree with your points about why the event exists and the benefits it provides, but none of that would be lost if the rfl strategically hosted it in an area that could potentially become a thriving rl community.

If it goes to newcastle for example, marketed correctly, as well as being the show piece event that it is, it could also be a real benefit to gateshead thunder if it generates some serious interest in the game up there. That would be the 'nice bonus' you mentioned, so why not try and do it as there'd be nothing to lose?

If Newcastle make a better offer in 2011 than Edinburgh or Cardiff or anywhere else, I'd have no problem at all with them hosting it (though I'm not sure how those moaning about Murrayfield being a half hour walk from the City Centre would cope with the trek between St James Park and the Quayside)

Or how NUFC would see seven games on their pitch at the sharp end of the football season.

It didn't rain though.

If they're in the championship by then their season will be over by then

Exactly what I was thinking. If this came about, they'd have to have it on the second bank-holiday weekend to not interfere, which would be a bit risky having competition with the FL play-off finals. Would be a lot closer though, which could get a few more people going.

All circumstantial though at the moment.

just my two pence worth.

i don't think the event works
i would like to see a 9s event held over the weekend with the 14 SL sides and 2 guest sides .
the first day could compromise of 4 groups with a round robin format .

on the 2nd day the top 2 clubs from each group battle for the cup , the bottom 2 from each group battle for a plate.

it would create interest for all clubs on both days and also provide clubs outside the big 4/5 a chance of silverware

Must be something in the air as I had exactly the same idea this morning.

I've been the last two years and enjoyed them both. I think it does work and will only get better with persistence.

A 9's competition involving all SL clubs, the current top NL club and a guest RU club.

First round fixtures drawn the weekend before and all played on the opening day with 15 mins each half. This will ensure that the brand of Rugby is fast and exciting, the players aren't been overplayed and finally that all clubs fans will be in or around the stadium boosting the attendance.

Second day would see all final rounds with the Semi, quarters & finals all 20 mins each half. Again due to the fact that finalists would be unknown most people would book for the weekend and attend the finals.

how many people would travel to Edinburgh or cardiff to watch a nines competition. Even if it was a bit of a jolly there would be no atmosphere as the games would have no meaning.

How many turned up to the Carnegie nines.

No-one is saying the event couldn't be made better, but it is now our third biggest event and the biggest exposure RL gets CC Final aside, and the vast majority of fans and people reporting on it seem to like it. Criticism is one thing, but how does it "not work"? With respect, it's absurd to say that.

I'm afraid that what deffo would "not work" is some meaningless nines comp. You'd be lucky if you got 1000 in the ground, and Edinburgh, or anyone, wouldn't give the RFL tuppence for it.

Quite. Some people seem to be confusing 'I don't want to go to it' with 'It shouldn't take place. Enough people do go to make it worthwhile. And you just now Union will be robbing the idea sooner rather than later...

My constuctive idea - some sort of banners or standards for the fans of each of the clubs to congregate around as their game approaches. Not suggesting segregation, but it might aid the atmosphere to help those who want to sit and cheer on their side to fnd each other. I realise clubs have blocks, but this seemed to break down at Cardiff and I wonder how it was in Edinburgh.