Quote: shinymcshine "It all depends upon what the RL's objective is for holding the Magic Weekend.
If they want it as a promotion tool for expansion then holding it somewhere with a realistic capacity, and sell it as at full price to the local population as a must see event, so Bristol & Coventry would be ideal, each running a 1 day 3 match event.
This could mean that traditional supporters might not be catered for, but might attract a new audience, new sponsors and new thinking, but, unlike the RLWC 2013, it would need to be followed up.
If they want to give the traditional fan base a day out and a festival of RL then just carry on with what they've been doing, but IMHO it doesn't really achieve an awful lot else.'"
I agree, at the moment it nothing more than an event for current RL fans.
A discuss should be had on what the RFL really want to get out of it. If that's what they want, the keep it as it is, if it's for expansion and opening up to new markets, then it needs to be re-thought.
At the moment, the only side that could potentially exploit the MW in Newcastle is the Newcastle Thunder club. other than that, Sky might get a few extra viewers.
I'd much rather games be taken on the road like we see in the NRL, perhaps using the MW as a dedicated on the road weekend? With Championship sides too, we could have 6 double-headers during the weekend.
Take games to the Ricoh in Coventry, run the day in partnership with the Coventry Bears, even have the Bears playing the first game to make it a 3-game event.