Would probably be better to play some BIG games elsewhere as the extra match. Say over 3 weekends in the year play a big game like Wigan v Saints or Leeds v Bradford somewhere with another game as the curtain raiser like Wakefield V Salford or Castleford V Catalans.

Players and coaches alike have moaned for a few years now about the amount of games played. The magic weekend seems the perfect opportunity to reduce the SL season by a game. 26 rounds and an extra week to prepare for the end of season internationals, makes sense to me. Mind you, with Steve McNamara in charge 10 years wouldn't be enough time to prepare.

Rfl need to look at staging the competition in a smaller venue so it does not look so stupid on television,there is no way i would sit and watch 4 games of rugby straight after each other,once my team has played i would most likely go and find the nearest pub,a ground like Bolton (Reebok) or DW stadium would be perfect but the hotel situation could be a problem !!!!

How about just increase super league to 16 teams and have a radical idea of one up one down.....just a daft idea but you never know it might work



All these people in favour of this magic weekend please explain to me why I need to travel hundreds of miles pay hundreds of pounds[to visit a third world nation,you'll know what I mean if you have been there when I can sprall out out on my couch a couple of cans by my side and watch on a large screen in hd?????

Flatcap couch loving tv fan

Because that would be silly.

Those same people across the country have no more opportunity of watching the game in Edinburgh as they have in Wakefield. The thousands of empty seats at Murrayfield, a place where we have been taking the game for nigh on a decade, suggest to me the natives are not too bothered about the game but if the local Tourist Board want to give the game £1m (a claim I have not seen a link for yet) then yes, lets whore our backside to the nearest moneypig.

You could beam the games across the world, anyone tuning in could be easily forgiven for thinking 'what is this minority sport I have not seen before being played in an empty stadium? It cannot be much good if no bugger else is watching it'

I'd prefer the opening round to be played across the country, on the road as it was, Plymouth, Coventry, Wolverhampton, yes Cardiff and Edinburgh too, but at least use stadia we've got half a chance of filling, even if its thousands of schoolkids on freebies.

If the RFL were to keep the magic weekend, why not have it on the final bank holiday in May to avoid clashes with the PL football season and play it at the City of Manchseter satdium? Easy access, smaller stadium and plenty of hotels. Or just scrap it like i said before.

I think the Football League Playoff finals are on the Bank Holiday weekend at the end of May aren't they? In which case SKY won't want Magic Weekend then (and obviously they schedule the RFL calendar).

I agree with the point above about not wanting to sit and watch 4 games back-to-back so think it would be good to have a 'fan-zone' outside whichever ground it's at - this would provide extra entertainment, a chance to make more money, etc. A bit like the family fun-days at the Reebok for anyone that's been to one, but on a much bigger scale.

I also agree with the venue issue - Scotland is a dead horse that we need to stop flogging but there other non-heartland areas where RL is becoming increasingly popular (eg. Cov) that would benefit from such an event. Several such areas also boast smaller stadiums that we would have far more chance of filling.

I definitely agree with putting more attractive games (quite probably derbies) on that weekend, and with the idea of giving freebies out to local schools, etc. I also think the idea of having it as a 'season opener' could work well too.

I can understand the "why don't we just scrap it" arguement too, but don't feel the sport can afford to lose such a showpiece occasion when we have so few.

I am in favour of a magic weekend, hopefully there will be people who ahve seen teamst they might just go and see live in the future. As for numbers maybe the recession has had an effect, also are Sky's viewing figures up?

The problem being the uptake on fans in Edinburgh following Leeds or Saints (or any other SL team) is going to be very very small.

For me scrap it altogether for a few years as its a tired format sliding a little.

Put Warrington v W!gan on in Swansea but have South Wales v AN Other as the curtain raiser.

Leeds v Bradford in Derby with Sheffield v AN Other as the curtain raiser.

Hull v Hull KR in Newcastle with Gateshead v AN Other as the curtain raiser.

3 guarenteed good gates that also involve teams local people will have heard of and also a chance to see a local team in action they have probably never heard of in case they want to carry on that interest in the game (with the emphasis on these fixtures being get in touch / come down and see your local RL team).

A telling point you make is at the end.
I suppose the question is do the people that pay all the money and effectively own the game view a sp(ish)stadium as success or a decent TV figures as success.

If "spreading the word" is one of the main factors driving the so called Magic Weekend then why not try a little closer to home now that Scotland has been shown as lower than expected (by the rfl) turn out from locals. Surely there are venues that could be used better in say Liverpool or Birmingham or even Manchester for that matter.I am sure those venues would have the infrastructure to be able to entertain people during and between games, whilst also being able to accomodate people who stay for the whole weekend. I just think their is more chance of building fans by gradualy moving out from our tradional borders. It surprises me that there is no RL so to speak of in Liverpool or the Midlands or Manchester (save Salford) .

This is an extra fixture though. They still have the 15000+ fixture that you say. Its a 'bonus' which a lot of people seem to enjoy. If leigh were in SL i'd love to spend a weekend watching rugby. However it should go back to cardiff and derbies.

In 6 years when Basil has lead us to glory I would love to spend a weekend in Cardiff Watching:

Wigan V Saints
Hull V Hull KR
Leeds V Bradford
Leigh V Salford
Cas V Wakey
Widnes V Wire
Cats V Crusaders
Huddersfield V Halifax

The idea is fantastic, so far the execution has been poor.

I'm sure its a great weekend on the lash for those who go, but I doubt that was top of the priority list for the RFL's when they introduced it.



Toulouse is a good drink too but I'm not sure I'll be dancing in the streets if they get a nod over us next time round.