: Mon May 04, 2009 8:27 pm  

Dave T wrote:

I've got an idea. If you don't want to go. Don't.

If you don't like seeing empty seats. Don't watch.

The Magic Weekend is a great festival of Rugby League, so if you are not interested, fine, but leave it to those who do want to go and enjoy it.

I've been to all 3 so far and loved them all. I will be going again next year.

Considering the recession, I thought the crowd figures were excellent, and must have been on target.
One of the reasons that there were plenty of empty seats on show was due to the facilities, as plenty of people were sunbathing in the grounds of the stadium, just picking and choosing which games they watch, rather like a music fesitval.

As for people saying it attracted less than for a normal round, that may be true, but a normal round doesn't attract anywhere near as much publicity as this event. Sky showed all 7 games live this weekend, which is 3 weeks worth of coverage in one go.

The event also got a lot more newspaper coverage than a normal week of fixtures, including an eight page pullout in Scotlands biggest paper.

The crowd has been around 60k for the past three years, so I'm not sure why people are suddenly picking up on this now, as though we were suddenly gonna increase it to 40k in the current climate.

Don't get me wrong on this i enjoy the rugby and i like the concept but the RFL aren't doing enough who (of a rugby league persuasion) wouldn't enjoy all this rugby
but
it isn't the rugby people we are trying to impress though really is it ? it's the new people, the neutrals. The rugby yawnion guys must be creaming themselves at this because it looked embarrassing. a so called big event that couldn't even fill half the stadium.
Lets not put our heads in the sand just because we personally enjoyed it.

: Mon May 04, 2009 8:35 pm  

Wire_Yed_79 wrote: Don't get me wrong on this i enjoy the rugby and i like the concept but the RFL aren't doing enough who (of a rugby league persuasion) wouldn't enjoy all this rugby but it isn't the rugby people we are trying to impress though really is it ? it's the new people, the neutrals. The rugby yawnion guys must be creaming themselves at this because it looked embarrassing. a so called big event that couldn't even fill half the stadium. Lets not put our heads in the sand just because we personally enjoyed it. Edinburgh Rugby Union team play in Murrayfield with crowds of 2-5k. There were around 6k local tickets sold. People are not stupid, they will have enjoyed it for what it was. From what I saw and heard, the Scottish fans seemed to be lapping it up, and it will be publicised that this event attracted 60k. Here is an article from the Scotsman, which shows what some non-RL followers think. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport/M ... 5231072.jp

Wire_Yed_79 wrote: Don't get me wrong on this i enjoy the rugby and i like the concept but the RFL aren't doing enough who (of a rugby league persuasion) wouldn't enjoy all this rugby but it isn't the rugby people we are trying to impress though really is it ? it's the new people, the neutrals. The rugby yawnion guys must be creaming themselves at this because it looked embarrassing. a so called big event that couldn't even fill half the stadium. Lets not put our heads in the sand just because we personally enjoyed it. Edinburgh Rugby Union team play in Murrayfield with crowds of 2-5k. There were around 6k local tickets sold. People are not stupid, they will have enjoyed it for what it was. From what I saw and heard, the Scottish fans seemed to be lapping it up, and it will be publicised that this event attracted 60k. Here is an article from the Scotsman, which shows what some non-RL followers think. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport/M ... 5231072.jp

: Mon May 04, 2009 8:40 pm  

Wire_Yed_79 wrote:

it isn't the rugby people we are trying to impress though really is it ? it's the new people, the neutrals. The rugby yawnion guys must be creaming themselves at this because it looked embarrassing. a so called big event that couldn't even fill half the stadium.
Lets not put our heads in the sand just because we personally enjoyed it.

It's no embarrassing. Perhaps we should move the quiet games back to wilderspool. Full stadiums don't mean successful games.
RFL and Super league only get two games a year where it attracts decent crowds worth mentioning.

So what it's only 60 k over the two days, but will be more in coming years, especially once the economy starts to recover. If we add all the teams away suppport up, you wouldn't get 60,000.

: Mon May 04, 2009 8:44 pm  

Wire On The Telly wrote:

It's no embarrassing. Perhaps we should move the quiet games back to wilderspool. Full stadiums don't mean successful games.
RFL and Super league only get two games a year where it attracts decent crowds worth mentioning.

So what it's only 60 k over the two days, but will be more in coming years, especially once the economy starts to recover. If we add all the teams away suppport up, you wouldn't get 60,000.

Agreed. If you look at team's away support, generally they all take more to the Magic Weekend than a 'normal' game.

There were a couple of hundred at Odsal a few weeks back where it would have cost around £30 per person, whereas we had a good couple of thousand in Edinburgh at a much higher cost. There is plenty of interest.

: Mon May 04, 2009 8:52 pm  

Dave T wrote: Edinburgh Rugby Union team play in Murrayfield with crowds of 2-5k. There were around 6k local tickets sold. People are not stupid, they will have enjoyed it for what it was. From what I saw and heard, the Scottish fans seemed to be lapping it up, and it will be publicised that this event attracted 60k. Here is an article from the Scotsman, which shows what some non-RL followers think. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport/M ... 5231072.jp RFL in 'successful tournament statement shocker'

Dave T wrote: Edinburgh Rugby Union team play in Murrayfield with crowds of 2-5k. There were around 6k local tickets sold. People are not stupid, they will have enjoyed it for what it was. From what I saw and heard, the Scottish fans seemed to be lapping it up, and it will be publicised that this event attracted 60k. Here is an article from the Scotsman, which shows what some non-RL followers think. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport/M ... 5231072.jp RFL in 'successful tournament statement shocker'

: Mon May 04, 2009 8:59 pm  

Wire_Yed_79 wrote:

RFL in 'successful tournament statement shocker'

It was more the journalist's comments I was referring to, in a newspaper that hasn't always been supportive of League.

: Mon May 04, 2009 9:42 pm  

For all the talk of attendance levels being around 60,000 people over the weekend, the true figure is cosiderably less due to a pecentage watching both days, it is still a great day out for the rugby league family, 6000 local tickets? advertising was even carried out to scottish premiership football clubs, such as Kilmarnock.I still met local folk who asked what was going on? i don,t forsee much progress with neutral support within Union strongholds, a rethink of venues by the RFL may do the trick. Still a fabulous weekend for all supporters of our great game!

: Mon May 04, 2009 9:51 pm  

LA Badlands Wire wrote:

For all the talk of attendance levels being around 60,000 people over the weekend, the true figure is cosiderably less due to a pecentage watching both days, it is still a great day out for the rugby league family, 6000 local tickets? advertising was even carried out to scottish premiership football clubs, such as Kilmarnock.I still met local folk who asked what was going on? i don,t forsee much progress with neutral support within Union strongholds, a rethink of venues by the RFL may do the trick. Still a fabulous weekend for all supporters of our great game!

people keep saying this "union strongholds", so what shall the RFL do give up because the whole of England is a football stronghold

: Mon May 04, 2009 10:06 pm  

Who are ya!! wrote:

people keep saying this "union strongholds", so what shall the RFL do give up because the whole of England is a football stronghold

IMO its easier to get an english football supporter to watch and appreciate rugby league and even attend matches in the summer offf season than iit is to get a staunch union fan to buy a ticket, never suggested the RFL should give up, the game is being played in far more places at grass root level than any other developing sport away from football.