Idea for Magic Weekend

[jim_57]

Just had an idea I thought I'd throw out there for the Magic Weekend next year.

Instead of 7 Super League games maybe the RFL should put on the WCC so there actually something on the line against (arguably) the world's top two club teams.

Here's how it would work, Catalans don't play at Millenium, instead they play a team closer to home in a French "Magic Weekend". This would open if up for the winner of SL 2010 to play the NRL champs at Millenium stadium as the main event game on either Saturday or Sunday night. If done correctly it could be massive IMO.

So something like this (Leeds are Champions in this example):

Millenium Magic - Cardiff

Friday: 8pm - South Wales Scorpions home game

Saturday: 2pm - Wigan V Saint Helens (Start off with a bang)

4pm - Salford V Harlequins

6pm - Bradford V Huddersfield

8pm - Crusaders V Warrington ("Home" team to headline the first night)

Sunday: 3pm - Castleford V Wakefield

5pm - Hull FC V Hull KR

7pm - Leeds V Titans WCC

"Mediteranean Magic" - Barcelona (hopefully with the support of FCB)

Sunday: 4pm - Elite 1 Champions V Lord Derby Cup Champions

6pm - Catalonia or FC Barcelona V ??? (idea's?)

8pm - Catalans V Toulouse

The French one is a bit sketchy so feel free to offer ideas to improve it.

Thoughts?

[hindle xiii]

When would Leeds play Catalans for the third time though?

There are Super League points on offer for these fixtures.

[jim_57]

When would Leeds play Catalans for the third time though?

There are Super League points on offer for these fixtures.

I'm sure they could find a vacant weekend sometime, when I'm not exactly sure because both could go deep into the Challenge Cup and playing it before the season kind of defies the point. In an ideal situation they could work it into a Euro Championship (between Wales, England and France) and have them play when England play Wales. Another idea entirely though and don't want to change the course of this thread so early.

[East Coast Tiger]

It's not a terrible idea. As long as the timing works. The Catalans v champions game could be played at some other time, just like the WCC game interupts things at the moment. I think it would make the event much better.

The only problem is, it rolls two quiet big events on the celandar into one. So it might not really maximise profits and promotion of the game.

[BulldogBurt]

It's not a terrible idea. As long as the timing works. The Catalans v champions game could be played at some other time, just like the WCC game interupts things at the moment. I think it would make the event much better.

The only problem is, it rolls two quiet big events on the celandar into one. So it might not really maximise profits and promotion of the game.

I agree with parts of that as there would obviously be an overlap of people who would normally attend both, but I actually think it would add many positives as it may introduce MM and WCC to an audience who wouldn't normally witness it either live. It would also give local neutrals an added incentive to attend the event.

Not sure how Cats would feel about being left out of the event, maybe keep them in and have a Crusaders v Scorpions curtain raiser on the Friday night?

[jannerboyuk]

I thinks its a pretty good initial idea. Just depends on how much money the rfl make from a standalone wcc. My only dream is that we have a wcc with the usual cracking, brutal game with 30k and is not moaned about about by the "whats the point" crowd.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Not too bad an idea, but like has been mentioned, the problem would be when the SL champions would play Catalans in the extra game (and where).

Would certainly make the weekend a lot more interesting.

This would work well if SL was 15 teams (the 15th team being the SL champions, and they'd play the NRL champions that weekend so everyone is involved).

Edited August 18, 2010 by Wellsy4HullFC

[jim_57]

It's not a terrible idea. As long as the timing works. The Catalans v champions game could be played at some other time, just like the WCC game interupts things at the moment. I think it would make the event much better.

The only problem is, it rolls two quiet big events on the celandar into one. So it might not really maximise profits and promotion of the game.

That would be the sticking point, it might not be possible to have the WCC at Millenium without missing out on a bit of money. Although if marketed correctly you'd hope it would add 15-20,000 to the attendence figure.