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Magic Weekend becoming a Nines weekend


Buderus

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I think the Magic Weekend in its current form is trending downwards in terms of intrest. The Auckland Nines has been a huge sucess as all 16 NRL teams play in the shorter format over 2 days. The nines brings a faster, quicker and easier to understand style of footy which appeals to the casual fan. 

 

The tournament can mirror the Auckland Nines in format and played in preason as an excellent way to start the season. It would feature the 12 Super League teams, the top 3 from the Championship and the team representing where the tournamnet is hosted (so for next year Newcastle Thunder). 

 

Whould you guys rather see Magic Weekend become a Nines tournamnent or keep it as it is?

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Two issues:

 

1) Pre-season (February) in the UK doesn't conjure up the same image as the summer sun in Auckland.  You're simply not going to get that warm, feel good party atmosphere (that I imagine you are thinking of with the Auckland 9's) in a cold winter's day in Newcastle.

 

2) I don't understand why you think interest in the Magic Weekend is waning.  Attendances have risen just about every year and I think last year was another record attendance.

 

If it was going to be a nines weekend, it would need to be in summer, and to make the clubs value it then someone would have to come up with a formula that rewards clubs with superleague competition points for doing well in the tournament.

 

Example:

the clubs that win their quarter final get 1 competition point

the clubs that win the semi-finals get 2 competition points

the tournament winner receives 3 competition points

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No.

I can confirm 30+ less sales for Scotland vs Italy at Workington, after this afternoons test purchase for the Tonga match, £7.50 is extremely reasonable, however a £2.50 'delivery' fee for a walk in purchase is beyond taking the mickey, good luck with that, it's cheaper on the telly.

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I think the Magic Weekend in its current form is trending downwards in terms of intrest. The Auckland Nines has been a huge sucess as all 16 NRL teams play in the shorter format over 2 days. The nines brings a faster, quicker and easier to understand style of footy which appeals to the casual fan. 

 

The tournament can mirror the Auckland Nines in format and played in preason as an excellent way to start the season. It would feature the 12 Super League teams, the top 3 from the Championship and the team representing where the tournamnet is hosted (so for next year Newcastle Thunder). 

 

Whould you guys rather see Magic Weekend become a Nines tournamnent or keep it as it is?

I've never been a fan of the MW. At best it is a giddy flip over nothing and at worst it presents year after year an aggregate crowd that is less then the individual fixtures would muster. I would be interested in a 9's competition. It ticks all the boxes in terms of presenting a competition over a weekend rather than just a series of ordinary league games and catches the wind in the same way the 9's comps down under have done. Also it may do some actual good in publicising the game in the most viable way and that is getting it on terrestrial tv. 

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In the Challenge Cup Final, the Super League Grand Final and the Magic Weekend we three firmly established domestic 'events' that attract neutral Rugby League fans and general sports enthusiasts alongside the fans of the participating teams. It is also a time when our sport is elevated above its average media attention levels.

My suggestion would be to leave it as it is.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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In the Challenge Cup Final, the Super League Grand Final and the Magic Weekend we three firmly established domestic 'events' that attract neutral Rugby League fans and general sports enthusiasts alongside the fans of the participating teams. It is also a time when our sport is elevated above its average media attention levels.

My suggestion would be to leave it as it is.

The mode of media attention levels for RL is zero so the elevated levels for the events you name are still scraping the barrel. 

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Without serious money on offer, the Auckland Nines would have been a non-starter, with NRL clubs pulling out or sending weak squads.

 

Get an enthusiastic sponsor on board, willing to commit enough cash to tempt the SL clubs for at least three years and we could have a good Nines weekend in the UK, whether it replaces Magic Weekend or not.

 

It would also be an event that isn't part of the SL season/points table, which means it could be touted around alternative broadcasters. Unless a Murdoch company was the sponsor, of course.

 

But the money needs to be there first.

 

Edit: a women's series (England v France) could be part of the weekend's events, as has happened with the excellent Ferns v Jillaroos matches in Auckland.

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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The mode of media attention levels for RL is zero so the elevated levels for the events you name are still scraping the barrel.

I have come to realise from your posts that you could hardly be described as a 'glass half full' type of person but personally I would prefer not to remove an element of our sport that elevates its national attention levels just because you don't think it elevates them enough.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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I wouldn't replace magic but if a 9s comp was introduced couldn't all teams from all 3 divisions take part?

Based on the Auckland example, 16 teams fit neatly into a 2-day event. Of course you could have more teams over 3 days or over 2 weekends but if you stretched the event to 2 x 12-hour days, you'd risk fan fatigue,IMO.

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Without serious money on offer, the Auckland Nines would have been a non-starter, with NRL clubs pulling out or sending weak squads.

 

Edit: a women's series (England v France) could be part of the weekend's events, as has happened with the excellent Ferns v Jillaroos matches in Auckland.

 

One relevant difference: Auckland Nines was an extra weekend in the schedule. Playing Nines at Magic wouldn't require any extra.

 

On the women's issue, the exposure from the Auckland matches was the biggest boost the women's game has ever had Down Under. To the extent, IMO, that this boost alone justified the Nines tournament.

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I have come to realise from your posts that you could hardly be described as a 'glass half full' type of person but personally I would prefer not to remove an element of our sport that elevates its national attention levels just because you don't think it elevates them enough.

I can't speak for C H Calthrop but the general level of coverage is zero so any upward movement appears good but it isn't really.

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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I can't speak for C H Calthrop but the general level of coverage is zero so any upward movement appears good but it isn't really.

So I will say once again. You advocate removing something that increases our media profile because you don't think it increases it enough?

Can you not see the illogical nature of that argument.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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I honestly believe that some people would rather they could continue to be angry about something they don't like than actually see the situation improve. Bitter anger seems to be the default state for so many people.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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I have come to realise from your posts that you could hardly be described as a 'glass half full' type of person but personally I would prefer not to remove an element of our sport that elevates its national attention levels just because you don't think it elevates them enough.

It is a reinvention of the occasion not a removal. A reinvention that isn't the repackaging of ordinary league games and, as has been proposed, a reinvention that may lead to an actual elevated media profile with a competition that has terrestrial coverage. Actual content, achievement and a stand alone competition rather than something very ordinary comprising mid season derby games and filler fixtures which still fails to attract more than the separate league fixtures would do. and is broadcast to the same Sky audience. Ambition, creation and projection of RL. Forget the glass half full analogy BS actual care about have some achievements that do not require creative ways to announce crowd numbers.

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It is a reinvention of the occasion not a removal. A reinvention that isn't the repackaging of ordinary league games and, as has been proposed, a reinvention that may lead to an actual elevated media profile with a competition that has terrestrial coverage. Actual content, achievement and a stand alone competition rather than something very ordinary comprising mid season derby games and filler fixtures which still fails to attract more than the separate league fixtures would do. and is broadcast to the same Sky audience. Ambition, creation and projection of RL. Forget the glass half full analogy BS actual care about have some achievements that do not require creative ways to announce crowd numbers.

The Magic Weekend is not a way to fiddle crowd numbers, it is a celebration of our sport. And a successful one at that. I have no idea why anyone needs to reinvent it.

Maybe a successful 9's event and the Magic Weekend. Now there's a thought... actually building on success rather than trying to end something that works.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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I'd love Magic Weekend to be turned into a 9's event. I've never had any interest in Magic concept but would defo go if it was a 9's. it would need to be left in he Summer tho to give it the best chance of a warm climate!

16 teams could work well, 12 SL, Championship Winners, League1 Winners & 2 guest teams!

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 The Auckland Nines has been a huge sucess as all 16 NRL teams play in the shorter format over 2 days. 

 

1. 2nd year crowds well down on year one \

2. Ticket prices slashed this year for 2017....

3. Winners of 2016 stripped of title....

4. Bad thread title....Magic is one of the success stories of the recent RL era and if you want a 9's tourney, then make it separate.

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I can understand the desire to replicate something like the Auckland Nines but the idea of scrapping Magic Weekend is absolute lunacy.  As Dunbar has already pointed out this is one of the highlights of the season and boosts our national profile.  We got almost 70,000 at Newcastle to watch rugby league, could a nines do that?  It might do but there's a very good chance it wont.

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I can't speak for C H Calthrop but the general level of coverage is zero so any upward movement appears good but it isn't really.

Well based purely on TV coverage alone you are both wrong. IT has even been broadcast on a FTA channel by sky. Added to this, MW gets more more coverage than regular SL weekends do and then there are also the extra articles due to it being held  in a non-traditional location in a large venue. So the "general level of coverage is zero" is completely ignoring clear evidence to the contrary.

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1. 2nd year crowds well down on year one \

2. Ticket prices slashed this year for 2017....

3. Winners of 2016 stripped of title....

4. Bad thread title....Magic is one of the success stories of the recent RL era and if you want a 9's tourney, then make it separate.

1. The 2nd year of the competition 2015 rained the majority of the two days

2. Hardly slashed, a little cheaper perhaps

3. More of an Eels issue then something to hold against the Tournament

4. It can certainly be introduced without replacing the Magic Weekend but it would be a presence of mine

*Also worth noting the tournament is very popular with the players. Hayne, Thurston and Johnson to name three will all be playing

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