Catalans ask for Magic Weekend to be played in France

[The Future is League]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/49745356

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Trips to Perpignan, Toronto and a Magic Weekend in France within a nine month period in a predominantly working-class northern sport is farcical. 

[Eddie]

Good idea, people don’t have to go (just like they don’t have to go to Toronto or Catalans away) but thousands would and if they held it somewhere where they already play RL (like Montpellier) it might get bigger crowds than at Anfield and get a lot of extra media attention in both countries, which would be a win. 

The Stade de la Mosson holds 32,500 so would be a perfect size, better than having 20,000 rattling round inside Anfield. 

[Dave T]

19 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Trips to Perpignan, Toronto and a Magic Weekend in France within a nine month period in a predominantly working-class northern sport is farcical. 

Trips to Perpignan, Toronto and a Magic Weekend in France within a nine month period in a predominantly working-class northern sport is exciting. 

[Smudger06]

Stade Mediterranee in Beziers (roughly same distance from either Toulouse or Perpignan) would be a good idea. 

[Tommygilf]

39 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Trips to Perpignan, Toronto and a Magic Weekend in France within a nine month period in a predominantly working-class northern sport is farcical. 

I'm northern and working class and go abroad regularly. 

I suppose football clubs should stop playing in European games should they?

[Oliver Clothesoff]

1 minute ago, Tommygilf said:

I'm northern and working class and go abroad regularly. 

I suppose football clubs should stop playing in European games should they?

Football is a far bigger sport with far bigger resources and far more supporters across the world. 

Comparing Football to Rugby League is like comparing a Ferrari to a clapped out Vauxhall Astra. 

[Tommygilf]

12 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Football is a far bigger sport with far bigger resources and far more supporters across the world. 

Comparing Football to Rugby League is like comparing a Ferrari to a clapped out Vauxhall Astra. 

Doesn't matter what resources the sport has - the club aren't the fans. 

Many travel All over Europe and the UK each week and are as working class as we are. Please stop perpetuating this myth that all RL fans have no money to spend and that travel is expensive.

[barnyia]

I really don't like Beziers, worked around there for a few years ! It's supposed to be getting better though. Toulouse would be a good place, 

[Manx RL]

46 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Trips to Perpignan, Toronto and a Magic Weekend in France within a nine month period in a predominantly working-class northern sport is farcical. 

If this is farcical then the sports socioeconomic profile needs to change.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

11 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Doesn't matter what resources the sport has - the club aren't the fans. 

Many travel All over Europe and the UK each week and are as working class as we are. Please stop perpetuating this myth that all RL fans have no money to spend and that travel is expensive.

Attendances would show that people may or may not have money but aren’t spending it on Rugby League. 

Travel may not be expensive for isolated trips, however when you consider ST’s, a French team already being in the league, potential for a Canadian side and now a European Magic Weekend, it soon adds up. Yes, people can pick and choose however fans are asked a lot of.

[wilsontown]

This is a no brainer, make it happen powers that be.

[Damien]

1 hour ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Trips to Perpignan, Toronto and a Magic Weekend in France within a nine month period in a predominantly working-class northern sport is farcical. 

No one forces you to go, I'm sure plenty of others will.

[Eddie]

1 minute ago, Damien said:

No one forces you to go, I'm sure plenty of others will.

I recall Wigan took c4k to Barcelona, if each team took an average of 3,000 (not unrealistic given how many go to Perpignan) that’s 30,000 (excl Toronto and Catalans), Catalans might take 8,000 so we would need that many other French RL fans and interested locals to turn up to make the gate bigger than we saw at Anfield. 

Magic in France is a great idea, hence it will never happen. 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Isn’t this just one of those articles we see all the time, usually around Magic about it being played abroad that is baseless? Barcelona, New York and now some town in France. 

 

[Tommygilf]

17 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Attendances would show that people may or may not have money but aren’t spending it on Rugby League. 

Travel may not be expensive for isolated trips, however when you consider ST’s, a French team already being in the league, potential for a Canadian side and now a European Magic Weekend, it soon adds up. Yes, people can pick and choose however fans are asked a lot of.

Perhaps that's because what RL currently offers isn't what they want to purchase. A Thursday night in St Helens? A Sunday afternoon in Cas? Even the magic weekend in a stadium which has seen declining attendances since the 4 nations final in 2016. 

RL fans have and will pay for things worthwhile, GB tours, World cups, Catalans trips, Toronto trips, London trips, Magic weekends, Grand finals, even Challenge cups to an extent. I agree fans are asked a lot of, but fans aren't obliged to go to everything. 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

Definitely needs to happen, I would certainly go. Would much rather go to somewhere like marseille, montpellier or toulouse than go to Liverpool. As others have said people don't have to go to everything, i don't go to many events but this would be on my calender! 

[Eddie]

7 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

Definitely needs to happen, I would certainly go. Would much rather go to somewhere like marseille, montpellier or toulouse than go to Liverpool. As others have said people don't have to go to everything, i don't go to many events but this would be on my calender! 

Absolutely, I won’t be going to Anfield next year but I would most definitely go to France. Ok it might mean there are some people who wouldn’t go who would if it was in this country, but so think they’d be more than offset by those doing the opposite. 

[RP London]

21 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Perhaps that's because what RL currently offers isn't what they want to purchase. A Thursday night in St Helens? A Sunday afternoon in Cas? Even the magic weekend in a stadium which has seen declining attendances since the 4 nations final in 2016. 

RL fans have and will pay for things worthwhile, GB tours, World cups, Catalans trips, Toronto trips, London trips, Magic weekends, Grand finals, even Challenge cups to an extent. I agree fans are asked a lot of, but fans aren't obliged to go to everything. 

exactly... as a personal example.. I own a factory... I would, no doubt, be middle class... the people that work for me are working class.. the one thing I know for sure is that I get paid quite a bit more than them... however:

99% of them (certainly the males) are ST holders at either Sheffield United or Sheffield Wednesday. They have at least one of the shirts, new every year, and they travel to away matches (at least half of them). They also, almost to a man, go on more foreign holidays than I do. 

I have looked at the costs of all of these things in the past (out of interest) and I wouldnt want to be forking out for them as not sure exactly where the money would come from to be able to afford it and I know how much more than them I am being paid.. 

the myth that they dont have money to spend is rubbish they do its just they have different priorities... the week to week attendances are because we are not offering what they want to prioritise... its not because they have no cash

[Tommygilf]

4 minutes ago, RP London said:

exactly... as a personal example.. I own a factory... I would, no doubt, be middle class... the people that work for me are working class.. the one thing I know for sure is that I get paid quite a bit more than them... however:

99% of them (certainly the males) are ST holders at either Sheffield United or Sheffield Wednesday. They have at least one of the shirts, new every year, and they travel to away matches (at least half of them). They also, almost to a man, go on more foreign holidays than I do. 

I have looked at the costs of all of these things in the past (out of interest) and I wouldnt want to be forking out for them as not sure exactly where the money would come from to be able to afford it and I know how much more than them I am being paid.. 

the myth that they dont have money to spend is rubbish they do its just they have different priorities... the week to week attendances are because we are not offering what they want to prioritise... its not because they have no cash

Exactly! This is what I'm talking about. People will spend money on things they want to buy. If there was 6 England internationals in Europe every year I'd try my best to go to them all because I love international rugby. If my club went on a pre-season tour of the south of France I'd try go follow them. Do I go to Hunslet or Donny for preseason? no. Am I particularly flush with wealth, no. Perhaps I do have more time on my hands but nevertheless I'd go to things like the above. 

RL probably can't count on the type of fanaticism that Football can, but between an element of that and being able to persuade the rest of the family that a trip to x will be fun and worthwhile people will (and do) spend money. One advantage RL does have when it comes to playing in Europe is that it is relatively safe to take the family, the same cannot be said for all European away days in football.

[Adelaide Tiger]

1 hour ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Football is a far bigger sport with far bigger resources and far more supporters across the world. 

Comparing Football to Rugby League is like comparing a Ferrari to a clapped out Vauxhall Astra. 

What has ‘bigger resources’ got to do with it?

My brother and his mates who live in Castleford went to every Leeds Utd Champions League away game - ok they have saved a lot of money over the last 18 years - so If people want to go, and they can afford it, they will.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

2 minutes ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

What has ‘bigger resources’ got to do with it?

My brother and his mates who live in Castleford went to every Leeds Utd Champions League away game - ok they have saved a lot of money over the last 18 years - so If people want to go, and they can afford it, they will.

There are many reciprocal ticket prices freezes between sides in the Premier League and some clubs put on a certain number of free coaches for away games in the Premier League, thus heavily reducing the cost of attending football and it’s associated costs.   

[Eddie]

7 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

 One advantage RL does have when it comes to playing in Europe is that it is relatively safe to take the family, the same cannot be said for all European away days in football.

That was definitely the case until Wire rocked up in Perpignan this year. 

I know this will get some people frothing with anger but it would be great if the French top flight teams entered the Challenge Cup too (or maybe the 1895 cup), there would be some superb away fixtures - Avignon or Barrow anyone. 

[Eddie]

4 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

There are many reciprocal ticket prices freezes between sides in the Premier League and some clubs put on a certain number of free coaches for away games in the Premier League, thus heavily reducing the cost of attending football and it’s associated costs.   

The majority of cost on an away trip is travel, food and drink; a £10 virtue signalling drop in ticket price won’t heavily reduce the cost of a day out any more than going for a few pre-match pints in wetherspoons instead of another pub would. 

[Cdd]

Barcelona - Nou Camp is the ideal location.

1. Close enough to Perpignan to get 25,000 of them making the trip like they did at the Nou Camp this year.

2. Well known city with loads to do to attract RL fans from the UK to travel for the experience.

3. Tonnes of hotel, flight and travel options. 

 

With the amount of fans fans who would travel over it would also be a huge opportunity for commercial deals with airlines and hotel chains. It could be a huge cash machine for super league.