So who's going , and who's watching it on the ' box '

[JohnM]

1 minute ago, JohnM said:

Says the member of SAGE.  The risk is still high and you should respect those who choose to reduce the risk to themselves and others. It only takes one secret or public (see https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-58440700.amp)  antivaxxer to spoil things for us all. 

 

[whatmichaelsays]

5 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

I know it's not the BBC's job to cheerlead for rugby league, especially when they're not covering the event (unless there's any highlights?), but I do think it's a problem when there's absolutely no mention of the event (as I type this, at least) on the rugby league section, let alone the main sports home page.

Surely there ought to be a 'Teams gearing up for Magic weekend' type article on there? There's got to be some story that they could run with/be given by the RL press department.

Is someone trying to get fit in time to play? Is there a match that will affect the title? Is there a story about the crowds and covid? Just some angle to get the event in the news. Magic is quite a big event, and yet from the sports pages, you wouldn't even know it was taking place.

 

That's up to the sport to feed the media machine. Provide angles, offer quotes, make players and coaches available for interview, provide video content.... 

There are fewer sports journalists around and even less focused purely on RL. The ones that are around are being measured on clicks, time on page and social media shares, so they focus on what will earn that. If RL wants the BBC (or any media) to cover RL, it needs to make it easier for what few journalists there are to cover RL. We have 12 Super League clubs. That's 12 media and PR managers who should be doing that job. 

Has there even been a press event in Newcastle this year?

Edited September 3, 2021 by whatmichaelsays

[GUBRATS]

Some interesting comments 

I had a wedding ( my son's ) last weekend so I'd have missed in that case , as regards covid , you can catch and spread vacced or not , it is an event , in truth the biggest we have , would I be going if the club I support wasn't playing ? No , although I was hoping the bash would have been on , as I did want to go to that as a neutral ( just to stand with the Fev fans when they lost ) 

Not good to hear it hasn't had any promotion

I'll be taking in the Saints v Cats on Saturday , then Wire v Pies ( the Leythers are in with the Wiganers ) before building up to the main event last game against HKR 

And as I said ' Rex ' is staying at home this time 

Edited September 3, 2021 by GUBRATS

[jacksy]

7 hours ago, Saint 1 said:

Would like to go but unfortunately my amateur club has a game. Expect there's quite a few in the same boat!

why does a game that struggles for big crowds and big occasions etc...allow amateur and other programmes to go ahead on its big days?

Edited September 3, 2021 by jacksy

[Saint 1]

21 minutes ago, jacksy said:

why does a game that struggles for big crowds and big occasions etc...allow amateur and other programmes to go ahead on its big days?

To be fair, the amateur leagues get the bank holiday weekends off usually, which is a very sensible approach. Normally this means Magic Weekend is a free weekend, it's just this year it isn't. It also means clubs have just had a weekend off, and 2 weekends off in a row would impact the flow of the season a bit.

[johnh1]

Watching on the box. But I do live 4000 km from Newcastle.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Finances prevent me from going this year. Would love to go. Went to the first 6 Magic Weekends (full ticket) but only done the odd day since. 

Gutted. Will watch on the Tele box.

[GUBRATS]

23 minutes ago, johnh1 said:

Watching on the box. But I do live 4000 km from Newcastle.

Excuses , excuses ,excuses

[John Rhino]

Two tickets arrived in the post on Saturday. That's all, just two tickets!

Thank you Rhinos, I assume it was you but not this year I'm afraid. Not at my age.  But I have been to every one so can't complain  

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

I wish I was. The last one at Anfield was good

Can't convince any mates to go to Newcastle as just too far to drive for one night 

I'll watch most of games though. Looking forward to maybe seeing Cats get the shield - think they'll present it at the Brutus if they do

Really going to make the weekend having all games on tv

[Leyther_Matt]

11 hours ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

To be honest, I think it is just a glorified p***-up

After the season we’ve had, that’s the only reason I’m going!

[Eddie]

I’m working (and live five or six hours away) so tv where possible for me, looking forward to it though, until my kids start moaning about wanting something else on (such as The Goonies in which case they’ll be in luck).  Not sure if it was planned but it’s good that it’s an international weekend in football so less competition for viewers. 

[Eddie]

7 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

After the season we’ve had, that’s the only reason I’m going!

And what better reason is there. 

[GUBRATS]

8 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

After the season we’ve had, that’s the only reason I’m going!

I'll not be touching a drop

[GUBRATS]

So given some of the responses on here I hope we don't see loads of criticism of the attendance

Be setting off in about an hour , so will be incommunicado on here untill Monday , hope everybody attending enjoys themselves safely and behaves themselves and of course Leigh win

[Johnoco]

I went to the first few for both days and it was a real must attend event with me and a couple of friends. But as they’ve moved away or had kids it sort of drifted into a day only..and for the last few years not at all. 
But to those who are attending, don’t listen to the moaners and enjoy it.

I am disappointed to hear there is low promotion going on though. I was in Newcastle in June and was hoping to see some sort of promotion even then but didn’t. But I expected they would ramp it up a bit before now, apparently not.

[Harry Stottle]

22 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

I will watch St Helens v Catalans on Saturday and (on a delay due to the F1 GP) Warrington v Wigan on Sunday.

 

 

Each to their own big lad, but F1?

Some people say they would sooner watch paint dry, I will go one better and say I would sooner do the painting!

[HawkMan]

I'll be watching Leeds/Hull today and Wigan/Wire tomorrow,  then sorry but it's the footy at 5 England vs Andorra,  we'll it is a WC qualifying game. Might be a slight drop off in viewers for the 5.30 Magic match. Who's playing then ? Oh no, it's Leigh!! Conspiracy Conspiracy!

[my missus]

not going because i booked with shearings who went bust and refuse to pay my money back even though they are back in business now i had given up on getting my money back for the tickets i bought but then they turned up in the post on saturday far to late to sort any transport or hotel out.

[meast]

23 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

I know it's not the BBC's job to cheerlead for rugby league, especially when they're not covering the event (unless there's any highlights?), but I do think it's a problem when there's absolutely no mention of the event (as I type this, at least) on the rugby league section, let alone the main sports home page.

Surely there ought to be a 'Teams gearing up for Magic weekend' type article on there? There's got to be some story that they could run with/be given by the RL press department.

Is someone trying to get fit in time to play? Is there a match that will affect the title? Is there a story about the crowds and covid? Just some angle to get the event in the news. Magic is quite a big event, and yet from the sports pages, you wouldn't even know it was taking place.

 

Media exposure has to be led by the clubs, if the clubs can't be bothered to promote the game then why should BBC, SKY, journalists etc be required to do the same?

We are a small time declining sport because the clubs/game have neglected to promote the sport, the term 'rugby' being hijacked is the prime example.

 

As for the weekend, I'm not going, may watch our game, but such is my declining interest in 80 minutes of wrestling, that I doubt I'll watch much of it

[Jeff Stein]

There are other games on today apart from Skolars?

[Bearman]

I am afraid the "Magic" weekend is a perfect example of how rugby league has lost its plot 14 years ago it seemed a good idea.

Let us full a big stadium in a big non rugby league city, on a summer afternoon. Push it for all its worth and the buzz from all the hordes of visiting fans will also tempt the locals who will then fall love in our game. We will make an "event"...what could possibly go wrong?

Well of course from day one it was evident that the hordes that did come were mostly only interested in supporting their own club. That lead to big gaps in the terraces which spoiled the illusion of a "must see" spectacle in a vibrant stadium. To some extant at some of the venues that didn't matter as the "party" was going on outside the stadium ( a bit like the party in the car park at Twickenham).

So, from the first Magic Event it was clear there were problems. The powers that be divided it was worth while giving it a chance. They where right it was. Just needed a bit of tweaking.

The problem of the fans leaving after their game was never going to change. It just needed to ensure that there was a party  atmosphere around the stadium. Edinburgh 's Murrayfield was to far from the city centre, ditto both Enfield and the Etihead. Cardiff and Newcastle should have been chosen.

The weekend should have been given a stand alone fixture allowing the non Super league fans to attend. How many don't go because their team has a regular fixture on one of the days?

SKY who have a vested interest in making it a spectacle so that those that cannot attend would be glued to their tv's should have been told THEY must do better. We have given them the monopoly. Unfortunately with that power we ceded our bargaining rights and have also shown them that we didn't have the gonads to ever stand up to them.

So it was clear from some years ago that it wasn't working and as per usual, instead of either fixing it or even stopping it altogether we let it wither away or embarrass ourselves with this tacky gimmick that no one cares about.

 

 

Edited September 4, 2021 by Bearman
Sp

[OriginalMrC]

22 minutes ago, Bearman said:

I am afraid the "Magic" weekend is a perfect example of how rugby league has lost its plot 14 years ago it seemed a good idea.

Let us full a big stadium in a big non rugby league city, on a summer afternoon. Push it for all its worth and the buzz from all the hordes of visiting fans will also tempt the locals who will then fall love in our game. We will make an "event"...what could possibly go wrong?

Well of course from day one it was evident that the hordes that did come were mostly only interested in supporting their own club. That lead to big gaps in the terraces which spoiled the illusion of a "must see" spectacle in a vibrant stadium. To some extant at some of the venues that didn't matter as the "party" was going on outside the stadium ( a bit like the party in the car park at Twickenham).

So, from the first Magic Event it was clear there were problems. The powers that be divided it was worth while giving it a chance. They where right it was. Just needed a bit of tweaking.

The problem of the fans leaving after their game was never going to change. It just needed to ensure that there was a party  atmosphere around the stadium. Edinburgh 's Murrayfield was to far from the city centre, ditto both Enfield and the Etihead. Cardiff and Newcastle should have been chosen.

The weekend should have been given a stand alone fixture allowing the non Super league fans to attend. How many don't go because their team has a regular fixture on one of the days?

SKY who have a vested interest in making it a spectacle so that those that cannot attend would be glued to their tv's should have been told THEY must do better. We have given them the monopoly. Unfortunately with that power we ceded our bargaining rights and have also shown them that we didn't have the gonads to ever stand up to them.

So it was clear from some years ago that it wasn't working and as per usual, instead of either fixing it or even stopping it altogether we let it wither away or embarrass ourselves with this tacky gimmick that no one cares about.

 

 

Couldn't agree more. I've tried to persuade non RL to go up for a weekend but it's not enough of an event for them. Yes the rugby should be central but they really need to do more to pull in casual fans. Am currently watching Saints vs a Catalans which should have been the highlight of the weekend in a half empty stadium 

[Leyther_Matt]

3 hours ago, Bearman said:

Edinburgh 's Murrayfield was to far from the city centre, ditto both Enfield and the Etihead. Cardiff and Newcastle should have been chosen.

Bit harsh on the Etihad there as I think that was the best of the lot in terms of creating a buzz immediately around the stadium and giving people enough of a reason to stick around and dip in and out between the stadium and the fan zone rather than watching their own team then buggering off to the city centre. 

[ATLANTISMAN]

Sadly its dead as the DODO and for attracting new sponsors its totally negative MM has to go complete waste of time and an embarrassment for our great sport.

Get rid it it.

 

P 

Edited September 4, 2021 by ATLANTISMAN