Attendance thread

[JohnM]

Attendance subjectively  better than when I last attended around five years sgo. Some non-Leeds/Cas fans may have left early after being caught out like we were by the cool wind and lower temperature as the sun went down.  Ended up watching in the bar in an endeavour to warm up. 

As an aside, in my view, Newcastle is the only place for Magic Weekend. Good and cheap local  transport, locals clearly happy to have us, St James Park staff welcoming and helpful, easy walk from  city centre to ground, even for someone with limited mobility like I have now been gifted.

Btw, you can tell you are now in the ,"elderly" category when passengers on the Metro give up their seats for you without being asked.

 

Edited June 4, 2023 by JohnM

[Sports Prophet]

2 hours ago, JohnM said:

Attendance subjectively  better than when I last attended around five years sgo. Some non-Leeds/Cas fans may have left early after being caught out like we were by the cool wind and lower temperature as the sun went down.  Ended up watching in the bar in an endeavour to warm up. 

As an aside, in my view, Newcastle is the only place for Magic Weekend. Good and cheap local  transport, locals clearly happy to have us, St James Park staff welcoming and helpful, easy walk from  city centre to ground, even for someone with limited mobility like I have now been gifted.

Btw, you can tell you are now in the ,"elderly" category when passengers on the Metro give up their seats for you without being asked.

 

I always thought Brammel Lane with its proximity to the centre and the heartlands would be a good venue.

Out of left field I reckon Carrow Road would be a good venue too.

 

[ChrisH]

Having the ground in the City Centre is a must and a huge plus in my opinion. Hotels and literally hundreds of pubs and restaurants within a few minutes walk of St James Park makes Newcastle the ideal venue. Saves messing around getting buses and taxis and just makes it a much more enjoyable experience. 

Edited June 4, 2023 by ChrisH

[JohnM]

14 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

I always thought Brammel Lane with its proximity to the centre and the heartlands would be a good venue.

Out of left field I reckon Carrow Road would be a good venue too.

Although this thread is about attendances, I'd just like to add that there is no need for change, if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

[gingerjon]

2 hours ago, JohnM said:

Attendance subjectively  better than when I last attended around five years sgo. Some non-Leeds/Cas fans may have left early after being caught out like we were by the cool wind and lower temperature as the sun went down.  Ended up watching in the bar in an endeavour to warm up. 

As an aside, in my view, Newcastle is the only place for Magic Weekend. Good and cheap local  transport, locals clearly happy to have us, St James Park staff welcoming and helpful, easy walk from  city centre to ground, even for someone with limited mobility like I have now been gifted.

Btw, you can tell you are now in the ,"elderly" category when passengers on the Metro give up their seats for you without being asked.

 

A couple of non rugby league supporting friends (who don't know each other) have both gone along this weekend. One because she likes Newcastle United and received some promotion about it, and the other because it looks like fun.

That's the first time in a while I can remember 'unexpected' people I know turning up to Magic.

Anecdote isn't data but a little positive there.

[JM2010]

1 hour ago, gingerjon said:

A couple of non rugby league supporting friends (who don't know each other) have both gone along this weekend. One because she likes Newcastle United and received some promotion about it, and the other because it looks like fun.

That's the first time in a while I can remember 'unexpected' people I know turning up to Magic.

Anecdote isn't data but a little positive there.

What’s their feedback on it? Always interested in what non RL fans think when they watch it live

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

3 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

I always thought Brammel Lane with its proximity to the centre and the heartlands would be a good venue.

Out of left field I reckon Carrow Road would be a good venue too.

 

Sheffield is much easier for Southern based fans too 

I do feel Newcastle is great (I've been to Magic there once)!and it may be a side factor but it does put a lot of Southern based fans off ......

Obvs I am just being selfish here 

[EggFace]

21 hours ago, JM2010 said:

She’ll eventually forgive you

Well your wrong as I went and she didn't but it was worth it for the Castleford Leeds game and the Tigers fan's can Roar

[EggFace]

5 hours ago, ChrisH said:

Having the ground in the City Centre is a must and a huge plus in my opinion. Hotels and literally hundreds of pubs and restaurants within a few minutes walk of St James Park makes Newcastle the ideal venue. Saves messing around getting buses and taxis and just makes it a much more enjoyable experience. 

I would like to see a Challenge Cup in my lifetime at St.James Park.

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

Official attendance for the Magic weekend given as 63269 - given the rail strikes I think that us RL supporters deserve a pat on the back!

[The Hallucinating Goose]

9 minutes ago, Chronicler of Chiswick said:

Official attendance for the Magic weekend given as 63269 - given the rail strikes I think that us RL supporters deserve a pat on the back!

Great attendance and highest weekend attendance since 2018. 

[johnh1]

They will probably bin it now, in that case.

[Jughead]

31 minutes ago, Chronicler of Chiswick said:

Official attendance for the Magic weekend given as 63269 - given the rail strikes I think that us RL supporters deserve a pat on the back!

Is that tickets sold or people in the venue, though? 

[Jughead]

That interview with Rhodri Jones was inevitably depressing. The main points:

- The Cup Final is to be moved earlier in the year. Again. 
- That means Magic will be moved later in the year. 

You can see it now, the cup final to May and then Magic to the August bank holiday. The August bank holiday never worked for the cup final and people will moan it isn’t convenient for Newcastle either, as hotel prices will already be sky high before any Magic price hike. August is also the start of the football season so ground availability will be sparse. We’ll end up at somewhere ###### like Elland Road and then Magic will die. 

[HawkMan]

There's enough evidence before our eyes that a 60,000 venue is too big.

40,000 would be ideal, looks better on TV,  create a great atmosphere.

Leicester have just been relegated,  could find hosting it appealing and King Power is a nice stadium,  and a good location for fans from all over.

[Leyther_Matt]

2 minutes ago, HawkMan said:

There's enough evidence before our eyes that a 60,000 venue is too big.

40,000 would be ideal, looks better on TV,  create a great atmosphere.

Leicester have just been relegated,  could find hosting it appealing and King Power is a nice stadium,  and a good location for fans from all over.

Ever tried convincing your Mrs to have a weekend in Leicester?

[Tommygilf]

1 minute ago, HawkMan said:

There's enough evidence before our eyes that a 60,000 venue is too big.

40,000 would be ideal, looks better on TV,  create a great atmosphere.

Leicester have just been relegated,  could find hosting it appealing and King Power is a nice stadium,  and a good location for fans from all over.

The problem with 40k is that its pushing the limit for saturday attendees. One of the things about magic is the flexibility and moving around of fans in the ground through the day, so a somewhat over sized stadium works well for this. Newcastle is particularly good because the two upper tiers can be closed and barely noticed whilst we use the main lower bowl. 

Fwiw the King Power has only a 32k capacity. That is objectively too small. 

[EggFace]

I thought a one day double derby might be good for St.James Park but only 6 clubs would be ideal for that.

I don't like seeing the empty seats would like a weekend of 9's involving all clubs n the pro/semi pro game but still liked yesterday...can't I/we have both.

[HawkMan]

4 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

The problem with 40k is that its pushing the limit for saturday attendees. One of the things about magic is the flexibility and moving around of fans in the ground through the day, so a somewhat over sized stadium works well for this. Newcastle is particularly good because the two upper tiers can be closed and barely noticed whilst we use the main lower bowl. 

Fwiw the King Power has only a 32k capacity. That is objectively too small. 

Thought it was a bit bigger, oh well.

But haven't people said that RL tickets are never like gold dust, always freely available,  giving an impression it isn't a must see event, lower capacity,  ticket scramble, might look good. Just saying.

[sweaty craiq]

Look at the Bash now it’s been moved, it’s dead

[Just Browny]

1 minute ago, HawkMan said:

Thought it was a bit bigger, oh well.

But haven't people said that RL tickets are never like gold dust, always freely available,  giving an impression it isn't a must see event, lower capacity,  ticket scramble, might look good. Just saying.

That's fine as an attitude for finals and test matches, but is the antithesis of what Magic Weekend *is*. You're always going to have empty spaces and you need to because people want to walk about, stretch their legs, nip out and get a bite etc.

If you don't want to see empty seats then you shouldn't have a Magic Weekend event; you should have single on the road matches.

[OnStrike]

3 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

That's fine as an attitude for finals and test matches, but is the antithesis of what Magic Weekend *is*. You're always going to have empty spaces and you need to because people want to walk about, stretch their legs, nip out and get a bite etc.

If you don't want to see empty seats then you shouldn't have a Magic Weekend event; you should have single on the road matches.

Yeah good point, I watched a little bit of the Aussie magic weekend and it looked half empty but they were over the moon with the attendance and ticket sales.  The ground will never look full for three straight games

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

43 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Ever tried convincing your Mrs to have a weekend in Leicester?

Used to live near there and one of the fightiest places ever on a night out 

On the plus side it is much nearer to me 

Let's do it 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

31 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

That's fine as an attitude for finals and test matches, but is the antithesis of what Magic Weekend *is*. You're always going to have empty spaces and you need to because people want to walk about, stretch their legs, nip out and get a bite etc.

If you don't want to see empty seats then you shouldn't have a Magic Weekend event; you should have single on the road matches.

Agreed....it doesn't matter in Magic.....the big games still looked decent 

65000 fans over a weekend is amazing 

SKY get 6 games for one stadium set up.....

Love Magic and decide with her indoors we are definitely going next year if its on

[GeordieSaint]

If 3 clubs are willing to give up a home game, Magic should stay. If not and it remains an extra fixture in the programme, it should be binned.