August Magic Venues

[Jughead]

49 minutes ago, NERugbyDad said:

Magic weekend 2021 was at St. James the weekend of September 4th and 5th after the Premier league season kicked off August 14th. I think the only problem is ensuring there is a free weekend long enough in advance for everything to be sorted, on this occasion I believe it was the international football break.

There’s an international football break in September, October and November. This year’s is around 8-12th September. 

The “issue” with a late Magic is that it doesn’t really make much sense. Rhodri Jones spoke of peaks in the season around our major events and with the Cup Final being moved earlier in the year, it begs the question of where Magic/Another event could be left in the calendar that there aren’t too many peaks in quick succession. 

[Derwent]

52 minutes ago, NERugbyDad said:

Magic weekend 2021 was at St. James the weekend of September 4th and 5th after the Premier league season kicked off August 14th. I think the only problem is ensuring there is a free weekend long enough in advance for everything to be sorted, on this occasion I believe it was the international football break.

The difference is that NUFC were a struggling club owned by Mike Ashley then. Whole different ball game now. I’d be absolutely amazed if a club with Champions League status would allow their pitch to be used.

[Tommygilf]

4 minutes ago, Jughead said:

There’s an international football break in September, October and November. This year’s is around 8-12th September. 

The “issue” with a late Magic is that it doesn’t really make much sense. Rhodri Jones spoke of peaks in the season around our major events and with the Cup Final being moved earlier in the year, it begs the question of where Magic/Another event could be left in the calendar that there aren’t too many peaks in quick succession. 

And Magic needs to be in Summer really.

[Jughead]

5 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

And Magic needs to be in Summer really.

There’s that, too. We were quite lucky in September 2021 that it was quite mild and dry but there isn’t that guarantee every year. 

[NERugbyDad]

24 minutes ago, Derwent said:

The difference is that NUFC were a struggling club owned by Mike Ashley then. Whole different ball game now. I’d be absolutely amazed if a club with Champions League status would allow their pitch to be used.

Not so sure with FFP, as many revenue streams as possible needed to enable the spending needed to move on from 15 years of the fat penny pincher.

[GUBRATS]

Everton's new stadium should be ready for April/May next year , they'll need ' ramp up ' events , perfect timing 

[JohnM]

20 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Everton's new stadium should be ready for April/May next year , they'll need ' ramp up ' events , perfect timing 

I',m a frayed knot. Not a perfect place, by any means.

[yipyee]

8 hours ago, RP London said:

I already go to both those events for other reasons and with different people.. 

No a smaller stadium means a rubbish event.. both in reality but also in perception in terms of tickets etc (which will lead to reality). you are not getting more money for a worse stadium/event.

I agree about it being an expansion tool (Newcastle is good for that) but expansion tool does not mean small stadium

There is nothing wrong with a good sized stadium (doesnt need to be 70k plus but 40-50k is fine) where you can change seats without an issue, where you are not all crammed in like other matches.. where families and young kids can spread a little without annoying people and therefore feel relaxed to come.

You obviously dont like it, thats fine, but by downsizing it and cramming people in you will change the dynamic of the day and many people's enjoyment. There are loads of families and the atmosphere is very relaxed which many like. Smaller stadiums with restricted seating etc and you are not going to get that which takes away from the "event" imho.. 

For me you have the whole vision of it wrong, but I know I am one person. I think what you are looking to do with it would destroy the entire event and without any good reasoning behind it, even your economics for me dont work.. mathematically they do but reality gets in the way of mathematics when it comes to economics and I just dont see it working the way you predict. 

 

 

And there's me thinking its the product on the pitch that people are interested in haha

Fair enough we both have different views on magic, the numbers do work though by the way and is how most other sports approach selling events. We try to get the biggest stadium we can, sell dirt cheap tickets and hope we sell enough to break even.

No other sport does this.

[yipyee]

37 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Everton's new stadium should be ready for April/May next year , they'll need ' ramp up ' events , perfect timing 

Too far from the centre of Liverpool and no legacy.

[Tommygilf]

37 minutes ago, yipyee said:

And there's me thinking its the product on the pitch that people are interested in haha

Fair enough we both have different views on magic, the numbers do work though by the way and is how most other sports approach selling events. We try to get the biggest stadium we can, sell dirt cheap tickets and hope we sell enough to break even.

No other sport does this.

Thats quite literally how the 7s world series tends to operate...

Magic is an event where the rugby is on but is attractive for a whole host of other reasons. Likewise the CCF was a big event because it was a London trip - for many their only trip to the capital - its why so many fans from other clubs than the finalists went.

Get the event right, get the on field to compliment that, and it'll be reet.

 

[N2022]

16 hours ago, yipyee said:

Whilst there log in principle,  I ask.. how much does a person spend overall at magic ?

How much on travel, hotels food and substantial drink, and the complaint is lack of funds for the ticket which is the main reason for attending?

The Leeds Rhinos Festival at skegness is a 3 day event which you have to book through their partner. Prices are 450-700 for just the accommodation , this is out of season during term time. Add on food, drink, travel , buying merchandise at the event, pictures from their picture partner and for a weekend away it is well over 1000 

The place was sold out with RL teams from all over the heartlands,

so your telling me a range around 100 is expensive ? I think not

Interesting, but it sounds like this is a playing festival. The price you quote is therefore not just for accommodation but presumably includes day and night access to leisure facilities, pitches, coaching and match fees, maybe insurance.

More to the point a minitour with accommodation is very ticket from a spectator ticket. You are right that some people spend far more on other stuff than the match ticket when at magic, but many will take a Premier Inn or budget b and b, pack a lunch or grab some fish and chips. To them, a ticket at much more than £60 is expensive.

[N2022]

10 hours ago, yipyee said:

Think this also sorts another issue though,

Firstly though 100 quid is middle of the range you could get cheap tickets , alternatively you could chose the GF or the CC final for your weekend away and this would increase numbers at these events.

A smaller stadium would take pressure off the need to sell big numbers for magic and to be honest magic should go back to being an expansion tool similar to the international series of the NFL

But the issue is, this is a league fan who sounds like they are earning a decent salary and you have acknowledged their group might take the cheapest tickets or stay away. So, how is that feeding an average of £100 per ticket? If they say £70  to £80 is their limit you need another group of people to pay £120 to £130.

[GUBRATS]

2 hours ago, yipyee said:

Too far from the centre of Liverpool and no legacy.

Like the Etihad you mean ?

[wilsontown]

1 hour ago, GUBRATS said:

Like the Etihad you mean ?

The Etihad is a bit of a trek from Liverpool, I'll give you that.

[JohnM]

8 minutes ago, wilsontown said:

The Etihad is a bit of a trek from Liverpool, I'll give you that.

A trek named The Stairway to Heaven.

[yipyee]

2 hours ago, N2022 said:

But the issue is, this is a league fan who sounds like they are earning a decent salary and you have acknowledged their group might take the cheapest tickets or stay away. So, how is that feeding an average of £100 per ticket? If they say £70  to £80 is their limit you need another group of people to pay £120 to £130.

Indeed and those people exsist but are happy to pay the 20-40 for the tickets.

If people didn't want to miss out they would buy those tickets for sure.

[RP London]

14 hours ago, yipyee said:

And there's me thinking its the product on the pitch that people are interested in haha

Fair enough we both have different views on magic, the numbers do work though by the way and is how most other sports approach selling events. We try to get the biggest stadium we can, sell dirt cheap tickets and hope we sell enough to break even.

No other sport does this.

Magic weekend is a different beast, always has been always will be. It's not the product on the pitch anymore except for certain points or certain people, most need and want more around, we have discussed that here on numerous occasions. Like it or loath it that is the way of entertainment today. 

Your mathematical numbers work but economically when put into practice they will not. As has been pointed out you will lose people immediately with small pokey stadiums and concentrating on the game only. Again like it or loath it that is the way it will be and as soon as that happens your numbers become a major problem. No one is paying the big ticket prices to go to Preston for a weekend to be crammed in so your balance and average is done for..

No other sport does a magic weekend, we haven't got bits of it right and it is probably going to be scrapped in its current format but that does not mean your way will work it may just mean the concept doesn't.. I love magic and think the whole weekend and 6 games of rugby is brilliant but also accept I might be in the minority (or at least not a big enough majority for it to work) but a small ground and raising prices definitely won't solve the problem. 

I also accept you won't agree so won't keep banging this drum but please don't say "the numbers work" when they really don't as soon as you put it into practice and put in emotion and random decision making. 

Edited June 9, 2023 by RP London

[The 4 of Us]

Have we given up on the Millennium Stadium? 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, The 4 of Us said:

Have we given up on the Millennium Stadium? 

Now there is no WWR, where is the legacy.....

[The 4 of Us]

3 minutes ago, Leonard said:

Now there is no WWR, where is the legacy.....

The legacy is that there’s still people in Wales that like their rugby but aren’t getting much of it from the owners of the big stadium in the middle of town? New eyes? Some might say that the RFL moving events from there has coincided with a malaise? 

[Guest]

Just now, The 4 of Us said:

The legacy is that there’s still people in Wales that like their rugby but aren’t getting much of it from the owners of the big stadium in the middle of town? New eyes? Some might say that the RFL moving events from there has coincided with a malaise? 

I was just kidding.

Maybe rotate Cardiff and SJP then. I think to lose the connection with Newcastle would be a shame.

Or a 3 year rotation of Cardiff, Notts and SJP.

[gingerjon]

2 hours ago, The 4 of Us said:

Have we given up on the Millennium Stadium? 

Once the city of Cardiff stopped paying for Magic to happen there 

[David Shepherd]

3 hours ago, Leonard said:

I was just kidding.

Maybe rotate Cardiff and SJP then. I think to lose the connection with Newcastle would be a shame.

Or a 3 year rotation of Cardiff, Notts and SJP.

And do some intensive, long term development work in the community/schools around those cities. Maybe even use the profits of the event to part fund it, if the SL chairmen can be persuaded to peer past the end of their noses. 

Three areas of the country where the other kind of Rugby is fairly well known, it's sort of pushing at a half open door.

Edited June 9, 2023 by David Shepherd

[Guest]

44 minutes ago, David Shepherd said:

And do some intensive, long term development work in the community/schools around those cities. Maybe even use the profits of the event to part fund it, if the SL chairmen can be persuaded to peer past the end of their noses. 

Three areas of the country where the other kind of Rugby is fairly well known, it's sort of pushing at a half open door.

Keeps it fresh as well.

or we could have 9's.......

[David Shepherd]

1 hour ago, Leonard said:

Keeps it fresh as well.

or we could have 9's.......

Personally, I think 9s would be played in front of about 8 people.