Magic Weekend 2025

[LeeF]

6 hours ago, Just Browny said:

I always think they should look at a 'split Magic. Only a small minority are interested in watching two full days in a stadium, so taking this year's teams, why not on a Bank Holiday weekend have:

Saturday (Newcastle / Nottingham)

Leigh v Salford

Leeds v Castleford

Hull v Rovers

Sunday (Montpellier / Barcelona)

London v Huddersfield

Saints v Warrington

Wigan v Catalans

 

 

The RFL are looking to go one better. Dewsbury & Batley are their favoured choice but only because Fev & Cas have other events on that weekend

[M j M]

30 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Isn't theirs Gather Round or something? 

Not that bothered about the Magic name either way but Gather Round makes me want to hit someone.

[Dave T]

16 minutes ago, M j M said:

Not that bothered about the Magic name either way but Gather Round makes me want to hit someone.

Yeah, that feels like a hippy commune meet

[gingerjon]

26 minutes ago, M j M said:

Not that bothered about the Magic name either way but Gather Round makes me want to hit someone.

The A League(s) have a Unite Round which is spectacularly unpopular.

https://aleagues.com.au/unite-round/

[Anita Bath]

2 hours ago, Dave T said:

Isn't theirs Gather Round or something? 

Yes and they play it in multiple stadia in and around Adelaide.

[Tommygilf]

3 hours ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

With all due respect to the teams and the fans going the thought of sitting though 2 days at Elland Road :((((

NO THANKS 

Will sit on the beach and watch online with a beer in hand the whole thing smacks of cheapness

I think there will be very few fans sitting through 2 days at Elland Road.

That will be balanced out by the lower capacity in the TV Arc.

[Gerrumonside ref]

Some cracking matches in the offing, but I’ve only done one Magic, the first one, and I don’t want to sit in any stadium anywhere for more than one or at most two games.

I know, and it has been discussed ad nauseam, that this is cheap live TV sports with the single set up over two days for TV and that takes precedence over the fans because we need the money that TV provides.

 

 

[Henson Park Old Firm]

Seriously this forum should be running RFL all the best ideas come from us.

[Henson Park Old Firm]

Seriously this forum should be running RFL all the best ideas come from us.

[Just Browny]

It's a great event to attend, I'm looking forward to this weekend's edition. One day tends to be enough though.

I'm hoping the organisers aren't just doing the bare minimum though, which I have feared since they announced Elland Road. I've already got a bit of an issue in that one of my party is travelling straight to the ground and is staying the weekend, but there is no provision for bags in the stadium or a cloakroom. Shows a lack of thought about what sort of event it is and how people might be attending it.

It is a pretty isolated ground so there needs to be a good fan zone and a good choice of refreshments. 

[JohnM]

1 hour ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

Seriously this forum should be running RFL all the best ideas come from us.

You've mis-spelt "ruining"

[Hopie]

The Rhinos should be looking to sell out Elland road for a standalone game, never mind a triple header.

But the unanswered questions about Magic remain, what is it for? I see lots of good reasons for its existence, but without clear priorities knowing where it will end up is impossible to know. I'd suggest Dublin/Paris/Barca etc would be a bad move as overseas takes away the day trip element, but that might fulfill the priorities, if there even is a coherent strategy behind it?

[Cumbrian Fanatic]

16 hours ago, M j M said:

Not that bothered about the Magic name either way but Gather Round makes me want to hit someone.

Can I give you a list of people to hit?

[M j M]

2 hours ago, Cumbrian Fanatic said:

Can I give you a list of people to hit?

As long as it's just 'John Inverdale' repeated over and over.

[Jparrish]

17 hours ago, gingerjon said:

The A League(s) have a Unite Round which is spectacularly unpopular.

https://aleagues.com.au/unite-round/

I find it interesting that most codes in Australia have now adopted the concept in some way. The NBL(basketball) will launch their season using the concept for the first time later this year I believe. So thats League, Union, AFL, Football and Basketball it would be a shame to see the RFL bin it. Cities are willing to pay for the right to host though. 

[Dave T]

30 minutes ago, M j M said:

As long as it's just 'John Inverdale' repeated over and over.

Ah, what a blast from the past, not seen his name on here for a good while  

[Dave T]

26 minutes ago, Jparrish said:

I find it interesting that most codes in Australia have now adopted the concept in some way. The NBL(basketball) will launch their season using the concept for the first time later this year I believe. So thats League, Union, AFL, Football and Basketball it would be a shame to see the RFL bin it. Cities are willing to pay for the right to host though. 

Was RL the first to do this?

[The Future is League]

20 hours ago, Dave T said:

Isn't theirs Gather Round or something? 

Yes and knowing them they will claim they invented the concept as well.

[The Future is League]

19 hours ago, M j M said:

Not that bothered about the Magic name either way but Gather Round makes me want to hit someone.

Calling it Gather round is enough to make anyone angry.

What a stupid name

[The Future is League]

20 hours ago, Mumby Magic said:

I laughed but id go.

A weekend in Tenerife starting the Championship season would be great, but knowing the RFL they would probably want the Tenerife tourist board to pay all the visiting teams expenses 

I'll get my coat.

[Worzel]

On 13/08/2024 at 07:48, gingerjon said:

"SunSport has learned it is already in the calendar for 2025 - even though strategic partners IMG hinted they wanted rid of it.

And four cities are said to be in the running, Nottingham, Newcastle, Cardiff and Dublin.

Then for 2026, Paris is on the agenda."

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/29841235/rugby-super-league-magic-dublin-paris-leeds-newcastle/

It will be in Huddersfield

[sam4731]

Just now, Henson Park Old Firm said:

Seriously this forum should be running RFL all the best ideas come from us.

 

Just now, Henson Park Old Firm said:

Seriously this forum should be running RFL all the best ideas come from us.

So good in fact that it's worth mentioning twice.

[dkw]

2 hours ago, Dave T said:

Ah, what a blast from the past, not seen his name on here for a good while  

[Jparrish]

2 hours ago, Dave T said:

Was RL the first to do this?

Super league did it before any sport in Australia yes. Then the NRL was the first down under to do it. With the exception of cricket all codes now utilise the concept.

[Just Browny]

I'm putting Magic Weekend 2024 news in here and GJ can report me if he wants.

It seems that 50,000 tickets have been sold for this weekend. If correct, that will make for a decent atmosphere if not an inspiring number of sales. I am however always slightly sceptical of sales numbers when there are so many sellers, e.g. will some clubs have unsold tickets they return at the end of the week.