I must admit I do not know what the aim of the RFL is now for this event. I thought it was to host a festival of RL in disparate non RL geographical areas with a view to expansion.
Plus why do we need a 54,000 seater stadium for a 35,000 event?
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moving on... wrote:
should take it to Nottingham. Combine the Magic weekend and summer bash at County and Forrest
That's a good shout and plenty to do in Nottingham and easy to reach via M1 or M6/A50 equidistant from Lancashire/Yorkshire.
30,000 capacity will ensure that there will be demand for tickets and they won't need to give lots away like currently. So long as the big 4 play each other on separate days we can balance the attendance.
But I think the driving factor is whether the grounds in question want to stage the event rather than can.
That's a good shout and plenty to do in Nottingham and easy to reach via M1 or M6/A50 equidistant from Lancashire/Yorkshire.
30,000 capacity will ensure that there will be demand for tickets and they won't need to give lots away like currently. So long as the big 4 play each other on separate days we can balance the attendance.
But I think the driving factor is whether the grounds in question want to stage the event rather than can.
I'd rather we didn't just put a pin in a map, there needs to be some strategic reason to take games there. Things are happening on the ground in the Newcastle area, there is growth there at a youth level, and Newcastle Thunder seem to be progressing nice and steadily. They have gone on record as to how Magic weekend has helped them with that.
We have now had two internationals and potentially Magic at Anfield, so they will be hoping they are building some support from non traditional RL fans in the Liverpool area for event games, internationals and TV audiences for Super League, I can see the sense in that.
I just hope Newcastle aren't left high and dry.
Nottingham currently has no RL fans on the ground, and whilst that in itself would be a reason for staging it there, it needs to be bigger than that. If there was an ambitious L1 club in Nottingham that were making noises it would seem a good fit, but not right now.
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This is my point. It appears the strategy has gone out of the window as Newcastle is the obvious choice considering the points you make.
If the motivation is that in chosing Anfield is a means of trying to get an RL following in Liverpool which is historically a fanatical football city, then I think that is fundamentally flawed
This is my point. It appears the strategy has gone out of the window as Newcastle is the obvious choice considering the points you make.
If the motivation is that in chosing Anfield is a means of trying to get an RL following in Liverpool which is historically a fanatical football city, then I think that is fundamentally flawed
Possibly, although I now hear the semi final may well be moved to Newcastle (although I believe that would be a mistake, too far from the heartlands). I also believe they will host World Cup games in 2021.
No one is expecting to gain a huge following in Liverpool, few will ever attend SL games regularly, but for one off games you can create a following, and you can gain viewers to SL TV games as a secondary interest.
This is my point. It appears the strategy has gone out of the window as Newcastle is the obvious choice considering the points you make.
If the motivation is that in chosing Anfield is a means of trying to get an RL following in Liverpool which is historically a fanatical football city, then I think that is fundamentally flawed
You wont find a place more fanatical about soccerball than the North East. Newcastle & Sunderland Especially, Middlesbrough, Durham, Gateshead... Football is the No.1 religion up there. Match day in the Toon is crazy. The fact RL has managed to gain a foothold in a city that is football obsessed and has has a professional RU outfit up there since the code went pro. League had made an unbelievable achievement in capturing attention and support and shouldn't be abandoned.
if its going to be between one or the other then Magic weekend needs to stay in Newcastle. No one is going to travel to Newcastle for a CC semi final with a final 2 weeks later. Failing that, a number of 'on the road' games would need to happen to keep their appetite up.
Reputation Points: 97 Rep Position: 30th / 77,345 Quiz Score: 0 Joined: Sun Jun 25, 2006 12:49 pm Posts: 10483
moving on... wrote:
You wont find a place more fanatical about soccerball than the North East. Newcastle & Sunderland Especially, Middlesbrough, Durham, Gateshead... Football is the No.1 religion up there. Match day in the Toon is crazy. The fact RL has managed to gain a foothold in a city that is football obsessed and has has a professional RU outfit up there since the code went pro. League had made an unbelievable achievement in capturing attention and support and shouldn't be abandoned.
if its going to be between one or the other then Magic weekend needs to stay in Newcastle. No one is going to travel to Newcastle for a CC semi final with a final 2 weeks later. Failing that, a number of 'on the road' games would need to happen to keep their appetite up.
Yes I am old enough to remember Gateshead Thunder finishing 6th in SL in 1998 before they merged with Hull to become Hull and play in Hull.
The North East should not be abandoned at all, as I just don't see what Anfield offers RL expansionism. Unless we are aiming for another Liverpool Stanley / Liverpool Highfield / Huyton / Runcorn Highfield continuation.
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