Millenium Magic weekend?

[Lambretta]

I was watching the game between Wigan and St Helens in England which was being played in Scotland at an even the Poms call the "Magic" weekend.

In very simple terms ALL the clubs in the Super League play over two days at the same stadium. You buy a ticket for the day and you can watch 4 first grade games back to back. They take it to a place that doesnt usually get League - a) because it makes it an even that fans travel to and b) to try and entice locals to the event that wouldnt normally watch league.

I heard last year that plans were being looked at to host a similar NRL event in Brisbane - but it hasnt eventuated.

SO..... Should we consider a similar thing for the NRL? Where should it be held? (the venue can change year on year as it does in the UK) How should the scheduling be done? What sort of ticket price should be charged etc?

Ideas and suggestions please.

 

[Flapper]

Just as an aside, that stadium in Scotland looked quite empty didn't it?

 

[Timmah]

I'm sure this has been discussed at least 40 times before :sleeper:

The cronies at the NRL aren't yet willing to take the risk and I don't blame them. Has the potential to lose them alot of money.

 

[Chook Norris]

Just as an aside, that stadium in Scotland looked quite empty didn't it?

they got around 29,600 [i think] in a 67,000 seater stadium

i thought it looked pretty good, on most of the tv side anyway

think we already have a topic on this a page or two back..
most people didn't like the idea

 

[Lambretta]

Just as an aside, that stadium in Scotland looked quite empty didn't it?

Crowd of 30,000 people

Stadium about half full on the day. Bigger crowd expected for the next day.

 

[Lambretta]

I'm sure this has been discussed at least 40 times before :sleeper:

The cronies at the NRL aren't yet willing to take the risk and I don't blame them. Has the potential to lose them alot of money.

Ahh, forgive me mate. Relatively new around here and hadn't seen the topic raised before.

I personally would like to see it looked at. Give it a run of 4 seasons. Two in Brisbane, two in Sydney. That way it's still an event and people treat it like a carnival because there's a definate end point to it. Take the "oh I'll go next year" out of the equasion.

Make it a reward for fans from both League centres and try and do away with the rubbish about which City is the best blah blah yawn.

I'd like to see a double header on the Friday night and then 3 games on Saturday and three on Sunday night. I think that could work. Spread the local teams across the nights. ie Broncos Friday, Titans Saturday and Cowboys Sunday in QLD and Dragons Friday, Dogs Saturday, Souths / Tigers Sunday in Sydney.

Even 4 by 4 on Sat / Sun could work.

Make tickets reasonably priced and it could work. The double headers when Stadium Australia worked in short burts and this could too if fans thought that it was going to be a short loved thing.

you could even have a 3 or 4 year break and then bring it back again. I think it would be well supported.

 

[Flapper]

Crowd of 30,000 people

Stadium about half full on the day. Bigger crowd expected for the next day.

Oh okay, just on the Wigan St Helens game the far stand looked very sparse and the ends looked very ANZ Stadium-esque was all.

 

[Chook Norris]

you could even have a 3 or 4 year break and then bring it back again. I think it would be well supported.

It definitely has to be well promoted though; the level of promotion at games nowadays is sh*thouse

i honestly wouldn't know who was playing who if it weren't for this forum

Btw, it was too long ago for me to remember.. but does anyone remember the level of promotion for the double header in 2000 at the Olympic Stadium, which attracted over 100k?

 

[Perth Red]

Although the overall days attendance was near 30,000, fans would have drifted in and out, not been sat there the whole day. Thus the attendance for any one game was probably a fair bit lower and hence the empty stadium.

I could see the point when it was at wales and it was being used as a vehicle for the development of the Crusaders but now seems a bit pointless. Having said that the fans love a weekend on the booze in a foreign city so I'm sure they are all enjoying themselves!

 

[Angry_eel]

oh it was in Scotland. No wonder i was like wtf is this what poms keep waffling on about. But yes 30,000 in Scotland is awesome. If the other event is anything to go by this should only get better next year.

 

[herbert henry1908]

I'm sure this has been discussed at least 40 times before :sleeper:

The cronies at the NRL aren't yet willing to take the risk and I don't blame them. Has the potential to lose them alot of money.

they obviously see the bigger picture in England of trying to grow their sport.

hear its all about the short term.