https://twitter.com/GaryCarter_1979/...92619911983105
bit of a shock
https://twitter.com/GaryCarter_1979/...92619911983105
bit of a shock
Could work, only issue is it's a good distance from the centre, however with a decent shuttle bus service that could be solved, I think the idea that fans come in and out throughout the day doesn't happen anyway.
Short enough journey for a day trip for most of superleague, plenty of hotels..
I've bigger concerns of having the double header at Newcastle!
We need neutrals to sell out the big events, Wembley, Grand Final, Magic and Newcastle semis would be too much
Knowing the RFL the date they pick will be the same weekend Liverpool are playing Everton.
On a serious note I really think that it will flop compared to Newcastle. Even with it being on my door step (well 15miles) I don’t think it will be that good. They need to lay on buses from city centre which would help.
Humans are more concerned with having than being.
Apparently the council bid to host magic, which may have been a deciding factor on where to host it..
It's the first year of other events for Anfield, so it may or may not be reasonably cheap to rent
No problem getting a bus to Anfield. Getting back is harder on match day, but there will only be half the normal crowd so likely to be fine
Terrible idea really, especially given they want to take the Cup Semi-Final’s to Newcastle as a double header.
The beauty of Magic is its city centre location, Liverpool, as good of a city as it is, doesn’t have that.
You’re also asking people to potentially fork out for a Semi-Final in Newcastle and the Cup Final at Wembley in the space of about a month. Based on Warrington getting to the Final, the powers that be would be asking fans to travel 160 miles for the Semi and 200 miles for the Final at Wembley. That’s too much on top of a season ticket, Catalans away and a day out at Anfield for Magic.
St Helens Rugby League Football Club
I despair with the RFL. What is the obsession with changing things all the time? There doesn’t seem to be any continuity with anything. Why make it so difficult for fans? Cup semi finals in Newcastle is a ridiculous idea and Anfield is in a terrible location for people wanting to attend Magic Weekend too.
I’m sick to death of the RFL’s obsession with changing things every year and also the obsession with taking the game to inappropriate places.
Two farcical ideas.
NEVER WRITE OFF THE SAINTS
Im kind of ‘meh’ on this. I suppose it is a bit daft. The games that really matter (ie the cup semis) should really be played closer to home. The double header at Bolton was a success this year wasn’t it?? Why not go for it again??
Out of interest, who makes these decisions in the sport??
screaming in the family corner, scaring the kiddies
Just to throw a different take on this...
As far as I know, towns and cities do bid for events like the MW because of the cash it brings into the local economy, so I'm guessing that Liverpool's bid was favourable to the RFL in terms of cash.
Location is an interesting one. If the stadium is near to other outlets then fans will come and go. Maybe the RFL thought it better if fans were encouraged to stay in the ground or the 'fans village' rather than spending their money outside? Etihad and Murryfield were a bit like that.
Newcastle I assume also put in a bid for these events and got the CC semis, which I'm guessing is the new format, following on from Bolton.
I take the point about fans doing more travelling, but I do see where the RFL are coming from on this.
Last edited by KentishBarry; 1st November 2018 at 20:33. Reason: typo
If done properly i.e. a proper set up around the ground (not just hot dogs and pints of Carling) then it could work.
Newcastle semi finals on the other hand is as ludicrous an idea as I’ve ever heard. I wonder if it’s a bit of a sweetener for pulling Magic so late in the day
I've heard a rumour that it's Wigan v Saints which would probably make sense for Anfield as it's pretty short travelling for both teams fans.
I'm guessing that the by announcing the semi dates and venue so early they are hoping to make it an "event" and entice more neutral fans.
Brave or foolish? I guess we'll find out next year.
I thought they were doing it odds and evens 1v3, 3v4 etc.?
Edit
screaming in the family corner, scaring the kiddies
Moving Magic to Anfield I'm not too concerned about. It's an experimental event anyway so can see why they'd want to move it around to attract new fans etc.
The Semi Final in Newcastle is a terrible idea though. 2 weeks before a final and fans have to fork out a fortune and then again for Wembley if their team gets there. I don't see the logic behind that one at all.
Originally Posted by Despondent Dave
That’s the thing with the Semi-Final double header. In principl, it’s a good idea but one year you might get Wigan, Leeds, Warrington and Saints playing and you might need a ground in excess of 30,000 seats. The next year you might get Catalans, Toronto, Leeds and Wigan and then you’re playing in front of a much smaller crowd. But only deciding the venue when the draw is made gives people less time to plan for such an event and can have an effect on the crowd.
St Helens Rugby League Football Club
MW is supposed to be Saints v Cas and Wigan v Wire.
Finishing #1 we play #2 and #4 (Wigan and Wire) in the loop fixtures so can't play them again (a 4th time) at MW. So we play the other team in our block of 4 which is Cas, #3.
That's how I read it a few weeks back.
In fact Rogues, you even confirmed that we couldn't play someone a 4th time at MW, so it had to be someone who we didn't play in the 6 loop fixtures. And that's how they decided the pairings by chopping the table into 3 fours and matching the teams within that who didn't meet in the loopy games. So 1 v 3, 2 v 4, 5 v 7, 6 v 8, 9 v 11 and 10 v 12 based on last seasons finish.
"Never write off the Saints!!"
The RFL or Challenge cup twitter account (I can’t remember which) tweeted something the other day about some exciting news for the competition. I guess this is what they were on about.
I don’t mind the concept of a semi final double header and thought Bolton was the ideal stadium for it. It’s in a pretty central location plus it has space around it for the “fan park” type stuff. If it is in Newcastle they will have to change it to a Saturday rather than Sunday surely, I can’t imagine that many people wanting to travel there and back on a Sunday from the NW. There is a massive risk of it being half empty depending on which teams make it, even with the big 4 I think it would be tough to get 3/4 full but I suppose at least they’ll have most of the season to advertise and sell tickets for it.
I enjoy going to magic weekend, I’ve been to them all apart from Murrayfield. As great as it is for me being at Anfield in that it’s 20 mins away and I don’t need to pay for a hotel I’m not sure it will work. I work in Anfield and it’s not exactly the greatest place for people to meet up and go for food and drink in and the only real public transport option to the ground is bus if you don’t want to do the walk from the train station.
The best locations for me are Newcastle (city centre location, Cardiff was similar but ground too big) and Manchester (for the space around the ground for the fan park plus the tram made it easy to get to/from the city centre. Plus I liked the fact you could move around all of the lower tier if desired). I haven’t been to anfield for years, I’m there on Sunday for the England game so I’ll be able to see if I think it will work for the magic weekend concept but I’m not convinced.
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Everton's new ground would be a prime option for Magic in 2024.
I agree. Although not a big fan of the MW although I go, Anfield is not an improvement on Newcastle. Surely moving anything or changing anything should be on the basis of making it better. Has Rimmer ever. 1. Tried to park at Anfield. 2. Sat in a normal stand seat. 3. Tried to leave after a game. 4. Got a reasonable priced hotel in Liverpool.
I actually think this is a case of the new boss needs to change things just so he can say I did do this or that. Maybe just maybe he could have said. ‘ Hey the MW at Newcastle seems ok and unless I find another location that will vastly improve fan enjoyment we will stick with it.
As for the CCS at Newcastle wow. Who the F### thought of that? So before the new season has begun the RFL lunatics are on the grass. I doubt we are every going to get them off.
To cap it all I bet our new shirt tonight will be a bloody redvee on a white background!
Humans are more concerned with having than being.