We thought it's days where numbered but press reports suggesting the club's and SKY have told IMG Magic should continue.

Mixed thoughts from me, it's worrying that the clubs are going against the high paid consultants advise. How is the game going to change if we just keep doing the same?

If it does stay there needs to be a focus on making it clear what the event is for, is it attracting new fans near the ground it will be played at? Is it a jolly for the M62? Or is it just another loop game.

Also while I like it in Newcastle I think it's time for a change
Everton's new ground might be worth a shout 50k stadium close to Liverpool city centre, but it won't be open for 2024.

What's IMG's reasoning for wanting to stop it?

They argue it takes crowds away from the Challenge Cup.Final as RLs 'big day out'

Also I'd assume gate receipts aren't huge, season ticket holders get tickets very cheap, but if Newcastle Council put some money in that helps the funds.

"Everybody" hates the repeat fixtures, lol.

So there's maybe life in the event yet as seems SKY are keen to keep it and the crowd yesterday was slightly up on 2022 (Toulouse played on Saturday last year though)

For me if this event is to stay then they need to find a way of getting the Saturday crowd above this stubborn 35-40k level it has hit, even if it means handing out free tickets in the local area, having say the bottom tier of StJames' sold out would look miles better.

Also might be better to draw the fixtures after say 2 rounds of the current season, as doing it from the season before leads to mismatches such as Wire were rubbish last year, but now top of the league. But there's no perfect way of keeping the fixtures fair but also being games that people want to go see.

After over fifteen years we still have no real clear idea of what the thing is for, yet we continue to plough on The original idea was to promote the game in Wales in preparation for Super League at last being successful there - I went to the first few (a Broncos fan living in Southampton so direct train to Cardiff!) - they were great but self evidently did not succeed As has already been said why team up with IMG then cherry pick their plans?
In the NRL the plan is clear - its a celebration of the game played in the heartland; not an additional fixture either just a regular round I had the good fortune to be at the first one and it was really a fantastic event And as they know what its for and who to target, all three days this year were sold out!

This!

Lack of a clear purpose is a big problem, I agree its worrying we are paying IMG for ideas then ignoring them...

Our clubs would moan about losing a home game though

But we also shouldn't just blindly follow IMG on every opinion that they have (and a say this as a big supporter of having IMG involved), after all they are still relatively new to the sport + are still human beings. If the clubs, players, governing body & Sky all seem pretty unanimous that a decisions would be going against the best interests of all parties and feel that IMG have overlooked something / come to an incorrect conclusion then i am glad that we are willing to speak up about that.

I would hope that we are taking all of IMG's opinions and idea's with an open mind and we do seem to be doing that, as the voting results so far seems to indicate, but we also shouldn't give in and follow their every word if there is reasons for it being a wrong move, hopefully backed up with evidence and not surbbornness.

Agree, SKY have a big part to play though, let's be honest if they said they want us to play 5 a side at 2am on a Wednesday morning the game would say 'yes Sir' and do it!