Quote ="Chorlton RL"Its not up to City, the council own the ground. City wouldn't be happy if the matches were held during their season, but Feb is too cold to hold that sort of event in a stadium with no roof. May, after the soccer season, is a better time. /> Plus, why wouldn't the council be up for it? They could potentially make more out of this then United do out of the Grand Final. There could be in excess of 40k fans on both days and the stadium would be open all day, both days, meaning an awful lot of beer and burgers can be sold. It also means the council have a good photo opp for New Islington, the regenerated area of Ancoats on the way to the stadium.'" /> City lease the stadium and part of the conditions are that they are the ones that have the final say on whether to allow it or not. The council leave all decisions on concerts and special occasions to the club. /> Fact is that City need the cash to help comply with the UEFA financial fair play regulations and the pitch will be relayed the following week anyway so why not?

Quote ="Chorlton RL"Its not up to City, the council own the ground. City wouldn't be happy if the matches were held during their season, but Feb is too cold to hold that sort of event in a stadium with no roof. May, after the soccer season, is a better time. /> Plus, why wouldn't the council be up for it? They could potentially make more out of this then United do out of the Grand Final. There could be in excess of 40k fans on both days and the stadium would be open all day, both days, meaning an awful lot of beer and burgers can be sold. It also means the council have a good photo opp for New Islington, the regenerated area of Ancoats on the way to the stadium.'" /> City lease the stadium and part of the conditions are that they are the ones that have the final say on whether to allow it or not. The council leave all decisions on concerts and special occasions to the club. /> Fact is that City need the cash to help comply with the UEFA financial fair play regulations and the pitch will be relayed the following week anyway so why not?

Quote ="east stander"I'm really looking forward to it as I did Wales and Scotland. In fact Ive just booked 4 rooms for the Broncos massive!!! A great concept no matter what you think Pyeman-You enjoy your cheap pint in the local club. I will report on Cas's performance for you.'" /> I'm glad you are, no need thanks the match will be on the telly.

Quote ="east stander"I'm really looking forward to it as I did Wales and Scotland. In fact Ive just booked 4 rooms for the Broncos massive!!! A great concept no matter what you think Pyeman-You enjoy your cheap pint in the local club. I will report on Cas's performance for you.'" /> I'm glad you are, no need thanks the match will be on the telly.

Still not happy that it's Wigan vs Saints again



One of these days, we might actually get an easy match like Wire/Leeds do every season...

Quote ="pyeman"If you think introducing rl to mancs is as important to introducing it to the scots and welsh thats upto you, i personally dont, they have sl on there doorstep and choose not to watch, scottish people and welsh people dont so i think its more important to give them a taste of sl to spread the game outside the m62 corridor, having it in manchester will not do this. /> I could equally point out you have no evidence to back up your points and that these are just your opinions, i think that people will spread out round manchester, wont arrive long before there club plays and wont stay as long due many of them being able to go the short ride home instead of hanging round outside the ground, leading to a less concentrated amount of rl fans, so we wont have the atmosphere of say rose street in Edinburgh, which was probably the best thing about the event in previous years. /> There will be a big reduction on people going for the whole weekend as its much easier and cheaper (especially for lancastrian fans) just to pop down the road for the day, when people are there for the weekend they might not watch all the games but they will watch most of them and when they arent they will be mingling with other rugby fans, if they are there for the day there going to see a maximum of 3 or 4 games (depending on which day they go) so the ground wont have as many fans at any one time. In previous years most fans i spoke to were there for a full weekend, this will unlikely be the case this year leading to a poorer atmosphere inside and outside the stadium. /> I agree you cant please everyone, some will always be unhappy, i've been a big fan of previous magic weekends and have talked them up as a great weekend away to the fans i have met, imho moving it to manchester has taken away the best reasons for having the weekend and i find myself asking what is the point in the magic weekend? And how do they ever expect the weekend the be a success if they keep moving it around and dont allow it to put down roots?'" How many locals attended the Cardiff and Edinburgh weekends? Very few, I would imagine. /> Holding a round of SL games in a stadium is NOT exposing the local area to the game. Rather it's exposing the local businesses to RL fans' cash, which is precisely why those cities paid for the pleasure. Can anyone demonstrate any RL growth in Cardiff or Edinburgh following the Magic Weekends? I find it odd you think a shorter journey will make people less likely to attend. I can see your logic, but it's a flawed argument. On one hand you say it's easier and cheaper for fans to 'pop down the road for the day', and then you complain there will be a reduction in weekend ticket sales as a result. That may be true, however, if (as you say) it's so easy and cheap to pop down the road for the day we will see a big increase in day tickets, which will more than make up any decrease in weekend ticket sales. /> How many fans only bought day tickets to see their own clubs against how many bought the full weekend ticket at the Cardiff and Edinburgh weekends? Don't come, that's fine. You probably won't enjoy it anyway. For me, it's a great stadium with an appropriate capacity, and it's handy for the majority of the heartlands. It'll be a great weekend absolutely regardless of any unsubstantiated theories you spout.

Quote ="pyeman"If you think introducing rl to mancs is as important to introducing it to the scots and welsh thats upto you, i personally dont, they have sl on there doorstep and choose not to watch, scottish people and welsh people dont so i think its more important to give them a taste of sl to spread the game outside the m62 corridor, having it in manchester will not do this. /> I could equally point out you have no evidence to back up your points and that these are just your opinions, i think that people will spread out round manchester, wont arrive long before there club plays and wont stay as long due many of them being able to go the short ride home instead of hanging round outside the ground, leading to a less concentrated amount of rl fans, so we wont have the atmosphere of say rose street in Edinburgh, which was probably the best thing about the event in previous years. /> There will be a big reduction on people going for the whole weekend as its much easier and cheaper (especially for lancastrian fans) just to pop down the road for the day, when people are there for the weekend they might not watch all the games but they will watch most of them and when they arent they will be mingling with other rugby fans, if they are there for the day there going to see a maximum of 3 or 4 games (depending on which day they go) so the ground wont have as many fans at any one time. In previous years most fans i spoke to were there for a full weekend, this will unlikely be the case this year leading to a poorer atmosphere inside and outside the stadium. /> I agree you cant please everyone, some will always be unhappy, i've been a big fan of previous magic weekends and have talked them up as a great weekend away to the fans i have met, imho moving it to manchester has taken away the best reasons for having the weekend and i find myself asking what is the point in the magic weekend? And how do they ever expect the weekend the be a success if they keep moving it around and dont allow it to put down roots?'" How many locals attended the Cardiff and Edinburgh weekends? Very few, I would imagine. /> Holding a round of SL games in a stadium is NOT exposing the local area to the game. Rather it's exposing the local businesses to RL fans' cash, which is precisely why those cities paid for the pleasure. Can anyone demonstrate any RL growth in Cardiff or Edinburgh following the Magic Weekends? I find it odd you think a shorter journey will make people less likely to attend. I can see your logic, but it's a flawed argument. On one hand you say it's easier and cheaper for fans to 'pop down the road for the day', and then you complain there will be a reduction in weekend ticket sales as a result. That may be true, however, if (as you say) it's so easy and cheap to pop down the road for the day we will see a big increase in day tickets, which will more than make up any decrease in weekend ticket sales. /> How many fans only bought day tickets to see their own clubs against how many bought the full weekend ticket at the Cardiff and Edinburgh weekends? Don't come, that's fine. You probably won't enjoy it anyway. For me, it's a great stadium with an appropriate capacity, and it's handy for the majority of the heartlands. It'll be a great weekend absolutely regardless of any unsubstantiated theories you spout.

Good one Cronus, personnely l dont care what city its in, l,m going for the occasion no matter where it is most of our beloved flatcappers will moan. /> l once spent a night in a hotel in Huddersfield, and l live there, it was an "occasion" a change l will be going to Manchester, staying overnight, watching ALL the games, because l love RL, Why if you live in Wigan car,nt you and the missis have a night in a hotel somewhere in or near Manchester, l,m sure you,ll enjoy it, lets face it one big city is pretty much like the next. /> l know people who say they love Spain, they go to Benidorm, which for me is nowhere near Spain Get your weekend tickets and enjoy the northern hospitality, the Rugby League and forget where you are

Good one Cronus, personnely l dont care what city its in, l,m going for the occasion no matter where it is most of our beloved flatcappers will moan. /> l once spent a night in a hotel in Huddersfield, and l live there, it was an "occasion" a change l will be going to Manchester, staying overnight, watching ALL the games, because l love RL, Why if you live in Wigan car,nt you and the missis have a night in a hotel somewhere in or near Manchester, l,m sure you,ll enjoy it, lets face it one big city is pretty much like the next. /> l know people who say they love Spain, they go to Benidorm, which for me is nowhere near Spain Get your weekend tickets and enjoy the northern hospitality, the Rugby League and forget where you are

This will either go one of two ways; It will be a massive success where 30/40k are there each day or (like me) no-one fancies staying in Manchester (No offense) and just goes for there game and then comes home the same day.