When the talk surfaced of an NRL Magic Weekend in Australia, we got excited, and it was something that said should have been done on numerous occasions on this website.
But then the NRL unveiled the 2019 NRL Draw, and the disappointment started.
Much to our disbelief, the NRL Magic Weekend will be played out over four days. Which is stupid really.
Funny is that when the NRL floated the idea of the NRL Magic Weekend earlier this year, they said it would be over three days. Obviously they had nine reasons to change their mind. Jerks.
Should we be surprised? Of course not.
And it is really our fault for getting the hopes up, having seen the NRL stuff most things up this year.
It should be no coincidence that the NRL Magic Weekend is in Round Nine next year. A subtle f— you to NRL fans as the true power of running rugby league is revealed. Channel Nein.
Obviously, very few in the planning stage at the NRL or their bosses Channel Nein have enjoyed a Magic Weekend in the UK.
The Magic Weekend was one of our better experiences on one of our UK adventures, and it works as it more of a carnival of rugby league than a drawn out four day stretch.
Both days were full of rugby league, chanting fans, and some great rugby league. All of it during the day.
Sure it worked because the hours were longer in the upper northern hemisphere, but they also didn’t pander for the broadcasters usual timeslots. Watching three/four games in a row feels like such a better day out sunning yourself in the stand.
It also worked because it was in a different place than usual. Edinburgh, Newcastle, Cardiff have all been used, none of them are regular rugby league venues.
Fans from every club filled the local watering holes, and many a rugby league discussion was had.
There’s even talk of taking it to New York. Forward thinkers those administrators in England. Unlike our muppets.
Another thing that made it work was having decent head to heads too. Making most games a mouth-watering affair.
But mainly it worked because of being spread over just the two days. Not four, and not at night time.
Yes, Channel Nein as the FTA broadcaster have their shareholders to think of, but for once can’t they look after the game. Surely a compromise could have been reached where Channel Nein and Fox League could have shared all the games, as long as they were on Saturday/Sunday.
People would get over a lack of Thursday/Friday night football for such an exciting new thing.
But no, all we basically have is an ordinary NRL round just played at the same ground. There’s no carnival atmosphere, there’s nothing really that special with the game allocations, or the timeslot. Essentially you’ll probably be paying twice your monthly Fox League subscription to get the same experience as watching Super Saturday at home. And you’ll have to double that to pay for anything refreshing.
We admire anyone who will show up for all four days, but why should they have to.
Who the bloody hell is going to watch a one-off Thursday night game between the Titans and Sharks on the Thursday night? Will they even get 10,000? Probably not. And what a pisspoor look to start off the NRL Magic Weekend. A game played in a mostly empty stadium with no atmosphere.
As long as you keep Channel Nein happy.
So let’s see how the 2019 NRL Magic Weekend goes. It was a great idea, stolen from a better run sporting governing body that the NRL have stuffed up.
A shame, it could have been something.
[…] As for rugby league, there are two Magic Weekends to be played. The one is the UK is another in a long series of Magic Weekends, and they do it right over two days at an unfamiliar location (Liverpool’s Anfield). The NRL version looks like it may underwhelm on paper – as per one of our previous gripes. […]