Championship’s Summer Bash records four-figure attendance raising huge question

Over the weekend it was the Championship’s big weekend away in the Summer Bash this week.

Over in York after being held in Blackpool and Leeds Rhinos’ Headingley in the past, it felt like a pivotal period in the Championship campaign.

The action started with Widnes Vikings taking on Swinton Lions but it was one way traffic as Widnes led 14-0 at the break on their way to a 38-6 triumph.

There were braces for Jack Owens as well as Kieran Dixon as they claimed a comprehensive win.

Then in game two of four of the opening day Barrow Raiders claimed the spoils against Cumbrian rivals Whitehaven.

This was after Barrow had been delayed on their way to the ground by a tyre problem.

In the result of the day, London Broncos helped their promotion hopes brilliantly with a 14-10 win over Toulouse Olympique. The French side left it too late with the damage done in the first half with the Broncos leading 12-0 at halftime.

Meanwhile, Featherstone Rovers kept their unbeaten start to the league campaign with a thumping win over hosts York as Gareth Gale scored a huge four tries.

That wrapped up Day One.

Day Two started with a try fest between Newcastle Thunder and Sheffield Eagles with the two teams sharing 12 tries.

Sheffield did the damage in the first 40 leading 24-6 at halftime with Ben Jones-Bishop bagging a brace but in the end they had to see off a comeback from Thunder.

In the penultimate game of the week a brilliant second half from Batley after trailing 12-4 at halftime allowed them to upset Halifax with Meadows scoring 12 of Batley’s points.

In the final game of the weekend, Bradford avenged their previous derby defeat to Keighley by turning round an 18-14 deficit to claim a huge 42-18 win with former Leeds Rhinos star one of three players to notch a brace.

The attendance for the event has now been revealed.

It was an impressive accumulative attendance of 6,741.

Day One had an attendance of 3,793 and Day Two registered 2,948.

Sadly, the attendance isn’t as strong in the days when it was help in Blackpool when 15,070 attended in 2019.

Thus, it again raises the question about where the event should be held to maximise the attendance.

Furthermore, with IMG contemplating scrapping Magic Weekend, could the Bash follow suit.