“It’s madness” – Eddie and Stevo slam this IMG proposal

IMG are making a lot of proposals to change rugby league and one of the more controversial changes they have proposed is the end of the Magic Weekend.

Now former Sky Sports commentators Eddie Hemmings and Mike ‘Stevo’ Stephenson have slammed this decision with Stevo describing it as “madness.”

Stevo said:

“The Aussies hardly copy anything from the UK, the one thing they have copied is a Magic Weekend. Ticket sales are just going out the window.

“They’ve realised what a great coup that is, and probably next year they’ll take it down to Melbourne and probably the year after they’ll take it to Townsville. They might try again to go to Western Australia to Perth.

“It would be difficult because we’re talking about a four hour flight so maybe they’re out of the equation but a one and a hour flight to Brisbane or Melbourne, it can be done.

“Why are IMG thinking to get rid of what perhaps has been one of the success stories of Super League?

Eddie then said: “Now I’ve crunched my own numbers, 53,517 people turned out to our matches this last weekend. They claim the crowds are flocking to the games, well nothing compared to Australia as we mentioned earlier on.

“The Magic Weekend, if you believe the figures, 70,000 plus show up in a none-heartland city to watch all six games.

“I think I’m right in that the city that hosts the Magic Weekend actually pays money into the coffers of the RFL for taking it there. I might be way off though I believe that is the case.

This led Stevo to say: “Why get rid of it? It’s madness!”