Will This Be The Final Super League Magic Weekend In Newcastle?

Speculation is growing that 2018 will be the last time that Super League’s Magic Weekend will be held in Newcastle.

The annual two-day roadshow of games, known as the Magic Weekend, hits St James Park on Saturday May 19. Since 2007 Magic Weekend has been held at venues across the UK. First Cardiff, then Edinburgh, then back to Cardiff, then Manchester and for the past three years in Newcastle. It has quickly become a key part of the annual rugby league calendar.

At St James Park, more than at any other venue, it has been found a real home. The biggest crowds have been in Newcastle – 68,276 in 2016 – and it is a favourite spot of fans and players. According to Newcastle City Council, it has been a winner for the area as well. Magic generates a £9 million economic impact for the city and brings in around 58,000 outside visitors. That’s big bickies.

But the word is that there will be no Magic on Tyneside in 2019. The event is set to go back to Etihad Stadium next year, the home of Manchester City, and where Magic was staged for three years between 2012 and 2014. With the Rugby Football League (RFL) moving its headquarters from Leeds to the Eithad, Magic will follow suit as part of the deal.

Super League general manager Mark Foster hinted as much when he spoke to The Yorkshire Post earlier this week.

“We’re speaking to four or five different venues at the moment, which will all enter into the mix for next year,” Foster said. “I would say the difference this year is that hosting Magic is worldwide now, that’s the interesting thing for me. “We’ve cities from around the world now that would like to host the Magic event.”

Newcastle City Council have told The Sportsman they had no discussions with the RFL yet about staging Magic Weekend in 2019. Considering rugby league’s lack of big events that capture the imagination, apart from the Super League grand final and the Challenge Cup final, moving Magic Weekend back into a heartland area would be somewhat controversial. Rugby league seems locked in an existential crisis over expansion and growth. Half of its followers believe that only by tapping into new markets can it survive and prosper in the future. The other half are vehemently against expansion, point to the many failed cases of expansion and believe that strengthening the support in its traditional areas among its traditional fanbase is the way to go.

I’ve been to every Magic Weekend in Newcastle in the past three years. Having visited the north-east before that, and seen a Premier League match live at St James’ Park, I was well aware of the delights of the city. Newcastle has many attractions, from its lively bar and restaurant scene, its eye-catching architecture and historical sights, to its friendly locals. St James Park is one of England’s great sporting cathedrals. Thanks to its central location, the stadium is perfectly situated for easy access to hotels and pubs for supporters. Newcastle ticks many boxes.

If Magic Weekend is to leave Tyneside, then the RFL needs to ensure other major events come to the city in the future. Whether they be Test matches, important Challenge Cup ties, a Super League grand final, World Cup games – whatever – this is an area that deserves attention. Great progress is being made in the region by amateur clubs like Cramlington Rockets. Four years of Magic in Newcastle has built a bond and connection. Ignoring that, and throwing away lots of hard work in the process, would be ill-advised.