Super League Magic Weekend set to continue in 2024 after clubs oppose IMG’s plans to cancel

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josie andrews
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Super League Magic Weekend set to continue in 2024 after clubs oppose IMG’s plans to cancel

Post by josie andrews »

Magic Weekend could return in 2024 as Super League‘s annual showpiece event despite IMG’s initial plans to get rid of it.

In late 2022 the global marketing giant revealed its intention to remove the popular Magic Weekend from the UK calendar next year as part of its proposals to reimagine and revamp rugby league, citing the fact it cannibalised other major events in the sport and created an artificial extra round.

But i understands there has been significant pushback from this move, especially from clubs, with Magic Weekend now most likely to continue in 2024.

According to sources, IMG was to introduce a new event to replace Magic Weekend in the season next year but this has not yet been presented to RL Commercial or the 12 Super League clubs, nor has next season’s makeup been confirmed.

The two-day event where six games are played in one stadium remains a favourite with fans, players and broadcasters, providing solid ratings for Sky and a saving on costs.

Magic Weekend was introduced in 2007 as a way of promoting the sport to new markets and was first held at Cardiff‘s Millennium Stadium, where it attracted 58,831 fans. It has been taken to Edinburgh, Manchester and Liverpool over the past 17 years, but has found a home at Newcastle‘s St James’ Park.

The event has been held six times in the north east of England, where it received its biggest crowd of 68,276 in 2016. It takes place again on Tyneside at the home of Premier League club Newcastle United next month, on 3 and 4 June.

There’s some evidence and a perception that we’re potentially cannibalising ourselves with our events,” Matt Dwyer, IMG’s vice president of sports management, told reporters in September last year.

“Our focus is to revive the Challenge Cup. As a concept, we’re not negative to Magic Weekend. It’s something we’d like to see how we can work in going forward.

“But it’s not part of the short to medium term. We need to bring a degree of scarcity to our key match-ups.”

Criticisms of Magic Weekend include the toll on players as part of a long season, the lack of revenue that feeds back to clubs, and the effect it has on the Challenge Cup. However, the innovative concept has been copied by the NRL in Australia and held successfully in Brisbane annually since 2019.

This year the NRL’s Magic Round boasted an increased attendance of 147,105 over the two days at Queensland’s Suncorp Stadium.

One senior official told i about Magic Weekend: “It doesn’t make much money but Sky loves it”. Another high-placed source said: “It’s all up in the air still. There has been some desire for it to stay, especially from the clubs.”

Kris Radlinksi, CEO of Wigan Warriors, said: “The suggested new event from IMG has not yet been presented as such, I do believe that Magic may still be an option for 2024.

“I personally like the event but would just like the selection of games to be different. It doesn’t sit right with me hand-selected games.”

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fozzieskem
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Re: Super League Magic Weekend set to continue in 2024 after clubs oppose IMG’s plans to cancel

Post by fozzieskem »

What a great idea to scrap an event that draws 65k most years..yes the game selection is tired and in need of a spruce up but I love the trip to Newcastle well I must do I go every year,the okd saying of throwing the baby out with the bath water comes to mind.

And no not for one second did I think they’d scrap the event.
bertina
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Re: Super League Magic Weekend set to continue in 2024 after clubs oppose IMG’s plans to cancel

Post by bertina »

fozzieskem wrote: Sat May 20, 2023 6:06 am What a great idea to scrap an event that draws 65k most years..yes the game selection is tired and in need of a spruce up but I love the trip to Newcastle well I must do I go every year,the okd saying of throwing the baby out with the bath water comes to mind.

And no not for one second did I think they’d scrap the event.
I also love going to Newcastle, but the chance to highlight RL on tv this weekend is non existent.
Saturday is Epsom Derby day, and FA cup final day. Apart from absolute diehards, who the hell will be watching RL. ???
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