Magic Weekend’s fate set to be decided – with more cash call is it stays

MAGIC Weekend’s future will be decided in the next six weeks – after TV talks are completed.

And if it remains, rugby league bosses are set to ask cities that want to host it for more money.

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Strategic partner IMG has earmarked the two-day event for the chop as it feels the sport is ‘cannibalising’ itself – but chiefs saw more than 36,000 people turn up on Saturday.

However, 63,269 fans turned up to Newcastle’s St James’ Park – more than 1,100 more than last year, despite train strikes and the cost-of-living crisis.

Clubs want it to stay, players want it to stay, Hull’s former England coach Tony Smith wants it to stay and if they had the choice, the Rugby Football League would keep it.

However, off-field commercial chief Rhodri Jones admits what happens, either keeping it or altering it to a different format, is very much in the hands of whoever lands the main TV contract.

He said: “We expect broadcasting talks to conclude in the next two to three weeks. I’d imagine the calendar will be done in the next four to six.

“Probably the biggest challenge is availability of city and stadium. A stadium like St James’s Park in June or July doesn’t have a pitch, and in August they will be a Champions League club, so we’ve got some hurdles to overcome, there are a lot of things to consider.

“We bring £6 million-£8 million into the city of Newcastle. We’ve got to do the right commercial deal – we think we have the right and ability to ask for a better financial package to make it more profitable.

“IMG seeing the Saturday may possibly spark a change of mind. Another 5,000-10,000 in the stadium would make this event really fly.”

Veteran boss Smith, who is not afraid of telling the RFL where it is going wrong, believes it has something right – and the Magic ‘festival’ should stay.

He said: “It’s festival season for music at the moment – Magic is ours.

“It’s fantastic and it would be a shame to lose our festival and our celebration of everybody coming together. I love it.”