How Magic Weekend Day 1 crowd compares to every Saturday in event’s history
A general view of Elland Road, the home of Magic Weekend in 2024
With 30,810 spectators watching, day one of Magic Weekend at Elland Road has brought the seventh-lowest Saturday attendance recorded in the event’s 17-year history.
Since Elland Road was confirmed as the event’s destination for 2024 back in November, there has been doubts over how successful it would be, with many very much adopting a negative frame of mind around the decision.
At the start of this week, RL Commercial chief Rhodri Jones told LoveRugbyLeague they expected over 50,000 to be in attendance at Elland Road over the course of the weekend, with Saturday to be busier than Sunday as usual.
Whether that 50,000 figure is reached remains to be seen, but it will need just shy of 20,000 to come through the doors in Leeds on Sunday, with Saturday’s attendance of 30,810 now confirmed.
How Magic Weekend Day 1 crowd compares to every Saturday in event’s history
Magic Weekend has ran annually since 2007, with the only exception being 2020, when the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Accordingly, 2024 is its 17th edition – and Elland Road is its sixth different venue after the Millennium Stadium (Cardiff), Murrayfield (Edinburgh), the Etihad Stadium (Manchester), St James’ Park (Newcastle) and Anfield (Liverpool).
Taking a lower to mid-table spot, below is a look at exactly where that figure ranks compared to previous Saturday attendances at the event.
It’s far from the worst of Edinburgh in 2010 when 26,642 attended on the Saturday, but even further from the best, when 40,871 attended on the Saturday in Newcastle…
Ranked from lowest to highest:
17. 26,642 – Edinburgh 2010
16. 29,627 – Edinburgh 2009
15. 30,057 – Liverpool 2019
14. 30,628 – Cardiff 2008
13. 30,763 – Manchester 2012
12. 30,793 – Manchester 2013
11. 30,810 – Leeds 2024
10. 30,891 – Cardiff 2011
9. 32,384 – Cardiff 2007
8. 35,104 – Newcastle 2021
7. 35,361 – Newcastle 2017
6. 36,339 – Manchester 2014
5. 36,821 – Newcastle 2022
4. 36,943 – Newcastle 2023
3. 38,881 – Newcastle 2018
2. 39,331 – Newcastle 2016
1. 40,871 – Newcastle 2015
LRL RECOMMENDS: Super League recruitment to heat up at Magic Weekend with overseas agents in attendance
