Magic Weekend could head to Nottingham as three new venues considered for 2025
2BACBNE A general view of the City Ground
Nottingham, Dublin and Cardiff are all under consideration to host Magic Weekend in 2025, the boss of Rugby League Commercial, Rhodri Jones, has revealed – with Paris considered as a potential long-term host, too.
The event relocated to Elland Road this year but with a low attendance likely for the whole weekend, there seems to be no chance of it remaining in West Yorkshire in 2025.
Jones told Love Rugby League last week that the priority for next year was a ‘destination venue’, seemingly ruling Elland Road out of the equation.
Many supporters would clamour for a return to Newcastle and St James’ Park, seen to be Magic’s spiritual home after a number of successful years for the event in the area.
And while that is believed to be an option, with Newcastle keen to bring Magic back in 2025, Jones told the PA news agency that there are multiple new options on the cards too.
That includes Nottingham and a move to The City Ground, after productive conversations with representatives in the area already. But Dublin and Paris have also been named-checked by Jones – though Paris is earmarked as a venue for later down the line.
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“Nottingham is a possibility through Nottingham Forest,” Jones said. ‘We’ve had conversations with Cardiff, we’re looking at Dublin and potentially, in the longer term, Paris. We’ve got to keep evolving and being innovative.”
Jones also reiterated what he told Love Rugby League last week; that Magic remains a popular concept that will remain in the calendar, and that IMG are keen supporters of the event.
He said: “IMG are three Magic Weekends in now and they can see it’s a good weekend. It provides us with broadcast and commercial content, ticket revenue opportunity and a peak in our season.
“Perhaps what we haven’t done over the last few years is maximise our opportunity. There are still things we can do improve its commerciality. But we’d have to find a really good replacement if we were going to change Magic Weekend.”
