Rugby's Magic Weekend won't return to Newcastle for 2024
It's being put down to the "non-availability" of St James' Park
Last updated 21st Nov 2023
Rugby League's Magic Weekend won't be returning to Newcastle next year, which could see businesses in the city losing hundreds of thousands of pounds of revenue.
The 2 day event, which has been held at St James' Park for the last 3 years in a row, will be moving to Leeds' Elland Road stadium for 2024.
The change is being put down to the Newcastle United stadium being unavailable for the dates required.
It usually sees thousands of fans descend on the city centre, boosting the economy by supporting bars, restaurants and hotels for the 2 day event.
Rhodri Jones, the managing director of RL Commercial, said:
“Magic Weekend is going to have a different feel in 2024, as a result of the return to a date later in the summer to move away from the Betfred Challenge Cup Final in June, and the non-availability of St James’ Park which has proved such a popular venue for the last three years.
“We are delighted to have agreed a deal with Leeds United to stage Magic Weekend at Elland Road, one of the biggest and best stadia in the north of England – and with a rich rugby league history, having staged numerous big matches from the 1982 Challenge Cup Final replay to the World Cup semi-final between Australia and New Zealand last year."