NEWCASTLE THUNDER chairman Keith Christie has welcomed the news that Super League’s Magic Weekend could return to the city, but has stated that his club should have a bigger involvement in the event.
Having been played at Leeds United’s Elland Road earlier this year, a return to the North East appears to be the preferred option for the event in 2025.
St James Park played host to Magic Weekend between 2015 and 2018, then again from 2021 to 2023 and traditionally Thunder would host their own home game on the Friday night to give travelling fans even more live action to watch.
This usually resulted in Thunder’s biggest attendance of the season, but Christie believes that involvement was only part of what they could do.
“Hopefully we’ll get some good news soon on Magic Weekend and that will give us something else to boast about in the North East,” Christie told League Express.
“It would be huge for us as a club if it came back up here, but I’ve said it before we’re not involved enough.
“We’re the local team up here, we know the lie of the land and we could really capitalise on this.
“We know it could be a really fruitful event for all parties, but we’d need the RFL to work with us if it does come back to the North East to make sure we not only create a value in developing the sport and attracting people to attend it, but also having the sport in the region at a level that is deemed to have value. That will come through growing the sport.
“Having a facility where 70,000 people come through our doors allows us to showcase Newcastle. We’re a destination city, we have a lot of people coming to us, which is great, but there is so much more to the place and I’d happily to be the first person stood on Tyne Bridge welcoming fans to Newcastle.
“Magic Weekend can be a good commercial opportunity for both parties and I hope RFL take us up on that.”
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