NRL Magic Round: Suncorp set to lose three-day carnival of rugby league

Next weekend’s Magic Round could be the last one hosted at Suncorp Stadium as NSW heavyweights move to poach the festival of footy.

Enjoy it while it lasts, Queensland. Sydney is about to pinch your magic.

The NRL’s hugely popular Magic Round is poised to become the latest target for Sydney’s sparkling new football arena Allianz Stadium.

The Queensland Government dropped the ball in their recent attempt to steal the NRL grand final from NSW.

It was a win for footy fans in Sydney - and that won’t be the only victory over the Queenslanders.

Magic Round is coming to the Harbour City, it’s just a matter of how soon If NSW Minister for Tourism and Sports Stuart Ayres gets his way, it will be played in Sydney next year.

This year may be the last Magic round hosted at Suncorp Stadium for a while. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

“The NRL should give Magic Round to NSW next year as a thank you to all the NSW fans and in recognition of our state’s investment in new stadiums,’’ Ayres told your columnist.

While not out of the realms of possibility, the more likely option is that Sydney hosts Magic Round in 2024, with NRL CEO Andrew Abdo failing to rule out offering the footy festival to a new market.

“The Queensland Government have been terrific partners for this event and Brisbane is a great home for Magic Round,” Abdo said.

“We see it continuing to grow there, but we also know the appetite for the event is strong across the country which gives the Commission options in the long term.”

Options.

Like Sydney - and quite possibly, New Zealand.

In its third year at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, the every team inside one stadium over one NRL round concept, is one of the game‘s great success stories.

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Sydney is keen to poach Magic Round for the new Allianz stadium at Moore Park.

Huge crowds have combined with a genuine excitement from players and clubs to turn the three-day festival of footy into an annual event on the rugby league calendar.

The Queensland Government have previously claimed Magic Round creates a $20 million boost to the economy through hotel accommodation and hospitality.

Next weekend’s Magic Round, with the feature match between premiership heavyweights Melbourne and Penrith on Saturday, is already sold-out.

Fox Sports are anticipating their highest rating match of the year.

Friday night‘s schedule of the Bulldogs-Knights before Sea Eagles-Broncos, is only a few tickets away from also being declared a sellout.

Sunday‘s three-game feast sees the first of three games kick-off at 1.50pm - Sharks v Raiders - and finish around 8pm that night with Tigers-Cowboys.

“We’re going to have the most amount of people we’ve ever had at Magic Round. Fans from across the country,’’ Abdo added.

“Magic Round is an event that people really like, it’s unique and appealing to be able to go and watch a whole round of premiership football at one stadium.

“On Saturday and Sunday, you will see families coming to the footy together, which is terrific.”

Originally, the NRL had a four-year deal in place with the Queensland government to play Magic Round in Brisbane from its inception in 2019 until this year.

Magic Round has quickly become a rugby league fan bucket list item. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

The terms of the arrangement mirrored the game‘s TV broadcast deal.

It’s understood a new TV broadcast agreement to begin in 2023, signed-off on late last year between Fox Sports and Nine, and which runs through until 2027, has more flexibility related to where Magic Round is played.

Due to commercial confidentiality, the NRL won’t discuss how long Brisbane has left as the host city of Magic Round.

However, next year is edging towards their last with Sydney a likely destination in 2024.

Long revered as the best rugby league stadium in Australia, the almost 20-year-old 52,000-seat Suncorp Stadium will soon be overtaken by the technologically advanced 45,500-seat $900 million Allianz Stadium in Sydney.

The new Allianz is set to open for play on September 2.

It will certainly make for interesting discussion within the ARL Commission, particularly with Katie Jones a member of the commission.

Jones is the former Queensland Tourism Minister who reacted in 2019 to comments made by former NSW sports Minister John Sidoti that Sydney was circling Magic Round, by firing back: “We’re not going to see the Magic Round leave the cauldron (Suncorp Stadium).”

More recently, the NSW government have been bulking on the stadium-front, never more bullish about providing sports fans in NSW, not only world-class stadiums, but the best events and sporting content on offer.

NRL Magic Round fits the bill.

Magic Round brings fans of all teams to Suncorp Stadium. Picture: Image AAP/Steve Pohlner

From day one, the NRL said Magic Round was a valuable opportunity for the game to grow the game‘s footprint, by providing fans with more footy than one ticket can buy.

However, the location of Magic Round was never set in stone.

It was always pitched as a caravan for the game.

Everywhere from Hong Kong, Singapore, Perth, Melbourne, New Zealand and Sydney have been floated as future locations for the game’s best roadshow.

However, it’s the latter two, New Zealand and Sydney, that the NRL are eager to pursue next.

The NRL view Magic Round different to State of Origin.

Magic Round is considered a reward for rusted-on footy fans, who not only love the Dragons, Sea Eagles, Tigers or Sharks, but want to watch just how special Nathan Cleary‘s Panthers play live as well.

For many fans, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.

State of Origin boasts a slightly different experience and appeal; considered more than a sporting event, but a spectacle that opens the door to new fans and corporates who don’t necessarily support rugby league, but want the experience of attending a major event.

The NRL are conscious of the ground they have lost in New Zealand due to the uprooting of the Warriors to Australia for the past three years.

The gift of Magic Round will be considered to regenerate support for rugby league across the Tasman.

However, Sydney is the frontrunner to become the next destination for rugby league’s hottest ticket.

That would be just magic.