The key factors that could determine Magic’s future

A decision has yet to be made – and all concerned parties will digest the figures from this year’s event, including the 63,269 gate, and throw that into the discussion with a host of other key factors.

Among those are timing – given the plans to bring the Challenge Cup back to May/June and the availability of Newcastle later in the year given that they are now a Champions League team.

Also key is the needs and demands of the broadcaster as negotiations for the sport’s next television rights deal near a conclusion.

Some clubs – by all means not all – and current broadcasters Sky are understood to be in favour of keeping Magic.

At a briefing yesterday Rhodri Jones, the managing director of RFL commercial, explained that decisions will be made within the next four-six weeks.

He said: “We are in discussions with multiple broadcasters at the moment and we expect that to conclude in the next two to three weeks, and I’d imagine the calendar will be within the next four to six weeks.

“Ideally we’d wrap it all up by the end of June to give clubs clarity on how the calendar looks next year. Certainly before the summer holiday period we’ll be ready to go and we’ll know what 2024 looks like.”

One of the difficulties with Magic – particularly at Newcastle where it seems to have found a natural home – is the complications of moving the Challenge Cup Final to earlier in the season.

That means Magic would be seeking available stadiums later in the year. 

Last year it was held in September, in 2011 it kicked the season off at Cardiff in 2011 with the early season weather not ideal for this type of event. 

“Probably the biggest challenge is availability of city and stadium”, conceded Jones.

“A stadium like (St James’s Park) in June or July doesn’t have a pitch, and in August they will be a Champions League club, so we’ve got some hurdles to overcome in general.

“I can’t give a definitive answer about the future of Magic, but it’s something we are definitely looking at for next year.”

The weekend event makes a significant contribution to Tyne and Wear’s economy with hotels sold out, bars and restaurants packed from Friday to Sunday.

The RFL will undoubtably be using that as leverage to get a better financial return from the host city to make the event more profitable.

And that will also be a factor in negotiations.

That negotiation is not an easy win for RL Commercial given next weekend St James’ Park host Sam Fender and Sunderland’s Stadium of Light has Pink so although Newcastle’s owners opted for Magic, they can equally fill that void with another gig.

But RL will seek to get something in return for the boost the fans bring to host city’s local economies.

They will also have to get the buy-in from fans – and for most, it seems, that after events at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, Murrayfield, Etihad and Anfield that Newcastle is where fans feel most at home.

The RFL will have discovered with the way that the Summer Bash has bombed since moving it from Blackpool, the right host makes the occasion.