Newcastle’s St James’ Park to host Magic Weekend
Newcastle’s St James’ Park will host the Magic Weekend in 2015 on the weekend of May 30-31.
Three games will take place on both Saturday and Sunday at what will be the fourth venue to host the event – following Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, Murrayfield in Edinburgh and the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, which is unavailable next season.
Super League General Manager Blake Solly said: “St James’ Park is one of Britain’s iconic sporting stadiums and Newcastle is a fantastic destination city that will provide the perfect backdrop to the First Utility Super League Magic Weekend.
“From all our engagement with Newcastle United, Newcastle City Council, NE1 and other agencies, it is clear that the region will welcome Rugby League fans with open arms and I have no doubts that Magic Weekend 2015 will be a huge success.
“We did receive interest in staging Magic Weekend from a number of other venues but none provided as good a fit as Newcastle for many reasons, including its transport links, hotel and accommodation options and opportunities for our fans to enjoy a weekend to remember.”
As well as the exciting action on the pitch, visitors to the North East can take in sights such as the Angel of the North and Tyne Bridge, and visit the award-winning Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and The Sage.
Famous for shopping destinations such as Eldon Square and the Metrocentre and its lively nightlife where fans can unwind after watching a thrilling day of Rugby League, Newcastle ticks all the boxes to make Magic Weekend 2015 a memorable one.
Councillor Nick Forbes Leader of Newcastle City Council, said: “I’m delighted that Newcastle has been chosen to host Magic Weekend which will bring additional investment to the City.
“Newcastle has a proven track record of hosting large scale sporting events. With so much to do here and our famous hospitality, visitors are guaranteed a fantastic experience and a taste of Geordie Magic.
“Our city has excellent transport routes so visitors from outside the region will find it nothing short of easy to get to and if they are staying over, hotels to match all budgets.”
Details of Magic Weekend 2015 fixtures and kick-off times will be confirmed in mid-November, although they are likely to be similar to this season’s line-up – with organisers keen to retain, in particular, the Wigan and Leeds meeting of recent seasons.