Revolutionary cross-code Nines Festival touted with Magic Weekend facing axe
A general view of St James' Park taken as Leigh Leopards and Catalans Dragons took to the field ahead of the first game of Magic Weekend in 2025
Leigh Leopards owner Derek Beaumont has thrown his support behind a new Rugby League Nines festival to replace Magic Weekend, with the headline event facing the axe.
Following the decision to expand Super League to 14 teams from next season, reports emerged that Magic Weekend could be scrapped in favour of a new play-off format with eight teams. It also comes amid the removal of loop fixtures.
While a return to Newcastle is in the pipeline, there is no date for Magic Weekend next season.
‘I want to get heavily involved in the Nines element’
Nines has been seen as a potential way to bring in new fans to the sport, in a similar way to the success of the Hundred in Cricket.
The NRL previously held a club Nines pre-season tournament, and there have also been multiple international Nines festivals as well, and it seems that concept could be replicated in Super League as well, with the Leigh supremo even suggesting it could be expanded out to Championship and rugby union sides.
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“You can’t get rid of loop fixtures and keep Magic Weekend in its format,” Beaumont told Leigh’s club website.
“I want to get heavily involved in the Nines element, that excites me. But bring in a vibrant Nines festival that’s got an open invitation for a couple of slots that could be rugby union, it could be Championship.”
Alongside the actual rugby, Beumont suggested things that could go alongside it to make it a proper event, and one that could even be ‘the envy of other sports’
“A festival of music mixed in with it, pyros, effects, and over a bank holiday weekend,” the Leopards owner continued.
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“We can book the hotels themed for each club, we can put Q&As on with coaches, and actually maximise the business revenue.
“Let’s make something that is the envy of other sports and is really visual, a great thing to be at and sells out in advance.
“If we can take 3,000 to Catalans, how many can we take to an event like that in Ireland? If we can get a rugby union team playing it as well. We can get that framework in, and people go, ‘Wow, how good was that?’”
Merging sport and entertainment has become a popular trend in recent years. Formula One regularly host live music concerts after races, while LIV Golf also hold music festivals at events, and the Hundred also sees live DJs alongside the action on the pitch.
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