Super event’s in a league of its own
WHAT’S ON EDITOR GORDON BARR GETS THE LOWDOWN ON MAGIC WEEKEND, AT ST JAMES’ PARK TOMORROW AND SUNDAY, FROM RUGBY’S SUPER LEAGUE GENERAL MANAGER MARK FOSTER
IT’S ONLY FOR RUGBY FANS, ISN’T IT?
NOT a chance! There is something for everyone, I bring my family along each year – my two daughters are four and 14 and they are not rugby fans but they absolutely love it. It is a really friendly and welcoming atmosphere, amazing sporting entertainment on the pitch and, best of all, you can enjoy a pint while you are sat in your seat watching the sport.
Everyone that we speak to who comes to the Magic Weekend as their first experience of rugby league just cannot believe what a great event it is and go away converted to being a fan.
CAN WE EXPECT ANYTHING DIFFERENT THIS YEAR?
IT is a pretty successful formula already so we haven’t changed it too much – affordable ticket prices, six games of Super League over the weekend, live music, fan zone and plenty of entertainment for everyone whether you’re a rugby league fan, a sports fan or just someone looking for something to do with friends or family for a couple of hours this Saturday or Sunday.
The one thing that is different this year is the kit that the teams will be wearing – they’ve gone all out with the party atmosphere and, while there’s plenty of fancy dress in the stands this year ,on the pitch we have some amazing kits. Some of our teams have linked up with Marvel, so we have Hull FC playing in a Hulk kit, Wakefield in Spiderman, there’s also Captain America and others, plus, we have some charity kits too, so Widnes for the third year are supporting the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and will be playing in black and white stripes. So if anyone is looking for a club to support, Widnes have really embraced the North East.
THREE YEARS IN A ROW. HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?
NEWCASTLE is a great city for the Dacia Magic Weekend, and St James’ Park is a fitting stage for the extraordinary athletes that play rugby league. As someone who has lived in the North East for the past 20 years, it is great to see the city taken over by fans of all the Super League clubs, all having a great time. And the people of the North East appreciate major sporting events and always turn up in great numbers to enjoy the event and, so far, our ticket sales show that will be the same again this year. So we are very excited to be back for a third year.
WHY DO YOU THINK NEWCASTLE AND ST JAMES’ PARK HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL FOR THE MAGIC WEEKEND?
IT is a great, party city and the Magic Weekend is rugby league’s summer party, so it works really well, and St James’ Park is one of the iconic sports stadiums in the country so our players and fans love coming to it for the weekend. The fact that it is so close to the city centre adds something special that many stadiums cannot offer. We’ve also been very fortunate to work alongside the city sponsors, NE1 Ltd and Newcastle City Council, who work hard to bring the event back to the city and help make it what it is. Partnerships with teams from both these organisations help make the event not only run smoothly but to its fantastic form.
AND THE FAN ZONE?
IT is back bigger and better than ever. We will have live entertainment; food and drink; Super League players available for selfies and autographs; and our commercial partners will provide plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained and all of the Super League clubs’ furry mascots will be on hand for the kids, as well as face painting, inflatables and other family friendly entertainment.
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF. YOU’RE LOCAL AREN’T YOU? DOES THAT GIVE YOU AN EVEN BIGGER SENSE OF PRIDE?
I am not a local, although I came to Newcastle in 1991 when I was 19 to go to Northumbria University and I have stayed ever since, so I am kind of almost accepted as a local! Having worked at both Newcastle Falcons and Durham County Cricket Club I just knew that the Magic Weekend would be a great suc-
cess in Newcastle, and I campaigned hard to bring the event here, and I most definitely haven’t been let down. Everyone has been fantastic – from Newcastle United, Newcastle City Council, NE1, NGI, Newcastle Thunder through to the people of the North East who have given the event amazing support for the past two years, and this year has been no different.
IT’S A GREAT SHOWCASE FOR THE CITY – WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND VISITORS DO WHEN HERE (APART FROM THE MATCHES)?
IT is great for the city – last year we ran an independent piece of research that showed the Magic Weekend contributed over £4m to the North East community. My advice to any fans coming up for the weekend would be to make the most of what the city and surrounding area has to offer. On the Saturday night, a trip to one of the many restaurants and pubs is not to be missed. Personally, I love Café 21 and Piccolinos on the Quayside or Dabbawal in Jesmond. Then, on the Sunday morning before all the action starts again, there’s time to either have a walk around the Quayside Market or get out to the coast at Tynemouth for a walk on the beach to set you up for the day ahead.
FOOTBALL VS RUGBY – GO ON, WHICH IS BEST?
HA! There’s definitely a place for both, like I say I am not a local and actually support my hometown club of Stoke City, so I tend to keep quiet about football! However, Newcastle United have had a fantastic season and we know all of the football fans that come to a Super League game are blown away by how fast it is, how hard the tackles and how entertaining the whole 80 minutes is. I would encourage any football fan to come to St James’ Park this weekend and continue the promotion party, they will definitely be warmly welcomed by all of the Super League fans.
IT’S EARLY DAYS BUT WOULD YOU HOPE TO HAVE IT HERE AGAIN FOR 2018?
WE haven’t made any decisions on next year yet. It will be next week when we properly evaluate the event and see how successful it has been, but all the signs are that this year will be another great year in Newcastle. However, like I said, with over £4m spent in the local economy over the weekend there are plenty of cities that would like to host it.
HOW ARE YOU TEAMING UP WITH BARS/BUSINESSES TO CELEBRATE THE OCCASION?
THERE are a number of bars, restaurants and other businesses that are offering people who attend the Magic Weekend special offers throughout the weekend. We will be emailing all those who have already bought a ticket with further details. We do have some tickets still available – I would suggest they visit the website rugby-league.com for further details.
A FINAL WORD ON THE WHOLE EVENT?
IT really is difficult to put across in words just what an extraordinary event it is. All I can say is buy a ticket go with friends and family and a guarantee you will not regret it!