Brisbane’s Magic Round hosting rights expire after the 2024 season and multiple destinations have reportedly thrown their name in the hat to win the rugby league showcase.
The NRL has reportedly received “exceptionally strong interest” from Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne according to The Daily Telegraph.
Meanwhile, New Zealand has also been floated as a potential destination, taking the annual event across the Tasman.
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Magic Round reportedly brings $28 million into the Queensland economy with over 140,000 fans flocking to the 2023 event.
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has confirmed Magic Round will be open for bids for 2025 and he also responded to calls for Magic Round to be played in New Zealand.
Abdo also revealed that the NRL will also speak to Tourism Queensland and Brisbane City council who have succesfully ran the event since 2019.
“Why wouldn’t we consider putting more content in New Zealand whether it’s Magic Round or something else, absolutely,” Abdo told 2GB’s Continuous Call Team.
“That’s why it was important to take the All Stars there for the first time.
“So Magic Round’s an option but so too is perhaps thinking about Test matches or the end-of-the-season internationals.”
Abdo also emphasised the importance of New Zealand to the NRL and said the ARLC have a big decision on their hands.
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“We’ve always got to think about how we grow the game,” Abdo said.
”In some respects, you’d like to think that you can build a tradition and really make this big and special (in Brisbane).
“The other option for us is thinking about the market and giving fans an opportunity to travel somewhere else new.
“We’ve got one more year committed here next year, then after that, the commission is going to have to make a call around where is the best place to play it.
“New Zealand is an incredibly important market for us and we’ve had huge growth in fans in New Zealand over the last couple of years.”
Meanwhile, Venues NSW chairman Rod McGeoch has revealed Sydney’s multi-venue bid to bring the annual event into Blues territory.
While the NRL is reportedly yet to receive any concrete offers to win Magic Round’s hosting rights, McGeoch confirmed NSW would throw their hat in the ring.
“The argument against Sydney is that the majority of teams are already here and you have to ask whether you will get the travel from interstate fans because of that,” McGeoch said to the SMH.
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“But if you do it right and make it a real event as the NRL are talking and doing, we’ve got two world-class venues in CommBank Stadium at Parramatta and Allianz right near the CBD, and content for those stadiums at either end of the city, that’s absolutely paramount.
“Tony Shepherd (GWS Giants chair) is desperate for an AFL (Gather) Round in Sydney to lift that code again in Sydney and take on rugby league again.
“Our key KPI is to triple the number of visitors to Sydney by 2030, so when the government goes after events, we have to prove that investment will come back. Absolutely a Magic Round in Sydney can do that and from my point of view NSW has got to have a go.”
Meanwhile, an NRLW Magic Round could also be introduced as a stand-alone weekend or alongside the men’s event.
“It works for the NRL, so absolutely, why not for the NRLW too,” Abdo said.
“When you’re talking about new fans, it’s a very, very strong vehicle to attract new fans and we want to showcase a very, very fast-growing sport as much as possible.
“I can’t tell you when that could happen. We definitely don’t have to wait until the next broadcast cycle for that, we’ve got to do the work and execute it properly, but it’s definitely possible.”
