More than 50,000 rugby league fans are expected to travel to Brisbane for the second ever Magic Round, to be held on the May long weekend. Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones said the NRL’s hottest tickets on its 2020 footy calendar would be released for sale this week before the city comes alive with footy fever from 1 – 3 May.
“The State Government supports events that generate revenue for local businesses and support jobs in Queensland – this event ticks all the boxes,” Minister Jones commented “Footy fans flocked to Brisbane in droves earlier this year when every team played at Suncorp Stadium over one weekend. Next year we’re upping the ante, spreading the games over three days instead of four, creating a huge weekend of rugby league and entertainment here in Brisbane.”
The Minister said about 135,000 people attended the inaugural Magic Round, almost a third of those travelling to Brisbane for the event, which generated a whopping $20 million over four days.
“Another 3.8 million people watched the games on TV – huge exposure for Brisbane,” Minister Jones said
“We expect to see huge numbers again in May 2020, generating millions for local businesses and the tourism industry. We’ve worked closely with the NRL on the Magic Round concept to schedule Queensland’s three teams to play on each day of the weekend, as well as schedule other interstate blockbusters and price three-day tickets from $99.” The Minister commented “This strategy is all aimed at luring fans to Brisbane, maximising tourism outcomes and fan engagement. There is a strong focus on extracting every cent of value from this event that we can for our tourism industry and the state’s economy.”
The Minister explained that TEQ has worked with event partners Brisbane City Council through Brisbane Marketing to activate the city and its tourism experiences and welcome visitors for this blockbuster event.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Brisbane was thrilled to host another magical round of NRL action. “The NRL Magic Round will once again attract tens of thousands of visitors to Brisbane and will deliver a huge benefit to our local economy, by filling hotel rooms, bars and restaurants, and boosting our retail and service sectors,” Cr Schrinner commented “Brisbane just keeps serving up more for residents and visitors to see and do, with a growing number of events, conferences and festivals taking place across Brisbane. Let’s get behind our NRL team and give a warm welcome to all the NRL fans who are travelling to Brisbane for this fantastic event. When they’re not watching the action on the field, I encourage visitors to take advantage of our thriving dining and bar scene, tourism attractions and enjoyable outdoor lifestyle.”
NRL Chief Executive Todd Greenberg thanked the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council for their ongoing support.
“This is an event like nothing else – our fans can watch every single match at one ground, in one town,” Mr Greenberg commented “The biggest NRL stars and teams all in Brisbane showcasing the best of rugby league. Next year, it’s about sharing the magic with even more fans. We’re moving to a three-day format, making the entire round more accessible. We’ve kept prices affordable for families and friends; we’ll have live entertainment and precinct activity around the stadium and throughout the city; and there will be plenty of opportunities to get up close and meet the stars of our game.”
The Brisbane Magic Round match-ups are:
Friday 1 May:
Wests Tigers v Sharks
Sea Eagles v Broncos
Saturday 2 May:
Rabbitohs v Knights
Bulldogs v Raiders
Roosters v Cowboys
Sunday 3 May:
Warriors v Eels
Storm v Dragons
Titans v Panthers