The NRL and Suncorp Stadium could end up with egg on their face after revelations plans for a Magic Round in Brisbane next year clashes with a Super Rugby fixture between the Queensland Reds and NSW Waratahs.
The NRL held a media conference on Sunday to announce that all eight games of round 10 next year will be held at Suncorp Stadium over the weekend of May 17-19.
But in a huge embarrassment, it appears their arrangement may be scuppered before getting off the ground.
The Reds last week unveiled their schedule for next year, that includes a match against the Waratahs on May 18 at Suncorp.
The NRL have been contacted for comment.
Earlier, Greenberg said the round would “showcase our game and create a festival-like occasion.”
Greenberg spruiked Brisbane as the best place to launch Magic Round, forecast to be an annual event.
The NRL has signed a multi-year agreement with the Queensland government and Brisbane City Council to hold it in Brisbane but he admitted could move locations in the future.
“I think it’s a fitting start for what will be an annual event,” Greenberg said on Sunday.
“There’s probably not a better place to try it than here in Queensland.
“I expect it to be a roaring success.”
Greenberg said the concept showed the NRL wanted to be as innovative as possible and to also do things differently to grow and foster the code.
“The community interaction that we will have with all 16 clubs in place will be phenomenal,” he said.
“Our coaches would be in grass roots clubs helping junior coaches, our players will be doing community work and on top of that you will see a great spectacle here on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday.”
Ticket prices will be aimed at families and patrons can buy one ticket for access to any of the double-header or triple-header sessions, as well as one covering all.
The NRL sees Magic Round as its premier innovation event for 2019 but Greenberg is also optimistic about kicking off the season with a game on the United States west coast, dubbed Round Zero.
“We can’t get a confirmation yet because there’s a lot of parts still to play including broadcasters and clubs and travel and, of course, cost but we’re working our way through that,” he said.
The Magic Round is tipped to pump more than $60 million into the Queensland economy and generate 300,000 room just before before the start of the State of Origin series.
Both Greenberg and Brisbane Broncos skipper Darius Boyd played down any concerns the Suncorp Stadium surface, which also cops Super Rugby and A-League traffic, would be able to cope with eight games over one weekend.
James Ditchfield
Roar Rookie
This is like something out of The Benny Hill Show
terrence
Guest
Either way it's a no big deal. The poor old keyboard nuffies here all got over excited over nothing, as usual.
raj
Guest
this is really happening ?! lol there are only 5 teams outside NSW... surely they would put it in Sydney... if nobody shows up when the game is local why would they go to brisbane ?!! the doubleheader thing is a joke too... imagine that at the premier league, NFL or even the AFL!
Your kidding
Guest
Just turn the tv on and have a look mate. They aren't getting any where near the reported crowd numbers. They are making the numbers up. It's embarrassing. But, as I said before, the Foxtel ratings are good. People are choosing to watch the game at home.
Renegade
Roar Guru
If Suncorp said it was available there’s not much else they could do.... who else are they supposed to ask?
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Kent was incorrect in his assumption.One bad weekend does not mean overall crowds are down. Get a few more bad weekends like last weekend ,and Kent may have a point.Like Rothfield he too gets it wrong at times.Just like Rothfield never owns up to it.
Jacko
Guest
that makes it just like yours
Jacko
Guest
Jacko
Guest
Just put the magic round on a weekend the venue isnt booked....
jacko
Guest
Play the 8 NRL games at Ballymore...Suncorp already booked
Jacko
Guest
James the NRL CEO couldnt manage a salary cap...also couldnt handle a rape case properly...tried hiding it
Nathan Wall
Guest
Thanks for the source Justin, I found an article from yesterday by Andrew Ferguson (which may be what you were referring to), In the article he talks about Sydney crowds specifically and does not mention the overall NRL crowds (or data sources!). Some good figures for the Dragons in his article though. As you would expect crowd attendance at home games is heavily impacted by the teams performance. This year many of the Sydney Clubs (Panthers, Tigers, Dragons, Rabbits, Roosters and Sharks) are all doing well and such their crowds are up. This does not mean the whole competition's crowds are up! I'm not saying there has been a large reduction, by no means has there been. My whole argument is that this years figures are slightly down in comparison with last year once the tactic of double counting the double header games is excluded. I belive that the NRL is double counting the 4 double header games to make themselves look good and not face criticism and actual address the issues they have. Im suspicious that the NRL will use the same tactic next year with the so called 'Magic Round' to try and argue that the crowd figures are up again. (whether or not they actually are).
RandyM
Guest
off topic but its interesting that one of those sites is run by a afl tragic (probably employed by the AFL in some capacity) and the other site was once called rleague stats.com or something and then one day the domain changed to AFLtables hmmmm....
Farqueue
Guest
I think many people are underestimating how many supporters of Sydney teams live in Brisbane and surrounds.....there is big support for the rabbits... dragons...eels...dogs in Brisbane. Many people supported a team before the broncos came in and have stuck solid .
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
By the way there is a good article by a chap called Andrew Ferguson about crowds this year. Ignoring unprovable statements about crowd fudging he noted the crowds have risen slightly this year which is what every official authority on crowds is saying.
Mumbles
Guest
10K at the Roosters game - yeah sure 6K if you count the bars...
Mumbles
Guest
Blame someone else as always as if you would go out without checking (at least with Klein in the bunker - another howler!!)
Mungo
Guest
Wow a whole weekend of one round of RL in one city will outdraw the Reds - the only place in the world this would happen - Congrats. Perhaps you could hire someone who understands the Gregorian calendar. 2 years ago the RL put the raiders in the draw for Canberra on a weekend when the RU were playing at the same time (and the RL draw comes out last to cherrypick the best times). What a howler of course the Sydney herald, partners with Nine in Stan, buried the stuffup story as a scheduling change.
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
Not according to anybody else I’ve seen analyse these data. We’ll just have to disagree.
Nathan Wall
Guest
Agree with the sources. Disagree about the impact of the double headers. There was only one last year and has been 4 this year. the double dipping on three of those games has made up the entire increase in attendance.