Andy Burnham has enjoyed a windswept past couple of weeks after being sworn into the Houses of Parliament as the MP for Makerfield.
The Everton supporter has been a regular at both Goodison Park and the Hill Dickinson Stadium over the years.
Burnham hopes that can continue as he looks on track to become the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
In recent weeks, Burnham has urged Jack Grealish to re-sign for Everton following the end of his loan deal on Merseyside.
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However, there has been one promise made by the 56-year-old, as his pledge to grow Rugby League could have a positive knock-on effect for the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
What Andy Burnham has said that could massively impact Everton
Everton are hosting the 2026 Magic Weekend across Saturday and Sunday in what is a significant money-earner for both the club and the city.
Rugby League has come under scrutiny of late, with not all of the clubs in favour of the Magic Weekend.
Despite the questions being asked, Burnham has given his full backing to help grow Rugby League.
“As President of the RFL, I sponsored a piece of work looking at the contribution of Rugby League clubs to their communities and it is truly huge, and particularly important given that those are often some of the more deprived communities of the country,” he said via a Reddit Q&A.
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“I do not believe Rugby League has had fair treatment over the years when it comes to public funding or coverage in the media and don’t get me started about the honours system! We have had some redress on that latter point in recent times but I want to see progress on the other two, and I will be a staunch advocate for the game in whatever office I hold.
“I will be at magic weekend tomorrow [Saturday] and will hopefully witness the mighty Leigh Leopards triumph over our Warrington rivals!”
Given Everton’s desire to gain a control on the Rugby League market through their new stadium, this is very good news for the Blues.
Everton can increase their hold on the Rugby League market
In a real boost for the club, it has now been revealed that Everton will host the 2027 Magic Weekend.
The decision to award the Hill Dickinson Stadium consecutive years of the competition has been made before kick-off on Saturday for the 2026 event.
There could be more opportunities for the Blues to capitalise on the market, though.
It has been suggested in the past that Everton are being considered to host the Super League final, which has typically been held at Old Trafford over the years.
With Burnham’s support in growing the Rugby League market, this could prove even more lucrative for Everton if the audience were to grow further.
The Rugby League chiefs were impressed by ticket sales for the 2026 Magic Weekend, which was a large factor as to why the event will be held on Merseyside again next year.
Maintaining regular non-football events being hosted at the new stadium on the Liverpool docks is of huge importance for Everton’s finances.
It looks as if Burnham could help his football club out in the future if he does make it to the top seat.
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