THIS WEEKEND we will see the NRL introduce itself to the United States, with a double-header to be played at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas involving four teams – South Sydney, Manly, Brisbane Broncos and Sydney Roosters.
The NRL is committed to having games in Las Vegas for the next five years and, although its decision to go to America has aroused a sceptical response in some Australian quarters, it clearly has a long term plan to promote Rugby League in a country that comprises the greatest sports market in the world.
And the encouraging sign is that the NRL is now talking about involving Super League clubs in future Las Vegas games.
Of course as everyone knows, the NRL’s objective isn’t just to popularise the game itself, but also to take advantage of the growing sports betting market in the United States, which legalised sports gambling quite recently.
In some American states, sports betting is still illegal, but those in which it has been legalised have seen a remarkable growth in betting in a very short space of time.
The NFL’s Super Bowl two weeks ago, which was also held at the Allegiant Stadium, attracted an estimated 68 million US punters, who are estimated to have gambled $35 billion on the event.
Inevitably, the NRL’s chasing of the gambling dollar has attracted criticism from some quarters, with the issue of problem gambling being highlighted. That is hardly surprising. But if the potential income is available and can be legally generated, it’s difficult to blame the NRL for its determination to grab a piece of the action in a market of that size.
And it looks as though the NRL is in Las Vegas at an opportune time in terms of the annual sporting cycle.
The NFL concluded its season with the Super Bowl in February, the opening day of the Major League Baseball season is on 28th March, and the basketball and ice hockey leagues are midway through their lengthy seasons.
The double-header will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1, which is the major sports TV channel in the United States.
What I find particularly interesting is the potential to develop other major events both within and around the Las Vegas experiment, particularly as leading figures in the NRL have given the distinct impression that they are open to expanding the event to incorporate more than just the NRL’s men’s teams.
For example, women’s sport is of growing importance in America, as it is in many other countries in the world, and I’m certain that Americans would be intrigued to see women playing this most physical of sports.
Sydney Roosters owner Nick Politis also recognises the potential of taking the women’s game to America.
“Nick said ‘you’ve got a unique situation with the women’s game. Why wouldn’t you take a women’s game to America’,” NRL Chairman Peter V’landys is reported as saying.
“That would take our game to another to another level, especially considering how good they are.
“The other one that we’re going to look at is Super League itself, because our research has shown that the biggest travellers are English.
“To take a Super League game there, as well, would generate a lot more people coming from England to the US.”
I’m sure that’s right.
If, for example, this year’s World Club Challenge game had been the second game of the double header, perhaps with St Helens or Catalans Dragons against Brisbane Broncos in the opening game, I suspect that we would have had thousands of British or French fans following their team to the Sin City.
There will be an American 9s tournament taking place in the build-up to the double-header event, but I would also like to see a game between the United States national team against a suitable opponent, perhaps Jamaica or Canada as part of the event.
It’s important to persuade Americans, who may be experiencing our game for the first time, that they have some skin in the game.
But before then, will they be turned on by a young superstar such as Brisbane’s Reece Walsh, as they were by Elvis Presley 60 years ago?
Let’s all hope that they will be.
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 494 (March 2024)
Click here to subscribe to the print edition of Rugby League World
