V`landys in the White House (Merged Threads)

[The Rocket]

NRL in USA: Peter V’landys to attend White House dinner as guest of Anthony Albanese | The Australian

How long before we see President Biden wearing a Rabbitohs` cap, crikey, I`ll even lay odds V`landys will even ask him what he is doing on March 2nd next year, the Yanks little deputy in the Pacific are putting on a shindig in Las Vegas, wanna come.

[The Future is League]

1 hour ago, The Rocket said:

NRL in USA: Peter V’landys to attend White House dinner as guest of Anthony Albanese | The Australian

How long before we see President Biden wearing a Rabbitohs` cap, crikey, I`ll even lay odds V`landys will even ask him what he is doing on March 2nd next year, the Yanks little deputy in the Pacific are putting on a shindig in Las Vegas, wanna come.

I know he has got his detractors, but make no mistake he's smart operator, and I'm sure he will be blowing in the ear of some people letting them know about the NRL's Las Vegas plans for next year.

He's not one to miss an opportunity.

[The Rocket]

Interview with V`landys plans for Rugby League in America.

Peter V’landys’ White House visit, meeting US President Joe Biden and NRL’s 10-year America plan | The Australian

"ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys has revealed plans for the NRL to bury the AFL as Australia’s No.1 sport and reign in America for decades after his meeting with US President Joe Biden.

Speaking exclusively to this masthead from the White House, V’landys spoke of the “surreal” moment an “immigrant boofhead from Wollongong” broke bread with Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a state dinner on Wednesday night.

V’landys’ trip to America, at the behest of Albanese, is a preamble to the NRL’s historic double header in Las Vegas next March when the Broncos, Roosters, Souths and Manly will play at Allegiant Stadium.

The NRL have a five-year strategy to play in Vegas, but after meeting Biden, V’landys believes rugby league can generate more than $200 million with a permanent foothold in the Land of Opportunity.

“It’s just surreal being here. I’m pinching myself,” V’landys said.

“I’m only human and I initially met the Queen for an hour-and-a-half last year, then I met the King of England and now I’ve met the American president.

“I want to express this - if I can do it, anyone can do it.

Anthony Albanese is a great man and is a great supporter of rugby league.

“It’s been a great trip and a very important trip. I have been some very big hitters and I’ve learned a lot about the American market.

“From government officials to major business people, the trip has been exceptionally worthwhile. To be successful, you have to set the foundations and I’m setting the foundations for the long-term growth of the sport.

“I have made some key contacts that will be important for rugby league’s future.

“I won’t name names because I don’t want to embarrass them but the NRL will be Australia’s No.1 sport.”

 

What I have discovered over here is that there are a lot of people in America who are expat Australians. Even if they subscribe to rugby league, it’s worth millions, so American can be a goldmine for the NRL and I’m determined to make it work.”

The NRL is committed to playing games in Vegas until 2028, but V’landys wants rugby league to establish a permanent base in America well into the 2030s.

“We have the AFL on the run,” he said.

“We want to be in America longer than five years.

“I am confident it will be longer than that, we have set ourselves five years and if the results aren’t there in five, we will reassess, but I know we have the best game.

“There is no game like rugby league. It’s got everything. It’s brutal. It’s entertaining. It’s tribal. AFL isn’t here. People say there’s a lot of sports in America but rugby league is as good as anything here.

“Our success here won’t happen overnight. It won’t happen in one year. But if our figures are correct and our commitment is long term, there could be more revenue coming to us from America than Australia, simply because of the scale of the population.

“We have a great ad that we will put out very soon and we will be putting it out on social media to promote the Vegas concept.

“We’re taking a few NRL players over in the next few weeks, including Pat Carrigan, and we’ll have celebrities involved, too.

“We are after two things: subscribers and doing a deal with some wagering operators.

“It’s up to us to market rugby league in America to sell it to the people and that’s what I intend to do.”

There`s nothing like backing yourself and V`landys certainly doesn`t lack confidence in the product or himself, interesting though, he does seem to relish having a rival to drive himself, but that`s ok, because I hate fumbleball as well.

 

[frank]

Things are looking very promising in the States. I think it would have been better if the NZ Warriors had been included in the first  games. A NZ  team may have created more interest and showed the Yanks that League is, an international game and not just played by the Aussies.

[Sports Prophet]

I love his confidence. I had a great chat with an NRL official this week who gave me his personal opinions on the state of the NRL and what direction it should be taking, not necessarily the direction it is taking.

Most interesting was his thoughts on the sport of RL both in Australia and globally. He expressed how vital it is for the NRL to focus on the NRL right now and for the foreseeable future. Rugby League and the NRL face an imperative ongoing commercial battle with the AFL, who are fighting over over hundreds of millions of dollars a year in various commercial opportunities. Whilst being a competitive fight, it is a low hanging fruit opportunity versus developing the international game, which he doesn’t see as being relevant other than a WC every four years. “There’s no room in the calendar mid season. Why would we replace mid-season SOO with a new international product where we would have to not just share the profits but more importantly, trust partner organisations to help us deliver it” was his thereabouts quote.

His thoughts match mine where he believes the professional club game is the best vehicle to expand the reach of the sport globally. His vision extends into the next 20 years where trans continental leagues will be possible and the NRL needs to prepare itself for becoming a continental/global league in the not so distant future. He thinks the NRL will never allow SL to die, but thinks the SL needs to dig in and keep fighting and scrapping to be ready to take advantage of a dramatic global growth, but if worst came to worst and SL was no longer viable, the NRL would come in with a new commercial arm and rescue the game as future governors of a European professional league.

Internationals in the mean time he thinks will remain an end of season afterthought, primarily focusing on fixtures in the Pacific. I think we have already seen the NRL demonstrate that position.

[The Future is League]

[M j M]

Nice of Albo and Biden to spend time talking to the wine waiter.

[The Rocket]

2 hours ago, The Future is League said:

 

Great picture mate, no wonder V`landys said he was pinching himself, I don`t think I`ve ever seen a picture where he is the one actually doing the listening, he looks a little starstruck to me, like Biden or not (and I like him) that`s in the presence of real power.

[Lowdesert]

3 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

Great picture mate, no wonder V`landys said he was pinching himself, I don`t think I`ve ever seen a picture where he is the one actually doing the listening, he looks a little starstruck to me, like Biden or not (and I like him) that`s in the presence of real power.

Indeed.

I struggle to think of anyone within the English game capable of pulling that off or even thinking of reasons to do it.

[The Future is League]

3 hours ago, Lowdesert said:

Indeed.

I struggle to think of anyone within the English game capable of pulling that off or even thinking of reasons to do it.

Unlike people who run the game in this country PV is a go getter, and the word can't isn't in his vocabulary

Its the reason why people fear him in the other football codes in Australia

[Sports Prophet]

On 05/11/2023 at 22:14, The Future is League said:

Unlike people who run the game in this country PV is a go getter, and the word can't isn't in his vocabulary

Its the reason why people fear him in the other football codes in Australia

He is a go getter and a great man at the top, but I don’t think any other code fears PVL or the NRL. 

The AFL pretty much run their own race. They formulate their own strategy against their own objectives and I don’t think the NRL really features in those objectives.

Neither are other sports bodies like the FA, NBL or Netball Aus in competition with the NRL.

Aus Rugby I suppose would have some concern, but I anticipate they’ve had concerns long before PVL arrived.

In any case, the preparations seem to be coming along nicely for the season opener. Would love to go.

[londonrlfan]

Certainly has big ambitions, but his comments seem a bit far fetched atm. Let's have Las Vegas games in 2025 first before talk of even more. RL has a habit of abandoning ideas before they even get a chance to grow. He is right though that the international game won't grow the sport globally, but the club game will. Look at football for example, the PL, Champions League, La Liga etc is what draws new audiences to the sport globally, not England v Germany. All this AFL talk is mute imo, there's two sports the NRL need to watch for in Australia over the next decade or so; Basketball and the NFL. 100% the NFL will be looking to stage games at the MCG and Sydney Olympic stadiums soon. 

[DI Keith Fowler]

On 05/11/2023 at 09:54, M j M said:

Nice of Albo and Biden to spend time talking to the wine waiter.

I can't find another photo of V'landys wearing a suit that ostentatious. Why would he decide to wear it for the first time on meeting the US President? He looks like a magician. 

[M j M]

59 minutes ago, DI Keith Fowler said:

I can't find another photo of V'landys wearing a suit that ostentatious. Why would he decide to wear it for the first time on meeting the US President? He looks like a magician. 

This is more the vibe I'm getting.