Vegas Again/2025 and WCC

[Gomersall]

15 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Aye, they basically decided to do their own thing despite decades of precedent here. They went for the approach of having 8 incorrect lines instead of 2.

But putting that aside, it just doesn't massively affect the sport, they were two great games of RL and nobody really noticed. 

Spidey did.

[Dave T]

19 minutes ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

Dave T.  Regarding the ‘walk up’ or lack of anticipated ‘walk up’ it was announced on the pre-game show that Las Vegas had been hit by a large desert storm.  That was why some people attending did not get inside the stadium until after the first game was underway and may have deterred those that had not purchased a ticket from attending.

I get it, we've heard the same at many RFL events too (obviously not a desert storm!). 

It's a good crowd, it just gave me a chuckle, some things never change, the crowd was lower than much of the media stated. 

[Dave T]

18 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

Spidey did.

Widnes fan. 

[John Drake]

3 hours ago, Copa said:

This link bypasses the paywall.

https://archive.is/zP7K5

Don't do this. It's stealing.

Paywalls mean journalists get paid.

You wouldn't steal a newspaper from a shop, so...

Thank you.

[Gerrumonside ref]

Well done the Aussies - just watched a recording of it all and they have had a success here. 

Edited March 3 by Gerrumonside ref

[Northern Eel]

I generally enjoyed the games, the atmosphere and all that came with the event, from my armchair. 

I would like to think it was a success, by whatever metrics it is intended to be measured by, and it would be great to have a Super League team join in at some stage.

 

[Futtocks]

I just caught up with this morning's action and especially enjoyed match 2, apart from the idiotic Spencer Leniu incident. The crowd certainly took a liking to Reece Walsh.

[gingerjon]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

I get it, we've heard the same at many RFL events too (obviously not a desert storm!). 

It's a good crowd, it just gave me a chuckle, some things never change, the crowd was lower than much of the media stated. 

I think it's in the sweet spot of being simultaneously both a bit disappointing but also really not bad.

The event looks like it's been very well staged and a decent few days in Vegas. If that is all the NRL had said they were doing, I think you'd say a success. Given that that isn't what they said then I think it moves towards the, "Hmmmm... not really deserving of the gushing from journos on a jolly".

Love to see them do it again.

And absolutely no reason for Super League to be anywhere near it.

[Gomersall]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

Widnes fan. 

Speaks volumes.

[Gomersall]

2 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

I think it's in the sweet spot of being simultaneously both a bit disappointing but also really not bad.

The event looks like it's been very well staged and a decent few days in Vegas. If that is all the NRL had said they were doing, I think you'd say a success. Given that that isn't what they said then I think it moves towards the, "Hmmmm... not really deserving of the gushing from journos on a jolly".

Love to see them do it again.

And absolutely no reason for Super League to be anywhere near it.

What have the NRL said they are doing that they haven’t done? 

[The 4 of Us]

2 hours ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

Honestly, I love anyone talking up our game, but that is fawning cobblers. But then the journalist has had a free holiday in Vegas, so would be mad not to talk it up. 

Precisely what a  Union journalist would say, and it hasn’t harmed them. Perhaps a lesson for the future?!

[Exiled Wiganer]

6 minutes ago, The 4 of Us said:

Precisely what a  Union journalist would say, and it hasn’t harmed them. Perhaps a lesson for the future?!

I love anyone talking up our game, and it’s great for anyone who might come across this article to conclude that the game is on the march. It is the sort of NRL love in cobblers that we get all the time every time. As far rugby league is concerned - assuming the NRL has any interest in rugby league, which is far from a given - the millions wasted here could have been put to much better use.

[ATLANTISMAN]

I have been watching rugby league for 50 years,and between matches in England France and Australia have racked up an estimated 4000 + matches (Maybe more) and this was 100% the most enjoyable rugby league event i have EVER been to was wonderful.

What more can one say

 

[Worzel]

1 hour ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

I have been watching rugby league for 50 years,and between matches in England France and Australia have racked up an estimated 4000 + matches (Maybe more) and this was 100% the most enjoyable rugby league event i have EVER been to was wonderful.

What more can one say

 

Love this.

Watched the games when I got up this morning, you could feel the positive energy in the room even on the TV. First game in particular was excellent, and US TV viewers on Fox 1 would have loved it. 

Me and the missus are already looking at hotels for next year, and I doubt we’ll be alone in that. This will definitely build. Great that the NRL have committee to a 5-year plan around this. 

[Big Picture]

 

[Spidey]

4 hours ago, Gomersall said:

Spidey did.

Spidey senses were tingling

[Spidey]

4 hours ago, Dave T said:

Widnes fan. 

How rude

[JonM]

2 hours ago, The 4 of Us said:

Precisely what a  Union journalist would say, and it hasn’t harmed them. Perhaps a lesson for the future?!

Just counter-balancing the negative piece they ran on Friday

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/mar/02/nrl-in-las-vegas-2024-american-fans-popularity

[Spidey]

4 hours ago, Dave T said:

Aye, they basically decided to do their own thing despite decades of precedent here. They went for the approach of having 8 incorrect lines instead of 2.

But putting that aside, it just doesn't massively affect the sport, they were two great games of RL and nobody really noticed. 

Oh and in this. I’d have never noticed if they hadn’t actually announced it was a shorter pitch as the difference was on the smaller side

[JonM]

3 hours ago, gingerjon said:

I think it's in the sweet spot of being simultaneously both a bit disappointing but also really not bad.

The event looks like it's been very well staged and a decent few days in Vegas. If that is all the NRL had said they were doing, I think you'd say a success. 

What I've been hearing from people in Australia is that AFL has its season opening game Sydney vs Brisbane at the SCG on Thursday and that fixture has barely got a mention in the Sydney & Brisbane media this week as the Vegas thing has had saturation coverage. So I think they'll be happy on that score.

[The 4 of Us]

2 hours ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

I love anyone talking up our game, and it’s great for anyone who might come across this article to conclude that the game is on the march. It is the sort of NRL love in cobblers that we get all the time every time. As far rugby league is concerned - assuming the NRL has any interest in rugby league, which is far from a given - the millions wasted here could have been put to much better use.

What and where? 
 

Millions wasted would only be relevent if a loss and not deemed a success. 
 

First point yet to be confirmed, second point appears that annecdotal evidence suggests it has been a success, whatever measure you use. 
 

Even if it loses a dollar or a million, that looks like a good investment to me.

Edited March 3 by The 4 of Us

[gingerjon]

2 hours ago, The 4 of Us said:

Precisely what a  Union journalist would say, and it hasn’t harmed them. 

Have you seen the state of rugby union in the US - even with fawning articles on a regular basis?

[gingerjon]

3 hours ago, Gomersall said:

What have the NRL said they are doing that they haven’t done? 

I accept that some of this may not be direct from the NRL - it may have come from the client journalists - and I'm not bothered to check. But here are a few things that they haven't (yet) done:

Make money, sell betting rights, get regularly on Fox Sports 1 or equivalent, engage significant numbers of Americans.

And, and this is the major problem if this is anything other than a really good event, there is now nothing else planned in the USA.

And the only Aussie sport with a regular slot on Fox Sports 1 remains the AFL.

[JonM]

15 hours ago, WN83 said:

Matty Johns noting how many English fans are in town just now on the live coverage. Imagine how many would go if the WCC was there next year and maybe a Superleague game! 

I've seen quotes saying that around 5000 tickets were sold to people in the UK.

[The 4 of Us]

27 minutes ago, JonM said:

Just counter-balancing the negative piece they ran on Friday

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/mar/02/nrl-in-las-vegas-2024-american-fans-popularity

Not sure how he got to write that. About 2 years since he was last publsihed and not an obvious RL CV

https://petermitchellmedia.com.au/bio/