Super league addition to NRL vegas double-header

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

7 minutes ago, John bird said:

For the NRL to be even thinking about and discussing this means that there’s definitely something cooking up between the 2 comps in terms of a closer relationship in the future.

I'm undecided if this is good or bad 

In some ways I love the NRL in others I hate it's apparently insular nature (ok I know LA can be presented as expanding the game but I'm not convinced ) 

Best case scenario they lift standards and presence in SL

Worst is that we become a feeder by design and not just by default 

[John bird]

20 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

I'm undecided if this is good or bad 

In some ways I love the NRL in others I hate it's apparently insular nature (ok I know LA can be presented as expanding the game but I'm not convinced ) 

Best case scenario they lift standards and presence in SL

Worst is that we become a feeder by design and not just by default 

That’s just it as you couldn’t imagine the NRL ever wanting super league to become to successful to be a direct competitor with the NRL over their star players.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

No chance they are thinking of having the WCC there then?

[John bird]

4 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

No chance they are thinking of having the WCC there then?

Because teams need to be locked in by a certain date I would say no.

[THE RED ROOSTER]

Very surprised to read this as the Vegas matches are to promote Australia in the USA and to break into the US sports betting market. So I am not sure two northern towns which most americans have not heard of, would achieve this.

Now if the article was about FOX TV ratings, then any team coached by Sam Burgess would be a draw in Australasia. But then if I was Warrington I would be thinking more about appearing in the Workd Club Challenge down under, which is a reasonable assumption as it stands, than playing a one-off game in Las Vegas.

[The Rocket]

20 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

I'm undecided if this is good or bad 

This is unequivocally a good thing.

[John bird]

15 hours ago, THE RED ROOSTER said:

Very surprised to read this as the Vegas matches are to promote Australia in the USA and to break into the US sports betting market. So I am not sure two northern towns which most americans have not heard of, would achieve this.

Now if the article was about FOX TV ratings, then any team coached by Sam Burgess would be a draw in Australasia. But then if I was Warrington I would be thinking more about appearing in the Workd Club Challenge down under, which is a reasonable assumption as it stands, than playing a one-off game in Las Vegas.

Same here. I don’t know why the Aussies don’t want to just add either an extra game or maybe even add the WCC to the current double header?

[gingerjon]

17 hours ago, THE RED ROOSTER said:

Very surprised to read this as the Vegas matches are to promote Australia in the USA and to break into the US sports betting market.

Nobody still believes this.

[ATLANTISMAN]

All bull 

[Fly-By-TheWire]

17 hours ago, THE RED ROOSTER said:

But then if I was Warrington I would be thinking more about appearing in the Workd Club Challenge down under, which is a reasonable assumption as it stands

New to watching Warrington, are we? 
 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

1 hour ago, The Rocket said:

This is unequivocally a good thing.

I admire your confidence Rocket

Do you not think the plan might be to make SL teams a junior partner / development squads? 

I'm all for big NRL clubs pumping money into small struggling clubs like Broncos and FC but it would be horrible for the last 2 World champion clubs to be taken over 

 

[Damien]

6 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

I admire your confidence Rocket

Do you not think the plan might be to make SL teams a junior partner / development squads? 

I'm all for big NRL clubs pumping money into small struggling clubs like Broncos and FC but it would be horrible for the last 2 World champion clubs to be taken over 

The thing is our big clubs aren't bad off financially and many have big backers and assets. You mention Wigan but the owner, Mike Danson, is a billionaire. They are not ripe for takeover and the owners certainly have no need to allow it. I don't think they will be railroaded into any takeover. Similarly Leeds, Warrington, Saints and Catalans. Hull KR are strong these days too. Smaller clubs may well be after whatever money they can get but nothing will happen without the big clubs and with the best will in the world the NRL won't really be interested in the smaller ones.

The biggest differentiator between the clubs in both competitions is the size of the NRL TV deal compared to SL. That has been the cause of the NRL pulling away and the gap widening between the NRL and SL. That is absolutely a result of the failings by the games adminstrators in this country over the last decade or so. It is the TV deal the RFL/IMG need to greatly improve more than anything else.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

7 minutes ago, Damien said:

The thing is our big clubs aren't bad off financially and many have big backers and assets. You mention Wigan but the owner, Mike Danson, is a billionaire. They are not ripe for takeover and the owners certainly have no need to allow it. I don't think they will .

The biggest differentiator between the clubs in both competitions is the size of the NRL TV deal compared to SL. That has been the cause of the NRL pulling away and the gap widening between the NRL and SL. That is absolutely a result of the failings by the games adminstrators in this country over the last decade or so. It is the TV deal the RFL/IMG need to greatly improve more than anything else.

I would hope the big clubs would have enough sway to put the kibosh on any takeover .... 

The TV deal needs sorting agreed ....amazing how.much it has dropped . 

[John bird]

So it’s to be Warrington and Wigan apparently.

[Whippet13]

Rumour is Wigan and Warrington.

https://www.totalrl.com/two-super-league-teams-tipped-to-represent-uk-top-flight-in-las-vegas-alongside-nrl-clubs/

 

[Damien]

This is going to have massive implication for the World Club Challenge and I hope none of this will be at the expense of it. Hard to imagine an NRL champion team doing Vegas and also flying to the UK.

The obvious solution would be to have the WCC in Vegas but I very much doubt that the NRL would like that event to be viewed as the pinnacle. They want the NRL to be that.

[John bird]

7 minutes ago, Damien said:

This is going to have massive implication for the World Club Challenge and I hope none of this will be at the expense of it. Hard to imagine an NRL champion team doing Vegas and also flying to the UK.

The obvious solution would be to have the WCC in Vegas but I very much doubt that the NRL would like that event to be viewed as the pinnacle. They want the NRL to be that.

Seeing how it’s RL we might get the ridiculous scenario of silence until we find out who the NRL grandfinal winners are and whether they are already locked into appearing at the Vegas doubleheader.

[sam4731]

I know that no one will support this idea but I'd like to see the top 3 from each comp qualify for a WCC, with a 2 week playoff series is played across the USA (and maybe Canada) with the final being played in Vegas with maybe the bronze medal match a curtain raiser.

[Toby Chopra]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

This is going to have massive implication for the World Club Challenge and I hope none of this will be at the expense of it. Hard to imagine an NRL champion team doing Vegas and also flying to the UK.

The obvious solution would be to have the WCC in Vegas but I very much doubt that the NRL would like that event to be viewed as the pinnacle. They want the NRL to be that.

I think you're right, the writing could be on the wall. Although given how well the Vegas games played in Australia itself, I wonder if Wigan vs Warrington in Vegas might generate more column inches here than a WCC in February or the Challenge Cup Final. Neither of those events break through any more, if they ever did.    

Edited May 27 by Toby Chopra

[John bird]

11 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

I know that no one will support this idea but I'd like to see the top 3 from each comp qualify for a WCC, with a 2 week playoff series is played across the USA (and maybe Canada) with the final being played in Vegas with maybe the bronze medal match a curtain raiser.

It’s hard enough getting 1 NRL team to commit to the WCC never mind 3 and with the Vegas games to run for at least another 4 years I would say it’s a certain non-starter.

[sam4731]

1 hour ago, John bird said:

It’s hard enough getting 1 NRL team to commit to the WCC never mind 3 and with the Vegas games to run for at least another 4 years I would say it’s a certain non-starter.

Surely 3 NRL teams are going to more willing to sign up to a US series including Vegas than 1 coming over here to play. 

Edited May 27 by sam4731

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

3 hours ago, gingerjon said:

Nobody still believes this.

I must have missed something... Isn't that what everyone says?

[John bird]

2 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

I must have missed something... Isn't that what everyone says?

Same here. What am I missing?

[Whippet13]

8 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

Surely 3 NRL teams are going to more willing to sign up to a US series including Vegas than 1 coming over here to play. 

It would badly disrupt both the SL and NRL seasons, neither organisation would support a world club series at present.

I can potentially see more league games being played over there in a season though, maybe 2 SL games in 2026 for example, if 2025 works.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

1 hour ago, John bird said:

It’s hard enough getting 1 NRL team to commit to the WCC never mind 3 and with the Vegas games to run for at least another 4 years I would say it’s a certain non-starter.

I wonder if another English WCC win will start to get the Aussie thinking?

Especially if it was another team....i.e. maybe Wire do them this time