BY JOHN DAVIDSON
WARRINGTON chief executive Karl Fitzpatrick has confirmed that his club is keen to part in the NRL’s Las Vegas round in 2025 and play a Super League match in the United States against Wigan.
The NRL took the opening round of its 2024 season to Nevada’s Allegiant Stadium in March where Brisbane faced Sydney Roosters and South Sydney took on Manly in front of 40,000 fans.
Another double-header is planned for next year, but the NRL are considering expanding the event to also include a Super League fixture.
Fitzpatrick told League Express he has held talks with the NRL about Warrington being involved.
“There has been some preliminary discussions in terms of enhancing brand exposure and equity to dip our toe in the American market,” he said.
“It excites us. I need to stress its only preliminary discussions at this stage, but if the NRL want us to be part of the conversation we’d definitely look at it. Why not?”
Fitzpatrick admitted Wigan are a natural partner in the American venture: “It’s an interesting one with Wigan, we’ve got a fantastic relationship.
“We’re very close with Kris (Radlinski) and likewise at senior level with the chairman and owners. But there’s that incredible rivalry between the two organisations going back many, many years.
“We played in that unique game in Milwaukee, which was classed as a Rugby League game but it was more like legalised thuggery for 80 minutes.
“There’s some history for dipping in that American market, so to revisit that again… Wigan vs Warrington in Milwaukee, Wigan vs Warrington at Wembley, maybe at Old Trafford, and then Wigan vs Warrington at Las Vegas.
“A fantastic narrative there between two fantastic, ambitious clubs. Like ourselves, Wigan are super-ambitious, they want to grow the game, and like us they understand the potential of the American market.
“But it has to be right. It’s only preliminary talks at this stage. We’ve been in dialogue with Wigan about it, they’re super-keen as well if we can make it happen.
“If the NRL want us to be part of that conversation then we’d be certainly keen to look at it.”
The Wolves and Warriors were the first two British professional Rugby League clubs to play each other on American soil in the ‘Great American Challenge’ in 1989.
More than 17,000 fans watched Wigan defeat Warrington at Milwaukee’s County Stadium 35 years ago.
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