Rugby league, welcome to fabulous Las Vegas. One of the latest brain bubbles from ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys is to kick off the 2024 season with a double-header in the glitzy gambling capital of the world.
While the concept is still in early stages, some of the clubs in the mix for participating include the South Sydney Rabbitohs, to use the link with Russell Crowe and also the Manly Sea Eagles, to capitalise on the popularity of Hugh Jackman.
This opportunity, should it be realised might cost upwards of $15 million. It’s certainly not where I would choose to spend that huge amount, but I’m not running the game.
Growth of the game internationally is something I’m extremely passionate about, but I have to admit this Las Vegas double header doesn’t excite me at all.
(Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Say what you will about the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, but there were a number of positives for the game internationally – it was most watched tournament of all time.
With the women’s and wheelchair tournaments running simultaneously for the men’s game for the first time ever, there is new interest in the wheelchair version and in the women’s game, we have seen a plethora of internationals signed for the upcoming NRLW from Papua New Guinea and England (with more rumoured to come).
To me, the World Cup was an opportunity to consider how to grow the international game and for the relevant nations to work together and come up with a strategic approach.
There may be an opportunity in the United States, but this isn’t it.
When V’landys talks about this opportunity, his focus is on wagering content. He sees an opportunity to provide wagering content outside the usual US time zones. The idea being that if you are betting on a product you are more likely to watch it.
This makes me really uncomfortable. Instead of a strategy to grow the game internationally, the focus is on the provision of wagering content and further linkage to the gambling industry. This is an industry which is under scrutiny right now.
Each year the NRL makes millions of dollars in gambling revenue. There is a parliamentary inquiry into online gambling and the number of gambling ads featured during the coverage wasn’t really acknowledged as a concern.
Instead of taking heed of that, and potentially taking notice of the many sporting teams and sports moving away from wagering, the NRL is deciding to lean in.
But if I’m honest, I’m sceptical of this getting off the ground, because to be honest when I look at the NRL now I see a lack of strategy.
Each week, V’landys seems to be in the news with a new idea and they all seem to be reactive. Concern around the way the ‘Pride jersey’ was launched at the Manly Sea Eagles? Let’s do a ‘Respect Round’ (whatever that means).
The AFL announcing a new team in Tasmania? Let’s have a second team in Melbourne (noting that in my view there is a distinction between expansion and more teams, but that is a story for another day).
Rugby Australia poaching an NRL player? Let’s set up a war chest to encourage and support clubs to poach Wallabies.
Concern around player welfare and ‘hip drop tackles’? Let’s make changes to the rules throughout the year or have ‘crackdowns’ where everyone is unsure about what we are actually trying to crack down on.
Additionally, the chatter about a game in the US happens constantly with very little action. I understand the need to be innovative and to always be on the search for new and different ways to do things, but aren’t there things in Australia that require immediate attention?
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Just a reminder that the Collective Bargaining Agreement has not been finalised, despite in principle agreement having been reached back in March. NRLW players are entering into ‘interim agreements’ given pre-season is just around the corner, but the CBA is still not finalised.
According to V’landys, he and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo will head to Las Vegas in two weeks to suss out the deal. V’landys has said that he won’t be doing this to fail and needs all the jigsaw pieces to fall into place.
There are much more opportunities to legitimately grow the game of rugby league internationally through participation and growth of the sport, rather than further linkage to an industry that already makes many sports fans uncomfortable.
Nat
Roar Guru
Yep. Intentionally insulting and based on truth. I've told you why and you either cannot understand or refuse to. Last word has nothing to do with it. You being incredible bore brought this on.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
You're so desperate for the last word - - and insulting in doing so. You've still got nothing.
Nat
Roar Guru
Did you seriously come back here to say exactly the same thing? What, it's Friday, you've had a couple and you got an ego that exceeds your intellect. Unlike you I am not repeating myself. Go enjoy your cockroach races and find yourself a life.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
You've got nothing.........a spurious claim that '17 clubs' in Melbourne is some foundational strength for expansion..........on that basis there should be 4 AFL teams in Sydney and not 2. You are living in a dream world. And thus far you're the only poster I've seen who is drinking from the same cup as V'Landys. Everyone else cringes at his off with the fairies proposals.
Nat
Roar Guru
Well I'm sure your world of AFL centric (in your case exceedingly blindingly so) people are well qualified for a diverse range of opinions. You don't read, you interpret. You run off on your own defensive tangents that has little to what has actually been written and argue a point you created. If it feels like your arguments are not being taken seriously there is good reason for that.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
So bullish in your defence of the delusions of Peter V'Landys. You're the only one that I've come across thus far. Everyone else seem quite rightly cringing at V'Landys' hubris.
Nat
Roar Guru
Yes I know. I said that 2 weeks ago. I'll be sure to take your opinion of what is a sarcastic "power house" and "glorified social club" with the credibility you have garnered from our recent exchanges. After all a guy who is absolutely sure that he knows what will and won't happen in the sporting domain in 20years must be of superior acumen to the rest of us. Isn't sarcasm fun...
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
no - you're right - 17 'clubs'......... Power houses of Rugby League..... .....I still assert to you that you're '17 clubs' really only equates to 5 or 6 real clubs and the rest are glorified social teams.
Nat
Roar Guru
You do love creating and arguing your own point champ. Tell me again, how many rugby league clubs are in Melbourne?
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
"Twisted the facts"?? How so? 6 U16 teams. Full stop. That's it. And reduced to 5 by the time you get to U18s. THAT IS NOT a talent pathway worth boasting about.
Nat
Roar Guru
You've devised a lot from your 2 weeks research. Pity you've twisted the facts to suit your naïve and frightful story. Tell me, how many clubs are required to develop players suitable to go into an NRL system? Dig a bit deeper little buddy. Come back to me in a few more weeks.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
No Nat, What I'm saying is that at best - you've got 5 or 6 that have got youth male juniors. THAT is the basis. Not a couple of teams of oldies playing effectively social 2nds/3rds at a standard that sure ain't producing future Storm candidates other than supporters (something tells me many of those players support the Warriors.....).
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
This year......could see the 'rising Sun(s)'.......the 'Sun(s)rise'...... They're building nicely right now and have a lot of home games in the run home plus 2 at TIO leading into the bye. It'll be interesting; the next 3 weeks against good opposition could sink them or could be the making of them.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
Actually AFL 'exhibition matches' (VFL at the time) in Canada, Japan and US weren't all that bad even if some of the venues were very compromised (back in the 1980s). Ironically - the matches in Japan spawned domestic footy in Japan that has been running for 30+ years and the Japan Samurais have appeared at every AFL International Cup from 2002 (1st one). Rugby League seriously has no point of difference - given that American Football is already a base Rugby variant; and then there's CFL north of the border and Union which is an Olympic sport. Where does Rugby League fit in? The point of difference for Australian Football is seen over and over with people who take it up; they'd played volleyball, basketball, soccer, American Football etc through school/college and......out in the real world with one sport they get to use so many of those skills/attributes.
Nat
Roar Guru
So what are you saying? There are 17 rugby league clubs represented across Melbourne? That research took you 2 weeks? Good job. :thumbup:
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
do you not understand how minute the RL footprint is in Melbourne......17 clubs...... However - look at the Under 18 boys for example - there is a single 'division' with 7 teams playing. That's from Pakenham to Sunbury, Werribee to Broadmeadows. That's a massive geographic spread. There's 1 extra side in the Under 16 boys - Doveton (near Dandenong). The clubs....Doveton, Altona, Casey, Pakenham, Sunbury, Werribee, Northern Thunder (Broadmeadows) and Truganina. Into the Mens.....6 '1st grade' sides (we see Waverley Panthers); the Mens 2nd grade is 6 sides too - we see Sunshine Cowboys and Eastern Raptors and then 10 sides in the 3rd grade - we finally see the North West Wolves (Niddrie), Geelong Sharks, Frankston Raiders, South East Titans (Dandenong). So........those additional clubs are largely a single 2nds or 3rds teams with no U16s or U18s boys. You're deluded - I'm afraid to say. There are NOT 17 'clubs' as you might visualise it based on say a Sydney metro club with 1sts, 2nds, juniors and youths. Reference: Vic RL website
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
Is was Port Adelaide (Power) doing the Shanghai push and it was financially covered........the AFL didn't have to pay up on it - - business......all about the hosting around the event.
M D
Roar Rookie
The AFL would not have the same success as Rugby League in North America. AFLs exhibition matches in China & NZ have both been dismal failures. Rugby League club Toronto Wolfpack was a huge success in Canada till COVID hit and sent them broke. Rugby League will always be a way more marketable sport in the U.S than AFL due to it having similarities to Gridiron.
GWSingapore
Roar Rookie
Of the fifty US states, only seven allow on-line gambling: Connecticut. Delaware. Michigan. Nevada. New Jersey. Pennsylvania. West Virginia. So wagering on rugby league would be confined to those states on-line or people visiting a casino, but only if the casino included betting on rugby league. Perhaps the market is not as big as some think?
clipper
Roar Rookie
I'm surprised the Suns still get the crowds they do. No success whatsoever and still have a following - contrast that to the Storm who have been the most successfull team of any code and they still can't get better crowds than the worst performing AFL club down there. The Swans and Lions have been huge success stories because they have been successful, the Suns and Giants have not.