Brisbane, Manly, South Sydney and the Roosters have won the race to represent the NRL at next year’s ground-breaking double-header to open the season in Las Vegas.
The NRL anounced on Friday that the four teams had been given the nod after head office went through submissions from clubs with Canberra and Melbourne understood to have just missed out.
The matches will be the first for premiership points to be contested outside Oceania.
“The 2024 Las Vegas matches will form part of an exciting ‘Australia Week’ in Las Vegas where we will be showcasing rugby league and Australia to the US market,” NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said.
“We are now working collaboratively with the four clubs to finalise arrangements for the proposed matches in Las Vegas and make this a blockbuster event for fans by maximising travel, attendance and enjoyment of a unique rugby league experience.
“Rugby league will be on a stage which the sport has simply never been on before and we look forward to giving all clubs the opportunity in coming years.”
The final details of the matches in Las Vegas are yet to be finalised but it is likely that the four teams will play the matches in the US the weekend before the start of the regular season and then have Round 1 off as they travel back home.
Patrick Carrigan. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Abdo and ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys travelled to America in May to investigate the feasibility of the fixtures.
But it has taken some three months since then to plan the historic games, with the league set to liaise with the four clubs on further logistics and announce more details in the coming weeks.
The NRL is likely to announce the 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium – home to the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders – as the location of the matches to be played in the first week of March.
The NRL sees the fixtures as an opportunity to break into the lucrative American sports gambling market, and to convert fans of the similarly gladiatorial NFL.
with AAP
Nick
Roar Rookie
And some of the larger towns close to each other (Bathurst and orange) have lost league players. Your argument is as ridiculous as the suggestion to put a team in Hamilton.
Nick
Roar Rookie
What a lazy response. Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo, Wagga Wagga, Coffs, port Mac, Tamworth are all regional centres that are growing while rugby league participation numbers are shrinking in all of these towns. Take your blinkers off.
Nick
Roar Rookie
Yeah, but the pivotal 1-3am time slot is vacant for wagering content in America.
criag
Roar Rookie
Melbourne and Canberra both put their hands up for it. Would’ve thought Melbourne would’ve been a more logical choice. I can understand the Roosters – the red, white & blue should go down well there. I do wonder what the attraction is for the clubs.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
Yes they are, but they struggle to keep meaningful competition going when the satellite towns that feed off the major town can’t field teams. Some country groups have as few as four clubs. That’s not really meaningful.
Rob9
Roar Guru
It’s those ‘regional centres’ that are the backbone of bush/country footy. Most of the article referenced is focused on the situation in Tamworth- a growing regional hub.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
Yes, I thought the same thing myself. So let’s not call it that shall we.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
I’m talking the smaller towns in between the larger regional centres
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
One day they will learn to speak English. Seriously though, I have been following some stories through the American media and some of their phraseology and and corruption of the language makes me cringe.
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
Genuine Question, Why ?
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
That is probably it. Thanks
The Crow Flies Backwards
Roar Rookie
Major League League?
andrew
Roar Rookie
Manly's only claim would be Hugh Jackman who's a big Sea Eagles fan. I can see the headlines now, Crowe's Rabbitohs playing the Wolverine's Sea Eagles.
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
Andrew, this is about marketing. Broncos are probably the best known in the US, Rabbitohs through Crowe and I think Roosters too have significant contacts over there. I would have thought that Melbourne would have been better known over Manly so I can only assume that there is something I don't know about. Maybe DCE is on the Vegus speaking circuit.
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
I beg to differ. RL cannot grow if we don't have the dollars to put behind it. Just look at Superleague in the UK. They used to have massive gates and followings but their comp has dwindled for lack of cash and their best players now in the NRL for the same reason. If Vlandys can tap into a rich vein of cash then I am all in favour of using Americans money to support the best game in the world and I don't care if Vlandys holds up a bank over there to get it.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
I've never found soccer despicable.
Lazza
Roar Rookie
NBC just acquired the EPL rights for $4 Billion. The MLS gets way bigger crowds than the NRL. LA just set a new soccer record with 75000 turning out for the LA derby. If 'boring, flawed, despicable' soccer can break into the US market then why can't you?
Simoc
Roar Rookie
This one is also a junket. Vlandys present to himself and staff. No doubt he'll quit afterwards, having conquered the world.
wilbas
Roar Rookie
Interest in sport generally is conservative in the USA and people are leaving in droves based on the political posturing that has entered US SPORTS. If it is for gambling purposes to somehow open broadcast interest i think you are wasting your time. Who is benefitting in these arrangements?..sports betting?
wilbas
Roar Rookie
like taking cold chisel to US audie3nces...won't work.