The NRL has launched its first major advertising blitz in America, selling rugby league as a game with no pads, no helmets and no fears ahead of the Las Vegas double-header.
Rounded out with commentator Andrew Voss declaring “this is rugby league” after an explosion of heavy contact and high athleticism, the NRL hopes the 30-second high-impact highlights reel can help sell 65,000 seats to fill Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium next March.
The advertisement, broadcast in America, begins with slow-motion footage of Penrith prop Moses Leota charging into a defensive line, before an explosion of big hits.
Jorge Taufua’s famous shot on Cameron Munster from 2019 is a feature, wisely given it went viral on social media at the time in the US and attracted attention from NBA stars.
Also included are highlights of athletic tries from Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Dallin Waetene-Zelezniak and Dominic Young.
South Sydney, Manly, Brisbane and the Sydney Roosters all figure prominently, given they will play in the two fixtures.
In commentary, Voss shouts “That is from another universe … this is rugby league folks.”
The NRL have sold around 15,000 tickets for the March 2 double-header, with the majority of those bought by Australians well in advance.
A marketing blitz will come in the US in coming months, with players to travel there to help launch the concept.
“We really want to focus on showcasing how great our sport is to the most amount of Americans possible,” NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said this week.
“Not just live in the stadium, but obviously watching on television on Fox Sports One over in America too.
“There’s a lot to do but we’re on a good trajectory. We’ll be working incredibly hard over the break and in the coming months to make sure it is the best possible experience for our potential new fans in America.
“And then hopefully they start finding the competition week in and week out and we see that this fixture starts to build over the next couple of years.”
Manly coach Anthony Seibold is currently in the US sorting out training plans, with each club to spend close to two weeks in the country next February and March.
GoGWS
Roar Guru
No pads?…mmm… that’s not actually true though is it. This sport with no padding does in fact use padding. It’s nice for a quick grab in advertising but it’s just untrue.
Nat
Roar Guru
Some also think only the 4am drunks are the only ones who will bet because no one has ever bet on a game they couldn't watch live. That's how gambling works apparently.
Nat
Roar Guru
No. Every part of the NRL business has a plan, budget and an expected outcome/ROI. You could raise an argument that they should spend every spare dollar on the GR game but that is too simple. Just like one could argue that we should have more hospitals while another argues we need better road infrastructure. With a plan and budget you can have both.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Absolutely..Better to split that money wasted ,Between the clubs. With it having to be spent on grass roots football in each clubs area , plus on the grass roots support for a country area . Each club having to support a different area.
Amaroo Eagle
Roar Rookie
Yes Mushi, spot on. The NRL aren't going to the United States to get them playing the game, they are chasing a slice of the gambling market, hence the gambling capital of the States, Las Vegas But as seen above, no one seems to understand this. I like the add, it shows some great skills, the diving tries by the wingers and this rubbish about the hits would be sin bin able offences.. Rubbish, at most they'd be grade 1 charges with fines, and the money could be used for gambling if need be.
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
I wonder if any of those "memorable hits", or "spectacular tries" were scored in Round 1... The yanks, may not get the same offering in reality.
mushi
Roar Guru
Um isn't the idea just to get people gambling? Shouldn't he just be showing a clip of 2 guys playing beer pong and a few tries and say "at 4am you could wager on this or this" No one's caring about the hits when putting in a drunken punt on their phone
Ed Flanders
Roar Rookie
Looked like there was 4-5 sin bin worthy offences in that package. Lets just say the US market will be witnessing a vastly more sanitised product than the ad
Tom G
Roar Rookie
I can’t recall but it’s easy to believe that’s for sure The sad thing is that the US market is so vast that a tiny share of it would net huge income. That would require a decent campaign.. not just a series of collisions and high takes and a dose of braggadocio about toughness. If they ever got real professional help to promote the game over there, there’s no reason it wouldn’t work but this ad is poorly conceived as it’s likely to disenfranchise the very people it’s trying to appeal to.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Didn't they try to market it in the States as "Gruntball" years ago? :laughing:
Dumbo
Roar Rookie
How much will the ad campaign cost, and would the money (required for the whole Vegas extravaganza) have been better spent on grassroots development? Discuss.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
So the NRL hasn’t learned a damn thing from their Adelaide faux pas where they dissed AFL? The hyper parochial American market who believe everything is bigger better and tougher in the NFL are going to flock to these games because our guys are tougher?? Good luck with that. Are there any marketing people in the NRL?