The NRL’s descent upon Las Vegas has arrived with the extravaganza to take over the famed Glitter Strip this weekend with a historic double-header.
Manly Sea Eagles and South Sydney Rabbitohs will lock horns at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday night local time, before the Brisbane Broncos and Sydney Roosters follow suit to wrap up a season curtain-raiser which is unlike any that have preceded it.
NRL Las Vegas: Has the NRL been played in America before?
The NRL double-header in Vegas will be the first premiership games ever played on US soil, and forms part of a five-year plan to keep returning to Nevada each season.
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Australian Rugby League Chairman Peter V’landys has been the main proponent behind the venture into the American frontier with an aim of tapping into gambling dollars at the forefront of his mind.
“Sports betting is becoming legalised in America in every state,” V’landys said last week after being re-elected as the leader of the Commission.
“We’ve got three major [betting] organisations in sight [to strike a deal with].
“And we’re going to try to do the best deal we can from those. It’ll hopefully be done straight after Vegas.”
All four clubs arrived and set up camp in the US last week as they prepared to put on a show on the big stage.
As a consequence of the trip, the NRL’s opening round will become the longest in history as it is set to conclude a week after the Vegas games on March 10.
“It’s a big strategy, it’s a big risk and I’m not hiding from that,” V’landys continued, as he explained the significance of breaking into new territory through gambling avenues.
“The return is significant if we achieve it. It could be a game changer, not just for rugby league, but for all sport in Australia.
“If we can get one per cent of the market in America…that’s three million subscribers. That’s $ 650 million in additional revenue.
“Combined you could turn it into a billion-dollar export business because it’s such a big market.”
Where will the NRL games be played in Las Vegas?
Allegiant Stadium, which has been the home of NFL franchise Las Vegas Raiders since 2020, will host both matches.
The stadium was the scene of the most recent Super Bowl and is known as ‘The Death Star’.
It is located a mere 4.8 kilometres away from the famed Strip in Nevada, giving fans the best of both worlds as they get to enjoy the game and all that the entertainment precinct has to offer.
Brief history of significant rugby league matches in America
In the past three decades, international rugby league has made occasional visits to America with England infamously playing New Zealand in Denver six years ago, when the prospect of a 2025 Rugby League World Cup in the country was touted as a real possibility.
However, the most high-profile match to have previously taken place in the nation has been a State of Origin clash between Queensland and New South Wales back in 1987.
A fourth instalment in the series was hosted in Long Beach, California with 12,000 people in attendance to watch the likes of Wally Lewis and Peter Sterling battle it out in the storied rivalry.
