The Super League is venturing to Las Vegas to piggyback on the NRL. But can it help to turbocharge rugby league in England?
“It’s fantastic, I’ve watched a couple of the games. They’re proper hard players, and maybe they deserve that little bit more publicity. They’re spreading the word.”
Those were the thoughts of Manchester United legend Roy Keane on Sky Sports’ Super Sunday following Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Manchester City and Etihad Stadium.
Fans would be forgiven for assuming he was talking about a plucky team fighting relegation from the Premier League or a surprise Champions League underdog, but instead Keane – no stranger to the rough and tumble of professional sport – was praising rugby league.
Alongside fellow pundits Micah Richards, Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Carragher, there was what appeared to be genuine excitement for the next round of games.
Because this weekend 2024 quadruple winners Wigan Warriors host Warrington Wolves in the first of four games in what is a festival of rugby league in… Las Vegas.
The Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium will open a four-game showcase with the Super League clash before NRL giants Canberra Raiders take on New Zealand Warriors, Australian Jillaroos face England Women in an Ashes Test, and the premier Australasian competition’s Penrith Panthers and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks close the show.
This is a huge opportunity for Super League rugby in England at a time of financial uncertainty, with the near implosion of Salford club Red Devils and relegation of southern outliers London Broncos.
And it comes in stark contrast to the good times enjoyed by National Rugby League in Australia and New Zealand, which last year confirmed an expansion franchise out of Papua New Guinea – backed by the government in Canberra to stifle Chinese influence in the Pacific – and this month announced record revenues of £377m.
It has reinforced the dominance Down Under when it comes to rugby league, and it’s smart for Super League to jump on the NRL bandwagon in Viva Las Vegas – where an event invitation has been extended to President Donald Trump.
Attendances, on the whole, have been good over the opening rounds back in Blighty – with Leigh Leopards’ 1-0 golden point victory away to Wigan hosting over 21,000 fans, a round one record for this millennium.
But back to the Etihad and Sunday afternoon and it wasn’t just Keane and co discussing rugby league. Half-time adverts were promoting the event on Sky Sports, while electronic billboards advertised the four-match marathon.
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