LAS VEGAS — Every three minutes in Las Vegas a couple gets married, equating to 120,000 weddings in the Nevada city each year. But there may be no bigger or more important union there in 2025 than the burgeoning relationship between Super League and the National Rugby League (NRL).
This Saturday rugby league will take centre stage at Allegiant Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders. More than 50,000 fans will flock to watch two NRL games, England and Australia clash in a women’s Test match, and Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves.
Millions will be tuning in across the Pacific as well throughout Europe and the UK. Free-to-air television coverage has been secured for the United States and even US President Donald Trump has been invited to attend.
It is all part of the five-year masterplan of ambitious NRL supremo Peter V’landys to take the sport global, increase the value of the NRL’s broadcasting rights and snare a slice of the lucrative American sports betting market. While becoming a real player in the highly competitive US sports landscape may be far-reaching, as rugby union and cricket are acutely aware, V’landys is succeeding in making rugby league both more popular and profitable than ever before.
With the competition recently announcing record crowds and viewing figures, along with a surplus of £30.8m on revenue of £368.8m and expansion into Papua New Guinea secured, the NRL is cashed up and V’landys is on a mission. With the American assault in full swing, the outspoken Aussie now also has his eyes on Britain.
“We’re looking at the UK,” V’landys told the media last week.
“That’s if they want us. At this stage, they haven’t approached us, but we’re a firm believer in having a strong game in England and we’re a firm believer in the international game. You can’t have an international game without England.
“It’s important for us that the game in the UK is strong. At the moment, it’s got its challenges. Rugby league has to be strong in England, and we’re developing a relationship already by having Warrington and Wigan in Vegas.”
Many are crying out for greater NRL involvement in British rugby league. With the Rugby Football League leadership under attack by unhappy clubs, a reduced TV deal with Sky Sports, declining revenues and a partnership with marketing company IMG that has been questioned, there is demand for the NRL to set up camp in Blighty.
Just how and in what form the NRL enters the UK remains the key sticking point. The Australasian competition is unlikely to stage a full buyout that would cost hundreds of millions of pounds, and Super League wouldn’t cede full control without huge incentives, if at all.
But a strategic investment into the UK from the NRL, or even the creation of a new competition under something like a new “NRL Europe” banner, would have massive benefits for rugby league in its birthplace. Super League and its clubs would get access to greater marketing and promotional power, as well as key sponsor and media relationships, while the NRL could grow its own brand and new fans.
“It makes sense to look at some collaboration,” Warrington Wolves CEO Karl Fitzpatrick told The i Paper.
“If you look at the collaboration that’s happened with the Vegas event, it’s been fantastic. We’ve been supported throughout and they’ve been happy with what we’ve brought to the table as well.
“It’s worth exploring but I need to express that it depends on what the terms and conditions are, and the expectations from either side. The NRL with their broadcast rights and their commercial might and power, would be able to invest in different elements of the game and if we can piggyback off the back of some of that, then that would be great.”
V’landys and the NRL would want to completely shake up British rugby league, make London a key focus and get areas like France, Newcastle and Manchester thriving. They would want the big-city model in modern stadia that Maurice Lindsay dreamed of when Super League was born in 1996, not the M62-aligned landscape that exists now with three clubs in Wakefield and six in Greater Manchester dotted across three different professional leagues.
However, State of Origin at Wembley, the return of the Ashes, French rugby league flourishing, a re-energised international game and even potential future expansion into Wales and elsewhere could make business sense. Opportunities and synergies abound.
For once rugby league will be hoping what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas.
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