NRL NRL Round 1, 2024 Discussion

Not full at all. Only approx 28k tickets sold in a 65k seat capacity stadium. NRL is hoping for a crowd of atleast 40k to call it a ‘success’. May take a few years of the NRL going there for the yanks to take much interest in it.
I honestly get the feeling they aren't even trying to break into that market, it just won't happen.

My take is they hope one of the large American betting companies will come onboard with the league and bring some $$$
 
I honestly get the feeling they aren't even trying to break into that market, it just won't happen.

My take is they hope one of the large American betting companies will come onboard with the league and bring some $$$

Certainly it's being driven by potential increase in betting markets.

I cannot in any way see how Rugby League could do better than a college supported Rugby Union system.

The biggest blocker to all of this is that Americans & Canadians don't tend to differentiate the sports, it's all just Rugby to them.
 
During the trials they mentioned NRL360 live from Vegas. Thought it would be going all week. It's on tonight.

I noticed it earlier in the week so set it to record like usual. Before it there is a team announcement live. I noticed the teams on the NRL website yesterday. This is like the UFC have weigh-ins earlier and then ceremonial weigh ins when everyone (UFC's case the fighters now they made weight) knows the results before time.

Not sure what the stadium will look like if it is 28k of a 65k capacity. Hopefully, there will be a big walk-up crowd. Not sure if Americans are known for that. The NRL may end up doing the pro wrestling thing and give away tickets and say it sold out. The other thing that used to happen in the casinos is the people going to the casinos would get tickets to the events going on Trump Plaza in the 80s to WrestleMania 4 and 5. Or in Vegas to the music acts doing residencies.

The games are on at a decent time, so it will be good to sit down and see how this event goes. They have a long term deal but I'd be surprised if the NRL see it through.
 
As more teams go across it will be interesting to see how they go about their preparation over there.

Embrace being in Vegas or head somewhere else and head in for the event.

Manly getting advice from an international rugby coach is a good idea. Seibold has a previous working relationship with him. I've seen some clips of them at the UFC Performance Centre. The NRL announced a relationship with the UFC when the Vegas deal was announced. Being in Vegas you would have access to training facilities. But being in Vegas could easily turn into party time.

I'm not sure if the clubs currently based in California have linked up with an NFL team. It would make sense, coaching staff do it over the off season. Have the players at an NFL club seeing their set up and how the players go about things.

 
During the trials they mentioned NRL360 live from Vegas. Thought it would be going all week. It's on tonight.

I noticed it earlier in the week so set it to record like usual. Before it there is a team announcement live. I noticed the teams on the NRL website yesterday. This is like the UFC have weigh-ins earlier and then ceremonial weigh ins when everyone (UFC's case the fighters now they made weight) knows the results before time.

Not sure what the stadium will look like if it is 28k of a 65k capacity. Hopefully, there will be a big walk-up crowd. Not sure if Americans are known for that. The NRL may end up doing the pro wrestling thing and give away tickets and say it sold out. The other thing that used to happen in the casinos is the people going to the casinos would get tickets to the events going on Trump Plaza in the 80s to WrestleMania 4 and 5. Or in Vegas to the music acts doing residencies.

The games are on at a decent time, so it will be good to sit down and see how this event goes. They have a long term deal but I'd be surprised if the NRL see it through.
Ticket sales are currently at 35,000 with expectations of it hitting 40,000. That's not to say that many will actually turn up though.
 
Ticket sales are currently at 35,000 with expectations of it hitting 40,000. That's not to say that many will actually turn up though.
Its definitely not going to sell out. Half the stadium hasn't been opened up for sale.


In saying that, it's a reasonable result - its one of those initiatives that could be an absolute disaster easily but is now a good launching pad for the future.

It's going to be weird and cool to see it on a US pitch ... is it astro turf?
 
Its definitely not going to sell out. Half the stadium hasn't been opened up for sale.


In saying that, it's a reasonable result - its one of those initiatives that could be an absolute disaster easily but is now a good launching pad for the future.

It's going to be weird and cool to see it on a US pitch ... is it astro turf?
I just looked it up, its a grass pitch of a retractable tray...

Looks artificial, typical America
 
During the trials they mentioned NRL360 live from Vegas. Thought it would be going all week. It's on tonight.

I noticed it earlier in the week so set it to record like usual. Before it there is a team announcement live. I noticed the teams on the NRL website yesterday. This is like the UFC have weigh-ins earlier and then ceremonial weigh ins when everyone (UFC's case the fighters now they made weight) knows the results before time.

Not sure what the stadium will look like if it is 28k of a 65k capacity. Hopefully, there will be a big walk-up crowd. Not sure if Americans are known for that. The NRL may end up doing the pro wrestling thing and give away tickets and say it sold out. The other thing that used to happen in the casinos is the people going to the casinos would get tickets to the events going on Trump Plaza in the 80s to WrestleMania 4 and 5. Or in Vegas to the music acts doing residencies.

The games are on at a decent time, so it will be good to sit down and see how this event goes. They have a long term deal but I'd be surprised if the NRL see it through.
Facts. If there’s no competition for eyeballs and the NRL know what they are doing, the concierges can push 20k visitors there, easy. Doormen run Vegas.

I disagree it’s betting that will get us over the line in the US, it will be the spectacle. If you dig into the history of the NFL, Pete Rozelle took over as Commissioner in 1960, with the singular goal of making it the number 1 sport in the US. It was like #4 at the time. He did that by changing the rules with one purpose, making it the spectacle of sports.

The UFC followed the same ethos, and look where it is now. All VLandys has to do is ensure the game is viewed along side NFL in terms big hits, big scores, and big personalities.
 
Foley is trying to make Los Vegas the sporting capital of the world .
“On October 11, 2023, the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) announced Foley as the preferred bidder to be the owner of a new A-Leagues expansion club, based in Auckland, New Zealand.The APL officially confirmed the new team would be awarded a licence under Foley's ownership on 21 November, 2023 with the men's team being introduced for the 2024–25 A-League Men and the women's team competing from 2025–26 onwards.”
Search owner Los Vegas Knights owner in wikipedia.
I cant get the link to load.
 
Foley is trying to make Los Vegas the sporting capital of the world .
“On October 11, 2023, the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) announced Foley as the preferred bidder to be the owner of a new A-Leagues expansion club, based in Auckland, New Zealand.The APL officially confirmed the new team would be awarded a licence under Foley's ownership on 21 November, 2023 with the men's team being introduced for the 2024–25 A-League Men and the women's team competing from 2025–26 onwards.”
Search owner Los Vegas Knights owner in wikipedia.
I cant get the link to load.
He got the Los Vegas Knights to win the Stanley Cup in Ice Hockey from scratch in under 6 years as promised.
His secret “ THROW BIG BUCKS”.
 
Its definitely not going to sell out. Half the stadium hasn't been opened up for sale.


In saying that, it's a reasonable result - its one of those initiatives that could be an absolute disaster easily but is now a good launching pad for the future.

It's going to be weird and cool to see it on a US pitch ... is it astro turf?
The field dimensions are a worry. The in-goals will need to be incredibly short. Also going to be difficult for the wingers to do any dives for the corner.

More about the dimensions here:

 
Not full at all. Only approx 28k tickets sold in a 65k seat capacity stadium. NRL is hoping for a crowd of atleast 40k to call it a ‘success’. May take a few years of the NRL going there for the yanks to take much interest in it.
It'd be really instructive to see a breakdown of the backgrounds of that 28k or whatever the figure ends up being. How many ex-Aussies and Kiwis make up that number and how much does that percentage change over time? Have the league funs moved from another sport or is this their first live experience at a sports game now league's in town? etc etc
 
I think its all a bit silly but whatever- just glad we didnt have to go there.
Cant see it generating much interest tbh although when I was there human nature were selling out concerts for weeks on end so maybe the americans really will watch anything... :unsure:
 
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