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LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas is a notorious big-show city.
On Saturday at Allegiant Stadium, the National Rugby League from Australia and New Zealand will deliver its Act 2 to the U.S. a year after debuting with a doubleheader at the home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders.
“This is the sequel,’’ Andrew Abdo, CEO of the NRL, told The Post. “And we’re going to make sure this sequel is bigger and better.’’
It was a success a year ago, the first of a five-year contractual commitment to Vegas, with four NRL teams playing in that doubleheader to open the league season.
This year, four NRL teams from the 17-team league will play in two games on a bill that will also include a women’s exhibition match between the Australian Jilaroos and the England national team as well as a UK Super League match between the Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves.
The NRL matchups will pit the Canberra Raiders and the New Zealand Warriors at 7 p.m., and then the Penrith Panthers and Cronulla Sharks play at 11:30 p.m. in the event’s finale. The Raiders-Warriors match will be televised on Fox.
“We have four fixtures, not two, this year, so the opportunity to showcase rugby league in Las Vegas, the sports and entertainment capital of America, in that stadium, it’s a unique one,’’ Abdo said.
Abdo is unapologetic in his admission that the NRL is following the blueprint of the NFL’s globalization as it’s played games in England, Mexico, Germany and will play in Australia for the first time in 2026.
“You’ll hear the whacks and see the intensity.”It’s a big weekend for rugby in Las Vegas. @MarkCannizzaro chats with Canberra Raiders star Joseph Tapine. pic.twitter.com/2VPCtY0BoT— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) February 28, 2025
“We’ve absolutely shamelessly looked at what’s working for other big global sports,’’ Abdo said. “So, quite deliberately, quite strategically, the U.S. was a really important market for us early on in that globalization strategy. This is something the NFL has been doing for a number of years. The NFL is obviously the premium American football product.
“Being able to have fans attend live allows them to follow the sport, play fantasy and follow the sport throughout the season. So, it’s a well-developed strategy and one in which we unashamedly are implementing ourselves.
“Under globalization, the world’s getting smaller and we believe in our product, we believe in our competition. We think we’ve got terrific athletes and clubs. We want to showcase that to the rest of the world.’’
“It’s becoming a tourist event for Las Vegas.”Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany talks with @MarkCannizzaro about Aussie League Rugby’s huge weekend in America. pic.twitter.com/45Kpb5FAn3— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) February 28, 2025
The results from last year’s doubleheader were positive for the league and for TV in Australia.
“It was the biggest event Fox Sports [Australia] have ever had,’’ Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany told The Post. “It was the biggest sales day. It was the biggest returning subscriber day. It was the biggest ratings ever that we’ve had in Australia. So, it really worked for us.’’
Last year’s event drew a ticketed crowd of 31,927 with 74 percent of attendees from out of town, according to Las Vegas Stadium Authority data. Ticket sales for this year are already in the 40,000 range, according to Abdo.
“There’s an opportunity to bring new clubs every year.”National Rugby League CEO Andrew talks with @MarkCannizzaro about the big weekend ahead in Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/2j3h5MFROx— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) February 28, 2025
The NRL’s success showcasing its product in Vegas last year wasn’t lost on the league’s teams that didn’t come. As a result, there was a jockeying for position among the teams to be the next four this year.
“We wanted to be a part of it Year 1,’’ Raiders coach Ricky Stuart told The Post after his team’s training session on Thursday. “I wanted to be a team that came to Vegas last year. I think our club deserves it. I believe we could put on a show for our rugby league fans here, but more so America.
“I mean, America is such a sport-loving country. I’d love them to see more rugby league because I think they would really buy into rugby league and love it.’’
Joseph Tapine, Stuart’s best player on the Raiders, said he found himself “wanting to be a part of it’’ as he watched last year.
“I was jealous not to be here and hoping we’d come this year,’’ he told The Post. “I’m grateful we got to come the second year. I remember talking to the boys that came last year and they said it was unreal.’’
