No official date has been set for a potential National Rugby League game in Hawaii, a marketing official involved in the talks cautioned. N.Y.-based sports marketing firm Ascendent Sports Group did not confirm reports that NRL sides St. George Illawarra and the Wests Tigers will play an exhibition game on the island in early February. “There’s no timeframe for a potential rugby event in Hawaii,” ASG SVP & Head of Consulting Doug Hall said. “The reason we won’t put a timeline in place is that as a rule, artificial timelines do not aid in the negotiation process.” Australian media reported the game would take place on Feb. 11 at the 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium, which has hosted numerous NFL Pro Bowl games in the past. ASG, which was tapped by the Hawaii Tourism Authority to provide sports marketing services for the U.S. state in August, told SBD Global that finding the right date to accommodate such an event is difficult. “Certainly you want to be a good partner and have to look at when seasons begin and end, when teams are free to travel (if an off-season event), and when Hawaii has openings in its event calendar,” Hall said. “The calculus is quite complex -- and there are other external stakeholders that have to align as well, such as other sponsors' needs.” It is understood that the NRL is not only looking at hosting exhibition games, but also regular-season fixtures and State of Origin in Hawaii. Previous plans by the league to stage a game in Honolulu fell through, as the players’ union feared the long trip in the offseason would lead to player burnout. Hawaii, which lost the NFL Pro Bowl game, is looking to bring new sporting events to the state, and with its large Polynesian population, rugby league could draw a sizeable crowd. “We have to make sure that if we recommend investing, we ensure all of Hawaii’s objectives are met," Hall said. The Hawaii Tourism Authority is said to be working with Hawaiian Rugby League and promoters Grand Pacific Events on bringing NRL to the island.
