The National Rugby League "rolled into Las Vegas this week to promote the season-opening double-header” at Allegiant Stadium in March, according to Andrew Webster of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. The double-header “was publicised regularly” throughout the stadium during Sunday's Vikings-Raiders game, while players did interviews with Fox both before the game and at halftime. The current NRL administration "wants to dip its toe in the US wagering and broadcast markets" and is “taking a long-term view" of breaking into the country. There has been speculation the whole exercise around the U.S. games could cost Au$10M, though ARL Commission Chair Peter V’landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo "scoff" at that. V’landys: “We’ll probably break even in the first year." Webster noted ticket sales are "tracking well," as nearly 20,000 have been sold, and Raiders President Sandra Douglass Morgan has “assured Abdo that Vegas is a city of walk-up starters to events." The league has "privately set itself a target of 40,000." Allegiant Stadium will host Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11, giving the NRL "three weeks for the surface to recover and painted logos to grow out" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 12/11).
STILL SOME WORK TO BE DONE: NEWS.com.au’s James Dampney wrote the NRL "has a lot of work to do if it truly wants to sell rugby league to Americans." Fox during halftime of Vikings-Raiders "happily took part in a cross-promotion for the NRL." However, it did “not start well,” as announcer Kevin Kugler said to analyst Mark Sanchez, “You got the chance to toss around a ‘rugby’ with some of the guys on the field before the game.” Dampney wrote, "We don’t know how you throw a ‘rugby’ either.” Meanwhile, in probably the “most bizarre moment” of the segment, a NRL highlight video aired, but it “would be difficult to find any less physicality from any rugby league game” (NEWS.com.au, 12/11).
