Rugby League Las Vegas
Rugby League Las Vegas | |
---|---|
![]() The Allegiant Stadium hosts the event | |
Status | Active |
Genre | Rugby league |
Frequency | Annually |
Venue | Allegiant Stadium |
Location(s) | Paradise, Nevada |
Country | ![]() |
Years active | 0 |
Inaugurated | March 2, 2024 (2024-03-02) |
Next event | March 1, 2025 (2025-03-01) |
Participants | ![]() ![]() |
Attendance | 40,746 (2024) |
Capacity | 65,000 |
Rugby League Las Vegas is an annual event held at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas showcasing the sport of rugby league. The event was started in 2024 by Australia's National Rugby League (NRL) before being joined by Super League clubs from the United Kingdom in 2025.
The event was created by the NRL to expand the audience of the competition and develop rugby league in the United States. The event is contracted until 2028.[1][2] The later joining of Super League clubs was arranged on a club level with the NRL, and not organising by Super League or the Rugby Football League.[3]
History
In August 2023, the National Rugby League (NRL) announced that two games in the opening round of the 2024 NRL season would be held in Las Vegas. The Brisbane Broncos, Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, South Sydney Rabbitohs, and Sydney Roosters were selected to play in the event,[4][5] with the remainder of round one being confirmed at a later date.[6] The two matches took place on March 2, 2024, and marked the first NRL regular season games held outside Australia and New Zealand.[7] The 2024 event saw Manly Warringah beat South Sydney[8] and Sydney beat Brisbane[9] in front of an audience of over 40,000, the largest attendance of any rugby league event at the time held in the United States.[10] Both games were aired on Fox Sports in the United States.[11] While stadium attendance was deemed a success, TV viewing fixtures were low in the United States at only 61,000, though it was 16,000 higher than the last NRL programme to be aired in the state. Viewing figures in Australia surpassed 1.6 million across both games.[12] The day prior to the event, a Colonial Cup match between the national men's teams of the United States and Canada was held.[13] The game ended 16–16.[14]
In July 2024, the NRL announced that the 2025 event would feature the Canberra Raiders, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, New Zealand Warriors, and Penrith Panthers.[15][16][17] In addition, the 2025 event will also feature an opening round match of the United Kingdom's Super League with Wigan Warriors facing local rivals Warrington Wolves. Like the NRL in 2024, this game marks the first regular season Super League game to be held in the United States.[18][19] Further, the event would also showcase an ashes test match between the Australia and England women's national sides.[20] Super League's involvement in the event came after a speculative email was sent to the organizers by Wigan's CEO Kris Radlinski after he watched the 2024 event on TV.[21][22] Both United States men's and women's national teams will face Greece the day before the 2025 event.[23]
Results
2024
- Game 1
- Game 2
2025
- Game 1
- Game 2
- Game 3
- Game 4
Statistics
Attendances
Year | Attendance |
---|---|
2024 | 40,746 |
Games by Competition
Competition | Games | Years |
---|---|---|
![]() | 4 | 2024 (2), 2025 (2) |
![]() | 1 | 2025 |
Women's Ashes | 1 | 2025 |
Team Appearances
Team | Apps. | Years |
---|---|---|
![]() | 1 | 2024 |
![]() | 2024 | |
![]() | 2024 | |
![]() | 2024 | |
![]() | 2025 | |
![]() | 2025 | |
![]() | 2025 | |
![]() | 2025 | |
![]() | 2025 | |
![]() | 2025 | |
![]() | 2025 | |
![]() | 2025 |
References
- ^ "The NRL is going to Vegas ... To play on one of the smallest rugby league fields ever". 28 August 2023.
- ^ "Sea Eagles, Roosters get wins in Australia's National Rugby League season opener in Las Vegas". Associated Press News. 3 March 2024.
- ^ https://inews.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/wigan-warriors-super-league-us-game-3085856?ico=in-line_link
- ^ Snape, Jack (11 August 2023). "NRL announces four clubs to open 2024 season in Las Vegas". The Guardian.
- ^ "NRL heading to Las Vegas with double-header confirmed to open 2024 season". 11 August 2023.
- ^ "2024 NRL schedule confirmed, including Las Vegas double-header, State of Origin & Magic Round". 13 November 2023.
- ^ "NRL confirm details for Rugby League Las Vegas 2024". 24 August 2023.
- ^ "NRL Las Vegas games to air on Fox in the US". 27 November 2023.
- ^ "Manu's magic show headlines Roosters win in Vegas". 3 March 2024.
- ^ Tedeschi, Nick (3 March 2024). "'Fast, brutal, brilliant': NRL's Las Vegas gamble comes up trumps". The Guardian.
- ^ "NRL Las Vegas games to air on Fox in the US". 27 November 2023.
- ^ Snape, Jack (5 March 2024). "TV ratings for Vegas venture show slow initial take-up for NRL in the US". The Guardian.
- ^ "NRL's Las Vegas double-header season opener to be preceded by international clash". 6 January 2024.
- ^ "United States 16 v 16 Canada".
- ^ "NRL Vegas 2025: Which clubs will play in America next year? | Sporting News Australia".
- ^ "Four-game Vegas extravaganza revealed as teams for 2025 NRL opener locked in".
- ^ "NRL turns Las Vegas venture into nine-hour extravaganza with four matches in one day". The Guardian.
- ^ https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12196/13175144/super-league-in-las-vegas-wigan-warriors-and-warrington-wolves-set-for-showdown-at-allegiant-stadium-in-2025
- ^ "Wigan Warriors to play Warrington Wolves in Las Vegas in 2025".
- ^ "England Women to face Jillaroos in Las Vegas".
- ^ "The inside story on how Wigan Warriors secured historic Las Vegas deal".
- ^ Bower, Aaron. "Super League in Las Vegas hailed as 'biggest moment' in its 28-year history". The Guardian.
- ^ https://europeanrugbyleague.com/articles/2437/hawks-to-face-greece-men-and-women-as-pa...
- v
- t
- e
- USA Rugby League (USARL)
- 1987 State of Origin
- Americas Cup
- Colonial Cup
- Atlantic Cup
- World Cup
- World Sevens
- Emerging Nations Tournament
- Saint Patrick's Day Test
- Wigan v Warrington 1989
- Rugby League Las Vegas
- New England Immortals
- USARL Pioneers
- Presidents Barbarians
- North Conference All-Stars
- South Conference All-Stars
- USA Rugby League
- American National Rugby League (returning 2022)
- Championship Rugby League (CRL)
- North American Rugby League (NARL)
- Rugby League United (RLU)