NRL in Las Vegas: Why Australian Rugby is Coming to the USA
By
Will Brown
Contributor Updated: 17 September 2024
Will Brown Contributor
William Brown is a Content Writer with strong expertise in US and global gambling industry trends. Having covered the local sports betting market since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, William approaches his gambling guides with passion and diligence. He is a keen player of online slots, blackjack, and a regular sports bettor.
NRL in Las Vegas
This year marked the first year that the Australian National Rugby League (NRL) kicked off its premiership season with a major game in the USA. With the NRL in Las Vegas seemingly becoming a staple annual event after being announced for 2025, it’s clear that the league is aiming to attract a local fan base. But what is the NRL exactly, and does it have any chance to build interest in the USA? We’ve looked at this and more in this guide.
An Introduction to NRL Rugby In Las Vegas
Before we get too deep into this article, it’s important that you understand what the NRL is and how it works. After explaining the sport, we’ve shared details about the success of NRL rugby in Las Vegas in 2024, before sharing what we know about the upcoming 2025 event.
As sports bettors, you may be interested to learn about the future expansion plans of the NRL, and why the league seems to be pushing to enter the US market. To round out the guide, we’ve explained where you can watch the NRL.
- What is the NRL?
- About the 2024 Vegas Game
- The 2025 NRL Game
- The NRL’s Future Expansion Plans
- Why the Interest in the US Market?
- Where to Watch the NRL
What is the NRL?
The National Rugby League (NRL) is the most prestigious professional rugby league contest in Australia and one of the most successful in the world. The sport differs slightly from the internationally played rugby union, in that there are fewer players on the teams and speed and continuous play are emphasized.
The NRL was established in 1998 after two major leagues, the Australian Rugby League and Super League, were merged. There are 17 teams, with most hailing from the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales and one based in New Zealand. It is possible that the league will expand to include more international teams soon.
Games see two teams of 13 on-field players aim to score the most points. Four points can be scored with a try, which involves carrying the ball over the opponent’s try line and two points for kicking the ball through the opponent’s goalposts for a goal. A field goal can also be scored for one point. An NRL game consists of two 40-minute halves.
The regular season runs from March to October, with odds appearing at online sportsbooks with rugby markets between these months. The games are run on a round-robin format, with each team playing 24 regular season games before a series final. The season champions are determined in the NRL Grand Final event.
More than seven million Australians support an NRL team, which represents roughly one-third of the nation’s population. The sport has an especially broad appeal in Australia’s regional areas, and is a popular community game. The Grand Final attracts some of the largest viewership figures in Australia’s annual sporting calendars.
With the NRL in Las Vegas game, it is clear that the sport is looking to utilize the world’s entertainment capital to appeal to a wider fan base. Due to its similarities to the globally popular rugby union, its chances aren’t too slim. Whether it can be popular in the NFL-loving USA, though, remains to be seen.
2024: Debut Year for Australian Rugby in Las Vegas
Between late February and early March 2024, the NRL held weeklong events to mark the opening of the year’s premiership season in Las Vegas. In addition to a major launch event and two games featuring four of the most storied teams in the league, a Talent Combine also sought to recruit four American athletes into the league.
Called the NRL Las Vegas 9s, 33 men’s and women’s teams from across North America competed in pool games, which culminated with a free finals events. There were also showcases involving under 18s boys and girls teams. But the main action began at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday March 2 with two opening regular season games.
The first game, held at 6.30 PM, saw the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles clash against the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The Sea Eagles were ultimately victorious with a 36-24 win. After the game’s conclusion, the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos competed from 8.30 PM, resulting in a 20-10 win to the Roosters.
The main event attracted a crowd of more than 44,000 people, with an estimated 14,000 coming from Australia. This means that a vast majority of the crowd were curious locals, which was a promising sign for the league. However, with only 61,000 people watching the game at home in the US, there is much work to do to attract locals in 2025.
What We Know About the 2025 Game
While the local viewership figures in the USA leave much to be desired, the broadcasted games were some of the most widely viewed in history in Australia. Regardless, it was somewhat surprising to discover that Australian Rugby in Las Vegas will happen again with four huge events in 2025.
With tickets now on sale through the official NRL website, the event has been marketed as a rugby league extravaganza. Like last year’s event, it will commence with a week-long festival that includes the regular season launch event, a rugby in the USA showcase, and media engagements.
This will culminate with an event on March 1, with two NRL Premiership opening matches, a 2024 UK Challenge Cup finalists match, and an international test match involving two elite women’s teams. The NRL in Las Vegas events will commence at the following times:
- Super League – Wigan v Warrington (1:30pm PST)
- NRL – Canberra Raiders v New Zealand Warriors (4:00pm PST)
- Test Match – Australian Jillaroos vs England (6:00pm PST)
- NRL – Penrith Panthers vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (8:30pm PST)
Future Expansion Plans
In the lead-up to the 2024 NRL rugby in Las Vegas game, there were talks that the league were trying to create a related US league. The 10-team NRL America competition was proposed by the Australian Rugby League Commissioner Peter V’landys in March, though nothing has yet to come of it.
Furthermore, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo has admitted that a long-term strategy is now underway to build popularity across the USA. This includes a five-year plan to continue the Las Vegas games, which could see more events and exhibition games held across the East and West coast each year.
For the time being, much of the speculation around the expansion of the NRL points to more teams launching in Pacific nations close to Australia’s borders. These include an additional New Zealand team, a Papua New Guinean team, and a Fijian team. The showcasing of the UK’s Super League in next year’s Vegas event is also evidence of a strategy to boost awareness across the pond.
Why is the NRL Pushing for a US Fan Base?
If you’re wondering, “why is the NRL in America?” then our primary response is simply, “for money.” While there are several other motivations before the international strategy, it can’t be denied that cracking the US market could bring huge revenues to the league.
This is because the US’s population is more than 15 times Australia’s. Even a modest success in the US could see viewing figures and revenues match or surpass those generated in its home nation. If an NRL America league were to launch, there would be increased opportunities for cultural exchange too, which benefits both nations.
Of course, there is also the question of prestige. With Australia’s most popular sport, the Australian Football League (AFL), still failing to attract major international interest, the NRL is likely pushing to beat its rival. The regular season is also played throughout much of the NFL’s off-season, which could attract football-hungry audiences.
Experts will be looking to the 2025 NRL in Las Vegas events to see just how much interest in the sport has grown within the last year. Of course, the continuous growth of sports betting across the USA has boosted interest in foreign sports at an unprecedented level, so it makes sense why it’s upping the ante on its expansion agenda now.
How to Watch the NRL in the USA
Until the Australian Rugby in Las Vegas 2025 event begins, you may be wondering where you can watch regular season games while in the USA. While Fox Sports broadcasts three NRL games a week, you can subscribe to the Watch NRL service for more events.
