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Vegas vision paying dividends as NRL readies for return
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The NRL’s Vegas venture is on the cusp of breaking even in just its second year, ARLC chairman Peter V’landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo have revealed ahead of the return to Allegiant Stadium.
After announcing record revenue and distributions to clubs, players and the state bodies for the 2024 season, V’landys and Abdo said the five-year commitment to open the NRL season in Vegas was already beginning to pay off.
The Sea Eagles-Rabbitohs and Roosters-Broncos double-header were the most watched regular season matches on Fox Sports and kick started record viewership, record attendances and record participation in 2024.
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2025 and beyond: Abdo outlines key focus areas
“There was a lot of success in Vegas last year that we didn't even plan, and for me that was record viewership in Australia and not only was it record viewership, but it was record attendances at pubs and clubs on that Sunday,” V’landys said.
“It's really become a day of celebration for the opening of the season.
“The more we celebrate the opening of the NRL season, the better the Vegas venture is and let me dispel something that's out there in the marketplace that's very incorrect, and that is that it costs us a lot of money for Vegas.
“This year there's a possibility that we'll actually return a profit on Vegas and if not, it'll be a small loss.”
There have been numerous false dawns in rugby league’s attempt to gain a foothold in North America, but the March 1 quadruple header is the first time the game has returned after dipping a toe in the water.
The 1987 State of Origin in Long Beach, the 2003 Kangaroos v USA Test in Philadelphia, South Sydney’s 2007 Australia Day clash with Leeds in Jacksonville and the 2018 Denver Test between England and New Zealand were all one-offs.
However, Abdo said the NRL was already reaping the benefit from the groundwork laid during last year's bold foray into Vegas and the four matches, including an historic women's Test and a Super League match, would be bigger and better.
“This Vegas venture, outside of the benefit we get here domestically, in America we've now got sponsors that are incremental," Abdo said.
"We would not have had these sponsors had we not been growing in America.
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Strength to strength: The Pacific Championships
“We've got people traveling, we've got a successful travel experience for fans, and we've got incremental subscriptions on Watch NRL, so you've got real revenue coming in which allows to us to now invest in expansion, invest in a better product here.
“To get there, we were lucky that the Commission had the bold vision, and they also backed it over five years.
"We’re in year two and we're at that point so I think that's really good for us so far.”
The ARLC will decide within the next two months whether to expand beyond 18 teams or wait until the end of the next broadcast deal to consider admitting a 19th club.
However, even if the NRL remains an 18-team competition after the introduction of a PNG franchise in 2028, V'landys and Abdo said the game would continue to expand in other areas.
"Rugby league is becoming the sport of the Pacific, so PNG is one thing but the popularity of rugby league in all countries in our region is important, but as is the west (USA)," Abdo said.
"America and the UK present compelling opportunities for us in terms of further globalisation of our broadcast rights, so the Commision is thinking strategically around the make-up of the packaging and how that is taken to a global market."
