The 30 ways rugby league’s Vegas extravaganza can be even bigger in 2025

DEAN RITCHIE outlines the ways rugby league’s most ambitious innovation in 116 years can somehow become better next season.

It’s time to push more chips onto the table as rugby league’s Las Vegas gamble rolls into 2025.

Can the party go to another level? Can the NRL possibly put on a better show? Can the game leverage Sin City profits?

The NRL’s Las Vegas extravaganza has been widely praised with some claiming it among the greatest innovations in Australian rugby league’s 116-year history.

And while the event was epic for travelling Australian footy fans, the NRL wants to somehow improve the Nevada spectacular for next season.

“Over time, we hope the event will sell out and be a go-to event for the locals,” said NRL CEO Andrew Abdo.

This masthead has proposed 30 ways to enhance the Vegas experience for 2025.

Taika Waititi, Chris Hemsworth, Elsa Pataky, Isla Fisher and Russell Crowe were in attendance, but a few more celebs would make the games feel more exclusive. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

1. Play the World Club Challenge plus a game between the two NRLW grand finalists the day before the NRL games, making it a double-header, double-header. Playing the WCC would attract 10,000 English fans and five NRL teams in Vegas would erase a first round bye.

2. Sell Las Vegas-specific NRL merchandise and have player surnames on the back of jerseys. NFL jumpers bring in $2 billion a year in revenue.

3. Take the New Zealand-based Warriors, giving the event a third-country element. Around 1.5 million Americans identify as Pacific Islanders, including 331,000 in nearby California.

4. Open talks with Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority — which supported this year’s event — to seek financial remuneration as a reward for bringing 20,000 Australians, possibly more next year, into Sin City.

5. Turn the week into a reimagined “G’day Australia” and ask an iconic Australian musician to play a concert In Vegas, who better than Wests Tigers fan Jimmy Barnes? The week could incorporate the business, tech and entertainment world. Why not hold a Mining Conference that week.

6. Create a digital app that fans can log into once they have purchased a ticket. It could offer information notifications, prizes, seat upgrades, merchandise offers and a chance to win tickets or packages to next year’s games.

7. Reduce high ticket prices for Australian fans. Premium tickets were going for $US189 before fans were then slugged with additional fees and taxes. Those high-range seats came to around $AU400.

Next year should include a tailgate party outside the stadium. Picture: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP

8. Try and promote looming NRL matches via 30 seconds of commercial airtime during NFL coverage. It would cost around $12,000 for 30 seconds but instantly expand rugby league’s brand nationally.

9. Ensure more celebrities are there. Souths co-owner Russell Crowe and Manly fan Hugh Jackman were sadly unable to attend. The crowd felt a little lightweight.

10. Lure Qantas into the event – an on-the-nose airline which should want to be proudly involved in such an iconic Australian event.

11. Ensure Allegiant Stadium has a full blown US tailgate party before the games which US athletes could host. The car parks around the arena are large and close to The Strip. It’s a staple of US sports, along with cheerleaders.

12. Include US style marching bands in the activities, such as the Baltimore Ravens band. The Baltimore Marching Ravens — comprising 150 musicians — have performed continuously since September, 1947.

13. Run a shuttle bus service from Allegiant Stadium to prominent Strip hotels. The walk between the ground and The Strip over the Hacienda Bridge was cramped and challenging.

14. Look at slightly altering kick off times for earlier viewing on America’s east coast. The second game kicked off at 11.30pm in New York.

More advertising in bright lights would be helpful. Picture: David Becker

15. Put the tackle count on the big screen for US fans.

16. As brilliant as Australia’s Fox Sports callers were, consider using an American sports commentator for a local flavour. Maybe Tom Brady or Tony Romo?

17. Place coaches on the sideline, making them more visual, rather than hidden in the coaching box, NFL style.

18. Seek NRL match promotion on the $3 billion, world-famous Sphere in Vegas. It has 1.2 million LED puck lights. NASA was enlisted to help create the concert venue.

19. Bring Las Vegas Raiders NFL and Golden Knights ice hockey players to Australia for cross promotion. Raiders’ wide receiver Davante Adams is the franchise’s best player.

20. Integrate with schools. Push for schools to form sister relationships from both countries where students could develop chat groups and cultural exchanges.

21. Use the event as a catalyst to establish dedicated direct flights to Las Vegas. We fly to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dallas direct from Australia do why not Vegas? The stopovers in LA and San Francisco caused angst with connecting flights due to the high winds which thundered through Vegas that weekend.

The games were good, but little extras can be added to the event. Picture: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP

22. Make the NRL Combine in Vegas an event and televise it. It was basically invisible back in Australia.

23. Americans love the term ‘world’ for their major sporting events. Consider calling our games the World NRL Championship.

24. Supercharge the NRL Nines tournament in Vegas by luring teams from across the world with an offer of $100,000 in prize money.

25. Use fluorescent goalposts which light up when a goal is kicked to increase razzamatazz.

26. Get American ambassadors — not just Aussies — for the game. Promote marquee NRL players to the US television audience and ask that they express themselves with humour and fun and not ramble in cliches. Lack of promotion perhaps led to modest viewership figures.

27. Ask American suburbs or towns to adopt an NRL team. This may be aligned with any NFL affiliations that are established.

28. Work with stadium management on food and beverage. Prices for the average fan were super expensive.

29. Have former players and celebrities host NRL Vegas Super Bowl style parties. You could use the event to raise awareness but also money for NRL-supported charities. Champions Greg Inglis, Brad Fittler, Steve Menzies and Sam Thaiday were there last week and could help next year.

30. Encourage and activate Australian alumni (universities) to reunite in Vegas.