‘It’s the old problem’: One dirty word threatens NRL’s American takeover
The NRL is breaking new ground in Las Vegas, but there’s one “old problem” rugby league still has to overcome to truly make it in America.
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As the NRL gears up for its historic season opening double header in Las Vegas, it’s clear there’s one key battle rugby league needs to win before it can truly make a mark in America.
Manly will take on South Sydney in the first game of the NRL season on Sunday afternoon before the Roosters play the Broncos.
The two matches will be held at Allegiant Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders and the same venue where last month’s Super Bowl was held.
The only place to watch both games of the Las Vegas opening double-header live is Fox League, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >
A slightly smaller rugby league field has been rolled into the venue and there are hopes of a crowd over 40,000 for the double header.
The NRL is hoping the overseas venture will tap into a potentially enormous source of gambling revenue if it can regularly attract American eyeballs to watch and bet on NRL games.
But as Fox League’s Bryan Fletcher told news.com.au, many Americans don’t know what rugby league is and many think it is the same as rugby union.
“The ones I spoke to, it’s the old problem of distinguishing between rugby and rugby league,” Fletcher said.
“I suppose the first year, I was hoping we would just advertise it as NRL.
“At least most of Americans know what rugby is. It’s no pads.
“It’ll take time. And once they can compare the two, it’s two totally different sports.”
Fletcher said the NRL’s brutal tackles will catch the eye of US sports fans, but it will take some time for Americans to learn the rules of the game.
“I was lucky enough in 1995 at the Chooks (Sydney Roosters), Gus (Phil Gould) brought two NFL college guys to play with the Roosters,” Fletcher recalled.
“One ended up playing reserve grade, which was a huge effort. But what they really struggle with is they don’t understand how you pass the ball backward to go forward. That’s the hardest thing that they have to comprehend.
“I remember talking to our players back in ‘95, they really struggled to run forward and pass backwards without stopping. It’s just these things we’ve grown up with.”
It makes sense Americans know rugby union better than league, given the United States has fielded a team at eight Rugby World Cups.
Nonetheless, it’s long been a bugbear of Aussie NRL fans that Americans continue to refer to the 13-man code as “rugby”, instead of NRL or even just footy.
When players from the four NRL teams playing in Vegas visited Sin City last year to promote the event — US TV hosts repeatedly referred to rugby league as “rugby”.
From what I’m hearing from Australian colleagues living in the US the biggest message our commentators have to get across is “This is not Rugby†Americans have asked me if the All Blacks are playing? Memo to all on FOX 1 has to be: “U R Not watching Rugby, this is Rugby League!†https://t.co/5XmccHEcLl
— Ian Hanson OAM (@hansonmedia) February 29, 2024
The Steeden will be emblazoned with an American flag this weekend and the goalposts at Allegiant Stadium will be yellow like gridiron posts, in a bid to connect with diehard NFL fans.
The NRL will ultimately measure its Vegas success on the audience that tunes into FOX1 to watch the game, but explaining to US fans that it is its own unique sport is arguably just as crucial.
“There are Americans out there who know rugby league,” Fletcher said.
“But there are also the ones looking at the billboards and the crowds wondering, ‘Why are there so many Aussies here?’ then googling what rugby league is and they come back and go, ‘Geez it’s a fast game’.
“It’s going to take time. They’ve got their four sports that they all love. If we can get a little piece of that, it would be remarkable.”
Fletcher said the big hits and the four star fullbacks on show (James Tedesco, Reece Walsh, Tom Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell) will help attract American audiences.
“I think the tackling is the biggest attraction for the NFL fans,” he said.
“It’s one-on-one. They like the big hits but all their big hits come when the other guy’s not looking (off the ball).
“A running back’s catching the ball above the head. That’s going to be a selling point. Our players will run straight and three or four of them will pick the attacking player up in the collision.”
As for the vibe in Vegas, Fletcher said there were Australians and English fans galore with a sprinkling of Americans.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said.
“I know there’s a lot of Aussies here ripping into it. But I’ve even chatted to a few Americans who I supposed are interested in it, but are just wondering what it is and they’re getting around it as well.
“That fan day last night, I’ve never seen anything like it. It was like Magic Round but on steroids. You’re excited anyway before the footy’s starting, but you add in another country for the first time ever, and that country happens to be America.
“It’s actually quite remarkable. We’ve spoken about coming to America but now it’s happening, it’s quite surreal.”
When are the Las Vegas NRL games?
Manly Sea Eagles vs South Sydney Rabbitohs — Sunday 1.30pm AEDT
Sydney Roosters vs Brisbane Broncos — Sunday 3.30pm AEDT
The only place to watch both games of the Las Vegas opening double-header live is Fox League, available on Kayo.
Originally published as ‘It’s the old problem’: One dirty word threatens NRL’s American takeover
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