ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys has stepped up his campaign to get Donald Trump to the NRL season opener in Las Vegas by appealing personally to the US president on prime-time breakfast television in America.
V’landys said that if Trump did make his way to Allegiant Stadium on March 2, it would give the game exposure “money cannot buy”.
“It would be priceless – there is no other person in America who could help generate awareness about rugby league than the president,” V’landys said.
“Fox And Friends is a show he likes to watch in America. It is like their Today show on a cable network. We can only hope he saw the segment, and if he didn’t, we’re sure one of his staffers or friends did. We’re hoping for a response. It would be great.”
V’landys appeared on Fox on Sunday morning local time, greeted the president and then launched into his sales pitch.
“I know you watch Fox and Friends, which is a great program, extremely fair and balanced,” V’landys said.
ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys wants US President Donald Trump to be in Las Vegas for the start of the 2025 NRL season.Credit: Stephen Kiprillis
“Mr President, we want to introduce you to the toughest game on earth, rugby league, in the world’s sport and entertainment capital, Las Vegas.
“We know you love physical, tough contact sports. There’s no sport more brutal than rugby league, our players don’t wear pads or helmets.
“Our players don’t wear pads or helmets. As you know, Mr President, the US has a trade surplus with Australia, one of the rare countries. You attending will balance this out a bit.
“Hope to see you at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 1.
“Thank you, Mr President, thank you, Fox and Friends.”
Fox Sports will beam the game between the New Zealand Warriors and Canberra Raiders on their free-to-air channel, which will be a first. Last year, the inaugural Las Vegas NRL clashes were shown on Fox 1 and Fox 2.
This masthead first revealed V’landys’ ambitious plan to invite the newly elected president to Las Vegas, a city he loves and regularly attends for sporting fixtures, including the UFC.
“It would be worth millions of dollars and provide us the real breakthrough we have been looking for – it would go a long way to putting league on the map,” V’landys said about having Trump at the venue.
“It’s not impossible. We know his schedule is hectic, but we also know plenty of people who have ties to him.”
Former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison, a passionate Cronulla Sharks fan, spent New Year’s Eve at Trump’s exclusive members’ club at Mar-a-Lago and revealed last week he still meets regularly with the president.
Fox beamed the NASCAR races from Daytona for the first time on the weekend, and invited former international Aaron Woods to spruik rugby league on behalf of the NRL.
Trump became the first Republican presidential candidate in 20 years to win the state of Nevada. Las Vegas is the largest city in the state.
Former president Joe Biden was invited to last year’s games, which featured Manly, South Sydney, the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos, but he politely declined.