Fans from across the globe passing Steeden balls along the Strip, supporters dressed in Wigan, Warrington, Hull FC, even London Broncos shirts, drinking in bars and gambling in the casinos having the time of their lives, like some rugby-themed Hangover film.
This year Warrington and Wigan crashed the party, and a women’s Test match between England and Australia was added to the bill, along with four different NRL teams, pushing the attendance from 40,746 12 months ago to 45,209 this year.
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Read MoreThe halo effect in 2024 was impressive, with the two games drawing the biggest-ever TV audience in Australia and garnering massive publicity and attention.
Sources have told The i Paper how impressed NRL powerbrokers have been with Super League and RFL involvement, and how adding a British flavour to the event has helped it flourish even more.
And this year NRL officials have realised that opening it up to the motherland, instead of restricting it only to Antipodean involvement, can only be beneficial.
Fans had the times of their lives in Vegas (Photo: Getty)Adding a British flavour took this event to another level (Photo: Getty)Attendance rose to over 45,000, with more British fans making the trip (Photo: Getty)
Sky Sports have backed it fully, pumping in resources like never before and even bringing legendary announcer Michael Buffer to promote the season opener. Super League grand final week or Challenge Cup final day has nothing on Vegas.
The sport has been on television news, radio bulletins and in print at a scale never seen in decades. Even the New York Times have been engaged, although invitee Donald Trump didn’t attend.
“We are definitely interested and have informed Super League,” Paul Lakin, chief executive of Hull KR, told The i Paper. “That said, we’ve got to understand all the figures when Wigan and Warrington return to be able to make an informed decision.”
The benefits, the exposure, the supporter goodwill and the sponsor interest that this Las Vegas event has created, however, cannot be underestimated. The feel-good factor is palpable with “FOMO” felt across the sport.
Wigan’s Jai Field crosses over for a try during his side 48-24 demolition of Warrington (Photo: AP)This event has cost Wire and Wigan thousands (Photo: Getty)Australia’s Jillaroos demolished England 90-4 (Photo: AP)Let’s be clear – the 13-man code isn’t going to crack America – that is a pipedream. Rugby union has failed to do that after hundreds of millions of pounds and several decades.
But what going to Las Vegas can do is rejuvenate Super League and make it more appealing. It can excite a stagnant fanbase and disinterested national media. It can make the sport look and feel bigger than most think possible.
Behind the scenes rugby league in England is on the brink of civil war. The clubs are unhappy with the RFL and want more power. They are trying to force out RFL chairman Simon Johnson and director Sandy Lindsay, and install controversial former RFL chief executive Nigel Wood as they look to restructure the sport.
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Read MoreAt full-time at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday it was Wigan supporters taunting a dejected Warrington fanbase, and England’s women broken after annihilation by the Jillaroos. But in professional sport it is often what goes on off the field, not what happens off it, that really dictates the landscape.
The blueprint is there in Sin City. A marker has been put down. Now UK rugby league has to run with it.
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