The success of the Las Vegas season-opener has prompted the NRL to consider launching its season at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium from 2029.
The NRL are locked into playing the opening round fixtures in Las Vegas until at least 2028 but the incredible scenes in Sin City has the NRL convinced it has found the right formula to launch its season each year.
The NRL could be heading to London’s Wembley Stadium.Credit: Getty
The governing body believes hosting the season-opening double header in a major city is the correct blueprint going forward and is considering shifting the event to London in the hope of re-engaging with a market that is becoming increasingly disengaged with the sport.
The list of potential targets in the post-Las Vegas era also include other major United States cities like Miami and New York City.
The thought of a sold-out Wembley Stadium with 90,000 fans is a mouth-watering prospect for the NRL.
Other potential venues include English Premier League venues like Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (62,850) and Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium (60,700), which hosted the 2022 World Cup semi-final between England and Samoa.
Jarome Luai celebrates Samoa’s World Cup semi final win at Emirates Stadium back in 2022.Credit: Getty
One of the challenges facing the NRL and the potential of playing its first-ever premiership game in London is the time difference and its impact on the television broadcasters.
An 8.30pm kick-off in london is a 7.30am start in Sydney, meaning the second match of the double header will start at 9.30am in Australia.
The other option could be to play the first match at 11am in London, but that means the two matches wouldn’t be aired into Australia until 10pm and midnight.
New York City and Miami share the same time zone and would be much more appealing to Australian broadcaster.
Australia won the 1995 World Cup final at Wembley.Credit: AP
An 8.30pm and 10.30pm kick off on the east coast of America would mean the matches are televised into Sydney at 12.30pm and 2.30pm.
The matches in Las Vegas this weekend has brought in an estimated $US80 million into the city.
SPOTTED
Brian To’o being put through his paces on the morning of the game. We spotted him testing his hamstring from the 21st floor of Resorts World.
Penrith winger Brian To’o running on the synthetic turf behind the team’s Resorts World hotel on the morning of the game.Credit: Nine
If he can do the splits on stage, as he did at Fremon Street a couple of nights ago, expect he’ll play in Penrith’s next game against the Roosters in almost two weeks’ time.
We’re told that if the Las Vegas game was a grand final, he would’ve played.
The club, in a bid to protect themselves, will deny their interest until after the case is heard to avoid any public scrutiny given the sensitivity and serious nature of the matter in front of the courts.
Taylan May (centre) walks into a board meeting with the Panthers flanked by his legal team earlier this month.Credit: Steven Siewert
The domestic violence allegations occurred during his time at the Penrith Panthers, resulting in him being banned from playing in the NRL under the governing body’s no-fault stand-down policy.
The Panthers later served him with two breach notices; incidents referenced included swearing on social media, a video post showing May as the passenger in a car driving 96km/h in a school zone and allegations he punched a woman in the face and leg.
The Panthers moved to sack May but later agreed to provide him with a confidential pay-out after a lengthy legal battle over perceived wrongful dismissal.
SHOWER SCARE
The check-in issues at Resorts World have been well documented. One player was assigned a room that had already been taken by another person. You can imagine that players’ surprise when he walked in to find a female in the shower.
WADE’S WORLD
Former Cronulla skipper Wade Graham presented new Sharks recruit Addin Fonua-Blake with his jersey at the team’s jumper ceremony on the eve of his first game for the club.
EXPENSIVE FEED
The costs in Las Vegas are often astronomical. None more so than the $170 a head the teams had to pay for their players per meal in the team room. Times that by three meals a day and the cost of feeding each player soared over $500 per day.
