by From Wycombe to Wollongong, the Super League has been played in distant places since the training of the competition in 1996.
On Saturday, here in Las Vegas, he will innovate with his first game on American soil while Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves will compete in the alleging stadium of 65,000 capacities.
It’s remarkable. It is certain that the famous band of vegas in recent days, with thousands of fans of the rugby league on both sides of the world mixing happily, was a show.
On Wednesday, the launch event of the Red Tail Sports Bar of Resorts World became a little rowdy when wigan fans hooked their former favorite George Williams when he was presented on stage.
For what? Because he is now playing for his Rivaux Warrington, the Wigan team is faced with the historic confrontation on Saturday and has chosen to sign, rather than joining its hometown club, after a passage in the LNR.
It may be Las Vegas, but parish rivalries will not be forgotten. Indeed, the Australian fans and media and Kiwi seemed rather surprised by the force of the English passion.
However, everything was in a good cause. Thursday evening, a huge crowd won rue Fremont for a festival of fans where players from the eight teams arrived via a red carpet at a deafening reception.
When the action begins at the alleging stadium on Saturday, the fervor, the color and carnival atmosphere that is built all week will reach a highlight.
The Wigan champions, owned by billionaire Mike Dance, decided to bring their round-three-year match against the Wolves to Sin City and join a party hosted by the LNR which started last year.
In March 2024, a double inaugural head saw Manly sea eagles face the Rabbitohs South Sydney and Brisbane Broncos would face the roosters of Sydney.
Now he has doubled in size with the lights between Canberra and the New Zealand warriors and Penrith and Cronulla opening the LNR season alongside the Wigan-Warrington confrontation and a female test match between England and Australia.
Up to 50,000 fans should assist and Wigan Managing Director Kris Radlinski, estimates that six -digit financial success to lose a home game can be offset by the sale of tickets to Vegas and, more importantly, a larger long -term growth.
“Like many of us, I watched the LNR matches last year on television,” said Radlinski, whose club won the four trophies last year and was crowned with the BBC sports team of the year.
“It was like a rugby league from another planet, so I dropped a note from my owner and asked:” Is it something that we should be part of? “
“I wrote to Peter V’landys at the LNR, I explained that we were an ambitious club and that we would like to be part of the conversation. I went to bed, I woke up and I had an answer that said: “Yes, we would like to speak”. »»
Like Wigan, Warrington is supported by owners seriously rich in Simon Moran and Stuart Middleton.
Radlinski adds: “Once the LNR said” yes “, I met Karl Fitzpatrick, my Warrington counterpart, in Manchester and asked if they wanted to be part of Vegas in 2025.
“Karl and Simon Moran returned and said” let’s do it “so that it has become obvious. The last 10 months have been complete, but we are now here and it’s exciting. »»
In 1989, Wigan and Warrington became the first two teams from the British Professional Rugby League to play in the United States, an exhibition match in Milwaukee that Wigan won 12-5. But this weekend, the points of the league are at stake and the involvement of Sam Burgess adds a layer of intrigue to procedures.
Warrington’s head coach is a member of the LNR renown temple after his legendary exploits at South Sydney, but was delayed to go to Vegas after visa complications.
Martin Gleeson, assistant coach of Warrington, says: “Sam being here just adds to the drama, right? It’s huge for us and the event itself. Playing a game of Super League at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, it does not improve. “”
Most of the crowd will be made up of Australians and Kiwis with around 10,000 English fans. Two other Super League clubs, not necessarily Wigan or Warrington, are likely to be invited to play Vegas in 2026 by the LNR.
The Australian competition rich in species, which recently announced record profits, has a five -year agreement to organize the event at the Allegiant Stadium. The links between the Super League and the LNR develop in the middle of speculation that the English competition short of money could sell a participation in their Australian counterparts.
Première rugby collapsed when Saracens organized games in New Jersey and Philadelphia in 2016 and 2017, but it already seems very different.
“From the league’s point of view, success looks like two other super-Ligue League clubs there is there next year,” said Warrington CEO Fitzpatrick. “We would like nothing more than two other clubs to go there and continue to promote the Super League brand. Absolutely these conversations should occur. »»
Fitzpatrick wishes to emphasize that this weekend is not about breaking the American market and converting thousands of Americans into fans of the ardent rugby league.
“A match will not make a huge difference, but if a bias is that we get a few additional American fans, then great,” he says, “however, what this game has done without a doubt is to raise the Game Super League and the British game – the interest was out of the scale.
“When the LNR came out last year, they spoke of” the Halo effect “thereafter in Australia. The crowds were increasing, digital engagement is increasing and it was the same in Super League during our first two laps.
“Why? Because there was so much promotion and interest for us to come to Vegas.”
Cash is tight in UK Rugby League and, although Sky Sports has been the main Dispute Partner of Super League since the training of the competition in 1996, the value of the television agreement has dropped considerably in recent times.
Significantly, however, Sky has plowed enormous resources to promote and cover the event on Saturday, with football experts Roy Keane and Micah Richards speaking after Liverpool’s victory at Manchester City.
While a desire for change is moving in the governance of the British Rugby League, Wigan and Warrington are preparing to present the game in the world’s entertainment capital.
This could breathe new life into the code because it offers to secure a more important and radlinski television case adds: “If we really care about the future of our sport – on this booming subject, not only survivor – then we have to kiss change.
“Sport is evolving at an electrifying rate, fueled by the progress of infrastructure, technology and innovation. If we remain motionless, we are behind. And I won’t accept that. Vegas gives us the opportunity to show what we offer.
“But let’s be clear. As much as I respect the LNR and everything they have built, we do not enter Vegas like another club. We do it as world champions. »»
