The NRL has officially gone global, with a massive marketing campaign in New York’s famous Time Square, along with rumors of plans to buy the English Super League and bring more games to the United States.
As the countdown continues to the NRL season’s historic double-header at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on March 2, the promotion went one step further with a massive 3D/augmented reality football that hit Times Square on Friday .
It is the NRL’s boldest marketing campaign to date, with an estimated 50 million tourists passing through Times Square every year.
“Rugby League, the biggest sport in the world in the big smoke,” one fan wrote.
‘Times Square has never looked so beautiful. Something beautiful,” replied another.
“Where and how can you watch the competition here in the United States?” asked an interested American.
The 3D/augmented reality NRL ball in Times Square in New York City to promote the upcoming matches in Las Vegas
The Brisbane Broncos and Sydney Roosters are two of four NRL clubs kicking off the season in Las Vegas
Thousands of Australians will travel to the United States for the double-header, where they will be joined by thousands of curious American spectators
More than 30,000 tickets have already been sold for the NRL double-header featuring the Brisbane Broncos, Sydney Roosters, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Manly Sea Eagles, with late marketing pushing in the hope of getting thousands more into Vegas.
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys is hopeful that the gamble will tap into a new audience in the United States, along with a new international gambling market.
‘It’s a big strategy, it’s a big risk. I’m not hiding from that,” V’landys said. ‘However, the return is significant if we achieve this. It could be a game changer not just for rugby league, but for all sports in Australia.
‘If we can capture one percent of the market in America… that’s three million subscribers. That’s $650 million in additional revenue.
The next step could be to bring British Super League clubs to the United States News Corp report that the NRL is considering taking over the English competition.
The NRL has become a cash cow under V’Landy’s, earning more than $700 million in 2023, including a profit of $58 million, while the league also has $260 million in assets.
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys wants to turn the NRL into a $1 billion global industry
The Wigan Warriors could be one of the next clubs to travel to the United States to try and create a market in America
V’Landys has ambitions to grow the NRL into a $1 billion industry, reportedly including Super League, allowing players to switch between leagues mid-season.
It is a move that rugby league great and television personality Matthew Johns has endorsed.
“The rumor I’m hearing, and it’s been mooted a bit but it’s getting stronger, is that the NRL is seriously looking to take over English rugby league,” Johns said.
‘(They will) make it a winter sport again in England, and in that way it broadens the base and adds to the depth of both competitions because players can go there and have guest stints.
‘One of the things that really helped the game there (in the 1980s) was Peter Sterling, Brett Kenny, Phil Blake and those guys who went there and had short spells with Wigan, Leeds and Castleford.
“Let’s imagine the Roosters are faced with a situation where we let Joey Manu go to French rugby, or we let him go and have a spell at Castleford. It’s an opportunity for players to really optimize their income while in the game.
‘It helps the English game twofold with Wigan sending their players on guest stints, but the other thing that helps them is that guys like Jack Welsby (St Helens fullback) can get their NRL fix and come out and prove themselves . itself, but still part of the English league.’
Matthew Johns has backed rumors to buy the English Super League and said it would pave the way for NRL players to also play short spells in Britain
That move would also likely see Super League teams play matches in the United States, taking advantage of the huge British tourist numbers that travel to North America every year.
‘Research has shown that the biggest travelers are English. If we also played a Super League match there, many more people would come from England to the US,” Vlandys said.
There are also plans to bring NRLW games to the United States in the future.
‘Nick (Politis, Sydney Roosters chairman) said: ‘You have a unique situation with the women’s game. Why not take a women’s match to America,” V’landys told NRL.com.
“That would take our game to another level, especially considering how good they are.