Rugby League boss Peter V’landys planning Australian NRL expo in Las Vegas to start 2024 season

ARL boss Peter V’landys’ ambitious vision of having a double-header NRL match played in Las Vegas in 2024 will happen, but it may only be part of what he plans.

The rugby league supremo said the one-off, three-day NRL extravaganza he first planned will now turn into a week-long Australian NRL Expo, such is the interest in his project.

“We are currently in talks with Las Vegas tourism and they are keen to support us with Australia Week,” V’landys told News Corp.

“If we get it going, it’s going to be huge.”

The Brisbane Broncos are the first confirmed team to lead the charge in 2024, with three other sides yet to be named, but stars like actor Hugh Jackman and superband U2 are now in talks to also appear during the week, which will leave all see what Australia is looking for the American public.

“U2 will play Las Vegas for three months next year and we’ve had meetings to make them part of our festival,” said V’landys.

“It’s perfect timing for our Australian NRL Expo as it’s in between sports in America, so the full focus will be on us that week.

“We can have boxing and UFC events with Australians competing and we have discussed including top Australian artists performing in concert.”

But while his NRL expo that week looks very much like a full-fledged Aussie invasion, it’s the expected gambling income that V’landys’, who also runs NSW horse racing, is after.

Visionary Peter V’landys (pictured) thought his NRL launch in Las Vegas next year would be a three-day event, but it’s turned into a week-long Australian Expo

There is gold to be made for rugby league if V’landys were to successfully tap into the betting available in the North American market.

“Vegas continues,” he said. “I believe it will be resolved in the next two weeks, we are very close… it could be announced by the end of next week.

“Anyone who stands still eventually goes backwards and we need to look at these different initiatives to grow the game.

“There are 330 million people in America and if we get one percent of their gambling market, that’s a huge revenue stream for the game.”

V’landys also said that as word of his NRL Expo spread, Australian stars and companies are approaching him to be involved – hence the week-long event.

“We are in talks with a number of parties and the more we talk, the more Australia Week will be in Vegas.

“We’ve had a ton of parties contact us – not the other way around – because they see the potential of Australia Week.

The high-flying Brisbane Broncos (in white) have been confirmed as one of four NRL sides to play in the double-header scheduled for Vegas in 2024

Legendary band U2 (pictured) are playing in Las Vegas and ARL boss Peter V’landys has invited them to be part of the Australia Week Expo he has planned

“It has unlimited potential to become the premier event in the US every year to promote Australia and the NRL will be the primary partner.

Rugby league games are played at the picturesque Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders.

Later this year, the impressive stadium will host concerts by Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars and Beyonce, as well as sold-out NFL games between Las Vegas and the Pittsburgh Steelers; the giants of New York; the New York jets; the Minnesota Vikings and on November 26, the reigning Superbowl wins the Kansas City Chiefs.

It seats 65,000 fans and is located right next to the famous Las Vegas strip.

V’landys fully expects this Australia Week Expo to be an annual thing with a double-header rotating between all NRL clubs each season.