They’ve already got an NFL Raiders franchise, now Las Vegas could be welcoming a second Raiders outfit next year.
The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio is reporting the Canberra Raiders have emerged as a leading candidate to appear in the NRL’s showpiece Sin City season opener.
Earlier this year, it was reported the Penrith Panthers, Melbourne Storm, Cronulla Sharks and New Zealand Warriors were the four firm favourites for the journey to the United States, with Canberra and the Parramatta Eels ranked as outside chances for a plane ticket.
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Now, Canberra have emerged as a strong candidate to head to Nevada next season, with Riccio reporting there are two main reasons pushing Canberra’s case. The first being the club’s strong government relations in the nation’s capital, particularly with the Department of Foreign Trade and Affairs, while the fact they share a name with the Las Vegas Raiders, the city’s NFL franchise, also plays into their favour.
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The latest developments follow Canberra Raiders CEO Don Furner confirming back in March that his club would be lodging an application to take their 2025 season opener stateside.
At the time, Furner insisted the club “would love to get there next year.” Adding, “[we’ve] spent a lot of time lobbying on it.”
“For our sponsors, it would be amazing [to get] coverage of that game.”
“Obviously there’s synergies with and the Las Vegas Raiders, but there’ll be other parameters we’re going to have to meet.”
Furner added he had discussed the potential Las Vegas trip with Raiders head coach Ricky Stuart “to make sure we’re keen to go,” before stating he knew the players would be excited about the opportunity.
Given the NRL holds a belief the 2025 event will attract 50,000 fans next season, an increase of 10,000 from 2024, the similarities between Ricky Stuart’s sides name and branding and that of Las Vegas’ American football franchise just may swing the league.
As part of the application process to head stateside, the NRL asks all clubs to provide hard numbers around their brand reach, membership count and corporate support. On top of this, it’s reported a deciding factor on which sides get the greenlight to travel to Vegas in 2025 lie in how well supported each club can prove they will be by travelling fans.
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Of the 40,000 fans who attended 2024’s Las Vegas season opener, 14,000 travelled from Australia, with the NRL pushing for this figure to increase to 20,000 next year.
Despite wild-weather, broadcasting delays and low US TV ratings, the Las Vegas season-opener is widely viewed as a successful venture by clubs. A combined television audience of 4.11 million viewers set a new record for an NRL season opener, with such figures rivalling those achieved by State of Origin and Grand Final broadcasts.
Moreover, the Sydney Roosters 20-10 victory over the Brisbane Broncos, the second clash in the Las Vegas double-header, was the most watched NRL game in Fox Sports history, beating out the first match after the COVID shutdown in 2020 to the honour.
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Speaking to foxsports.com.au at Allegiant Stadium, US attendees of the NRL’s season opener spoke glowingly of rugby league, with one security guard expressing the NRL is superior to the NFL because “it’s faster and they work together not individually.”
While Louis from Michigan believes the event “was great exposure for rugby in America.”
With the Daily Telegraph reporting the Penrith Panthers are locked in to travel to the USA next season, with the Warriors and Sharks also presenting strong cases, it appears likely the Melbourne Storm and Canberra will battle it out for the fourth spot.