LAS VEGAS -- From the moment the NRL's foray into Las Vegas was confirmed, the powers that be have repeatedly used eyebrow-raising rhetoric about the possibility of rugby league gaining a foothold in the American market, and what a springboard bringing NRL games to the States could be for the sport.
While it's an admirable goal, it does seem that in year two the NRL has dropped the pretense that this project is about expanding the game internationally. There's been very little chat about millions of Americans tuning in, and the tired line from last year of 'Well if we can just capture 1% of their market...' has hardly been uttered outside of a few Facebook comments.
In fact, outside on an embarrassing attempt to pander to US President Donald Trump, there's been very little to speak of in terms of 'breaking through' to a large chunk of Americans.
Many, including me, were skeptical that that was a possibility and while last year was a resounding success in terms of tourism and crowd numbers, there was no lasting impact on anyone in Las Vegas -- but that doesn't mean it's going away any time soon. It does, however, mean the project has a shelf life.
After being on the strip for the past couple of days, enjoying the fan festival on Freemont Street and everything else that Las Vegas has to offer, the reality is that everything is bigger in year two. Not just the number of games, but the influx of fans and the hype around the city as well.
In the same way the first iteration of Magic Round was considerably smaller than what that weekend is now on the rugby league calendar, it's clear that the FOMO of last year kicked in massively for fans who watched the Vegas games from home, and saw what a good time everyone was having. I'm certain that will continue in 2026 but after that, who really knows?
Because that hype I mentioned is coming from the travelling fans, and not our gracious hosts.
Apart from Uber drivers and people who work in hotels whose job it is to know about upcoming events, thousands of Americans will pass through Las Vegas as they do every other weekend not even knowing that there's football being played. A curious few may end up at the stadium having stumbled their way into tickets, but that's likely where their relationship with the sport will end for 2025.
Which brings us to the smaller events of the weekend, where the game can actually find some growth. One international game between Greece and the USA was unfortunately called off due to faulty lights on Wednesday night, but Silverbowl Park on the outskirts of town played host to the Nines tournament, which drew a few hundred fans. But it's on these smaller fields out of the way where rugby league will likely remain on these shores.
Having attended a reunion for some old Tomahawks players last night, there are passionate people here who love rugby league, and they'll continue to do their best to keep the USA in the picture in terms of the international game.
But what's most interesting about this year is that while those of us who from day one pinpointed this expansion as a fun excuse for a holiday for Aussie fans (and a chance to watch live footy for ex-pats who now live in the States) are still very vocal with that opinion, while those who approached the 2024 version with optimism in regards to American interest have become a lot quieter.
The hard truth is that this should have been billed from the start as what it has proven to be: a fun week away for fans to watch their NRL club. And the number of fans flying over has probably exceeded anyone's expectations, but if there is now a clear ceiling on what this project can become, how long until the pin gets pulled?