Leeds Rhinos‘ commercial director has commented on the prospects of the club taking a Super League game to Las Vegas in the future.
Vegas is the most talked about item on the rugby league agenda at the moment with the NRL season launch in just over two weeks also seeing a Super League game on the schedule.
Wigan Warriors will face Warrington Wolves to start of the full day of rugby league with two NRL clashes and a game between England and Australia’s women’s teams.
That clash between Wigan and Warrington will kick off at 9 pm in the UK meaning it will be prime time viewing for Super League fans.
Since the announcement that Wigan and Warrington would be involved, other Super League fans have wondered if their club would ever be involved and Leeds Rhinos fans now have an answer.
The club’s Commercial Director Rob Oates has responded to a fan question on the club’s YouTube channel addressing the possibility of the Rhinos heading stateside, something that they previously did when they went over to Jacksonville.
Leeds Rhinos director comments on possible Las Vegas game
Appearing on the Leeds Rhinos Podcast, Commercial Director Rob Oates said: “I think from a Super League point of view it’s a great idea.
“It’s expanding the game, it’s going into new territories, the NRL are across there so we’re getting closer with them, and it looks on the face of it like it will be brilliant this time.
“In terms of our key partners, Sky Sports, it’s a prime slot at 9 pm on a Saturday night in the UK so it’s a fantastic time to be live on TV.
“So with all those indicators, yeah – 100% we’d be interested in going, who wouldn’t be?”
Expanding more on the commercial aspect of the game and how it could or would be facilitated, Oates admitted that there are still plenty of answers needed – many of which will become clearer after Wigan and Warrington venture stateside later this month.
Oates explained: “The considerations and commercial reality of taking a game and a team over to America for probably the thick end of a week would be the costs and then whether it’s a home or away game.
“We think so much about our fans and sponsors and partners and the impact on that and how it stacks up commercially is certainly a question that I don’t have all the answers to at the moment.
“In a nutshell, 100% we’d be interested. I think it’s a fantastic concept and hopefully one day we’ll get there.”
