AFL to take the NRL's lead and take a game to the US?

[3207]

Millions of dollars lost, after income minus expenses, is what is meant by the term "cost" in this context.

They’re willing to invest $200,000,000.

I don’t expect them to get a ROI in the first year.

Do you?

 

[Bjo187]

I’ve never read that figure of $2,000,000? The stadium hire alone was $1,900,000.

Where did you read that they said it only cost $2,000,000?

I’ve read numbers far greater ($200,000,000 over 5 years)

My leagiue mate up north messaged me that they only lost 2 mill. I assumed it was doing the rounds in all the media up there.

 

[3207]

My leagiue mate up north messaged me that they only lost 2 mill. I assumed it was doing the rounds in all the media up there.

Try not to follow their media all that much (or the AFL’s for that matter)

 

[PhatBoy]

From the view of someone who follows both codes absolutely equally with no bias or agenda to one or the other, all most of this thread reads like is a handful of people wanting for something to fail that hasn’t, despite it offering no threat anyway to AFL.

It’s rather bizarre

 

[3207]

From the view of someone who follows both codes absolutely equally with no bias or agenda to one or the other, all most of this thread reads like is a handful of people wanting for something to fail that hasn’t, despite it offering no threat anyway to AFL.

It’s rather bizarre

I’m 100% the same as you.

Kinda why was happy to question each odd post that was fired my way.

 

[JackFlash]

The USA is very insular when it comes to sports, it's all about "win one for the Gipper" and "It ain't over 'til it's over.". The USA find foreign sports amusing and still believe Soccer is a kids game and "Soccer Moms" continue to exist. Australian sports are a novelty, both NRL and also the AFL which is the most dominant game in the country are nothing more than a curiosity.

When the T20 world Cup is held there this year, you will see and hear nothing but bewilderment from US TV Sports hosts despite what will be a sell out game between India and Pakistan in New York. There will be 16 matches played in the USA and i doubt there will be many "locals" in attendance.
The AFL just needs to get its own house in order and continue to make the game the best field game in the country. What does the AFL gain going over there for a game for points?

Soccer in the USA is a retirement league for ex champions wanting one last huge pay check despite the sixteen cities who will host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup....The Cricket T20 WC will be enjoyed by the hundreds of thousands of immigrants from the Sub Continent in 2024..
Professional Football, Baseball and Basketball in America is big business, with some of America's richest as team owners. And now players salaries are in the hundreds of millions. They find all of this other foreign stuff crazy and it will never make more than a small dent and have no effect on the popularity of the SUPERBOWL which surely must be the most boring sporting event on Earth!

 

[3207]

The USA is very insular when it comes to sports, it's all about "win one for the Gipper" and "It ain't over 'til it's over.". The USA find foreign sports amusing and still believe Soccer is a kids game and "Soccer Moms" continue to exist. Australian sports are a novelty, both NRL and also the AFL which is the most dominant game in the country are nothing more than a curiosity.

When the T20 world Cup is held there this year, you will see and hear nothing but bewilderment from US TV Sports hosts despite what will be a sell out game between India and Pakistan in New York. There will be 16 matches played in the USA and i doubt there will be many "locals" in attendance.
The AFL just needs to get its own house in order and continue to make the game the best field game in the country. What does the AFL gain going over there for a game for points?

Soccer in the USA is a retirement league for ex champions wanting one last huge pay check despite the sixteen cities who will host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup....Cricket will be enjoyed by the hundreds of thousands of immigrants from the Sub Continent in 2024..
Professional Football, Baseball and Basketball in America is big business, with some of America's richest as team owners. And now players salaries are in the hundreds of millions. They find all of this other stuff crazy and it will never make more than a small dent and have no effect on the popularity of the SUPERBOWL which surely must be the most boring sporting event on Earth!

No, that’s Bathurst’s title.

 

[PhatBoy]

No, that’s Bathurst’s title.

Try living here.

 

[3207]

Try living here.

Seriously???? I used to have to merchandise the town in the 2 weeks prior to the race.

Used to stay in Orange and drive out to Bathurst each day as I far preferred it to “the mountain”

Always rewarded myself with lamb cutlets from the Donnybrook on the way back to Sydney !

 

[3207]

Looks one one NY Post joirno that was there enjoyed it;

“But what is true is this: The Rugby League I watched was evidence that these players are tougher and require far more endurance than any of our mainstream sports do from their respective athletes.

Because it's brutal and fast and it feels like there are as many stoppages in play as Jets quarterbacks throw touchdown passes in their games. Which is to say: there aren't many.

I enjoyed the night.

And I'll look forward to watching more rugby league in the future, because I'm hooked.”

One man’s opinion and all but more articles like this now -can only help the push.

 

[WillHayward]

The USA is very insular when it comes to sports, it's all about "win one for the Gipper" and "It ain't over 'til it's over.". The USA find foreign sports amusing and still believe Soccer is a kids game and "Soccer Moms" continue to exist. Australian sports are a novelty, both NRL and also the AFL which is the most dominant game in the country are nothing more than a curiosity.

When the T20 world Cup is held there this year, you will see and hear nothing but bewilderment from US TV Sports hosts despite what will be a sell out game between India and Pakistan in New York. There will be 16 matches played in the USA and i doubt there will be many "locals" in attendance.
The AFL just needs to get its own house in order and continue to make the game the best field game in the country. What does the AFL gain going over there for a game for points?

Soccer in the USA is a retirement league for ex champions wanting one last huge pay check despite the sixteen cities who will host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup....Cricket will be enjoyed by the hundreds of thousands of immigrants from the Sub Continent in 2024..
Professional Football, Baseball and Basketball in America is big business, with some of America's richest as team owners. And now players salaries are in the hundreds of millions. They find all of this other stuff crazy and it will never make more than a small dent and have no effect on the popularity of the SUPERBOWL which surely must be the most boring sporting event on Earth!

Spot on post.

The cricket is aimed at the 5 million South Asian Americans.

The NSL is aimed at the 60 million hispanic population (60 million is still a lot of people!) in the US.

I agree there is isnt a snowflakes chance in hell the AFL or NRL will interest regular American sports fans.

What Vlandys is actually interested in, is getting a revenue share of the $10 billion US sports betting market - which is now mostly a smallish number of concentrated professional betting syndicates. That's the only reason Vlandys is in Vegas.

Hes not stupid.

People thinking this is a push into the traditional sports market in the US are delusional.

 

[76woodenspooners]

I think it could work …

• Create a ‘reverse gather round’ where all teams play overseas (One round, nine different locations around the world)
• Add it as a new round in the calendar, just as gather round is. Doesn’t upset any supporters losing a home game.
• Remove a practice game to compensate to keep the AFLPA happy.
• schedule it around the bye so that players have the opportunity to spend some of their free time O/S. Who doesn’t like a good junket? Give players time to acclimatise there and back
• Countries that chase the tourist dollar would be right into this, us Aussies do like to travel. The AFL might even get some revenue from tourist boards.
• Years ago Dubai were trying to get Collingwood to play a game there, so there’s one location. London is an obvious one. California are chasing the tourists at the moment, and surely they’d have to have a suitable ground somewhere there. Any big cricketing countries would surely have suitable venues (India, Caribbean).

 

[PhatBoy]

Seriously???? I used to have to merchandise the town in the 2 weeks prior to the race.

Used to stay in Orange and drive out to Bathurst each day as I far preferred it to “the mountain”

Always rewarded myself with lamb cutlets from the Donnybrook on the way back to Sydney !

Yeah mate I’ve been here 20 years. I’m from Forbes originally.
I used to cover the race for work (I was a sports writer) and I absolutely hated it. I would make all sorts of deals to cover all the other regional sport, and do as little of the race as possible and leave it to the other journos. I was basically left to all the stuff that needed to be produced asap like the race finish.

The Donnybrook - what a pub!!!! All my footy club trips back from Sydney used to come to a head there after the usual shenanigans on the way back through the blue mountains haha

 

[3207]

Spot on post.

The cricket is aimed at the 5 million South Asian Americans.

The NSL is aimed at the 60 million hispanic population (60 million is still a lot of people!) in the US.

I agree there is isnt a snowflakes chance in hell the AFL or NRL will interest regular American sports fans.

What Vlandys is actually interested in, is getting a revenue share of the $10 billion US sports betting market - which is now mostly a smallish number of concentrated professional betting syndicates. That's the only reason Vlandys is in Vegas.

Hes not stupid.

People thinking this is a push into the traditional sports market in the US are delusional.

Everyone here trots this line out - without telling me how they go about it.

 

[JackFlash]

Spot on post.

The cricket is aimed at the 5 million South Asian Americans.

The NSL is aimed at the 60 million hispanic population (60 million is still a lot of people!) in the US.

I agree there is isnt a snowflakes chance in hell the AFL or NRL will interest regular American sports fans.

What Vlandys is actually interested in, is getting a revenue share of the $10 billion US sports betting market - which is now mostly a smallish number of concentrated professional betting syndicates. That's the only reason Vlandys is in Vegas.

Hes not stupid.

People thinking this is a push into the traditional sports market in the US are delusional.

Vlandys wants the betting market, what better way to get a foothold in that than Las Vegas.

 

[3207]

Vlandys wants the betting market, what better way to get a foothold in that than Las Vegas.

How?

 

[3207]

Yeah mate I’ve been here 20 years. I’m from Forbes originally.
I used to cover the race for work (I was a sports writer) and I absolutely hated it. I would make all sorts of deals to cover all the other regional sport, and do as little of the race as possible and leave it to the other journos. I was basically left to all the stuff that needed to be produced asap like the race finish.

The Donnybrook - what a pub!!!! All my footy club trips back from Sydney used to come to a head there after the usual shenanigans on the way back through the blue mountains haha

Used to work as a removalist with a bloke from Forbes. Glen. Lived down in Mortlake in Sydney for a few years. Ripping fella.

Long live the Donnybrook. Absolute belter of a boozer.

 

[TP86]

Major League Cricket has five stadiums planned - Major League Cricket - Wikipedia

Not only will there be games for points in the USA, there will probably be a Gather Round there within 10 years.

 

[Teen Wolf]

They’re willing to invest $200,000,000.

I don’t expect them to get a ROI in the first year.

Do you?

No. And more to the point, the venture will never be profitable if it hinges on securing a lucrative broadcasting deal.

It seems fair that a purely money-making exercise needs to make money before it can be called successful. But apparently some self-proclaimed unbiased posters on here disagree.

 

[3207]

No. And more to the point, the venture will never be profitable if it hinges on securing a lucrative broadcasting deal.

It seems fair that a purely money-making exercise needs to make money before it can be called successful. But apparently some self-proclaimed unbiased posters on here disagree.

Who says the broadcast deal has to be lucrative in the next 15 years?

Why can’t that deal come 15 years down the track?

Who says this has to be a pure money making exercise? The Gold Coast and the Giants aren’t a money making exercise but they’re worth the investment now - and in the future.

And yes, I’m 100% an unbiased poster. Another fact you may find hard to deal with but it is what it is

 

[PhatBoy]

No. And more to the point, the venture will never be profitable if it hinges on securing a lucrative broadcasting deal.

It seems fair that a purely money-making exercise needs to make money before it can be called successful. But apparently some self-proclaimed unbiased posters on here disagree.

Well for starters, no one actually knows what the figure is that has been spent.

So far we have had the number $200,000,000 bandied about, we have had ‘my mate in Sydney told me’ and we have had ‘Eddie is friends with Peter’ and we have had a comparison made with a deal between an Indian cricket broadcaster for a sport that is played across 10 other countries at some sort of franchise and international elite level.

It’s not exactly a NASA level analysis at this stage, is it.

So it seems fair that some posters, unbiased, or otherwise, are actually prepared to wait and see what come of it and accept that if nothing else it has been a success on a PR level.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

From the view of someone who follows both codes absolutely equally with no bias or agenda to one or the other, all most of this thread reads like is a handful of people wanting for something to fail that hasn’t, despite it offering no threat anyway to AFL.

It’s rather bizarre

Agreed Phat, if it succeeds (and succeeds is term with a fair few asterisks in this case), and you don’t care for League, then don’t worry, it’s no bother. If you don’t think the AFL should follow, then fair enough, say that.

I’m pretty agnostic on it, good luck to them, don’t mind league, certainly wouldn’t fly to Vegas to watch it, but if I was already there I might. Love AFL, if it was in in Vegas I wouldn’t fly to watch, if I was there already there I might.

 

[3207]

Well for starters, no one actually knows what the figure is that has been spent.

So far we have had the number $200,000,000 bandied about, we have had ‘my mate in Sydney told me’ and we have had ‘Eddie is friends with Peter’ and we have had a comparison made with a deal between an Indian cricket broadcaster for a sport that is played across 10 other countries at some sort of franchise and international elite level.

It’s not exactly a NASA level analysis at this stage, is it.

So it seems fair that some posters, unbiased, or otherwise, are actually prepared to wait and see what come of it and accept that if nothing else it has been a success on a PR level.

Financial Review:

“The NRL’s intent is to capture more of the hundreds of thousands of Australians living in the US to pay $US160 for the NRL’s subscription app, Watch NRL. It now has 3000 US users.

If we can get 1 per cent of the market in America ... that’s 3 million subscribers,” Mr Peter V’landys said following the release of the NRL results last week. “It’s a big strategy, it’s a big risk. It could be a game changer.”


7 News;

“The bold plan to launch the 2024 NRL season in Las Vegas is on.

The NRL will reportedly throw $200 million at the venture and the first piece of the puzzle has been placed.“

They’re 2 sources I’m leaning in to with my opinion.

 

[PhatBoy]

Financial Review:

“The NRL’s intent is to capture more of the hundreds of thousands of Australians living in the US to pay $US160 for the NRL’s subscription app, Watch NRL. It now has 3000 US users.

If we can get 1 per cent of the market in America ... that’s 3 million subscribers,” Mr Peter V’landys said following the release of the NRL results last week. “It’s a big strategy, it’s a big risk. It could be a game changer.”


7 News;

“The bold plan to launch the 2024 NRL season in Las Vegas is on.

The NRL will reportedly throw $200 million at the venture and the first piece of the puzzle has been placed.“

They’re 2 sources I’m leaning in to with my opinion.

They won’t know that until the end of the fifth year anyway. It could end up being even more

 

[3207]

They won’t know that until the end of the fifth year anyway. It could end up being even more

Or, considerably less !