Captain Apollo
Coach
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The point is there are more NRL fans than AFL fans in Australia, which makes the NRL Australia's biggest sport. As far as viewership goes we are a country mile in front of them - that is a fact, and all that really matters in this discussion.
Rugby League is the Pornhub of Australian sport
No, what you can say it that NRL is Australis most watched comp on tv.(nrl isn’t a sport by the way lol)
They can't find it as Ivan drove off with it
That's the old model that is dying out. Streaming and targeted advertising is the future and once that model rules, population centres are more important than the 5 metro model. NSW & QLD have 7 of the top 10 population centres in Australia
This comment is gold
Geez PR is going to have a meltdown,not only is PVLARL Commission chair Peter V’landys has opened talks with Foxtel in America as he looks to have at least one NRL game beamed direct into American homes each week, part of a long-term strategy to generate millions for the code and the Australian economy.
V’landys flew into America earlier this week with NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo, the pair spending time in Washington before heading to Las Vegas to step up plans to host a double header in Sin City to launch next season.
V’landys insists the game can generate “hundreds of millions of dollars” if they can tap into the American market through subscription and gambling revenue – a key pillar of that plan is to have games more accessible to Americans via broadcasters.
“The whole Vegas promotion is to show how good our game is,” V’landys told Sky News.
“We need to be shown every week so we are negotiating with Fox to see if we can be shown every week on Fox 1.
“If they want more games they can subscribe to Watch NRL. As I said, if we can get three million subscribers, that is hundreds of millions of dollars.
“That comes back into the Australian economy. It opens the door to all Australian sport. Sport is the real secret that we have in Australia.
“I think there is a great potential to get Australian sport into the American market. There is 340 million people in America. We could get hundred of millions of dollars coming into Australia from people watching our sports in America.
“We need to show them how good they are. As I said, we only need to get one percent of the population of America and we will be earning more revenue for sport in Australia, and rugby league, than we do now.”
Peter V'landys (right) is planning to take the NRL global. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
V’landys has been given the perfect opportunity to sell the dream when he attends a formal dinner at the White House in honour of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, giving him access to some of America’s movers and shakers.
Asked about attending the White House, V’landys said: “I had lunch one day with the Prime Minister and we were talking about Australian sport and how it can be a revenue and economy booster for the Australian economy.
“He asked me if I wanted to come and I accepted his kind invitation. It is a great honour to be here. I don’t really know the details as to what happens during the night.
“I think they are a well-kept secret but I am really looking forward to it and hopefully be able to sell Australian sport.”
If he can pull it off, it could potentially give rugby league access to fresh rivers of gold. Plans to open the season with a double header at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas will be the next step, part of a five-year venture to snatch a share of the American sporting landscape.
V’landys also hinted that the trip would help the game illustrate how rugby league can help gain a foothold in the Pacific and keep China at bay. There has been speculation the NRL could add a team in Papua New Guinea when the ARL Commission decides to expand, with any bid propped up by government financial support.
“One of the areas we are looking at is the Pacific and soft diplomacy is the best way to do things,” V’landys said.
“They love rugby league in the Pacific. So Americans would be very interested in how we can introduce this soft diplomacy, capture the heart and soul of the people in the Pacific, and not win them over with money, but win them over with sport.
“Sport brings everyone together. In (Papua) New Guinea in particular, rugby league a is a religion. So it is a no brainer to use soft diplomacy.”
V’landys’ plan to beam rugby league into American homes
Maybe, but it also reads as him wanting some American market to gain a helluva lot more cash.Geez PR is going to have a meltdown,not only is PVL
Not wanting money from WA or any bidder for the next licence, he is using soft diplomacy angle to push Png ahead of everything else... who woulda seen this coming
Spot on.
