The Las Vegas Thread

[Wb1234]

I'm sure the NRL knows what they are doing and will have learnt from last year.

They'd have a significant amount of data to back up the decision.

I think the crowd will build through out the day, small crowd for game 1 and will probably peak around game 3 with the final game having alot of empty seats.

I just hope we get good games of footy, sharks and Raiders aren't exactly must watch TV !

Article says they did learn a lot from last year and there’s an nrl employee working on this full time now

 

[Wb1234]

If Penrith or Wigan / wire win their grand finals why can’t the wcc be played before the pacific cup starts

the travel is going to kill whichever club has to do it plus Vegas

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

I'm sure the NRL knows what they are doing and will have learnt from last year.

They'd have a significant amount of data to back up the decision.

I think the crowd will build through out the day, small crowd for game 1 and will probably peak around game 3 with the final game having alot of empty seats.

I just hope we get good games of footy, sharks and Raiders aren't exactly must watch TV !

Agree with most of that but not necessarily with the crowds peaking around game 3, I think most people will time it to see the main event Game 4 and I think you are a bit harsh on the Sharks, they are a very exciting attacking football team and I`m sure they`ll be putting on a show for the occasion.

 

[Captain Apollo]

 

[shadowformz]

Nobody here will admit it, but adding the two extra games to the Vegas schedule is massive mistake.

Most avid RL fans won't be interested in sticking around for 10 hours of football, so I can't imagine that many Yanks without much investment in the sport will be interested in making that kind of time investment at all. That'll lead to a patchy crowd of people only showing up to watch the match they're interested in then leaving, which will look bad on TV and make a bad impression for American audiences. It'll also make the event a much harder sell to most potential American attendees and absolutely screw the ratings in the US (and Canada?) by spreading the viewership out over a 10 hour slot (if they're all being broadcast?).

The added games will undoubtably necessitate a jump in prices as well, and frankly the two games they've added aren't going to push tickets to the target audience in AUS, NZ, and America (I couldn't give less of a f**k about the English audience). I'm sorry but next to nobody is traveling to the other side of the planet to watch a women's international or ESL, which is why they've been tacked onto the Vegas event instead of being made into their own events in the US.

If there wasn't enough demand to justify renting the venue over two days, or spreading the event over multiple venues, then there wasn't enough demand to justify adding more games full stop.

This is 100% true, I'm really getting annoyed at how obsessed the NRL is with the woman's game.

 

[jim_57]

This is 100% true, I'm really getting annoyed at how obsessed the NRL is with the woman's game.

I’m not against a Women’s game at Vegas but the couple issues I have with it are the timing & it being an international is a bit of an odd fit.

I get why they’ve done it between the NRL games but realistically not every NRL fan is interested in Women’s sport or internationals for that matter. Just makes it more likely NRL fans from the first game and Wigan/Warrington fans will be happy enough having seen their team play in Vegas then go and enjoy their evening in the city instead of sitting around for another 4+ hours in the stadium to watch the last 2 games. Likewise fans from the last game will hold off coming in for the earlier NRL game or Super League game.

A Women’s WCC would have made more sense than an international too in my opinion. Yeh I get both are way out of season but at least it keeps it simple with being Super League and NRL not throwing a random international in there as well.

In saying all that I think they should have just stuck with an NRL double header for the first few years at least. 4 games in one day is too many for all but diehard fans, especially when fans are spending big to get over there expecting them to spend 9 hours in a stadium is unrealistic. It may well sell more tickets than year 1 but with the way the games are scheduled I can see it appearing a lot emptier due to people coming and going for their team’s game. Surely not the look the NRL is going for.

 

[no name]

If Penrith or Wigan / wire win their grand finals why can’t the wcc be played before the pacific cup starts

the travel is going to kill whichever club has to do it plus Vegas

As mentioned before, no one really cares about the WCC except for the Pommy team in it.
If Penrith win the comp it won’t happen and everyone will continue to not care.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Nobody here will admit it, but adding the two extra games to the Vegas schedule is massive mistake.

Most avid RL fans won't be interested in sticking around for 10 hours of football, so I can't imagine that many Yanks without much investment in the sport will be interested in making that kind of time investment at all. That'll lead to a patchy crowd of people only showing up to watch the match they're interested in then leaving, which will look bad on TV and make a bad impression for American audiences. It'll also make the event a much harder sell to most potential American attendees and absolutely screw the ratings in the US (and Canada?) by spreading the viewership out over a 10 hour slot (if they're all being broadcast?).

The added games will undoubtably necessitate a jump in prices as well, and frankly the two games they've added aren't going to push tickets to the target audience in AUS, NZ, and America (I couldn't give less of a f**k about the English audience). I'm sorry but next to nobody is traveling to the other side of the planet to watch a women's international or ESL, which is why they've been tacked onto the Vegas event instead of being made into their own events in the US.

If there wasn't enough demand to justify renting the venue over two days, or spreading the event over multiple venues, then there wasn't enough demand to justify adding more games full stop.

Firstly, I'm glad you posted this. I dont know how this will work out, but if you think it's a mistake thrn it's probably going to be a raging success due to your track record of being wrong about everything.

Secondly, 'nobody will admit this' don't be so full of yourself, there are plenty of posters here expressing doubt about the new format.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

People won't hang around a stadium all day? Magic Round says hi... oh and if that's what they are flying over there to attend, of course they'll hang around, otherwise... what's the point?

 

[Captain Apollo]

People won't hang around a stadium all day? Magic Round says hi... oh and if that's what they are flying over there to attend, of course they'll hang around, otherwise... what's the point?

On how many days has Magic Round had 4 games on the one day though? None so far. The most has been 3 games on the Saturdays and Sundays. It is not quite compatible.

Additionally, its held in a rugby league supporting strong hold. Las Vegas is not what you'd consider a strong rugby league supporting/watching/interested community by comparison to Brisbane.

 

[final say]

People won't hang around a stadium all day? Magic Round says hi... oh and if that's what they are flying over there to attend, of course they'll hang around, otherwise... what's the point?

The thing is too that we're only really trying to sell the NRL. The way it's formatted is a fair portion won't be there for the SL first game- Say 30k it'll be a massive attendance for a Super league game! People will make sure they're there for the NRL game ( heaving by kickoff!) Then people will take a break during the Women's ( around half, massive Women's game attendance!) Then shuffle back in and be heaving by the NRL kick off!

Most will see it as 2 NRL games with a break in between to go check out a local bar.
When you think it through, they've probably nailed it!

 

[titoelcolombiano]

On how many days has Magic Round had 4 games on the one day though? None so far. The most has been 3 games on the Saturdays and Sundays. It is not quite compatible.

Additionally, its held in a rugby league supporting strong hold. Las Vegas is not what you'd consider a strong rugby league supporting/watching/interested community by comparison to Brisbane.

Look I don't know how it's going to go, but you aren't going to fly to Vegas specifically to watch this event and then not show up to half of it. Doesn't make sense. It's a footy festival and everyone will be in the mood. By the time the girls get on the aussie and pommy fans will be full of piss and the banter for the game will be great.

 

[jim_57]

People won't hang around a stadium all day? Magic Round says hi... oh and if that's what they are flying over there to attend, of course they'll hang around, otherwise... what's the point?

If people flew over for 2 games this year plenty will have no issue with going over and picking and choosing which games they attend. Plenty of NRL fans won’t be interested in the Women’s international and Super league game that is just being realistic.

My main issue is the women’s game being between the NRL games. It’s just encouraging fans from the first 2 games who aren’t interested to leave the stadium, having seen their team in Vegas and with the strip across the road chances are a fair few won’t return (assuming there is even a pass-out system). I think 4 games is needlessly overcrowding it but if they wanted to have 4 they should have at least kept the NRL games together as it’s the NRL they’re really trying to sell here.

Magic is 6-7 hours a day, 9 hours is a lot of time to expect someone to spend in a stadium when they’ve spent a lot of money on a holiday to Vegas, price of a ticket to the event will be negligible in the total so the idea that fans won’t pick and choose and stay the whole day because they’ve got tickets is wishful thinking. Not saying that’s the end of the world and fair chance it sells more tickets than last year but you’d think the NRL would want the 2 NRL games as packed as can be and back to back for broadcast.

 

[Wb1234]

On how many days has Magic Round had 4 games on the one day though? None so far. The most has been 3 games on the Saturdays and Sundays. It is not quite compatible.

Additionally, it’s held in a rugby league supporting strong hold. Las Vegas is not what you'd consider a strong rugby league supporting/watching/interested community by comparison to Brisbane.

M

 

[ash the bash]

Unfortunately due to work commitments I won't be able to make Vegas 25, was really looking forward to watching the Wah's. Congratulations to everyone's teams going, try and get there was one of the best weeks of my life. Im certainly not a Vegas expert but I learned a hell of lot from that first trip, so anyone has any mundane questions etc.. feel free to ask.

My personal thoughts on Vegas 25, think 4 games is a little over kill. Thats a long time to hang around and there will be some pissed people at the end of the day I can understand the Super league game as I was surprised by the number of English at the event this year. I think you would get 12k-15K english travelling so gives the attendance a kick. I would have personally gone with the 3 games and not worried about the Women's.

In saying that I doubt the weather will be as bad as it was this time and if they can do a cool tailgate it could be a fun arvo going in and out of stadium to partake in the tailgate.

Note: They did have passouts, they stamp you and can go in and out as many times as you like.

 

[Wb1234]

Unfortunately due to work commitments I won't be able to make Vegas 25, was really looking forward to watching the Wah's. Congratulations to everyone's teams going, try and get there was one of the best weeks of my life. Im certainly not a Vegas expert but I learned a hell of lot from that first trip, so anyone has any mundane questions etc.. feel free to ask.

My personal thoughts on Vegas 25, think 4 games is a little over kill. Thats a long time to hang around and there will be some pissed people at the end of the day I can understand the Super league game as I was surprised by the number of English at the event this year. I think you would get 12k-15K english travelling so gives the attendance a kick. I would have personally gone with the 3 games and not worried about the Women's.

In saying that I doubt the weather will be as bad as it was this time and if they can do a cool tailgate it could be a fun arvo going in and out of stadium to partake in the

Super league game is 930 pm English time it’s as late as they could play it

then they have the women’s game to fill the gap that gets them to 4 pm kick off time in Sydney for the last game

 

[Timmah]

So the opening game of the season will kick off on Sunday March 1, 11am in Sydney, 10am in Brisbane. Is Fox happy with it?

Pretty odd timeslot.

And why is the women's test scheduled in between two NRL games?

I think the scheduling of the women's test is a bit silly, particularly given it would be more watchable for English fans if they switched it and the first NRL match.

But to answer the initial question - Fox in particular probably won't mind, they'll have had a fortnight of pre-season games on air already by that stage

 

[Maximus]

Look I don't know how it's going to go, but you aren't going to fly to Vegas specifically to watch this event and then not show up to half of it. Doesn't make sense. It's a footy festival and everyone will be in the mood. By the time the girls get on the aussie and pommy fans will be full of piss and the banter for the game will be great.

Isn't this supposed to be about growing the game in America, not about how many diehard fans will fly over? How many Americans do you think are going to sit around for 10 hrs?

 

[Captain Apollo]

Isn't this supposed to be about growing the game in America, not about how many diehard fans will fly over? How many Americans do you think are going to sit around for 10 hrs?

The closest in terms of length would have been the old pre-season 7's tournament for time of games at a venue, and not everyone stayed for all games on each day, even if they bought tickets for each day. Considering this used to be the major pre-season event when it was conducted, and it held in a heartland could not get people staying for the full day who were more likely league tragics, you might be asking a bit much from potential US viewers.

Add in the problems they had with a college basketball game delaying local TV coverage in the US, having 4 games in one day may mean some of the games get no US TV telecast at all.

 

[Vlad59]

This is 100% true, I'm really getting annoyed at how obsessed the NRL is with the woman's game.

Bloody women. Expecting to be treated as equals. Next thing they’ll expect is the vote!