The NRL has smashed the record for the biggest crowd to attend a Rugby League game in the United States, with 40,746 people attending the NRL season opening double header at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada featuring the Manly Sea Eagles vs the South Sydney Rabbitohs, and the Brisbane Broncos vs the Sydney Roosters.
The previous record was set when England and New Zealand played a mid season test match at Mile High Stadium in Denver Colorado, with 19,320 attending that match in 2018.
The NRL has committed to playing a season opening double header in Las Vegas for the next five seasons, with an eye on generating not only a new television market for the game, but also to take advantage of the sports gambling market in the United States.
The big crowd for the first even is a good sign for the NRL, with a lot of people traveling over to Las Vegas from Australia, and no doubt more expected to book a trip over in 2025.
It makes you wonder about the possibility of having an NRL team based in the United States some time in the future.
