Warriors looking at options for 2025 Las Vegas game
AUCKLAND: The Warriors could be playing in Las Vegas to open the 2025 season.
The NRL will kick off its American odyssey next year, with four teams involved in a doubleheader.
On March 3, the Sea Eagles will face the Rabbitohs at 3.30pm NZ time before the Roosters play the Broncos two hours later. More than 20,000 tickets have already been sold for the occasion at the
Allegiant Stadium, with NRL officials confident the 65,000 capacity arena will be close to full.
With the NRL committed to a fiveyear deal in the Nevada city, thoughts have already turned to who might be in action during the following season.
It is understood the Warriors have already had preliminary discussions with the governing body.
The club wants to gain an understanding of the process, what is involved and how the rest of the season would be structured.
There are obvious positives. The Auckland club have a wide following which percolated beyond these shores and the prospect of marketing the New Zealand Warriors to an American audience would be a much easier sell than many suburban Sydney clubs, for example.
There are also the demographics in the United States, with a large Polynesian population, particularly Samoans and Tongans.
It would also be a bonus for the players and staff, adding a dose of adventure to a demanding season.
However, there will be things to consider. One will be the arrangements for the Magic Round from 2025 and beyond.
Since its inception in 2019, the Warriors have usually been classed as a home team for the weekend extravaganza. That has suited the club, as it comes with a financial guarantee and that is the situation again for 2024.
But that would have to change for 2025, as the Warriors are reluctant to take too many games out of Auckland and would not countenance the thought of having two “home” matches outside New Zealand.
Warriors chief executive Cameron George said it was too early to discuss what 2025 might look like, but said the Las Vegas scenario was “something that we are interested in talking more about with the NRL”. —