England and South Sydney Rabbitohs prop Tom Burgess is heading to Las Vegas with the goal of making rugby league a big hit in the United States. The NRL is launching its 2024 season with a double-header at Allegiant Stadium, aiming to capture a slice of the lucrative American sports market.
Burgess, 31, who will return to Super League with Huddersfield Giants in 2025 after 12 years in Australia, is excited about the opportunity. He noted that the NRL has invested heavily in promotion, including a billboard of him in Times Square, New York. 'There's been some great publicity around it all,' Burgess said. 'They've even had my face up on the Times Square billboard in New York so I'll be able to tell that to the grandchildren one day.'
The event features a double-header: South Sydney Rabbitohs vs. Manly Sea Eagles and Sydney Roosters vs. Brisbane Broncos, broadcast live on Fox Sports 1, potentially reaching over 90 million US homes. Hollywood star Russell Crowe, a part-owner of Souths, has narrated a promotional video explaining rugby league as 'football... but maybe not as you know it,' highlighting the sport's lack of helmets and pads.
Burgess previously trialled with NFL teams in 2015, including the New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, and Pittsburgh Steelers, but chose to stick with rugby league. He also played for England against New Zealand in Denver in 2018, drawing a crowd of around 20,000. 'I'm sure we can beat that this weekend,' he said. 'It's going to be cool to try and grow the game in America.'
Meanwhile, Burgess is already looking ahead to his move to Huddersfield, the birthplace of rugby league. He explained his decision to join the Giants over more successful clubs like St Helens or Wigan: 'Anyone could have gone to Saints or Wigan... But I looked at Huddersfield - the players, the coach - and they were in the Challenge Cup final only two years ago. We just have to tweak little things and get that mindset of winning.'
