Vegas’ NRL was such a hit that my American friend is dying to get a Canberra Raiders jersey.

If someone had told me a couple of months ago that my friends in the small American town where I live would be asking me about how to get a Canberra Raiders jersey, discussing the Penrith Panthers’ dynasty with a father-son coach duo, or expressing their excitement about players like Tom Trbojevic and James Tedesco, I would have thought they were crazy.

But here we are. I’ve even seen the NRL promotion featuring Russell Crowe that I initially found ridiculous being shared on social media by kids who, not too long ago, would have thought “Lindsay Collins” sounded like the name of a pop star.

Honestly, I was skeptical about NRL Las Vegas being successful. America already has an abundance of professional sports, and I couldn’t imagine anyone I knew giving up basketball, American football, ice hockey, baseball, soccer, or any other sport for a foreign game.

I assumed the game would be played, maybe watched by a few Australians living in America, and that would be the end of it. Fortunately, I was wrong. While official viewing numbers have been released, my personal observations are just as telling.

The fact that my friends regularly watch NRL highlights now is proof that NRL Las Vegas has introduced at least some people to the game.

Now, it’s crucial for rugby league to capitalize on this early success. The NRL needs to focus on building a grassroots structure. If they create opportunities, players will emerge. Currently, there’s nowhere for people to play.

From what I’ve seen, there’s only one team nearby, and they make no effort to recruit or have junior sides.

However, the NRL’s first task was to demonstrate that there’s interest in league in the US, and while it’s not yet confirmed, there’s certainly reason for optimism.

Continuing NRL Las Vegas will be beneficial, but I also believe hosting NRL nines tournaments or international tests could have a significant impact, especially on the West Coast, which has a sizable Pasifika population.

Furthermore, it might be worth exploring the collegiate athletic scene in America, where rugby union has found success. University students are open to trying new sports to find communities, and if rugby league can provide that, they’ll be attracted to it. I know many students who had never played rugby before but became enthusiasts in college. There’s no reason the same couldn’t happen with league.

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