Only in Vegas: Why USA Sevens is posing fresh headaches for NRL ...
The chief executives of the four clubs set to travel to Las Vegas have called for an urgent meeting with the NRL this week due to growing concerns about the lack of training venues and adequate medical insurance.
The logistical headaches continue ahead of rugby league’s historic season launch in the US with clubs only realising this week they were competing for suitable training venue with rugby teams in Los Angeles for the USA Sevens on the same weekend.
The Broncos will base themselves at the home of the NFL’s LA Rams, Manly are expected to use the University of Nevada – they will be the only club based in Vegas the entire time – while South Sydney and the Sydney Roosters continue to search the west coast for appropriate venues.
One option, Dignity Health Sports Park, which is the home of Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy, has been booked out by rugby organisers for up to two weeks before the event.
The Rabbitohs have even turned their sights to San Diego – more than 500 kilometres from Las Vegas – to secure one of the rare venues in the region that does not have synthetic grass.
Vegas itself only has limited training venues, while clubs are mindful of how long their players spend in “Sin City”.
The four clubs and NRL will meet this week over growing concerns about insurance and training facilities.Credit: Fairfax Media
Insurance issues have also arisen with at least one club doctor refusing to fly to America until appropriate medical indemnity insurance is in place.
Questions have also been asked about who will pay should a player suffer a serious injury or concussion during the March 3 (Australian time) fixtures at Allegiant Stadium and be forced to stay behind in the US, where medical expenses can be significantly higher than Australia.
Several club sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the negotiations, said they had called the meeting with NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo to get some clarity, with the plan to sit down this week.
The NRL said the meeting had already been scheduled, but the clubs claimed otherwise.
“Everyone is really excited about the Vegas matches, but we just want to get as much of the details confirmed now as we can, that way we can all make it the success it deserves to be,” one club boss said.
The USA Sevens is expected to attract about 50,000 fans during the weekend, and despite being in a different state, will be another “rugby” event competing with the NRL for exposure in the region.
Another unexpected issue that has arisen for the NRL is pop megastar Madonna rescheduling a concert at nearby T-Mobile Arena on the same night as the double-header.
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Meanwhile, Mitchell Pearce is preparing to play his last game when Catalans meet Wigan early Sunday (AEDT) in the Super League final. Pearce had the option to return to the NRL before he decided to hang up the boots altogether – but said his halves partner, Penrith premiership winner Tyrone May, deserved another chance in Australia’s top flight.
May is signed with Hull KR for the next two seasons, and would love to play in the same team as his brothers, Terrell and Taylan, who are off contract at the end of 2024 with the Sydney Roosters and Penrith respectively.
“Tyrone is a loyal friend, a great footballer, someone who is really focused, popular with his teammates and very professional,” Pearce said. “If I’m running an NRL club, and with the limited halves [on the market] back home, he’s one guy I’d be going for; a club back home would be mad not to pick him up.”
May was involved in a number of off-field issues at the Panthers that culminated in the club terminating his contract in November 2021. Most seriously, in January 2020, he narrowly avoided jail and was sentenced to 300 hours of community service plus a three-year good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to charges over sex tapes filmed without consent. Penrith finally cut him free over an Instagram post after the Panthers’ 2021 grand final win over South Sydney that the club deemed a “serious breach” of his playing contract.
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