Las Vegas NRL highs and lows: Why Sin City 'can't be matched' as an Aussie sporting pilgrimage

LAS VEGAS: Anyone who thought this concept was going to be a flop has got egg on their face, with the NRL's decision to kick off its season in Sin City paying handsome dividends in year two.

The game's lofty goal of finding a foothold in America may still be a pipe dream, but does that really matter if the Vegas venture continues to drive massive TV audiences back home and fans have a bucket list item to tick off by making the pilgrimage?

Speaking on 2GB's Continuous Call Team as he watched the Jillaroos spanking England from the radio broadcast box in the incredible $1.9 billion (USD) Allegiant Stadium, ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys said this was an event that "can't be matched" and in the context of an annual Australian sporting event that's not an outrageous statement.

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V'landys is still bullish about the NRL's opportunity to take a slice of the sports loving American market and there are signs that even without a large US television audience tuning in the season launch in Vegas could become a significant profit growth engine, with a line of companies half the length of the Sin City strip keen to get on board.

There'll almost certainly be a long-term extension of the current five-year deal that's in place between the game and the Las Vegas Tourist Bureau, with updated financial terms of the new deal likely to ensure the venture becomes profitable for the NRL.

"When we came here and pitched the idea they sort of looked at us blankly and sort of shut the door in our face and now they've got two doors open," V'landys claimed on Sunday (Australian time).

"They thought we were delusional and to a degree we probably were. So they're very keen to have us for a longer period, we'll certainly analyse it and I can't see why we wouldn't be doing it for a lot longer. It's a proven success because it's a destination and it's a bucket list item for people back in Australia, back in New Zealand and back in England. And then you're going to have Papua New Guinea come online as well."

Here are a few of the reasons NRL in Vegas has already become a smash hit, along with some little quirks that get in the way.

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HIGHLIGHTS

Sin City vibes

Sharks skipper Cameron McInnes used the term "sensory overload" to describe the wall of colour and noise and light that hits you in the face when you first experience the Vegas strip. Not a truer word was said. Everything's big in Vegas, from the giant cocktails people cart down the street, to the casino floors, which you can lose hours in. But even as big as it all is, over the last week there has been so many NRL fans decked out in team colours that you couldn't walk 20 metres without bumping into a familiar throng. If a takeover was what the NRL wanted, a takeover was what they got.

The stadium

If the bright lights and the party atmosphere isn't your scene, make the trip just to come to this mind-blowing stadium. As mentioned, this thing cost $1.9 billion USD to build, making it one of the most expensive stadiums ever built. But based on the fan experience, it was worth every penny. The roof keeps the noise in and raises the atmosphere, while the lights and the podium in the stands for the entertainment, combined with the three gigantic screens, make for an incredible show. If you think Allianz Stadium in Sydney is good, you ain't seen nothing.

The English fans

Everywhere they went in Sin City, V'landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo were singing the praises of the 8,000 English fans who flew across to join their Aussie and Kiwi brethren, drawn by the chance to watch Super League teams Wigan and Warrington kick off the quadruple-header. V'landys joked that he wanted to send Australians to singing school to change the vibe of the average NRL game back home in a bid to capture the English crowd's energy. Singing Aussie sports fans? Be careful what you wish for.

The cheer when England women scored

It's the mark of an incredibly one-sided contest when the whole stadium erupts like it did when the English finally got over for a consolation try with the final play of the game after being utterly humiliated by the Jillaroos. It was a contender for the loudest cheer of the day, potentially making the players feel like digging a hole on the ground and crawling into it.

The bells and whistles

Aussie singer Conrad Sewell isn't this correspondent's cup of tea but putting Simply The Best in his set list was an inspired choice and the whole stadium joined him to belt out the Tina Turner classic with its iconic 90s links to rugby league. His big hit Healing Hands also got the crowd on their feet. Good juice. Conrad wasn't the only entertainer rolled out at Allegiant Stadium, with the NRL doing a good job at integrating musical acts, primarily Aussies, in the half-time breaks without breaking the bank. A modern twist on Men at Work's iconic Aussie hit Down Under? I didn't know I wanted it but now I do thanks to the half-time show during Panthers v Sharks. And as it always does, Sweet Caroline was belted out with gusto by the majority of fans in the stadium, many of whom appeared to take the cue to launch a shoey.

LOWLIGHTS

$26 beers

Yep, you read that right. If you arrived for game one at Allegiant Stadium and survived the day you'd better have found a way to sneak in some beverages otherwise your bank balance is likely looking very ugly. Stadium food and beverage prices are rarely cheap, but $26 for one amber ale is taking the mick. This is what you had to pony up to quench your thirst during the quadruple header:

• US $15.99 or AUD $25.76 for a Premium draft beer

• US $7.99 or AUD $12.87 for a bottle of Coca Cola

• US $16.99 or AUD $27.37 for a sub sandwich

• US $9.99 or AUD $16.09 for a foot-long hotdog

• US $14.99 or AUD $24.15 for a popcorn

Tipping

I know, it's an easy whinge but as an Aussie who likes the fact that people in the service industry get paid a living wage back home, the whole tipping system just doesn't sit right. Add 20 per cent (a pretty standard tip) to the above prices, then tell me you like it.

The smell of weed

Take an Uber in Vegas and the chances are it will smell like weed and your driver will give you unsolicited advice about where to buy it. Out on the strip, everyone is doing it. If you like the smell, Vegas is going to be right in your wheelhouse. If you don't, you've got a problem.

The one-sided contests

The first three games on the menu were fizzers from a contest point-of-view, with Warrington coach Sam Burgess leaving Vegas with his tail between his legs, before the England women said 'hold my beer'. The Warriors were never really in it in the NRL's opening clash of the day either, putting in a disappointing performance against the Raiders. All in all it was a pretty lousy day if you were a non Aussie in the stadium, with Wigan the only non Aussie side to salute in an all-England affair.