With the roar of Bulldogs fans still ringing across the Las Vegas strip, the NRL’s most recent international foray has been declared an outstanding success. Over 45,000 fans poured into Allegiant Stadium, as the greatest game of all cut itself a healthy slice of the enormous U.S sports market pie.

Just three years into Peter V’Landys’ vision of international domination, the undeniable progress has inspired plans for what can only be described as a storming of the global market. V’Landys has suggested a full round of NRL double-headers, spread throughout the world to further rugby league evangelism.

“We are going to have a three-year plan to have at least four (cities),” V’landys said.

“We are working on it now. We’re doing all the business cases so in the next three months we will know.

“Vegas is our anchor event, we are always going to be in Vegas. This just proves it. I look at the great time all the fans are having, anything we do will be on top of Vegas.

“We would replicate everything (in other cities). We want to make it a bucket list (item) for fans to go to.

“I’m confident we could get the same response, especially in London if we go there and even in Hong Kong and Japan and the Middle East. I think we can replicate it.”

With the genius mind of V’landys in overdrive, another of the world’s great thinkers has thrown a spanner in the works. U.S. President Donald Trump decided the action at Allegiant Stadium wasn’t distracting enough, and so launched a war against Iran, setting the Middle East on fire.  While there have been no reports of damage to any of the stadiums the NRL have been considering in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the complete closure of the region’s air space and the potential danger to traveling fans are both seen as major obstacles to the immediate plans.

“Naturally it is (a concern), because you want to make sure that you don’t take any risks with whatever you do,” V’Landys said.

Ruling out the Middle East for now, leaves Miami, London, Tokyo and Hong Kong as the most viable options. 

Hong Kong has a long history of being a sports party destination, with the first Hong Kong Sevens tournament kicking off in 1976. In the ensuing years, millions of sports tourists have poured billions of dollars into the local economy while celebrating their love of the exciting version of rugby union. 

With China currently caught in a diplomatic battle to capture the hearts and trade of nations spurned by the current U.S. administration, they will no doubt be very keen to welcome rugby league. The U.S. has already mooted a tariff on the foreign made film industry, so it is not out of the question that the burgeoning success of the NRL could catch the eye of the administration’s ongoing cash grab.

Which makes V’Landys’ diversification plans all the more prudent, spreading the rugby league love far and wide, guaranteeing the globalisation is not thwarted by any one country.

The longer list of potential rugby league destination cities is believed to include; Paris, Florence, Oslo, Barcelona, Caracas, Montreal, Manila and Cairo.

The NRL’s plans have excited other Australian football codes, with Gillon McLachlan’s replacement at the AFL revealing that talks are underway with Brisbane Olympics boss Andrew Liveris about featuring the sport at the 2032 Games. It is envisaged that Australia would win gold, silver and bronze in the event while gaining worldwide exposure. The move was announced to prove once and for all that the AFL isn’t just following the NRL with events such as state of origin and gather round, but has unique ideas of it’s own. Mind you, the introduction of rugby league nines to the Olympic programme was floated not long after Brisbane won the hosting rights.

With rugby league’s impending spread across the globe, it is only a matter of time before it is a permanent fixture in the Olympics. Certainly the Rugby League World Cup will benefit most, with expectations that it will one day have more than four competitive teams in it.

When that day comes, the world can thank the vision and drive of Peter V’Landys.