Wigan Warriors CEO Kris Radlinski believes Super League is set for an “unprecedented” moment when his club take on Warrington Wolves in Las Vegas on March 1, live on Sky Sports.
In a concept the NRL started in 2024, Wigan and Warrington are part of a bumper day of action at the Allegiant Stadium, opening a festival of rugby league which also includes two NRL fixtures and an international contest between Australia Jillaroos and England Women.
Radlinski was the main driver behind getting Wigan involved and he believes the game as a whole is going to reap rewards from their involvement, with the levels of interest unseen before for Super League.
Indeed that interest started in the opening fixture of the season when Wigan took on Leigh Leopards and there was a Vegas chapel on site, plus the iconic Michael Buffer announcing the two teams onto the field.
“I watched the [Vegas 2024] games in the morning on Sky Sports and it looked like rugby league on a different planet. It was rugby league like we had never seen before,” Radlinski told The Bench podcast.
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Michael Buffer was on hand to introduce the Wigan and Leigh players ahead of the new Super League season
“The production, the colours, and if we need to take ourselves seriously as a sport and grow, I believe we need to be a part of these occasions.
“So, my friend, Tony Mestrov, is CEO at Manly Sea Eagle and I asked for an introduction to Peter V’landys whose baby it is.
“Within 12 hours he came back and said we would love to have you part of it, let’s talk about it.
“It was three months of negotiating and the hype around the game is unprecedented for our sport.
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“I think I upset a few people along the way, other clubs saying ‘why are they doing it?’. But I am OK upsetting people if it is for the greater good which I believe it is.
“To take our sport which we love and do something different will make us grow.
“What I don’t want to do is keep rocking up in February with the same product and saying ‘give us more money’ when every other sport is progressing in so many ways and we are not.
“So, to be part of that, that was the main driver.”
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With Valentine’s Day on Friday, love was very much in the air – and in particular in the Super League at Wigan
But what does a successful trip to Las Vegas look like for Super League? Radlinski believes it will be two more clubs from the competition being involved in 2026.
“There is a risk. We lose our home game here against Warrington,” he added.
“So with hospitality, ticket sales, season tickets, we have just had to write that off. That is a decision our owner had to make.
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Wigan Warriors’ Kruise Leeming is excited about playing in Las Vegas
“If we want to be part of this then he is prepared to do it. We have got a ticket-revenue split with Warrington for fans going so we will make money back in that regard, but for me, it is the Super League being alongside the NRL, the premier competition in the world.
“It is such an iconic venue and I have media outlets contacting me who have never contacted rugby league before. There are media outlets in America who want to be part of it.
“I know the work Sky Sports are doing behind the scenes. It is investment we have never ever had before. I think we are all going to benefit from it.
“Success would be measured by two more teams going next year and spreading it.”
Rugby League in Vegas – how to watch or stream
All the action from the event will be live on Sky Sports on March 1 from 8.30pm GMT.
After some bumper build-up, Wigan Warriors vs Warrington Wolves will kick-off at 9.30pm, with Canberra Raiders vs New Zealand Warriors from midnight.
Australian Jillaroos vs England Women will then take place from 2am, with the festival closing out with Penrith Panthers vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks from 4.30am.
Rugby League Las Vegas Festival 2025 – Full schedule
- Betfred Super League – Wigan Warriors vs Warrington Wolves (9.30pm GMT)
- NRL – Canberra Raiders vs New Zealand Warriors (12am)
- Test Match – Australian Jillaroos vs England Women (2am)
- NRL – Penrith Panthers vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (4.30am)
Sky Sports will again show every game of the Super League live this season – including two matches in each round exclusively live, with the remaining four matches each week shown on Sky Sports+. Stream with NOW.
