Interesting to note that Ireland and New Zealand played in Chicago in 2016 to a crowd of 62k. Chicago has a huge Irish identity but clearly there are people there willing to watch sports that they don't see very often.

No, I'm confident of 50k plus. You people have no knowledge of this world.

Number 6. I typed a response your first post but then though better of it as I didn't want to come across as negative for negativity's sake, but your response to a valid point made by Mrpurfect does warrant a response.

The biggest problem with Rugby League and the people tasked with marketing it is that "they honestly believe that one game will get people hooked"......I can assure you that this is a myth. The idea that someone from Denver will attend their first game of RL, say "that's for me" and then set up a club with hopefully 2 dozen or so other "converts" is exactly why our sport has stalled in terms of attracting players, sponsors, fans....in fact in some instances it has gone backwards.

I would think that over the years I have brought over 100 people to their first RL game, yet only 1 returns regularly and less than 5 ever went again.....these are sports fans by the way, people who do attend other sports and events. The fact that I love the game doesn't mean everyone else will.....this is the reality and to claim that the RLIF will "get on board" to assist the formation of a club off the back of this test match is just insane.......


I'd love you to be right, but getting 50k to a NEW sport in it's first outing in the region is going to cost Millions of $ in marketing and PR costs to get media coverage. That said I can see a lot of Rugby Union fans and college students interested.....but 50k would be fantastic.

If they get more than 10K i will be surprised.

I would love to see it full, but 7k would be my guess.

That would be amazing if it was that amount

Probably irrelevant to the whole expansion point, but even though clubs are being forced to release players, let's just see how many pull out with 'injuries'. My guess is that it will be plenty, particularly from the NRL based players.

There will 100% be pressure on some players to pull the injury card and have a weeks rest instead of flying around the world for what will be deemed a meaningless Test match (I don't see it as meaningless, but the club's will put it that way to their players). This is the acid test for how much does Test rugby actually mean to the players. Mid-season, most, if not all players are carrying knocks and would welcome a week off - I'm sure this will be used as an opportunity to do just that, whilst also keeping their employer happy.

As I say, I doubt players pulling out will have much, if any impact on attendance figures, as it's hardly going to be diehards turning up who'll be put off by weaker teams, but lots of withdrawals will be hammer blow to the credibility of the international game.

Yeah I was thinking that this would be a good idea as well.

True get in touch with the RLFANS and tell them to get in touch with the USA and Canada teams let’s get it on

Hey we don't have any impact lol.

...oh you were being serious

...that's even funnier

In a nutshell, this, and if it does happen and Moore sports don't get the traction they want, I see the RLWC 2025 being reallocated.