‘The Rock’ star treatment: Hollywood ace could add promotional muscle to NRL’s US game
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson could be rugby league’s secret weapon in cracking it in the United States.
The NRL is investigating the feasibility of taking a competition game to America for the first time next year and a final decision could be made as soon as this week. Several potential destinations are being explored in a bid to broaden the popularity of the sport and cash in on the explosion in legalised sports betting.
The Herald revealed during the week that US resident Paul Langi Kinikini has pitched for a game, whether it be next year’s season opener or another fixture, to be staged in Utah. The multi-millionaire businessman, who made his fortune in telecommunications and fibre optics and is a league fan of Tongan heritage, has spoken to NRL and ARLC powerbrokers about bringing the game to Salt Lake City.
In a fresh twist, the Sun-Herald can reveal that Kinikini has a strong personal relationship with Johnson and is keen to use the global phenomenon in the promotion of the sport in America.
Johnson is one of the most recognisable faces on the planet, rising to prominence as the “most electrifying man in sports entertainment history” during a wrestling career with the WWE. The 50-year-old’s fame has increased since he became a Hollywood megastar, with his films grossing more than $US10 billion ($15.6 billion) worldwide.
The spruiking power of Johnson, a former college footballer who has twice been named by Time magazine as one of the world’s most influential people, would provide a huge boost to a sport attempting to gain a foothold in a potentially lucrative market.
Hollywood megastar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson could help spread the league gospel.Credit:Abaca
It would also come as a fillip after South Sydney pulled out of the proposed American game next year, robbing the mooted event of the superstar support of Russell Crowe.
However, one of the team’s earmarked for the venture, Manly, count Hugh Jackman as one of their biggest supporters. Jackman told the Herald in April he backed the bold overseas bid, declaring: “Bring it on! Would love for it to happen. They would love the great game of rugby league here in the US I’m sure.”
Kinikini put forward Utah as a location due to its large Polynesian populations, which he believes would embrace the gladiatorial nature of rugby league. The businessman had pitched for a Tonga-Samoa Test to be held in Salt Lake City two years ago, only for COVID to thwart his plans. However, he was so confident that it would be a success that he even offered to stump up a seven-figure guarantee.
Rugby league has a chequered history in the US. A State of Origin match taken to Veterans Memorial Stadium in California, in 1987 didn’t resonate, the Kangaroos played a Test against the USA Tomahawks at Philadelphia’s Franklin Field in 2004 and the ill-fated Denver Test at Mile High Stadium in 2018 left the promoter out of pocket.
Veteran coach Wayne Bennett, who was in all of those ventures, told the Herald earlier this year that the NRL had to make a long-term commitment to the market for it to be a success. “The sugar hits don’t work,” Bennett said.
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
Most Viewed in Sport
From our partners
Source: Read Full Article