NRL stars Latrell Mitchell, Daly Cherry-Evans & James Tedesco open to finishing careers in US league

The NRL’s biggest names have revealed they would consider finishing their rugby league careers in the US if a mooted professional league was launched.

As rugby league officially took over Las Vegas’s Allegiant Stadium on Wednesday (local time), US businessmen began to cast an eye to the sport’s future beyond this weekend.

Manly owner Scott Penn is among a consortium of business owners keen to set up a professional league in the country, with an Eagles side based out of New York.

The group is expected to meet with ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys this weekend, as they pitch their vision for the future of the game in the US.

NRL players are interested.

Latrell Mitchell, Daly Cherry-Evans, James Tedesco and Damien Cook each signalled they would consider retiring in the US, if the league got off the ground.

Acquiring any one of them would be a major step forward for the sport, with an amateur competition played in regional conference the current top-flight league.

“If Scott wants to get it rolling, I’m happy to,” Cherry-Evans said.

“Obviously I don’t have a heck of time left in my rugby league career, and I’m loving what’s happening at Manly at the moment.

“I’m very open minded about contract stuff and where my career could end up. So we’ll see how we go.

“But it’s nice to have the owner of our current club pushing for an American opportunity. And that’s an easy transition for me.”

Several officials in the US said they believed the best way forward for the sport there is to give new fans something to connect to on a local level.

Older players leave the NRL each year bound for the English Super League, but there is a thought the US could be a more attractive option for less money.

“If it’s warm all year round instead of going to England, I think a lot of players would (be interested),” Mitchell said at a Fox League launch.

“Honestly, I’m optimistic, so I’m very excited to see. And if that’s in conversation, it only takes conversation ... anything could happen.”

South Sydney teammate Cook echoed a similar sentiment, while Tedesco was confident it would be possible for a league to gain traction in the same way as Major League Soccer.

“Definitely (interested). It would be a very cool experience,” he said.

“That’s what the hope is, bringing the game here. You never know, it might spark some interest from around America.

“Even when we were in Los Angeles those are professional rugby union teams ... I’m sure if they’re playing rugby union, they’ll want to play rugby league.

“So to be able to live in America and play rugby league ... I mean, England’s obviously cool as well. But yeah, it’s nice weather here.”

Allegiant Stadium was on Wednesday converted to an NRL field with rugby league markings replacing lines from this month’s Super Bowl at the ground.

The NRL has sold close to 38,000 tickets for Saturday’s season-opening double-header, with a crowd of beyond 40,000 now attainable.

“If we can impact a small percentage of Americans (that’s a success),” Tedesco said.

“America is so big, the market here is as unbelievable. There are so many sports.

“If we get a solid crowd of Americans, get a small percentage tuning into the game and maybe some traction from from athletes who are at the game or watching, that’d be a success.

“If they do tune in they’ll enjoy the game. It’s pretty hard to explain that to Americans. Rugby, rugby league and the difference. But I’m sure they’ll enjoy it.”