March 1, 2025 • 5 mins
It's a big day for the Warriors - as the team is set to play their highly-anticipated match in Las Vegas against Canberra.
The match will be beamed into 125 million American households, with a crowd of more than 40,000 expected at Allegiant Stadium.
CEO Cameron George says Kiwi fans have taken to the streets in their Warriors merch, and the team's hoping to do them proud.
"The exposure our club has gotten from this trip and our fanbase - and growing the fanbase - it's been amazing."
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News talks'b.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Huge day for the Warriors in the NRAL. They're just
hours away from the historic kickoff in Las Vegas. They
play the Camper Raiders at one pm today and looking
at the footage shared by the club and fans, it
looks like a blast over there. Warriors CEO Cameron George's
in Vegas and he joins me, Now, good morning, Cameron,
good morning. Paint us a picture. What's it like in
(00:33):
Vegas at the moment? A hit of the game.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
It's amazing. There's so much excitement around the place. There's
Warriors jumpers and supporters in every street you walk down
where You're so proud of our fans being here. The
week's built up really well. The boys are trying well,
they're settled in well, and you know, we're just hoping
today that we can go out there and make our
fans proud.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
How big is.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
This for the club to be involved in this weekend?
Speaker 3 (01:01):
It's massive. The exposure our club's got from this trip
and the fan and growing our fan base, and it's
been amazing, Like the amount of media coverage we've had
over here. Everyone's really got on the you know, the
bandwagon with us, and you know it'll be an amazing
experience at this stadium.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
I read someone say that it was the biggest opening
match since the first game in nineteen ninety five.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Would you agree, Well, in terms of the event, yes,
it's massive, Like every game is big for us. We
want to win for our fans, but this is a
special occasion, you know, where it's different. You know, there'll
be fifty odd thousand people there today in an amazing stadium,
so you know, with a modified field, there's a lot
of change to what we normally used to but it's
(01:49):
a great experience for our club and we're very excited
about it.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Are the Americans interested in rugby League?
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Well, apparently they've sold thousands of tickets and each state
has purchased tickets. The NRAL will tell them use the
other day, so it's slowly but surely getting there. Cut
through in the media here has been unreal. A lot
of American media have been following us around this week,
done a stack of interviews for domestic media, so yeah,
(02:18):
they're buying into it. I think today's event will be
huge for it and we're playing the first game ever
on Fox Free to Wear that goes to every American home.
So you know, we're very privileged to around that situation
and hopefully that helps, you know, the people of America
get behind the game fantastic.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Have a lot of the team traveled outside of Australasia before,
are they? They're pretty excited about being in Vegas.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
They are. Look, not many of them are played in America.
I know the KeyWe's played there a few years ago.
But look, yeah, i'd say to be a first for
a lot of our boys, and.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
I imagine there's a bit of a balance you need
to reach. Of course, we've got the game we've got
to focus on, but I'm sure they wanted to sort
of soak up what Vegas has to offer.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Yeah. Absolutely, Look, there's a real balance our boys and
menage that handled it well this week. We got here
early last Saturday, and you know we've had a couple
of days to get around and have a look. But
the boys are training well and prepared well and there
should be no excuse today to go out there and perform.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Logistically, has it been quite a lot to get the
team over there, camera and I imagine this is quite
different to what you're normally dealing with.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Yeah, it's been a huge, huge exercise. You know, one
of the biggest countries in the world and you know
you're just a small footy team footy club from New Zealand,
and you know it's somewhat different the travel schedules and
the requirements and so on. But again, you know, we've
put a lot of work into our planning and preparing
(03:46):
for it, and you know it's executed well so far.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Yeah, no, it sounds like it's been an amazing week.
Obviously you'ven vested a lot on this trip. We were
talking about sort of the eyes on the game that
you're going to get, the broadcasting and the crowds. So
what opportunities are there then for the US, for the
Warriors and the NRL sort of post this.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Again, well it's hard to measure it, but our purpose
here is to win the game first and foremost, but
also to grow the brand and our partners on our
brand share the experiencing being exposed into a large market
and we just want to know, hopefully get a few
more local fans and start to follow our club. And
you know, it's it's a long road, but it's you've
(04:28):
got to do these things to grow your brand, and
you know, something we take very seriously, and we can
get a few more fans on board buying merchandise and
ultimately memberships and supporting the club. That's that's what we're after, Cameron.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Looking ahead to the season, you're back home for the
next game. You've sold out every you sold out every
game last year. I get the feeling it's going to
be another sold out ceiling I think season. I think
you've already sold sixty percent of general ticketing, is that right?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Yeah, we sold out all of our corporate hospitality and
memberships are up on last year. And yeah, we're from
a general sales perspective, we're sitting about sixty two percent
now across the So look it's heading in the right direction.
But again, you know, we want to win today and
really inspire our fans to get out to Mount Smart
when we get home and be there for our first
(05:15):
official home game back in New Zealand in two weeks time.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Oh Cameron, best of luck this afternoon, enjoy Vegas. We
shall be watching and of course kack off is at
one pm today New Zealand time. You'll be able to
catch that on sky TV.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
For more from the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to News Talks it Be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News talks'b.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Huge day for the Warriors in the NRAL. They're just
hours away from the historic kickoff in Las Vegas. They
play the Camper Raiders at one pm today and looking
at the footage shared by the club and fans, it
looks like a blast over there. Warriors CEO Cameron George's
in Vegas and he joins me, Now, good morning, Cameron,
good morning. Paint us a picture. What's it like in
(00:33):
Vegas at the moment? A hit of the game.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
It's amazing. There's so much excitement around the place. There's
Warriors jumpers and supporters in every street you walk down
where You're so proud of our fans being here. The
week's built up really well. The boys are trying well,
they're settled in well, and you know, we're just hoping
today that we can go out there and make our
fans proud.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
How big is.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
This for the club to be involved in this weekend?
Speaker 3 (01:01):
It's massive. The exposure our club's got from this trip
and the fan and growing our fan base, and it's
been amazing, Like the amount of media coverage we've had
over here. Everyone's really got on the you know, the
bandwagon with us, and you know it'll be an amazing
experience at this stadium.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
I read someone say that it was the biggest opening
match since the first game in nineteen ninety five.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Would you agree, Well, in terms of the event, yes,
it's massive, Like every game is big for us. We
want to win for our fans, but this is a
special occasion, you know, where it's different. You know, there'll
be fifty odd thousand people there today in an amazing stadium,
so you know, with a modified field, there's a lot
of change to what we normally used to but it's
(01:49):
a great experience for our club and we're very excited
about it.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Are the Americans interested in rugby League?
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Well, apparently they've sold thousands of tickets and each state
has purchased tickets. The NRAL will tell them use the
other day, so it's slowly but surely getting there. Cut
through in the media here has been unreal. A lot
of American media have been following us around this week,
done a stack of interviews for domestic media, so yeah,
(02:18):
they're buying into it. I think today's event will be
huge for it and we're playing the first game ever
on Fox Free to Wear that goes to every American home.
So you know, we're very privileged to around that situation
and hopefully that helps, you know, the people of America
get behind the game fantastic.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Have a lot of the team traveled outside of Australasia before,
are they? They're pretty excited about being in Vegas.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
They are. Look, not many of them are played in America.
I know the KeyWe's played there a few years ago.
But look, yeah, i'd say to be a first for
a lot of our boys, and.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
I imagine there's a bit of a balance you need
to reach. Of course, we've got the game we've got
to focus on, but I'm sure they wanted to sort
of soak up what Vegas has to offer.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Yeah. Absolutely, Look, there's a real balance our boys and
menage that handled it well this week. We got here
early last Saturday, and you know we've had a couple
of days to get around and have a look. But
the boys are training well and prepared well and there
should be no excuse today to go out there and perform.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Logistically, has it been quite a lot to get the
team over there, camera and I imagine this is quite
different to what you're normally dealing with.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Yeah, it's been a huge, huge exercise. You know, one
of the biggest countries in the world and you know
you're just a small footy team footy club from New Zealand,
and you know it's somewhat different the travel schedules and
the requirements and so on. But again, you know, we've
put a lot of work into our planning and preparing
(03:46):
for it, and you know it's executed well so far.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Yeah, no, it sounds like it's been an amazing week.
Obviously you'ven vested a lot on this trip. We were
talking about sort of the eyes on the game that
you're going to get, the broadcasting and the crowds. So
what opportunities are there then for the US, for the
Warriors and the NRL sort of post this.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Again, well it's hard to measure it, but our purpose
here is to win the game first and foremost, but
also to grow the brand and our partners on our
brand share the experiencing being exposed into a large market
and we just want to know, hopefully get a few
more local fans and start to follow our club. And
you know, it's it's a long road, but it's you've
(04:28):
got to do these things to grow your brand, and
you know, something we take very seriously, and we can
get a few more fans on board buying merchandise and
ultimately memberships and supporting the club. That's that's what we're after, Cameron.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Looking ahead to the season, you're back home for the
next game. You've sold out every you sold out every
game last year. I get the feeling it's going to
be another sold out ceiling I think season. I think
you've already sold sixty percent of general ticketing, is that right?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Yeah, we sold out all of our corporate hospitality and
memberships are up on last year. And yeah, we're from
a general sales perspective, we're sitting about sixty two percent
now across the So look it's heading in the right direction.
But again, you know, we want to win today and
really inspire our fans to get out to Mount Smart
when we get home and be there for our first
(05:15):
official home game back in New Zealand in two weeks time.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Oh Cameron, best of luck this afternoon, enjoy Vegas. We
shall be watching and of course kack off is at
one pm today New Zealand time. You'll be able to
catch that on sky TV.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
For more from the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to News Talks it Be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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