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The president of one of the most successful and popular NFL franchises of all time has expressed an interest in potentially purchasing an NRL team.
Ahead of the NRL’s historic double header in Las Vegas, Al Guido, who is also the chief executive of a sports consulting firm called Elevate, was the main speaker at a conference in Sin City attended by club bosses and ARL commissioners.
Guido told the crowd that the 49ers, who recently purchased a share in English soccer side Leeds, “like the thought of multi-sport ownership” and that grabbing a slice of the NRL pie is now an option.
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“It is not a new concept. We will look at anything that has a passionate fan base because to us it starts with that,” Guido said.
“If people are coming through the gates and supporting it, the reality is you have a pretty good commercial opportunity.
“To us Leeds fit the persona. It was a team that has historical context, it had won championships, it fell on tough teams, it was a one team town, massive support even in the championship. It has worked out so far. If that worked in rugby league for the right club, would we take a look? Absolutely.”
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Guido went onto say that the NRL’s foray into the American sporting market was the right call and that it’s a strategy that can eventually work.
However, he believes it will be a slow burn, pointing to the NFL’s global strategy in taking games to England, Germany and Mexico.
“I think it is very ambitious,” Guido said.
“But I think it is an interesting move. I think it follows a lot of what the NFL went though when they thought about having an international strategy.
“A couple of things I think they are doing really well – having games that matter. I think kicking off the season in Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the US, on the heels
of playing the Super Bowl here is really smart.
“I do think the strategy is sound… I think they are on to something. But I will tell them and tell all the fans, it is going to take time.
“The NFL, they call it the biggest league in the world, it took a long time for our international strategy to really pay off in those (international) markets.”
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