British & Irish Lions turned down Las Vegas match for 2025
The British & Irish Lions reportedly turned down a match in Las Vegas in what has been described as the “most expensive deal the Lions will ever get”.
The plan, discussed on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast, would have seen the touring team play either a USA Barbarians or the United States national team as part of the 2025 Lions tour to Australia.
Ahead of the 2021 tour to South Africa the British and Irish Lions played Japan in Scotland and the iconic team have previously competed in the likes of Hong Kong on their tours.
The conversation, between AEG Rugby director and former US international Dan Lyle, 2003 World Cup winner Mike Tindall, Former Canada international Gareth Rees and host Alex Payne, discussed how the idea would have been huge for a sport which is struggling to compete on the global stage in current circumstances.
“You tried to bring a British & Irish Lions team to the America, you put the best commercial prospect on their table for years and still they turned it down,” Tindall said.
Payne asks Lyle whether it was a big money deal, to which the former international replied: “oh yeah”.
Tindall added: “The most expensive deal the Lions will ever get paid.”
The outcome was no, Lyle said.
“I think in isolation you can see why they made that decision,” he added.
Tindall then called the whole thing “f*****g b******t”.
If a match did take place in Sin City it would likely be staged at the Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders and this season’s NFL Super Bowl.
The British & Irish Lions were approached for comment.