Professional Rugby returns to Las Vegas for the 11th year as Major League Rugby (MLR) will play five of the 2020 regular season matches in Las Vegas as part of the Major League Rugby Vegas Weekend, Feb. 9 and Feb. 15 – 16 at Las Vegas Ballpark®.
The matches kick off on Sunday, Feb. 9 with newcomers, the New England Free Jacks, taking on last year’s semi-finalists, Rugby United New York in their inaugural MLR match. This will serve as a precursor to the official MLR Vegas Weekend, consisting of double-header matches on Saturday, Feb. 15 and Sunday, Feb. 16.
The MLR event is the first of its kind to be hosted at the award-winning Las Vegas Ballpark. The new world-class stadium opened in April 2019 and in true Las Vegas style, it features a sideline pool for front row viewing. Previously the USA Sevens hosted an annual tournament in Las Vegas, and the MLR Vegas Weekend is an opportunity for professional rugby to return to the city.
“We know that Las Vegas and rugby go well together. We wanted to give our fans the opportunity to support their team on the road and take in a whole weekend of MLR action, all under the bright lights of Vegas. We can’t wait for February,” said MLR Commissioner, Dean Howes.
Tickets for the MLR Vegas Weekend are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.thelvballpark.com. Single day tickets for MLR Vegas Weekend start at $20 with multi-day packages starting at $35. Tickets for youth ages 4 – 14 are $10 for single day and start at $15 for multi-day packages. Children three and under are free. Group tickets and VIP packages are available by contacting [email protected]. MLR has also secured special rates for team and fan hotels to maximize their stay in Las Vegas. Hotel room rates and packages can be found here.
The official MLR Vegas Weekend schedule
Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020
New England Free Jacks vs Rugby United New York at 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020
Utah Warriors vs New England Free Jacks at 11:30 a.m.
Rugby United New York vs Austin Herd at 3:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020
Toronto Arrows vs Houston SaberCats at 11:30 a.m.
San Diego Legion vs Glendale Raptors at 3:00 p.m.
The full MLR 2020 regular season schedule can be found here.
As MLR continues the effort to grow rugby from the ground up, the weekend event will be in partnership with the Vegas Invitational Rugby Tournament, an annual amateur rugby tournament for all ages and all levels with 7’s and 15’s brackets set to take place Feb. 13 – 16. Participating teams in the tournament will receive tickets to MLR Vegas Weekend matches as a part of their package. To register for the tournament and for more information, visit www.emersionsports.com.
“We are excited to bring rugby back to Las Vegas again in 2020 with the MLR Vegas Weekend and the Vegas Invitational Rugby Tournament. The weekend will include all the big hits, excitement, culture and costume dress that rugby delivers, along with some of the greatest international super stars and recent World Cup participants,” said President of Emersion Entertainment, Rob Cornelius. “The event provides such a great value for a full day experience, the MLR Vegas Weekend is one not to miss.”