Matt Peet offers philosophical stance on Las Vegas impact for Wigan

Wigan Warriors are currently over 5,000 miles from home and enjoying the bright lights of Las Vegas as they prepare for Saturday’s historic Super League game against Warrington Wolves.

But head coach Matt Peet has pointed to a bigger picture of the Super League champions’ growing profile and believes it can help to enforce positive change in the town.

Peet and chief executive Kris Radlinski, born and bred Wiganers, are aware that thousands of Warriors supporters have spent a small fortune to be here for a few days in Sin City.

English sports fans, football, rugby league or cricket, follow their teams with almost religious zeal and some Wigan fans may even have splashed their entire savings on Vegas.

For a working-class town with problems, just being the head of a successful rugby league team is not enough for Peet.

He told Love Rugby League: “With the success that we’ve had in the past couple of years, I feel like the club has a real optimism about it and that’s reflected in the number of people who support us.

“You can see that here in Vegas, but we can double down on it, get bigger crowds, generate a better atmosphere and have even more interaction with our fans and the community.

“Winning helps that, but it’s not everything – far from it – and it never has been. At the club we probably don’t talk about winning trophies anywhere near as much as what people think we do.”

When Peet accepted Wigan’s BBC SPOTY Team of the Year award at the end of last year, he spoke from the heart about giving, rather than just taking, from the local community.

“I was trying to summarise what a lot of rugby league clubs are – not just Wigan,” he explained.

“I can speak for Wigan, but I’ve been to Warrington, I’ve been to Leigh and I’ve been Castleford. These are towns where rugby league is the primary sport and football – rarely for this country – isn’t.

“When these rugby league teams do well, it gives everyone in the town a spring in their step. It is a fact that in the last twenty years a lot of these towns have struggled economically. There are a lot people who go and watch these clubs for whom it’s the highlight of their week.

“We’ve got to take that responsibility really seriously and also look at what we can give back. Not just in terms of making them proud of the sport and giving them an escape, but how we can get out in the community and make a real difference.

“I look at some of the statistics in our town and it’s frightening really where we sit in terms of averages in this country.

“I’m talking about homelessness, child poverty and male suicide – like I say the numbers are frightening so there is a lot of work we need to do.

“It’s no good being a winning team in a town but ignoring all those issues and challenges. It would be very strange for to turn a blind eye to it.

“There is putting a smile on people’s faces by winning trophies, but there are important messages we can send out too. If a local councillor, MP or businessman goes out and speaks to people they might listen a little bit.

“But if people from Wigan Warriors come and say something then it can resonate because they have strong voices in the community.

“Their presence makes a difference and we’ve got Wigan Athletic under the same umbrella now as well.

“The impact those two clubs can have as a united force on the council and the government can – by trying to get weight behind certain issues and draw attention to them – bring in funding and sponsorship.”

Wigan’s billionaire owner Mike Danson – who also owns Wigan Athletic and The Brick Community Stadium – is here in Vegas.

Peet added: “When you think about how many business partners us and Wigan Athletic have, if we can turn just 5% of their attention to what they can do socially and economically for the town then we can make a massive impact.

“If we’re not talking about it then it doesn’t get seen to, so I just think our voice is a really important one. We’re proud of what goes on behind the scenes at Wigan because that’s something at people rarely get to see.

“I love how connected everyone is and the energy we get from the fans in the stadium – but l think we can make it even better.”