Fox Sports will televise all three Harvey Norman State of Origin games live in a broadcast deal struck with the assistance of South Sydney Rabbitohs co-owner Crowe, who has been an active promoter of the sport in the United States, making numerous appearances on talk shows wearing Rabbitohs apparel. A meeting between NRL chief executive David Gallop and Crowe resulted in an approach to former Channel Nine sports chief and now head of Fox Sports, David Hill.

The new agreement will see all three of this year’s Origin matches, as well as the 2011 Telstra Premiership NRL Grand Final, available live to more than 40 million homes across the United States on the Fox Sports Soccer channel. Replays of the matches will also be shown on Fox Sports Soccer Plus.

The deals see the USA join the Pacific Islands, United Kingdom, Canada, North Africa and the Middle East, Central and Southern Africa and parts of Asia, as well as Australia and New Zealand, in broadcasting the 2011 State of Origin Series live on television. The Queensland Maroons took a 1-0 lead in this year’s Series by defeating New South Wales Blues 16-12 on Wednesday.

“This new United States agreement significantly adds to the mainstream exposure of two of our biggest events,” said Gallop. “It sees more than 40 million homes across the United States now able to experience live the passion and rivalry of the 2011 Harvey Norman State of Origin Series and the Telstra Premiership Grand Final.”