USA Rugby’s 64,102 reasons to celebrate plus a few more.
Roar Guru By Working Class Rugger, 19 Feb 2012 Working Class Rugger is a Roar Guru
The IRB’s faith in the opportunities to develop the game as a commercial entity in the United States has come to fruition in the form of 64,102 paying customers passing through the gates of last weekend’s Las Vegas stop of the IRB World Sevens Series.
Eclipsing last year’s previous record of just over 52,000, both USA Rugby and USA Sevens LLC (the business that purchased the rights to administer the event) have provided the strongest indicators yet that rugby can in time become a viable commercial entity on a national scale in the USA.
Expanding to a three day event this year to better align itself with NBC’s broadcasting requests, and after drawing a promising 10,200 on the Friday evening, Saturday achieved the largest ever Rugby related attendance in the USA – a touch over 30,000 spectators. This was solidified by a good overall turnout on Sunday.
If you add the 18,000 that turned up in Philadelphia for last year’s College Rugby Championship and the 3-4,000 that turned out to farewell the Eagles in Glendale, rugby in the United States has seen close to 100,000 paying and involved spectators turn out in just three events over a 12 month period.
Early days, yes, but certainly very promising.
In addition, the Sport’s Goods Manufacturing Association produced a survey indicating that more than 1.1 million individuals, with over 300,000 of them being children, participated in rugby in the United States. Rugby is also experiencing growth through ever-evolving and improving college structures, an exploding high school scene and a burgeoning youth sector.
Rugby not only as a sport but as a product (which is paramount to its continued growth in the country) has and hopefully will continue to move forward in a marketplace seen as fundamentally key to the game’s competitive and commercial ambitions.
In addition to this very promising news, a few more very interesting and possibly game changing movements and plans are in the pipeline for the game in the USA (and in many respects Canada).
Firstly, in the days preceding the Las Vegas event, the Tier Two Nations that featured at the recent Rugby World Cupn> as well as a representative from the IRB met regarding future competitive structures to assist in bridging the gap to the Tier One Nations.
Details have emerged as to what the terms and plans that were agreed to thanks to an interview conducted with the IRB’s Development Manager Mark Egan and Rugbymag’s Alex Goff on the recent Ruggamatrix America podcast.
From next year, a June tournament will come online with the possibility of the resurrection of the Pacific Rim Championship, the precursor tournament to the Pacific Nations Cup. Good news in terms of providing the US with more competition on an annual basis.
Furthermore, in addition to this, both the US and Canada will from as early as this year receive a regular November test window in which to tour. They will very likely receive at least one major European power visiting, with Italy featuring this season and Ireland locked in for 2013.
These are all very exciting developments but not near as intriguing as the next two pieces.
The first, also within Egan’s interview came a few more tentative details regarding news of a potential 15s Professional Competition that I have previously posted about. Well, the IRB have been actively appraised on the development and from what Egan indicates, we will be seeing something very significant in the coming weeks.
Consider this and the talk from the hosts regarding the stature of those involved indicating men of significant means and this proposal appears to have legs in all the right areas.
The second piece also relates to a professional circuit in the US for Rugby, but, in this circumstance it relates to 7s only.
A few years ago, William Tatham Jr purchased the exclusive rights to administer any domestic professional 7s structures in the US from USARugby. Initial plans were to start such an ambitious venture in 2009, then 2010, but nothing eventuated.
Many could have been excused for thinking that the concept died a silent death. Well, it hasn’t.
Like the above developments, efforts are underway to launch the concept.
In Tatham’s case, this means adding the like of Phil Rothenberg to his board. Rothenberg is credited with transforming American Soccer prior to their hosting of the 1994 World Cup and the establishment of the current MLS structure for competition and ownership that has proven so successful for football in the United States.
Details regarding this group are expected very soon as well.
It’s been a huge few weeks following a very big year for the game domestically in the USA.
Add in the residency programs based out of the Chula Vista Olympic training facility for both men’s and women’s athletes, the incoming IRB Women’s 7s Circuit in which the women’s team is extremely competitive and the next few weeks and months could potentially eclipse even US Rugby’s best expectations.
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February 19th 2012 @ 1:08am
Working Class Rugger said | February 19th 2012 @ 1:08am | Report comment
Wow. This came up very, very quickly. Thanks.
February 19th 2012 @ 1:41am
Johnno said | February 19th 2012 @ 1:41am | Report comment
I cant Working Class Rugger wait for a cold war classic Rugby world cup final in say 2035 between the USA and Russia. It will be amazing. It may happen you never know such big coutnries and huge talent pool of athletic people, just look at some of those NFL running backs.
Both nations massive massive nations in the world economically, and population wise competing to be world champions.
It will be like the 1980 Ice hockey cold war classic in the 1980 winter Olympics between the old Soviet Union and USA at Lake Placid New York, when a bunch of college players in the USA team beat the professionals of the Soviet Union.
But yes USA is coming on leaps and bounds as is Russia. I don’t think at all 2035 is unrealistic for the USA to make a world cup final or Russia for that matter. Both nations investing heavily in Rugby, and the 7evens Olympics to be held in Rio Brazil in 2016.
Now that 7evens is and olympic sport both nations will get massive government funding and in russia anyway all schools will have a rugby team.
USA will get stronger and stronger in both 7evens and 15 a side. You have 1 million plus Hawaii population who are also taking to Hawaii, and are dominantly Polynesian heritage in Hawaii. Far bigger Polynesian population in Hawaii than Samoa and Tonga, much much bigger. And American Samoa to draw on talent too. many of the USA eagles team at 2011 RWC in NZ were from American Samoa. And American Samoa has a lot of players in the NFL gridiron.
So USA rugby on the up I watched some of the highlights of the USA sevens in Las Vegas, and the crowd loved it and got good media attention too people saying they couldn’t believe how fast and exciting rugby and 7evens was, and rugby really had a wow factor.
Right now as shown by these independent and respected surveys rugby is massively a sport on the up in USA and will get bigger and bigger. And it is great to see massive nations like USA,Brazil, and Russia embrace rugby. A strong high school or strong teenager comp 13-18, and colts or college rugby , and a smell pro or full time pro league is next, just what the answer is super rugby or what I don’t know or a USA/Canada comp like the NHL,NBA, and MLB , and MLS, im not sure, but rugby is on the up in USA/Canada/Brazil/Russia, all big nations, and many other parts of Europe like Belgium spain, and portugal. I think Spain or portugal already have teams in the Amlin cup who knows. But Georgia/ukraine/romania too getting stronger.
Georgia and Romania, both really pushed England and Scotland hard in the RWC.
And the big nations like USA/Brazil/Canada/Russia/China/Japan have more potential than Georgia or Romania who are not as large population or economic wise.
Already now some players form 7evens rugby are on full time contracts in USA so as to develop talent pool to go for gold medal at Rio Olympics 2016. I think Russia’s 7evens team is in top 3 or top 5 in Europe now too. Henry Paul I think coaches Russia 7evens team now .
Maybe come 2023 USA/ Canada/Russia/Argentina/ or South Africa will host a rugby world cup who knows another fascinating topic.
But either way USA rugby is on the up, and better tv deals now with access to the rugby world cup, super rugby, French rugby/ aviva premiership/HEK cup. So USA rugby on the up and a great website too on USA rugby they have. Huge TV market to make money out of too USA .
http://www.usarugby.org/#cc%3D%5BApplication%5D%5C%5CStructure%5C%5CContent%5C%5CBrand%20Resource%20Center%5C%5CContent%5C%5CHome%7B%7BTab%3AView%7D%7D.
February 19th 2012 @ 5:51pm
terry said | February 19th 2012 @ 5:51pm | Report comment
americans are also very myopic..they don’t care what the world plays and enjoy..minus the p.is and kenyans in vegas, the crowd would probably be a fraction of what they had..pro rugby (15s) in the U.S is eons away..super what?
February 19th 2012 @ 2:20am
Onor said | February 19th 2012 @ 2:20am | Report comment
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/super-officials-mull-expansion-into-us-japan-20120218-1tfsi.html
February 19th 2012 @ 5:52pm
terry said | February 19th 2012 @ 5:52pm | Report comment
pipe dream..
February 19th 2012 @ 3:04am
Mark said | February 19th 2012 @ 3:04am | Report comment
You know something Johnno…… Your our Oikee!!!!!
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February 19th 2012 @ 9:00am
oikee said | February 19th 2012 @ 9:00am | Report comment
February 19th 2012 @ 3:09am
Mark said | February 19th 2012 @ 3:09am | Report comment
All you need to say now is, the USA should feel privileged and give them some culture.
Hopefully Oikee reads this!!!!!
Oh hang on I forgot something….
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February 19th 2012 @ 3:11am
Johnno said | February 19th 2012 @ 3:11am | Report comment
Im sure Oikee will Mark lol, am I like Oikee coz i am so enthusiastic , He is passionate Oikee about that other code Rugby League.
February 19th 2012 @ 7:00am
terry said | February 19th 2012 @ 7:00am | Report comment
the irb owes a lot to the pac. island community (esp. samoans and fijians and next year, most probably the tongans) who turned up in force at the sam boyd stadium..samoa also brought over its nfl stars, namely troy polamalu, domato peko, isaac sopoaga, reagan maui’a, jonathan fanene, rey maualuga, matt tinoisamoa and a dozen others..these are athletes the american public know and the the U.S media follow..shown live on nbc, their presence there were a big boost in terms of sevens exposure..where were the aussie, english and kiwi movie stars in the U.S? Where was Piers Morgan, Simon Cowell, hugh jackman, etc?..They’re just selfish palagi and don’t bother..
Sweet revenge in the final when Apia’s bunch of taxi drivers, farmers and fishermen ran over the pros (predominantly other P.Is) from NZ in the final..we’re happy given all the crap sanza and the nzru dishes out to the pacific islands..
finally, rugby 15s will never be popular at a national scale in the U.S..why? Because the U.S already has an alternative – American Football..it’s rugby sevens that will take off there..
for years, rugby was kept alive in the U.S by the small island communities mainly on the West Coast who held regular club tournaments..time the IRB and USA Rugby to recognise their huge contribution to the spread of U.S rugby
February 19th 2012 @ 11:04am
mace 22 said | February 19th 2012 @ 11:04am | Report comment
Agree and disagree with your comments..First what exactly is the crap that SANZAR and the NZRU dishes out to the pacific islands, with out the NZRU the P I nations would be the perennial easy beats of world rugby ( thats 15 aside game ) just look at the last world cup and where most of the island players actually came from, New Zealand that’s where. also look at the recent results of the waratahs games against pacific island teams. So the Pacific Islands have a lot to thank the NZRU for.
Also you are correct about the American football, rugby will never compete as that is the american game. But the draw back of Grid iron is that their is no club structure, so if a high school player isn’t selected to go onto college his playing career comes to an end at the ripe old age of eighteen. So their is a huge untapped source of players who might still want to play a contact sport . This may not help the game in the U.S at the moment. But as they marry and or have children and they see their parent or parents involved in rugby they may see an alternative to just playing American foolball. Which will get them playing rugby at an earlier age. So what I’m really saying is that their is a great future for rugby ( 15 aside game ) in the good ole U S of A.
The rest I totally agree with
February 22nd 2012 @ 3:25pm
steve.h said | February 22nd 2012 @ 3:25pm | Report comment
Rugby is played at a different time in the year to NFL so many people may choose rugby as their second sport. The US sporting public is fairly mature and often support more than one sport at a time. I’m sure no expects Rugby to be anywhere near as popular as Football.
February 19th 2012 @ 8:07am
tc said | February 19th 2012 @ 8:07am | Report comment
When it comes to rugby union all I can say is, TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGING.
Remember this though ,if there ends up being a North American pro rugby comp and it is relativly successful do you really think we in the southern hemishere are going to hang onto our best players . If SANZAR are not involved in this new pro comp that could well be the case ,be careful what you wish for,for you just might get it.
February 19th 2012 @ 10:26am
Darwin Stubbie said | February 19th 2012 @ 10:26am | Report comment
Sort of like how all the top football talent flock to the MLS now – a better comparison would be similar to a Japan type retirement fund topper ….
February 19th 2012 @ 5:33pm
The Truth said | February 19th 2012 @ 5:33pm | Report comment
USA rugby would be growing in a much smaller pond than football’s…
February 19th 2012 @ 5:47pm
Darwin Stubbie said | February 19th 2012 @ 5:47pm | Report comment
Exactly – so where’s the logic it’ll be some super competition with mega money to hoover up all the top talent in their prime … It makes no sense
February 19th 2012 @ 11:07am
Working Class Rugger said | February 19th 2012 @ 11:07am | Report comment
Word is that the 15s league will be a primary source to develop domestic talent with a few imports. The group see’s it as vitally important for American to see Americans competing in a domestic league competition.
February 21st 2012 @ 1:02am
yankee_rob said | February 21st 2012 @ 1:02am | Report comment
WCR,
Do we know who the “big investors” that might be involved are?
February 19th 2012 @ 8:26am
Vincent said | February 19th 2012 @ 8:26am | Report comment
There were also some indications from Sanzar Chief Greg Peters that an expansion conference to the S15 is being considered, which would include teams from Japan, Argentina and the US.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/6443193/Time-may-be-right-to-expand-Super-Rugby
February 19th 2012 @ 8:29am
Fish said | February 19th 2012 @ 8:29am | Report comment
I was at the Vegas rugby 7′s and it was awesome. Admittedly it was a bit difficult following Australia when they were wearing lime green and beaten by Canada1
February 19th 2012 @ 8:31am
tc said | February 19th 2012 @ 8:31am | Report comment
Vincent
Heres hoping thats what happens.
February 19th 2012 @ 8:38am
Vincent said | February 19th 2012 @ 8:38am | Report comment
TC, imagine watching the Crusaders or Reds touring US, Argentinian and Japanese Super Rugby franchises in Tokyo, Sacramento, Denver, New York, Buenos Aires. Exciting times ahead.
Not only would such plans for Super Rugby open up new broadcast markets, but increasing exposure in those markets would greatly increase the value of Rugbys brand for current and future sponsors. I
February 21st 2012 @ 7:18am
terry said | February 21st 2012 @ 7:18am | Report comment
the denver stingrays versus the waikato chiefs in ‘super’ rugby aint gonna set American rugby on fire..get real mate..americans don’t care about nz rugby..
February 21st 2012 @ 7:59am
p.Tah said | February 21st 2012 @ 7:59am | Report comment
if they care about rugby, they’ll care about NZ rugby
February 21st 2012 @ 9:27am
Rob9 said | February 21st 2012 @ 9:27am | Report comment
No they won’t. They don’t care about Baseball teams in Japan, Hockey teams in Russia or Basketball teams in Europe. They’re not going to give a red rats about provincial Rugby teams in NZ, Australia or SA.
Expanding SR on the other side of the Pacific would be a mistake. All it’s going to provide them with is a team that gets annihilated week in week out by teams of far more experienced southern hemisphere players. Not exactly pretty to watch for patriotic US sports fans. By the time they’re competitive they’ll be ready for their own competition that doesn’t involve ludicrous amounts of travel. Add to this the fact that half of their home team’s games would occur at crazy hours, it would make it hard to follow and people would quickly lose interest.
The game needs to grow organically and it needs to be easy to follow for the average American sports fan. The complex rules of the game alone are enough of a hurdle for them to get over. The way of the future is their own professional national league or an NHL style league tied to their friends in the north. Sure at the beginning the quality might not be there but it will grow in time. It will be easy for fans to follow and the league won’t be burdened with the interests of multiples other nations and can be created with their own best interests in mind.
February 21st 2012 @ 1:02pm
p.Tah said | February 21st 2012 @ 1:02pm | Report comment
“No they won’t. They don’t care about Baseball teams in Japan, Hockey teams in Russia or Basketball teams in Europe. They’re not going to give a red rats about provincial Rugby teams in NZ, Australia or SA. ” … not quite what I was saying, but I only used 10 words so it may be hard to guess what I was implying.
The US don’t care about basketball, baseball or hockey in other countries because they have the best athletes and competition in their own country. NZ rugby is the best, so if they follow rugby they will want to watch the best.
People call people in the US myopic, to an extent that is true. In most cases they don’t need to look outside of their country because often they are the best or close to it in those endeavours: fashion, entertainment, sport, arts and science etc. When they are not the best they do look outside their country. That’s why I feel that those who follow rugby will want to see the best .
I also agree they need a ‘domestic comp’ with their neighbours from the North to create depth, however this won’t develop the players that the Eagles require to move up the International rankings nor will allowing their top players to be scattered across Europe. One or two teams in Super rugby will allow them to hone their skills and combinations. They will need some International imports to make them competitive initially, but these players will impart valuable high game knowledge to them. A super rugby side is more likely to attract a top coach than a US domestic team. In super rugby these players will be exposed to the best players and coaches.
February 21st 2012 @ 5:10pm
Rob9 said | February 21st 2012 @ 5:10pm | Report comment
Agree that the American public aren’t as ‘closed off’ for the rest of the world as some of us might think. At least no more detached than the general public of Australia. While you’re explanation on why they aren’t interested in sports such as basketball, baseball and hockey outside of their own backyard makes sense, there’s no proof in the sporting world that America’s sporting public have a thirst for involvement in top line domestic competitions outside of their region. As I’ve suggested with the time differences, American SR involvement would do nothing to enhance the games profile in the States. It’s a competition that’s based many hours flight from their shores which presents a challenge in engaging a population that knows very little about the game.
While a team’s involvement in SR would go some way to develop some quality players, it would be a significant investment that I don’t believe would achieve an adequate return. You yourself have conceded they would need imports to be competitive from the get go. They’d have to use the Rebels model if they wanted to see some on field results which would be vital to the team’s success off the field. This of course is going to limit the number of spots available for American’s to ply their trade and experience quality rugby week in week out.
They are far better served by investing money in the development of their own national competition that pays multiple teams of predominately American players to play rugby for a living. Sure it wouldn’t immediately expose players to a standard close to SR but it would grow. More teams is also going to expose more of the sport loving public to the game, giving people the chance to develop attachments to the team in their city. It wouldn’t be a case of one team on the west coast being the SR whipping boys. A professional US league gives clubs the opportunity to build strong rivalries with one and other while all games are played in a viewer friendly timeslot. A perfect scenario.
Once there’s a strong fully professional competition in place the game will explode. What it creates a real career path for athletes which is a link that has been missing in the States until now. One team with a few professional contracts isn’t exactly a definitive career path for young and college athletes. If the elite structure is in place the college scene will explode and with the continued push behind rookie rugby the game in the States will live happily ever after.
For the time being there’s nothing wrong with the cream of the US crop heading to Europe for the bigger dollars and the stronger competition. The Pumas haven’t been hindered by having the bulk of their national side playing in the big leagues in Europe. More involvement in Europe from American players is the next step in the Eagles soaring up the irb rankings table. One team in SR with a few professional contracts on offer for American players isn’t the answer. As the game continues to grow and the competition in the States gets up to a world class standard, the dollars will be there to keep their stars at home and eventually the US League will be in a position to attract international stars to their shores.
February 21st 2012 @ 9:45pm
p.Tah said | February 21st 2012 @ 9:45pm | Report comment
Rob you make some very good points but we’ll have to disagree. Who knows what rugby USA will do?
February 21st 2012 @ 10:17pm
Rob9 said | February 21st 2012 @ 10:17pm | Report comment
Thanks for the debate p.tah. Regardless of the path US rugby administrators take lets just hope it leads to the game reaching it’s full potential there. It’d be great to see another superpower enter the fray.
February 22nd 2012 @ 4:31am
MattD said | February 22nd 2012 @ 4:31am | Report comment
Rob9 – We don’t care about baseball in Japan, Hockey in Russia or Basketball in Europe because we believe we have the best competition in the world for those sports right here in the U.S. The same can be said for soccer. Sure soccer fans watch the MLS but they watch European soccer leagues with just as much passion if not more so. I know tons of people here who watch that European stuff religiously.
Now I’m not syaing I think a US based SR team would work here because I think unless we would play in a conference with other American, Japanese and Canadian teams, the travel would be way too much and hard for fans to follow for away games. And if we played in a North American/Japanese only conference it wouldnt bring in as many fans.
But we are creating a domestic professional rugby union from what I’ve heard. They are supposed to be announcing something in the next couple of months. From what I hear it will have the core of its teams based on the western half of the U.S. with a few teams up in Canada as well. Its not much, but its a start. The more guys we can get playing the game full-time the better the Eagles will get.
February 21st 2012 @ 9:12am
anopinion said | February 21st 2012 @ 9:12am | Report comment
Terry,
You are very wrong. The American Rugby Public loves high level rugby. Bars in the USA fill at odd hours to watch 6 Nations and Super Rugby. If they had their own team the numbers watching would be huge. The Yanks love rugby, it just has to be top level rugby for them to show up.
February 21st 2012 @ 10:49am
terry said | February 21st 2012 @ 10:49am | Report comment
super rugby is not tri-nations..the waikato chiefs and the dunedin highlanders certainly aint the french or irish national sides..
February 21st 2012 @ 11:46am
Rob9 said | February 21st 2012 @ 11:46am | Report comment
Balderdash!! Go to the States and show me the full bars watching any sort of pro rugby. Ones that aren’t the English/Irish pubs full of expats. Of the entire country, the bars that ‘fill’ with rugby patrons might equate to .05% of the nations bars. If it was as big as you are making it out to be, USA Rugby would be a far bigger player on the international scene than they currently are.
And then this “The Yanks love rugby”. No they don’t, the average American knows squat about the game. The US public’s knowledge and interest in rugby is minimal at best. I’m as passionate as the next guy to see Rugby succeed in the States but people really need a bit of clarity on where the game is currently situated in the US market. I’m very optimistic about the future but at the moment rugby is a drop in the ocean that is the US sporting landscape. Please don’t kid yourself into thinking otherwise.
February 21st 2012 @ 8:50pm
anopinion said | February 21st 2012 @ 8:50pm | Report comment
Hi Rob 9,
Good of you to reply without reading my post using a literate mind. I did not say every bar in the USA, I was referring to the Irish, English bars and sports bars. Many a time I have met up with large groups in packed pubs at 8am to watch games. Aspen, New York, New Jersey, Atlanta and Chicago to name a few.
I clearly state that I am referring to the American Rugby Public, I never mentioned the “Average American”.
Super Rugby is the arguably the best tournament in the World that does not involve international sides. If the Yanks get a team in this competition, (careful not to make you think I mean every single one of them including the President) they will support it to a degree that is, as I said before, huge.
February 21st 2012 @ 10:08pm
Rob9 said | February 21st 2012 @ 10:08pm | Report comment
Anopinion,
You mention the American Rugby public at the outset but then go on to suggest that ‘Yanks love rugby’… I didnt know that a ‘Yank’ is now only confind to an American rugby fan.
Bud all I can do is respond to the words you type and by the way you’re carrying on in you’re original post you’re making out as is if rugby in the US is bigger than Ben Hur. But thanks for all your helpful clarifications along the way.
The fact remains that the American rugby public is not huge. They represent a fraction of the entire population at the moment. They may actually match the numbers of Rugby fans in Australia but instead of being concerntrated in 2 states in a country on 23 million people they’re disperssed across a country of over 300 million people. Yes im aware of the heartlands in Colorado, Utah and Nth Cali but these still wouldnt stack up to 4 of the 5 oz franchise areas and certainly wouldnt justify being a base for their own franchise.
It sounds as if you’ve spent some time in the land of the free as a rugby fan so Id expect you to understand that it’s a real niche sport that operates a fair way from the sporting spotlight. My experience is that US rugby fans are just as passionate about their rugby as those from every other place on earth that has been touched by rugby. For them it wouldnt matter if it were the Utah Warriors v San Fran Golden Gate or the ‘LA Earthquakes’ v the QLD Reds, the current rugby fans are going to get involved. It’s the 300 odd million people that havent caught the rugby bug yet that we need to be speaking to. For the reasons ive listed above, an American based SR franchise would have a limited impact in achieving the goal of reaching more Americans. In short, it’s hard to engage new fans in a competition based half a world away and these funds are better served creating a fully professional domestic league that’s created and maintained only to meet USA rugby’s best interests.