The RSL was established by US Rugby to act as the Premier Rugby Club competition in the United States. The objectives upon its establishment were to provide a greater level of competition for local players and to assist in educating the American public’s awareness and interest in the sport.
While the general interest is growing, best demonstrated by the 15 percent annual growth in participation figures, what the U.S really lacks is a viable National League structure.
The RSL has failed to achieve this.
For a supposedly semi-professional competition, the RSL leaves a lot to be desired. With US Rugby looking to develop a College Super League, rugby in the US must rethink its Premier Club Competitions.
As it stands, the RSL is made up of individual clubs similar to Subbies clubs in Australia, though several have over time developed their own facilities, whilst others suffer from the lack of accessible training grounds and equipment.
For example, there are currently two teams operating out of Chicago (Lions and Griffins) and another two out of New York (NYAC and Old Blue). In both examples, one team has very good structures while the other doesn’t.
There is a massive discrepancy.
This makes the RSL an unattractive product for TV and subpar in quality.
To raise the overall standard of the RSL and create an even playing field would require the abolition of the RSL itself, to be replaced by a North American Rugby Football League.
This will require the unification of the US RSL and the former CRSL teams to form a Two 10 Team Conference City based League.
Instead of Two Teams out of New York and Chicago, there should be one each with, if need be, the two current RSL clubs merging to form the new entity. The same could be said of Boston and the Californian-based clubs.
There would need to be set criteria too.
1. Set levels of sponsorship.
2. Links to local rugby clubs in their City/State, including Colleges.
3. Development of promotional material, such as merchandising and youth development programs with the assistance of US Rugby.
4. A professional set up to support a higher level of competition, including organisational structure and business plan.
5. A minimum 5,000 seater stadium with merchandising facilities in order to qualify.
It would be the responsibilities of both National Unions to find an appropriate TV broadcaster in each country. Both countries are already working on their lower levels so such a competition shouldn’t be that much of a stretch in the near to medium term.
For the record, these are the teams I envisage for this League:
Canada
Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Niagara and Newfoundland.
USA
San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, Las Vegas, Dallas, Chicago, Boston, New York, Washington, Charlotte, St Louis and Miami.
Of course, the League would be open to new clubs as they meet the criteria.
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