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Jarryd Hayne’s announcement that he is headed for the NFL has featured on major American news outlets, and NFL teams are posting YouTube videos of Hayne’s exploits in the NRL on their websites.
By announcing his departure, Hayne has provided the NRL, and rugby league in general, with more exposure in America than in the game’s history. And all for free.
The NRL needs somebody, anybody, to latch onto the back of this free marketing and ensure it is used to grow the game.
Something miraculous would have to happen for rugby league to challenge the ‘Big Four’ of American sport, but there is nothing stopping rugby league developing into a major niche player. America is home to over 300 million people, more than ten times the population of Australia, even if two or three of those millions become fans of the game, it would be good for the sport.
The job of growing the sport overseas should lie with the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF). Unfortunately the RLIF is an absolute mess at the moment. It has shown very little leadership and holds very little authority over the game. The blame does not solely lie with the RLIF for this situation though, for too long the NRL has acted on its own, acting only in the best interests of the NRL and not the game as a whole.
As a result of this, it is now time for the NRL to ditch its insular mindset and lead the foray into the USA. The NRL needs to realise that the benefits of this expansion do not just lie in America, but they will also be seen here in Australia.
The first course of action for the NRL is to overhaul its coverage of the sport in America. Currently, rugby league is broadcast on the Fox Soccer Plus network and Fox Soccer 2Go streaming site. Fox Soccer Plus costs between $15-20 a month on top of a standard cable subscription and Fox Soccer 2Go costs $20 a month for a streaming subscription. Fox Soccer Plus broadcasts replays of up to four games a week, including State of Origin and the grand final, while Fox Soccer 2Go airs every NRL match of the season.
Part of the problem with the current deal is the name and availability of the channels. You’d have to be an Aussie expat who can’t live without rugby league to even know that these soccer channels are broadcasting rugby league and really, not many people would be willing to fork out $20 a month just to possibly see a few replays of matches each week.
The first task of action for the NRL should be to scrap the arrangement with Fox Soccer 2Go as soon as the current contract runs out and provide live online coverage of the sport in the same manner as they do in other countries around the world. The NRL needs visibility in the US if it is to grow and Fox Soccer 2Go does not provide this visibility.
Additionally, if the NRL is selling live stream subscriptions to the US, they will be able to pocket the money directly, rather than the Fox Network.
The benefits to the NRL can also spread to the players here in Australia. There are literally thousands of young men playing college football in America; it goes without saying that most of them do not make it to the NFL. If the NRL was smart, they would search this talent pool and find athletes with the potential to play in the NRL. Not all of them would be willing, but some definitely would.
These are athletes that can only add to the quality of play in the NRL and eventually, we may even have enough players to field a quality USA national rugby league team.
A further tactic that could be used to grow the game in America would be to employ Jarryd Hayne in a promotional role. He can be employed to regularly promote the sport and encourage young athletes to take up rugby league. The possibilities are endless; he has become instantly recognisable to a large number of Americans and if he makes it in the NFL, could become even more recognisable.
Another person of note with significant exposure in the US is Russell Crowe. Love him or hate him, you can’t deny the role he has played in South Sydney’s resurgence and he could play a key role in growing the game in America.
The final course of action for the NRL is to help the USA Rugby League (USARL) get its house in order. The USARL has recently replaced the American National Rugby League (AMNRL) as the governing body of American rugby league and is in the process of becoming eligible for entry into the RLIF and to become a nationally recognised member of the US Olympic Committee.
The NRL then needs to help the organisation grow and help the USARL competition improve. This competition experienced significant expansion and change prior to the start of the 2014 season and has considerable room for improvement.
One possibility for the NRL is to play a role similar to the MLB, which has helped establish the ABL in Australian and is helping fund the growth of the sport of baseball in this country. Another option for rugby league clubs in Australia is to replicate Leeds Rhinos and form a partnership with one of the clubs, helping them to become as professional as possible in a very difficult, amateur, environment.
The departure of Jarryd Hayne to the USA represents a unique opportunity for the NRL, and RLIF, to promote rugby league to the sports-obsessed American market. The NRL has to think more broadly and attempt to expand the sport globally. The key for the NRL is to increase visibility, expose the average American to the game, and encourage investment into the sport.
Follow Cameron on Twitter @fromthesheds
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