Late last year I wrote an article discussing the arrival of the first professional rugby league in the USA and the Americas.
Dubbed ProRugby, at the time only a few details were available.
As it’s been a few months I thought the topic warranted a revisit to detail some the happenings that have been a going.
First of all, ProRugby have amended the number of teams from six to five for its launch season. This has stemmed from the lack of facilities in the North East of the United States that have playing surfaces that are World Rugby compliant.
Another hurdle has been the two ideal facilities to host teams in the form of Red Bull Stadium and PPL Park (New York and Philadelphia respectively) are both available in their adopted timeframe for differing reasons.
However, they have moved forward regardless and announced four of the five locations in San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego and Columbus, Ohio.
On top of those, the fifth location will be Denver. However even though this is common knowledge at this point, they have not seen fit to rush its announcement.
Having already identified a playing pool of 220 players they have also asked and received expressions of interest for players both domestically and internationally who wish to put their hats in the ring. They have run two combines as a means of identifying any talent they may have initially overlooked.
Contracts will be offered in the coming week with one notable player in Tom Bliss of Wasps and Ealing RC already signing on.
Additionally, in the past week a steady stream of announcements regarding coaching appointments have begun to flow – all leading to its intended April 10th kickoff.
You can contact me on Twitter via my handle gps996 if you wish to discuss more rugby related issues and ideas.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
Finally announced the Denver franchise. The worst kept secret in this organisations establishment followed closely by the coaching appointment. So teams set now just signing the players. There's some talk that they may have found themselves a brpadcast partner. No one is too sure. Could be just streaming but in their statement they mention TV. Considering ESPN has signed on to broadcast the Americas Rugby Championship for 5 years as well as securing Super Rugby. They seem likely a potential likely candidate. Would be huge for the fledgling league if it turns out to be the case.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
No worries. The more people watching the better. Also, for any Canadian fand out there you can catch SR on TSN. Don't know if it's TSN proper or TSN Go but either way you can watch the world premier Rugby competition.
tsuru
Guest
Thanks for the tip about ESPN3. I've kept hoping they'd show some Super Rugby on top of the European competitions.
Ken
Guest
He never got a chance do anything,.He was playing on his ipad in the stand all season...Still holds the longest punt return for the 9 ers...... hahahahahaha
Johnno
Guest
what industry do you work in Working class rugger, are you a rugby coach?
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
You can catch Super Rugby on WatchESPN and ESPN3 this season both live and on demand.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
Both Red Bull Arena and PPL Park are. However, neither were available for differing reasons. Red Bull are evidently weighing up selling the arena and don't want to commit to another tenant and PPL didn't have a slot open. They absolutely wanted a East Coast location but it just didn't work out. There was some suggestion of Columbia's Soccer Stadium but the turf issues have come up again. Evidently, that will be sorted by its 2nd edition, Outside of Columbus the other four make a lot of sense. Each represent significaht hubs for the game. The NE will get their teams in the near future from all the talk going about but just not this season. Still I suggest you yune in and help provide an indisputable case for these teams.
tsuru
Guest
I must say I'm disappointed in the locations. As an Oz rugby fan living in New York I was hoping, and really expecting, at least one team to be located on the East Coast. I expected that there would be a team here if only because of the big concentration of population in the North East and so many of them (us) having come from rugby playing countries - a big potential audience. I really find it hard to believe that with all the sports fields in existence there wasn't even one "World Rugby compliant." It smacks to me of either politics or just not trying hard enough. I suppose that they'll get started and hopefully gain some interest and attempt to expand to the larger population centres. Meanwhile I assume I'll be able to see it live on TV. Which is more than I can look forward to with Super Rugby.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
Contract offers have begun.
Michael
Guest
Rugby wont succeed here [Mods. Snip. Pls do not swear]
Zwiat 2104
Guest
A surge of rugby in the States would be such a great success for the sport that some in fact fans tend to deny that rugby is now slowly but surely growing over there, certainly because they're are afraid to be disappointed. It 's kind of a lover attitude :) In fact many strong signs show rugby is on really the good way. For sure some tough battles stay ahead. Pro League will demande patience as contradictors will soon emerge.
kevin dustby
Guest
fastst growing is a great way to twist stats. 30% increase from nothing is still nothing
Wal
Roar Guru
Cheers TF I thought the same thing however it relates to the various levels/version of NFL moving from Touch-Flag-Tackle Football Shows up in the age group stats below. A bit like touch footy here in Oz. These stats relate to participation rates and not registered players, so includes a lot of School sports. The fastest growing sports in the 6-12 group are rugby (30.5 percent) lacrosse (28.9 percent) and ice hockey (27 percent). The biggest decliners are touch football (6.7 percent), slow-pitch softball (6.5 percent) and tackle football (5.8 percent). In the 13-17 year-old group the fastest growers are lacrosse (15.6 percent), cheerleading (7.6 percent) and rugby (6.9 percent). The biggest decliners are wrestling (14.4 percent), flag football (10.3 percent) and paintball (9.6 percent).
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Hi Wal, interesting stats there but wouldn't you count Rugby as "tackle football"??? Am not surprised about baseball numbers falling. I went to a baseball match in Japan once. Was so funny, the whole crowd was drunk salarymen drinking and carrying on. I don't think anyone actually was following the game. . Maybe an opening there for T20. :)
Wal
Roar Guru
Cheers for the article WCR Will be interesting to see what interest this and the Olympics add to the Rugby landscape in the USA. The US is not going to become the No1 playing nation overnight nor is Rugby going to suddenly compete with AFL or MLB. But given time and consistent support, the sport will grow and prosper. Bloomberg report below shows the growth USA rugby has secured at the expense of some key competitors Participation in tackle football fell 21.1 percent from 2008-2013, while rugby and lacrosse experienced the biggest gains, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Participation in rugby grew 81 percent during that time, while lacrosse saw a 65.9 percent boost, according to the Silver Spring, Maryland-based organization’s U.S. Trends in Team Sports Report. Baseball participation fell 14.5 percent, and basketball dropped 9.3 percent.
Carlos the Argie in the USA
Guest
I know that. I just read that they were "releasing" a few Jaguares to play in the ARC. To my point above, third rate team.
Nobrain
Guest
Thanks Carlos, I accept your field view. In regards of The Pumas the players n the NH are not longer eligible to wear the national shirt any longer. I am going to Maldonado to watch the game against Los Teros this Saturday and I let you know.
ClarkeG
Guest
I note there are a number of coaching announcements on the face book page. https://www.facebook.com/prorugby/
Carlos the Argie in the USA
Guest
Nobrain, these players are not from the Pumas or the Jaguares. They also do not include the ones in Europe. Their faces showed how young and inexperienced they were. I have no doubt that they will be good, but they are still too young and tender to be a true number 2 team for Argentina. They seem to be the fourth level. That Hourcade was there is of no relevance. I am quite happy that you want to be positive about USA rugby. I just observe it on a daily basis and my interpretation is different. The difference between Argentine rugby and USA rugby is the enormous strength of club rugby in Argentine. The commitment, passion, intensity developed by the clubs is the fundamental strength of the Pumas. If you go, as you do, to any club on a weekend, you will see tons of very young kids playing, fields occupied all day long. It doesn't happen here. The pyramid to develop high quality rugby is very extremely flat. You need an enormous base. USA rugby is like a romboid not a pyramid. Small base, fat in the middle with late high school and college, but they are not that useful for 15 as they start too late.
Bakkies
Guest
PWC sponsor Ireland under 20s. AON the Ireland womens team.