Ambitious plans have been unveiled for a New York rugby league team to follow Toronto into the English game.
A business plan has been submitted to the Rugby Football League and organisers, who say they have the backing of wealthy benefactors and hope to get the go-ahead in time to enter the competition in 2019.
The project has been inspired by the success of Toronto, who achieved promotion from Kingstone Press League 1 at the first attempt and drew crowds of 7,000, but the founders of the New York club hope to get the go-ahead to enter at Championship level, just one step away from Super League.
Co-founder Tom Scott told a media briefing in Leeds that, like Toronto, the New York club would not seek any central funding and have already secured $US10 million ($A12.64m) in investment.
“We have a small consortium of high-networking individuals, one member of which has made New York his home, and all have a significant love for the game,” Scott said. “We will be self-sufficient.”
Like Toronto, New York would cover all travel and accommodation costs of visiting teams after securing agreements with a travel company and hotel chain and play in blocks of home and away fixtures.
Organisers say playing in the summer would avoid a direct clash with the NFL and they are confident of building a fan base of 10,000 in the first year, doubling the figure within three years to bring it on a par with the New York Red Bulls soccer team.
The team would be based at a training complex in Warwick, an hour’s drive from New York City, and play at the 25,000-seat Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, a 20-minute train ride from the World Trade Centre.
The development comes in the wake of a pledge from Toronto founder Eric Perez to launch a second Canadian club in the next six months and a prediction that there could be up to six North American teams within five years.
The United States will host the 2025 World Cup and the Hawks’ 2017 World Cup captain Mark Offerdahl, who played in New York’s tri-state area for the Connecticut Wildcats, is confident the project can be successful.
“There’s lots of potential,” said Offerdahl, who played in the Championship for London Broncos this year. “Rugby union has gone crazy in the last 10 years but they also love rugby league.
“At the time of the last World Cup, the game was fractured in the US but now everyone is working together and new teams are forming every year. There are 13 or 14 now with a lot of ex-college players who pick up the game very easily.”
Oto shark
Guest
I have a feeling league in the US is going to take off . there are so many people that miss out on the nfl that might give RL a go if there are teams to join and money to be made(pay). It will take time. If the game gets more exposure and the Us league team in the English comp like the wolfpack do well then there is a chance others will follow.
In Brief
Guest
How ironic
Justin Kearney
Guest
Cool story Garmos!
garmos
Guest
You guys are having a laugh! Matthew Hall: Why New York rugby league team is doomed to fail, with or without Jarryd Hayne https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/opinion/matthew-hall-why-new-york-rugby-league-team-is-doomed-to-fail-with-or-without-jarryd-hayne/news-story/35cff4ed9ea21807e3d30c8d30c85b78?utm_source=Social&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_campaign=FoxSportsAus
Jeff Morris
Guest
Comparing an annual one off tournament featuring a bunch of teams that people travel to see (Las Vegas Sevens rugby union) to a week in, week out team in a city with no significant history of rugby league, in its first season, is not a valid comparison. Many Super League teams don't draw that much week in, week out, nor do some NRL teams. And I don't think Vegas 7's gets 80K unique spectators, perhaps over the whole tournament (I would have to check on that, but the stadium doesn't hold near that much).
Terry Tavita
Guest
a 7k crowd in a city twice the size of auck is not much..rugby sevens gets 80k in vegas every march but even they (RU) admit they're small fry in the US..
Pete
Guest
Well join the line NFL, locrasse Soccer, Rugby, League. Maybe throw in Aussie Rules they do have a kick around at Central Park on a Sunday morning!
beepee
Guest
Agreed! Perth is ripe for the picking I reckon...the locals are smarting from the ARU debacle and would dearly love another team in a national comp to support. Western Australians love their sport and the NRL should be getting over there quick smart! And this relates to a point raised above by @Jeff Morris - does a sport expand into an area with lots of people but perhaps little existing passion, or do they instead choose a smaller area that may rapidly succeed based on the locals passion and desire for high quality sport in their area. I've often thought that the NRL could do worse than court the Tasmanian people with a view to a team down there.They're mad about their sport, but angry that their state has been snubbed by the AFL for years (instead 'expanding' into Western Sydney which may NEVER be a stand-alone success). They would do doubt be champing at the bit for a team to call their own in whatever national comp is prepared to embrace them.
Jeff Morris
Guest
The trouble with the really large urban areas is that they already have a very crowded pro sports market. While RL seems to be making a strong go of it so far in Toronto, in general, it might make sense to go for lesser served markets. Of course, that's the dilemma that all sports have when they go into virgin terrority, do you go where the numbers are but where there are tons of existing sports options or to smaller markets that may not have the population numbers or corporate money. I think perhaps Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Montreal, etc, would be better than New York City. Jacksonville or Hamilton may be too small in terms of sheer numbers (despite the existing footprint in Jacksonville). Any effort is positive though.
Jeff Morris
Guest
The trouble with the really large urban areas is that they already have a very crowded pro sports market. While RL seems to be making a strong go of it so far in Toronto, in general, it might make sense to go for lesser served markets. Of course, that's the dilemma that all sports have when they go into virgin terrority, do you go where the numbers are but where there are tons of existing sports options or to smaller markets that may not have the population numbers or corporate money. I think perhaps Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Montreal, etc, would be better than New York City. Jacksonville or Hamilton may be too small in terms of sheer numbers (despite the existing footprint in Jacksonville). Any effort is positive though.
Terry Tavita
Guest
big city that new york..good luck..
Birdy
Guest
No Andrew , don't get over it, eat ya heart out, suffer.
Pickett
Guest
Yup. Says much about the MRL, the Myopic Rugby League.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
The Thundercat has been quiet of late. Hope he roars in a couple of weeks time.
Justin Kearney
Guest
All this great news for rugby league brings out the haters. The next ten years should be very interesting though. With a bit of luck we'll have nice north american comp to follow in a decade providing plenty of opportunities for professional football for young men and women from this part of the world.
Go warriors
Guest
Clipper I take it you are a massive RL fan going by the amount you comment on RL articles. What do you think of the Toronto Wolfpack. You must be thrilled that they won the comp in their first year playing in front of passionate crowds of 7000 - 8000. You must also be thrilled that because of their success there are now several Nth American bids to enter teams into the RFL.
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Europe gets another slot with the final team to be decided in a repechage tournament between the winner of Middle East/Africa and Asia-Pacific.
Milan
Guest
I didn't realise that 'northern England' was a country Andy boy, Did you go to the numpty school??
Justin Kearney
Guest
And right on cue clipper the afl fanboy arrives to spread an unhealthy dose of pessimism into the discussion.
clipper
Guest
'growing rapidly' - in your eyes maybe, others seem to be more in touch with reality.We'll see at the end of this exercise how much it has grown, whether another team gets to the final, whether there is huge interest. Not long to find out!