What I like about the new US Major League Rugby is the sheer enthusiasm for and the absolute optimism about their new competition.
I have not been privy to the major network broadcasts, but the streaming services are just gold. You have a guy who is probably a professional sports commentator and has done his best to learn about this crazy game and a guy sitting alongside him who knows about the game, so it’s a bit of a lesson in rugby, but I find it absolutely refreshing to see this world superpower, with its humongous population, just beginning to appreciate this beautiful game.
The commentators have had some great chats about the advantage law, which seems to have generally found favour, and the fact that the kicker takes his conversion attempt from wherever the try was scored. There are a fair few references to NFL, but in general, it is pretty entertaining commentary.
I’m not sure how many people in the crowd know what is going on, but you would have to think it is a fair number because most of the franchises are using OPS – shorthand for other peoples’ stadiums – and they are not massive. For example, my team the Utah Warriors, who are coached by Chris Latham, are using a football stadium that only seats 3500, but has incredible indoor and outdoor training facilities. In other words, they are sensibly not getting ahead of themselves.
Unfortunately, the Warriors went down in a close one with Atlanta, but there are great signs for the future. And the wonderful thing about them, which instantly endeared me, was the fact that they are raising funds for Aussie bushfire relief, and I doubt that it was anything Latham thought up because he has only been there for about two weeks.
I have been a great admirer of USA Rugby for many years and have watched its latest gestation from about ten or so years ago when a Kiwi and a Pom took it by the horns.
The Kiwi was Kevin Roberts, then the worldwide chairman of Saatchi and Saatchi – a little PR firm.
The Pom was Nigel Melville, a former England skipper, and together they set about getting rugby into schools and forming a grassroots organisation, because up until that time, most blokes did not learn rugby until they were in college and college rugby was largely and massively amateur – more of a “drinking club with a rugby problem” culture.
So these blokes got the structure into some sort of shape and I would be doing USA Rugby a disservice if I kept banging on because obviously many other good people got themselves into the mix, and I don’t know who they are.
(Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
It’s taken a dozen or so years, and a false start or two, but USA Rugby is in a good place. Winning Olympic recognition was huge because that meant that it gets funding and puts the code on the map.
The US men’s sevens team is now hovering around the number two position in the world rankings, and we all know that if you can be number two then you can be number one on any given day.
I have always said that the USA is the sleeping giant of world rugby. We can all remember the movie Gulliver’s Travels when the giant wakes up, yawns, bellows, farts, looks around then breaks the shackles.
That is what is going to happen to world rugby.
If you think the big franchises in America aren’t interested in MLR, don’t worry. Three of the franchises have Australian ownership and I believe that there is also European ownership. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the NFL franchises didn’t take an interest a little way down the track and now there is this NFL-X comp getting started that has an actual salary cap – they will be looking for talented sportsmen (and hopefully women too). The USA could become the new Japan and already Drew Mitchell and Adam Ashley-Cooper have signed.
This thing will work, or a lot of people will go down trying. I’m excited.
Then look at some other dynamics.
South Africa re-aligns with Europe, then Japan and the Pacific align closer with the southern hemisphere. Think about who is in our time zone: China, Japan, Hong Kong, the Pacific. We could end up seeing a world competition with conferences based on time zones – Europe, the Stans, Asia, Oceania, the Americas.
Think about that: a real and meaningful world championship.
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
Yep, eventually you will even get a few Americans to play for the USA....
terrence
Roar Rookie
i think the sports business model in the US does not favor non profit governing bodies..pro sports there sans NFL, NBA, MLB, etc are best left to the economic forces to drive it, meaning the MLR franchises..obviously USA Rugby tried to develop some revenue streams but did not work..it’s a far cry from the NZRU, NRL, ARU, SARU who control the professional arm of the sport in terms of broadcast rights and contracts..it’s good to see the MLR picking up youth academies and other rugby development programs..that’ll help..
terrence
Roar Rookie
they have a pro league now..be patient, they'll get better..they also have a huge pacific island population who play rugby in utah, texas, california and hawaii to develop good players from..,
Tree Son
Roar Rookie
They always had great teams, albeit largely imported. Thanks for the coverage. I’m trying to attend most of the home games and do my part to stream the others so this goes better than last time.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
A tie in with the Uni's Rugby program. Quite a few of their squad have come from Life. They are looking or at least we're looking to renovate a stadium that was used during the 1996 Olympics. But that's likely a few seasons away.
Loosehead
Guest
Based on what evidence? I would like nothing more than Rugby becoming a major sport in the U.S but I just cant see it happening. Their 7's side has become a major force and its in that format where they will continue to improve but their 15's have shown no real signs of being able to compete with the top sides. Rugby has been played in the U.S for a hundred years so they have been sleeping for quite a while.
tc
Guest
Loosehead, I will say this only once: "The USA is the sleeping giant of world rugby".
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
Here is some information regarding USA Ruby and $: https://rugbywrapup.com/2019/11/usa-rugby-financial-crisis-deja-vu-all-over-again/?fbclid=IwAR2BOzMnTRf5OtRg5Y_ZxV2oQS-nflRD7l37FZIbEnPqFsLaLWj2EdgCR9Q
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
Funny! I did switch to the Waratahs game after wards. Couldn't finish it. (yet)
In brief
Guest
Are you sure you hadn’t accidentally switched over to the Waratahs game?
Loosehead
Guest
If I hear/read that America is the sleeping giant of world rugby again, I swear I will listen to Phil Gould call a League game.
Tree Son
Roar Rookie
Any insight as to why ATL chose Life to host? Was it the medical facilities? The field is fine and I always like (well-kept) grass over turf, but the affordable ticket stands are at the end instead of along the side
Tree Son
Roar Rookie
As a product of a college rugby club, I can confirm that nearly-universal state of being for said clubs other than the traditional powerhouses like Cal, Life, etc.
Armchair Halfback
Roar Rookie
Hey Gatesy - any insight into the quality of the comp? The42 did an article on the number of Irishmen playing, in addition to the half a dozen or so Paddies playing for USA team (Quill, Mullen McGinty) so that must surely be good news!!
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
There will also be two more franchises joining the league next season in LA and Dallas. LA is owned by Loyals Rugby LLC who recently purchased Austin and have poured a fair bit of money already into marketing that team with many more plans in the works. So LA should be solid. Dallas' owner has just received the go ahead to build a 2.5k seat stadium in the centre of Dallas. According to the League commissioner there are 6 groups vying to likely two licences for the 2022 season where the league is expected to put a 2-3 season freeze on expansion. No indication of who but Las Vegas and Miami have been in the news of late. There's been talk of a renewed push from Chicago. Apparently there has been interest in Ohio specifically Columbus where a purpose build 6.5k stadium would be the likely home. From there it's anyone's guess. A left of field one could be Mexico. Tijuana to be exact. The local soccer club colloquially known as Los Xolos have expressed interest in a licence in the past.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
No, that wasn't a great game. In fact, it was the worst game of the lot. Not helped by having two east coast teams playing in a massively oversized stadium in Las Vegas. But the Championship re-match between San Diego and Seattle certainly was. It's the first game of the season with most teams only playing 1 pre-season game. Same last season. By week 4 things clicked into gear and the season really took off.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
The Warriors stadium 'Zion' has a capcity of 5k. Houston's stadia currently sits at 3.5k (as does Seattle's) but has room to grow. Which is part of the plan. Colorado's hold 4-5k depending on configuration. San Diego hold 6k as standard. Both the Arrows and New Orleans play out of 10k.Austin has just moved to Bold Stadium which holds 5k. NY holds around 8k. The three expansion teams are playing out of temporary facilities holding 2.5-3k. As for three franchises being owned by Australians. LA which is set to come online next season and Austin are owned by the same Australian backed group but I'm unaware of who the third one is.
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
It's a really interesting issue, these days especially on social media everything has to be binary, right v wrong, agree v disagree, yes v no. I'm not saying the pacific islands shouldn't be supported, I think they have been treated poorly by World Rugby and the Tier 1 nations and a lot more should be done. At the same time from World Rugby's perspective there is no doubt some thought to the return on investment and potentially there is a greater return from investing in the USA. Is that wrong? Maybe. The allocation of resources often entails moral dilemmas - who is more deserving? No matter what happens you can't make everyone happy, I'm just pleased to see an effort is being made in the USA. Apart from the financial allocation my concern is also to ensure the appropriate administrative governance is in place, be it USA, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga.
Mark Richmond
Roar Guru
Nice one Gatesy! I too think it’s on the up, I’ve been a fan of the Seawolves from day 1, as I have been a long time fan of the Seahawks, both from Seattle obviously. The Canterbury Rugby Union/Crusaders are a minority shareholder in the franchise, so that would suggest they are taking it seriously. Tasman Makos played the Seawolves and the Sabre Cats in a couple of pre season friendlies this year, I think things are looking positive. They have also been pretty smart not starting the season until the NFL season finishes.
terrence
Roar Rookie
but they do give millions to samoa, tonga and fiji..