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NFL joins plan aiming to create professional rugby union league in US
Posted on 5/14/13 at 9:27 am
Posted on 5/14/13 at 9:27 am
With NFL backing it think Rugby could start to take off here in the offseason.
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quote:
Premier Rugby Limited, which represents the English Aviva Premiership clubs, and the National Football League are to jointly back an innovative rugby union plan in the US.
London Irish will play an exhibition game this summer against a "US Barbarians"-style team blending international stars and promising young talent, the Guardian can reveal, with the aim to later create a professional rugby union competition in the United States.
The match will take place at Gillette Stadium near Boston on August 10 and be called the Independence Cup. It is the first step towards establishing an East Coast league of about six teams from Boston to Miami that would begin as early as next year.
The fixture is backed by Premier Rugby Limited (PRL) and the NFL via its NFL Network television channel, which is set to broadcast the game. A return match in London, ideally at Twickenham and potentially against a different club, will take place a week later and could be televised in the UK and Ireland by BT Sport, the new Premiership rights holder.
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This post was edited on 5/14/13 at 9:28 am
5
Posted on 5/14/13 at 9:28 am to constant cough
Huge fan of this!
Posted on 5/14/13 at 9:31 am to TheDiesel
quote:
Huge fan of this!
agreed. i don't know a whole hell of a lot about rugby, but there's no reason this sport shouldn't already be popular in the US except for the fact that there's no major league in it here. hopefully this helps it take off.
eta: :nb4someonecommentsaboutplayersafety:
This post was edited on 5/14/13 at 9:32 am
Posted on 5/14/13 at 9:34 am to quail man
quote:
but there's no reason this sport shouldn't already be popular in the US
I beg to differ only because what other country is trying to support Rugby AND:
NFL
MLB
NBA
NHL
MLS
College Athletics
The United States splits its sports dollar more than any other country I imagine.
England has,
Soccer,
Cricket
Rugby
and what?
Japan has baseball and school girl panty sniffing.
I don't know what Germany has time for after soccer and planning world domination.
This post was edited on 5/14/13 at 9:37 am
Posted on 5/14/13 at 9:38 am to Teddy Ruxpin
quote:
I beg to differ only because what other country is trying to support Rugby AND:
Australia has four football codes to keep up with. AFL(Aussie Rules), NRL(Rugby League), Super 15(Rugby Union) & A League(Soccer).
quote:
Japan has baseball and school girl panty sniffing.
Their rugby team is actually ranked ahead of ours. Canada too.
They'll all be playing each other now in the Pacific Nations Cup later this year.
This post was edited on 5/14/13 at 9:41 am
Posted on 5/14/13 at 9:44 am to constant cough
quote:
NRL(Rugby League), Super 15(Rugby Union
Are these pretty much the same sport? Ie, a person is likely to enjoy both of those leagues?
What I am getting at is that the US is splitting its interest/dollar in a variety of sports that cover an array of interests. Adding another sport into that mix is difficult because of this (I can't buy season tickets to the Yankees, the Rangers, the Giants, the Redbulls and the Knicks). Of course, being that we are the richest nation ever on the face of the Earth is why we have all these sports here to begin with. So maybe, if done right, another one could gain traction here.
This post was edited on 5/14/13 at 9:47 am
Posted on 5/14/13 at 9:46 am to Teddy Ruxpin
quote:
Are these pretty much the same sport? Ie, a person is likely to enjoy both of those leagues?
There are similarities but they are different sports. I enjoy both but I tend to watch more Union.
Union is more of a global game and League is only really played in Northern England and Australia.
This post was edited on 5/14/13 at 9:54 am
Posted on 5/14/13 at 9:51 am to Teddy Ruxpin
Yea but those leagues don't play year around. They are not gonna go up against the NFL. The summer would be perfect for them. All we have is boring arse baseball, golf and what else? Summer Rugby could def work
Posted on 5/14/13 at 9:59 am to HeadCoach
quote:
HeadCoach
MLS plays all through summer.
The NBA and NHL playoffs both go into summer as well.
Plus there is Arena Football and various other indoor football leagues.
Posted on 5/14/13 at 10:04 am to Dr RC
quote:
MLS plays all through summer.
The NBA and NHL playoffs both go into summer as well.
Plus there is Arena Football and various other indoor football leagues.
You trolling brah? Ok, maybe I'm looking at it through a southern perspective, but still. MLS? NHL? Arena Football? GTFO!
Posted on 5/14/13 at 10:05 am to HeadCoach
please please pease!
Posted on 5/14/13 at 10:08 am to HeadCoach
quote:
MLS?
The few people in this country that know anything about rugby probably follow soccer.
Posted on 5/14/13 at 10:11 am to DestrehanTiger
while i dont know all the rules, i absolutely LOVE watching rugby when i see it on tv! if we would have a professional league here in the us i think it would have a strong following IF they could figure out how to do the season march-june
Posted on 5/14/13 at 10:13 am to HeadCoach
no I'm not trolling.
MLS is currently has the 3rd highest per game attendance in pro US sports.
and just b/c YOU don't like NHL doesn't mean the rest of the country doesn't.
also, Arena Football is still higher in the American consciousness than a start up rugby league would be.
MLS is currently has the 3rd highest per game attendance in pro US sports.
and just b/c YOU don't like NHL doesn't mean the rest of the country doesn't.
also, Arena Football is still higher in the American consciousness than a start up rugby league would be.
Posted on 5/14/13 at 10:15 am to Dr RC
i dont watch nhl, but i agree with you that just because i dont, doesnt mean other parts of the country isnt interrested. If i had a nhl team near me i would be all over it... but i think rugby would be more popular than arena in its due time
Posted on 5/14/13 at 10:19 am to oleyeller
possibly.
I'm not sure why the NFL would toss money behind rugby when it can just send down players to Arena though.
perhaps its to test out how US fans feel about it for an eventual shift to more rugby like rules in the NFL regarding equipment and such?
I'm not sure why the NFL would toss money behind rugby when it can just send down players to Arena though.
perhaps its to test out how US fans feel about it for an eventual shift to more rugby like rules in the NFL regarding equipment and such?
Posted on 5/14/13 at 10:20 am to constant cough
quote:
Their rugby team is actually ranked ahead of ours. Canada too.
For the exact same reasons we aren't great at soccer. Can you imagine if NFL players played rugby instead. We would win every league.
Posted on 5/14/13 at 10:22 am to constant cough
Rugby is a great sport- if they play it in the Spring here, I could actually see it taking some fans from baseball.
Posted on 5/14/13 at 10:24 am to Bama Bird
thats what im saying, if they played it in the spring i could see it taking off with nfl fans. give them something during the dead football period
Posted on 5/14/13 at 11:35 am to oleyeller
Most rugby currently in the US is played in the Spring with the exception of teams in the North (snow). With the backing of the NFL network, I can see this really taking off.
I dont think there is really any worry about adding another US sport. Currently professionals in Europe and the Southern Hemisphere arent paid outrageous salaries compared to current US sports. That would reduce costs for creating and maintaining a quality league. I am sure the US based leagues could eventually go to higher salaries based on how popular rugby gets in America. Getting the athletes is not a problem at all but coaching them into world-class rugby players is where the US currently lacks, IMO.
I dont think there is really any worry about adding another US sport. Currently professionals in Europe and the Southern Hemisphere arent paid outrageous salaries compared to current US sports. That would reduce costs for creating and maintaining a quality league. I am sure the US based leagues could eventually go to higher salaries based on how popular rugby gets in America. Getting the athletes is not a problem at all but coaching them into world-class rugby players is where the US currently lacks, IMO.
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