US Pro Rugby LEAGUE

[joshreading]

Rugby league many say is the game to go pro in the US because of its simpler and more aggressive nature over Union and with Fox links (Lachlan Murdoch being a massive fan) they look to be making a move in the USA.

Here it is at least a start - we will see where it goes what do you think and check out the video - what do you think of that?


www.nrl-usa.com

[Shootmaster_44]

Well I'd love to see it, I don't think it would catch on. For starters there is little, if any, grassroots rugby league in North America. I think a pro union league would work better as players would attend the games. From what I know players are very loyal to their code. The union players would be leery to support the bastardization of their game. Also, it seems that American sports fans seem to support leagues where they it is the top league with the top players. Unless Rupert Murdock is willing to let his stars come over, the clubs would have to have quite deep pockets to bring the stars over. Plus outside of hardcore rugby fans, who can even name the best players?

I love these fringe sports, but I really think these "pro" leagues that pop up in North America aren't the best ideas. The only way this would work is if one of the major tv networks got behind it. I suppose ABC is looking for a replacement for the NFL so they might be willing to take on this venture. But that's a long shot I would think. The only way that this venture would bring in fans without the best players is if they used a hybrid of the XFL and Arena Football model. Add tons of glitz to the broadcasts and "create" stars.

But I'm not trying to be overly negative. This league sounds like it has some promise, but only if marketed properly. I'd hate for a bunch of players to get ripped off like some of the leagues that have popped up in other sports recently. What this league should do is see if either two Aussie NRL teams or the Aussie National team and the English National team would play a series of matches in the US. This way this league can see if Rugby League would even fly.

I think the best pro rugby idea I saw for the US was the Arena league. That had enough excitement to draw in the fans who aren't normally rugby fans. The only other way this venture would fly is if they target markets that have no pro sports. If they are the only game in town, the local media would get on board and the fans may come out and see their team. If you place franchises in LA and NYC and places overly saturated by pro sports, I have a feeling many fans would turn up disgused as empty seats.

If you ask me, I'd say if investors have money to put behind pro sports, invest in stable leagues. Purchase a franchise in the NLL or MLS or one of the other successful leagues and they have a better chance of seeing a profit.

That's my take on the business aspect of it. From a sports side, I think this is a great way to develop rugby in the US. This league would conceivably raise the profile of rugby in the US and cause it to grow in popularity. Here's an odd idea, why not make it a pro women's league? Many HS in the US have girls rugby teams and to the best of my knowledge there are no pro women's leagues anywhere in the world. Therefore, many great international players would be more than willing to hope the pond and play for money.

That's my two cents on the concept. By the way, they website looks pretty good to me. So at least they have some minor leagues beat in that regard.

[joshreading]

I think the advantage is does have is that it is Murdoch linked, also unlike Union many American Football players could swap over rapidly in Rugby League because it is somewhat simpler. I think that the bigger hits and faster play would also be appealing to americans over the confusion that Union can be(even players some time are not sure what law is being enacted)

Australia played the USA last year in Philadelphia and Australia nearly go themselves beaten, now Australia was Jet lagged nd plaed soon after the Tri Nations final but they are all the best professionals in the world. Fox Sports World also said that close to twenty million people tuned in. I am not sure how they got it but that is what they said.

One advantage is the costs could be fairly low to launch a league where most are only part year professionals (game fees) initially.

Has anyone looked at the video promo????? I thought it was really good personally. I would watch Rugby League over Union, american football or soccer any day.

[Shootmaster_44]

Yeah I did see the Video Promo......it was interesting. Not too much about the league in it though. It was just a song about USA rugby laid over NRL clips. But if 20,000,000 people tune into NRL games on Fox Sports World then this could work.

I'm still not sure about football players making the switch though. It may be simpler, but wouldn't this league prefer to have players well versed in the game playing as opposed to novices? It would be akin to Darren Lockyer switching from Brisbane to the Chicago Bears.

The one thing this league would have to do is have video screens at the games and clips in the broadcasts explaining the rules. Your basic football fan may wonder why you can't throw forward or why you actually have to touch the ball to the ground after a try. I would say my knowledge of the rules is shaky at best and would probably need something like this. Its not that uncommon the Nashville Predators of the NHL did the same thing at their games. Plus I think this league would need greater exposure than being broadcast on Fox Sports World, at the very least it should run on the Fox Sportsnets, if not on ESPN or a broadcast network.

It seems though that European sports have a hard time breaking through to the mainstream in the US. Look at soccer, it took many tries to even have a major league since the demise of the old NASL and the MLS still has not gotten the exposure of any of the major leagues in terms of attendance. The easiest way to make this league successful is create an American version. Indoor soccer is much more popular it seems than the outdoor game. Make this league unique and people will come out.

[Pounder]

Yeah I did see the Video Promo......it was interesting. Not too much about the league in it though. It was just a song about USA rugby laid over NRL clips. But if 20,000,000 people tune into NRL games on Fox Sports World then this could work.

I'm still not sure about football players making the switch though. It may be simpler, but wouldn't this league prefer to have players well versed in the game playing as opposed to novices? It would be akin to Darren Lockyer switching from Brisbane to the Chicago Bears.

The one thing this league would have to do is have video screens at the games and clips in the broadcasts explaining the rules. Your basic football fan may wonder why you can't throw forward or why you actually have to touch the ball to the ground after a try. I would say my knowledge of the rules is shaky at best and would probably need something like this. Its not that uncommon the Nashville Predators of the NHL did the same thing at their games. Plus I think this league would need greater exposure than being broadcast on Fox Sports World, at the very least it should run on the Fox Sportsnets, if not on ESPN or a broadcast network.

It seems though that European sports have a hard time breaking through to the mainstream in the US. Look at soccer, it took many tries to even have a major league since the demise of the old NASL and the MLS still has not gotten the exposure of any of the major leagues in terms of attendance. The easiest way to make this league successful is create an American version. Indoor soccer is much more popular it seems than the outdoor game. Make this league unique and people will come out.

I'm sorry. One too many buzzers in this post.

If there were 20 million people watching NRL on Fox Sports World, it would be on a major network by now. I believe 20 million have access, but I wonder how many of them even have digital cable? Of course, I suspect you know this.

Does Union get more high profile players than League? Union seems to get most of the attention. League seems too contrived to me, but that's my POV anyway.

Indoor soccer more popular than outdoor? MISL is on the verge of folding, despite the fact that a Stanley Cup-deficient ESPN is putting on the finals (in a home-and-home from potentially neutral venues :? ), while MLS is building stadia AND, in San Antonio's case, basically getting the Alamodome keys from the city and possession of 95% of the revenue streams. MLS ain't perfect, and ain't even pretty yet, but it's going to outlast indoor by a long way.

[Shootmaster_44]

The 20,000,000 number came from the previous post. I have no idea the ratings the NRL gets. As far as big name players go, as union is more widespread it would seem that the stars play there. However, in Australia the opposite is true the NRL has more of the stars than the Super 12 competition does. Obviously my soccer reference is misguided I haven't closely followed the MISL. But at least here in Canada the limited soccer coverage given to the pro leagues tends to favor the MISL as opposed to MLS.

All in all, I think an American pro rugby league is a pipedream at best. I figure it will go down the same road as US Pro Cricket. They may convince some major players to come into the league but largely unless you happen to live near a team, you will never hear about it. Seems to me the way I heard about US Pro Cricket was Sports Illustrated's "Sign Of The Apocalypse." Does rugby league have a version of the IRB that would need to give recognition to this league? I know that was one of US Pro Cricket's problems is the ICB wouldn't recognize and in fact denounced it as a bastardization of the sport.

[joshreading]

The twenty million was from Fox Sports World, I too thought it sounded inflated however that is what they said.

Regarding players swapping from american, canadian football to Rugby League it would not be hard. Fair enough, the ball players - half backs (scrum half), five eighths (stand off) would need to be from Rugby League or Rugby Union backgrounds however forwards could swap fairly easily from american football to Rugby league, Centres are more athletes than footballers, they just hit holes and run need some size and speed, same goes for wingers.

Rugby League in Australia has depth that Rugby Union can only dream of, so Australia could put some forward, not the top players but second teir players, reserve grade players go from Rugby league swap to Super 12 and become the top line players. Nearly any Rugby league player swapping to Union is gauranteed a Wallaby spot as many Wallabies couldn't even make an NRL first grade squad. The same is even true in England, union just signed Farrel who is 29 and stuffed and think he is the answer to their prayers for the NEXT Rugby Union World Cup.

The greatest thing I think to Rugby Leagues advantage is that once a person understand you can only throw laterals (as such) there is six downs and the ball must touch the turf to be a touch down Rugby League is not too hard to follow and people will enjoy the more obvious aggression in RL over Rugby union where the constant kicking, penalties is confusing.

Oh by the way the International Board of RL is the Rugby league International Federation - they are fairly weak in their power however that is changing and the point that is relevant here is that it is the American National Rugby League that is starting this anyway and is recognised by the International body as the official developer of Rugby League in America.

By the way what do you mean by contrived pounder? Union is more international but the National Rugby League in Australia is by FAR the strongest Rugby competition in the WORLD of either code of Rugby and you won't find many who will disagree who know what they are talking about. The fact that Super 12 isn't even on Free to Air in Australia is hilarious - no body wants it because nobody wants to watch it.

Just my POV

[Shootmaster_44]

That is true that the NRL is the strongest domestic competition in rugby. But I would probably think that the 6 Nations tourney is more prestigious.

On a sort of unrelated note, why does OSC not cover leagues like the NRL or most notably the Aussie Football League? If any of these fringe sports were to make in roads into the North American market, I'd love to see a pro footy league. I would say that it is far more exciting than any rugby competition out there. Sure its detractors call it aerial ping-pong but if it was marketed properly I believe it could be nearly as strong as any of the other minor leagues out there.

[needz]

so is there a pro league in the us

[Shootmaster_44]

From what I gather is that there isn't one now. But there is a group attempting to start one. There are some amateur rugby league leagues but not any that pay salaries.