Rugby League failure in the USA

[Puja]

So, after the big rugby league game between NZ and England in Denver drew just an alleged attendance of 19k (with the Mk1 eyeball suggesting it was optimistic to say they had more than 8k - it turns out you can hand out as many comp tickets as you like, but you can't make them turn up), the promoter has made "a seven figure loss" and has failed to pay the bribe match-fee to the two sides, meaning that the planned three year three-match series has now been cancelled.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/45419360
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/world- ... 0c7a211520

Bit of a concern for the sport - the Wales vs South Africa game in Washington was almost as much of a farce of course (although they did actually sell tickets for money (too much, in a lot of cases), they did at least get in the ballpark of the attendance they declared, and they paid their bills, even if it required some help from World Rugby), but the difference is that a) league has no real presence in North America bar Toronto and these games were supposed to change that, and b) the 2025 RLWC is supposed to be happening in USA and Canada and early signs are not promising that anyone outside of Lamport Stadium will give a shit. That is, of course, assuming that the tournament even goes ahead, considering the man with the missing million pounds and unpaid match-fees is the same promoter who's supposed to be underwriting it.

Personally, I'm glad. I regard the international expansion of league and union to be a zero-sum game - for a country like the US, they struggle to tell the difference and there is no appetite or room for two brands of rugby for the average sports fan. It will just be whichever one gains the most traction that will become "rugby" to the Yanks. Plus I find league's approach to America to be insufferably smug - "Just let them see it and they'll instantly swap over to the superior code." It's vindicating to see that they came, they saw, they got a bit of a "meh" and some "I thought we were watching the All Blacks."

Now we just need MLR to keep growing and the US to get a decent showing at a RWC in the next few years (preferably not 2019 unless it's at France and Argentina's expenses) and we should be welcoming another nation to the top table in the next decade.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

It's all really just preamble and shadow boxing until the Hask goes over to dominate.

[Puja]

I'm just glad he's never had a thought towards RL himself. That might end our game overnight if he took The Brand to league.

Puja

[morepork]

Was a ridiculous plan from the get go. Rugby league. In Denver. Nice one. There may be a vast untapped market in the country, but amateur business plans like this will be chewed up and spat out.

[Puja]

Was a ridiculous plan from the get go. Rugby league. In Denver. Nice one. There may be a vast untapped market in the country, but amateur business plans like this will be chewed up and spat out.

It's the complete lack of any follow-up or coherent plan that gets me. Yes, it's possible that they'd get people to turn up out of curiousity for a 1-off league international, but if there's nothing the week after, that curiousity won't last. Frankly, the Glendale Raptors marketing team should've been all over the people who turned up to that game to try and capitalise on the work that the league lot did.

Not that USAR have any coherent or joined up thinking either. They should be making US rugby tests big events, hiring a top marketing team and filling decent sized stadia, even if that means getting schools in for free and handing out tickets to local rugby clubs. They should be tying in with MLR and having each advertise for the other - the game vs Scotland in Houston should've been capitalising on the Sabrecats and directing fans looking for more back to the Sabrecats, but I don't think either actually connected. And most of all, the rights to US internationals should not be on some specialist cable network that no-one has just because RIM went bust and FloRugby bought the rights off the corpse.

It appears to be a battle of who is least inept, which union is thankfully winning because of MLR.

Puja

[morepork]

14 years ago I saw the Roos play the US league side in Philly. The Roos were hungover and wobbly and the Yanks nearly rolled them. That was a good community day.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/kangar ... dk8a0.html

[Puja]

https://www.totalrl.com/new-york-consor ... d-at-wait/

The proposed New York rugby league side has given up on a 2019 entry and are now leaking news that they're being tapped up by rugby union, presumably with an aim of bettering their bargaining position with the RFL for a 2020 entry. Not entirely sure I believe them - Super Rugby's been burned by expansion and New York would be the wrong side of the continent for them, neither the Premiership nor the Top 14 have room or interest, and Pro 14 is still adjusting to having the two South African sides come in. Either way, I suspect it would get short shrift from USAR (who would have to approve a cross-border competition), as the New York MLR side looks like it's going to be one of the better ones in the league and I doubt USAR would want to devalue their whole new shiny domestic league just for the crumbs off someone else's table. It could be RUNY themselves who've made contact, I guess, but they have their funding already.

Either way, it's good news for union - a one year headstart could be enough to lock league out of NY altogether.

Puja

[Lizard]

Fuck league. The sooner the criminal code goes away, the better.

[morepork]

Fuck league. The sooner the criminal code goes away, the better.

Bitey bite?

Yeah, nah.

[morepork]

Kiwis.

BOOM

[Puja]

Toronto Wolfpack's only home grown Canadian has now left them to pursue a career in aviation. Good work Wolfpack!

Puja

[Mr Mwenda]

He must have got a taste for flying every week.

[Puja]

And now the 2025 RLWC has been taken off USA and Canada and gone back out to tender: https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/us-wor ... 50k5p.html

Puja

[Mellsblue]

https://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-li ... d7a3737876

[morepork]

Word around the camp fire is that they are going after Ben Te'o and Manu Tuilagi as well. It's like a drunken French Rugby Club owner on steroids.

[Puja]

Word around the camp fire is that they are going after Ben Te'o and Manu Tuilagi as well. It's like a drunken French Rugby Club owner on steroids.

Manu Tuilagi has already said no - Geordan Murphy has pointed out that he was offered a lot more by Racing when last out of contract, so why would he go to league for less?

Te'o's a definite possibility, as I think he's only on a temp ckntract in France and absolutely no-one in England has any interest in him.

Puja

[morepork]

Don't shoot the messenger bitch.

[Puja]

Don't shoot the messenger bitch.

Awww, morepork. You're way more than a messenger bitch to me.

Puja

[morepork]

Ahahahahaha.

not.

[Puja]

While I feel no sadness about SBW leaving union, it does worry me how many things Wolfpack are doing right in building their brand. They've got a big name who's being welcomed to the city by the Mayor, they're getting a Netflix documentary a la Man City, they're attracting large crowds (who, okay are getting a fair few free tickets, but they're attending and enjoying, which is not nothing), they're providing a great fan experience, they've got an owner willing to chuck millions of pounds at them for the enjoyment of it. Meanwhile the Arrows are at the stage of, "Oh and there's also the Toronto Arrows, I guess."

Slightly concerned that the same thing could happen in New York, as RUNY don't appear to be making much of a dent.

Puja

[morepork]

Flinging all that money and effort at a sport hockey players could not give a toss about is optimistic, to say the least. Where are they based while the city is under permafrost all winter?

[Puja]

Flinging all that money and effort at a sport hockey players could not give a toss about is optimistic, to say the least. Where are they based while the city is under permafrost all winter?

Somewhere in Northern England. Probably near Sean Bean.

You say no-one gives a toss, but they are getting regular crowds of 9-10k. There are Super Rugby teams that'd be pleased with that.

Puja

[morepork]

Yeah, nice dig, but the point stands. Rich mutant vanity project.

[Mellsblue]

Whoops:

https://www.rugby-league.com/article/56 ... o-wolfpack

[Mr Mwenda]

I always thought such an expansion was impressive mindless optimism even for super league. Hopefully a heartland club can fill in. Also presumably keeps Leeds safe.