Major League Rugby

[Puja]

As a famous alumnus once said, ‘name your sources’ with regards NY RFC. I’ll send the info on to my bro.

As for League at the Red Bull Arena. I think it’s an utter biatch to get to which may put off some floating voters.

John Layfield himself, who is a major driver behind the NY team. He did tweet a couple of minutes later to confirm autocorrect had got him and he didn't actually mean Garlic Park, but this one had the info on it.

Given the turn-outs that Houston and NOLA are getting and with the fact there's be a team close by in Ontario (not to mention New York will be a likely destination city for away fans to make a weekend of it), you wonder whether 2k is a little bit small. Wonder if they'll be allowed to erect temporary stands to boost it for big games?

Hope you're right on the Red Bull Arena. Considering the football team only gets 20k, you'd have to say the league side's ambition of 10k in their first season is a tad ambitious. Garlic Park is proper New York, which you'd hope would draw in a few floating voters.

Puja

Cheers, Mod. Do the NYC team have a website. Can’t find one for love nor money.

Edit: that’ll be because they don’t have a website. My brother is away for the first match - skiing in the Rockies, the **** - but will definitely be attending as many matches as he can.

Interesting update today - only the first "exhibition season" in 2018 will be at Garlic Park. The 2019 season is going to be at a new stadium in Yonkers, purpose-built with the GAA. Capacity TBA, but I'd imagine will depend on the interest in the exhibition season and the interest in MLR overall. Apparently it's the same site that the Pro 12 were sniffing at for their putative NY franchise, back when they were the straw that broke Pro Rugby's back.

I think Yonkers is a relatively distant suburb from New York proper - is it far enough away/enough of a pain to get to that it'd put people off, do you think?

Puja

[Puja]

https://www.glendaleraptors.com/news/gl ... anizations

Glendale's coaches have gone a-wandering around the UK seeking ideas from and links with AP clubs. I think that's a very sensible route to look at; while I doubt that "providing [Bath] players with increased match opportunities in Glendale" is likely to be a big draw in and of itself to Bath (considering they've got Championship and ND1 clubs that they can farm youngsters out to for similar quality rugby for about 4k miles less distance), there's no doubt that AP sides want their finger in the Yankee pie and would probably be willing to pay to get associations set up.

I'm actually surprised that Saracens aren't all over it, considering the main club in Seattle is "part of the Saracens global family" and is providing most of the players for the Seattle Seahawks. Maybe there's a league rule against it?

Puja

[Which Tyler]

It should be particularly useful for up and coming coaches. For Baths example, Hooper is in charge for the AWC, and a water boy otherwise; would he learn more carrying messages for Todd or coaching Glendale's forwards?
Playing April through June, should mean that any Champ club would be only too happy to borrow Prem players, so that bit would likely be a bit useless. I guess it could be useful to send over a player you don't want anymore (as Bath have done far too many times with various different players out on permanent loan for the final year/6 months of their contract).

As for Sarries, they really ought to be all over this like a rash - perfect opportunity to build their brand.

[Puja]

Oh, and Dallas Griffins are apparently live and kicking, having just run a combine today which they had their maximum attendance of 40. So that's Vancouver, NY, Ontario and Dallas all speaking loudly about 2019, with Chicago heavily rumoured to have everything lined up. That would give 12 teams, which theoretically allows them to have East and West conferences, although I'm buggered if I can see how they're going to split them.

You'd have Seattle, Vancouver, San Diego, Utah, and Glendale definitely on the West, and New York, Ontario, and Chicago definitely on the East... and then you're left with Dallas, Austin, Houston and New Orleans having to be split somehow between the conferences, despite them being geographically the closest to each other. You could invite a 4th N-E franchise and go for 3 separate conferences, I guess, but that kinda feels like you're back at the local leagues that this whole nationwide tournament was supposed to get away from (and you'd still have 5 in the Western conference). Stupid big continent.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

http://blog.mattjsymons.com/post/102ep0 ... ping-giant

[rowan]

Very exciting and I really do hope MLR works out. But having now seen a few American attempts to establish pro rugby crash & burn I'm taking a 'believe it when I see it' approach to this one. I'm not really sure what the major differences are this time, though I suppose there must be good reason for all this optimism after the spectacular failings of pro rugby. Good luck to the Yanks anyway. If there's one nation that has the potential to take over this game completely at the top level, it is obviously the US.

[Puja]

http://blog.mattjsymons.com/post/102ep0 ... ping-giant

Interesting to see a player's thoughts on it. I'd imagine there's a few eyes on the league, waiting to see if this one will be the one that goes beyond the first season. If it does, I think there'll be a fair bit of interest, especially with the likely 5 expansion teams needing marquee names.

On another bright note, Houston got another crowd above 2k over the weekend and that's with charging sensible prices for admission. That's fairly impressive for a newly-built club, playing pre-season games, in a baseball stadium. Hell, there's Championship sides that wouldn't mind that level of crowd.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

http://blog.mattjsymons.com/post/102ep0 ... ping-giant

Hell, there's Championship sides that wouldn't mind that level of crowd.

Puja

Pretty much all of them, bar Bristol, Bedford and Doncaster......I’d have thought.

[Puja]

http://blog.mattjsymons.com/post/102ep0 ... ping-giant

Hell, there's Championship sides that wouldn't mind that level of crowd.

Puja

Pretty much all of them, bar Bristol, Bedford and Doncaster......I’d have thought.

Good news for you - the New York team have announced their official name and are getting their website up. They are going to be: Rugby United New York.

That's right - RUNY.

RUNY.

There's been worse brands. Can't bring any to mind right now, but I'm sure there must've been.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Hell, there's Championship sides that wouldn't mind that level of crowd.

Puja

Pretty much all of them, bar Bristol, Bedford and Doncaster......I’d have thought.

Good news for you - the New York team have announced their official name and are getting their website up. They are going to be: Rugby United New York.

That's right - RUNY.

RUNY.

There's been worse brands. Can't bring any to mind right now, but I'm sure there must've been.

Puja

Yes, I've had a look. Guess who is their first and currently only - correct as of yesterday - follower on Twitter?!?!?!
Edit: there are now 30. Where I lead other idiots will follow.

[Puja]

Impressive achievement, Mr Blue. I don't deal with Twittering myself; I leave that to young people and mad presidents.

Have you used your new press access to ask them why they decided to name themselves after a poo-associated adjective, rather than something cool like "New York Empires"?

Puja

[Mellsblue]

I’m awaiting my invitation to be a non-executive director before tackling that one.

[morepork]

Maybe it's pronounced "ROONEY".

[Mellsblue]

Seems they have an MLR podcast:

https://m.soundcloud.com/counterruck/co ... 9-x-blades

Goodness knows how Digby got the gig to model for their cover photo.

[Mellsblue]

More good news:

[Puja]

More good news:

That's very good. Although I'm surprised that their current plans are only for a 3,500 stadium. They've not had a crowd under 2k so far for their pre-season games (Last weekend was 2,250, before that was 2,100, before that was 3,500 (for Uruguay), the one before that was 2,500) and you'd've thought they'd want at least 5k so that they had room for expansion and to fill up for the derbies when Austin (and Dallas next year) come to town.

Maybe they plan to have temporary stands or they've got room to expand if it takes off. I suppose it looks better to have 2,000 in a 3,500 stadium, rather than have them rattling around in something bigger.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

And more:

[rowan]

Cape Town - The Canterbury Rugby Union and Crusaders have bought minority ownership stakes in an American professional team, the Seattle Seawolves.

The Seattle Seawolves was formed last year and will play in the Major Rugby League (MRL), the new North American professional tournament which starts in April.

The Canterbury Rugby Union is the Crusaders' major stakeholder and both organisations said their aim is to help develop players for the Seawolves.

"As the oldest rugby organisation in New Zealand we are excited to have secured a small stake in the future of professional rugby in the US," Canterbury Rugby CEO Nathan Godfrey told Stuff.

"We look forward to sharing our expertise of developing some of the world's best rugby players with the Seawolves."

The Seawolves play their first MRL game on April 22 against San Diego Legion in Tukwila.

https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRu ... e-20180213

[rowan]

Exciting news keeps coming!

Major League Rugby announces New York team for 2019 https://www.usmlr.com/news/mlr-announce ... m-for-2019

[Mellsblue]

Well, that is a suprise.

[Puja]

I’m awaiting my invitation to be a non-executive director before tackling that one.

Good news - RUNY is apparently a placeholder name, with the final branding to be announced "later this year". New York are now officially confirmed by MLR as an expansion team for 2019 and they have 4 confirmed fixtures for a 2018 exhibition season, home and away against Ontario and Boston.

Rugby United New York’s home match against Boston, which will be open to the public, is set for March 24 at 7 p.m. EST at Gaelic Park in the Bronx. The game against the city’s historic sports rival will also serve as the annual FDNY vs. NYPD rugby match, in aid of the McNaughton-Engeldrum fund for the families of fallen personnel. Tickets for match day are available at rugbyunitedny.com

A quick poke of the website shows tickets are $30 a go which, while not up there with Twickenham, is not exactly freebies. I'm very curious to see what kind of crowd they can whip up. Houston have set the standard for community engagement and creating a hubbub and hopefully the Runnies will be able to follow suit.

Big day for MLR in general - Ngwenya's just signed for San Diego, A.Suniula for Austin, Alex Elkins for Sabercats, so three US internationals brought into the league, plus Canterbury RU and Crusaders have bought a minority stake in Seattle Seawolves. I'm amazed that no other overseas clubs have followed suit as yet, given how keen they've been to chase the dollar so far.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

I’m awaiting my invitation to be a non-executive director before tackling that one.

Good news - RUNY is apparently a placeholder name, with the final branding to be announced "later this year". New York are now officially confirmed by MLR as an expansion team for 2019 and they have 4 confirmed fixtures for a 2018 exhibition season, home and away against Ontario and Boston.

Rugby United New York’s home match against Boston, which will be open to the public, is set for March 24 at 7 p.m. EST at Gaelic Park in the Bronx. The game against the city’s historic sports rival will also serve as the annual FDNY vs. NYPD rugby match, in aid of the McNaughton-Engeldrum fund for the families of fallen personnel. Tickets for match day are available at rugbyunitedny.com

A quick poke of the website shows tickets are $30 a go which, while not up there with Twickenham, is not exactly freebies. I'm very curious to see what kind of crowd they can whip up. Houston have set the standard for community engagement and creating a hubbub and hopefully the Runnies will be able to follow suit.

Big day for MLR in general - Ngwenya's just signed for San Diego, A.Suniula for Austin, Alex Elkins for Sabercats, so three US internationals brought into the league, plus Canterbury RU and Crusaders have bought a minority stake in Seattle Seawolves. I'm amazed that no other overseas clubs have followed suit as yet, given how keen they've been to chase the dollar so far.

Puja

$30 is dirt cheap by NY standards.

[Puja]

And, as I talk about no Premiership clubs being tied up with MLR, apparently the nascent Dallas team has an arrangement with Leicester. No news on what it actually entails, but hopefully it'll be quite a tight one. Leicester were the opposition when the idiot with loads of money (not the last one, the one before) tried to set up a team of ex-NFL players to have an exhibition match before a league was set up (it fell down because he seemed somewhat taken aback that he'd need to even talk to World Rugby or USAR, let alone get their permission and active buy-in), so it's clearly something the board's been keen on.

Of course, we're on a bit of deja vu, as once again we've allied with a team that doesn't yet exist - Dallas Griffins are not yet an official MLR side for 2019. However, they're talking a good game and were due to be one of the inaugural teams before deferring to 2019, so hopefully they'll be confirmed soon.

Puja

[Puja]

First taste of proper MLR this weekend with Houston Sabercats and New Orleans Gold playing a pre-season friendly. Houston won 30-12, probably due to them having been playing friendlies for the past 6 weeks and thus having game-time under their belt. Footage is limited as the pre-season games aren't televised, but this looks like a relatively solid standard of play:


Interesting article about New York here: http://www.the42.ie/rugby-united-new-yo ... 4-Feb2018/. Highlights include that they've already got a squad, are involved in the grass roots and actively working on links with schools, colleges, and clubs, and have had feelers from European clubs about friendlies this summer. With luck, a strong exhibition season this year and getting woven solidly into the rugby community will effectively cock-block the 2019 rugby league carpetbaggers and their imported team from getting too much of a toehold like they have in Toronto.

Puja

[rowan]

Big universities clash:

After battling through four lead changes and entering halftime down nine points, California outscored British Columbia by 12 points in the second half to win, 39-36, Saturday on Witter Rugby Field.

http://calbears.com/news/2018/2/24/rugb ... 39-36.aspx