#360USA: Rugby Union on the rise in America

Steve Brenner 11:11 16/11/2015
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  • USA Eagles impressed at the Rugby World Cup.

    Another week, another sport attempts to break into the American psyche. Yet while hopes of watching cricket take residence in the US mainstream following a legends tour over the past 10 days remains a pipe dream, rugby union has been setting out its stall for some time.

    Over the last five years, participation levels have increased 14 per cent year-over-year with an impressive 1.2 million now playing the game. They are numbers and a rate of progress cricket, as it stands, can only dream of. It’s a sport very much on the rise – the US Eagles performed admirably without embarrassment at the recent World Cup – so it was no surprise to learn of the creation of the first ever professional League which will start up next year.

    Sanctioned by USA and World Rugby, Pro Rugby is undoubtedly a monumental step forward. And it’s primary financial backer, New York based businessman Doug Schoninger, is taking an intelligent, non-grandiose approach to ensure his brainchild thrives by taking baby steps rather than a full scaled assault on sports fans here who remain engrossed with the goings on in the NFL, NBA and so on.

    Medium sized stadia will sensibly be used to create vibrant atmospheres. Images of cavernous arenas with swathes of empty seats would send out the wrong message. Each team will boast a centrally contracted squad with restrictions placed on the number of overseas and US internationals.

    The first season, to be played between April and July, will consist of six clubs, drawn from major metropolitan areas in the north-east, the Rocky Mountains and California, playing 10 games each with a break in June to accommodate the national team’s Test matches. Moving forward, more sides and venues will join the party.

    No TV deal has been struck. Yet that sits just fine with rugby convert Schoninger. NBC has been screening rugby since 2009 yet Pro Rugby is yearning to create an ‘individualised’ experience when watching on TV, smart phone or tablet. They will retain the rights to the League rather than hawking it around to the biggest bidder.

    Social media and web-based streaming will be used to create a fully interactive feeling. Seeing over 60,000 pack Soldier Field in Chicago last year to watch the United States take on the allconquering All Blacks (the previous attendance record was 20,181 for New Zealand versus Ireland in 2013) was confirmation, not that Schoninger needed it, of how rugby deserved a domestic platform from which to build.

    Interest internationally is also on the rise – the new Americas Six Nations tournament, involving the USA, Canada, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Chile, has been pencilled in for next February and March.

    As MLS has succeeded in building soccer, so Pro Rugby will aim to follow suit. Astute leadership and innovation are key. No-one is looking to take on the NFL in its own backyard. That would be madness destined for certain failure. A product which is exciting, engrossing and engaging are what Pro Rugby is attempting to create.

    “The sporting scene is saturated, but it’s saturated with the same product,” Schoninger told Sport360. “Our product is different. It’s an authentic, special sport which welcomes all comers. I am a good example of that. When I began all this, I didn’t know anyone in the game yet now I know many influential figures who are very keen to help grow the game here. That’s pretty amazing in just 12 months.”

    Attempts to bring professional rugby to the US have been made before. The Minnesota-based National Rugby Football League recently tried to tap into the vast talent pools at US universities as well as working with NFL players to convert them into rugby stars.

    That project, however, has been difficult to move forward after an exhibition match against English Premiership side Leicester was scrapped with neither USA Rugby or World Rugby fully endorsing the experiment. This, however, feels different.

    “There have been people in the past who have looked at rugby and thought this could be an opportunity to make money, “ Schoninger added. “Yet that was done without the assistance of World Rugby. Their help has been vital while ensuring authenticity.

    “The NBA and the NFL are continuing to search for world exposure. We have that. We just don’t have exposure domestically and that’s what we are aiming to change. This is a game which has everything Americans like. It’s connected, co-operative, international, respectful. Rugby can be all the things the others aren’t.”

    NFL

    It was a typical Rex Ryan move. One which is aimed to anger and annoy, to get under the opponent’s skin. Yet the decision to name IK Enemkpali as the Buffalo Bills captain, the man who was sacked by the NY Jets after disgracefully breaking quarterback Geno Smith’s jaw in a locker room fight in August, was ill-judged and horrifically ill-conceived.

    Ryan, returning to Meadowlands for the first time since his axing this summer, should have let his team – who ran out 22-17 victors – do the talking. Instead he flamed a fire which should have been extinguished once and for all.

    Ryan always appoints players who come up against their former teams as captain though this was one night when that should have been put to bed. It was tantamount to endorsing the shocking attack on Smith. The attempt to defend the decision was equally pitiful.

    “I’ve always done that,“ Ryan sneered. “You know what? He’s not a bad kid. You think that’s the first fight that’s ever happened in an NFL locker room? Every single team has had fights in their locker room, OK? It would’ve been a story had I not named him captain.” No Rex. No it wouldn’t have.

    Soccer

    The announcement from US soccer that heading the ball is to be outlawed for players under the age of 10 was met with a mix of approval and dissention.

    It was however widely expected following a 2014 lawsuit filed against them as well as US Youth Soccer, the American Youth Soccer Organisation, US Club Soccer and the California Youth Soccer Association which aimed to stem the rising numbers of concussions found in young players.

    Naturally, many poured scorn on an idea which has not been given the seal of approval from FIFA. Yet it’s without doubt a step in the right direction of raising awareness of a problem which continues to blight the NFL and football players of all ages.

    The new directive includes steps to set up uniform concussion management and return-to-play protocols. Children aged between 11 and 13 can only head in training.

    “With the elimination of heading in youth soccer practice for early age players, the chance for head injury is greatly reduced, “ said TV analyst and former US assistant coach Dr. Joseph Machnik. It will be fascinating to see if other countries follow suit.

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