American pro comp still on

[roopy]

I just read in the Sep issue of Rugby League review that the Americans are still trying to get a TV deal with the intention of starting up a pro comp for next season (I think they mean players will be paid something, rather than it be fully pro).
One rumour is that Tim Brasher might be captain coach of a team based in Calgary, Canada, where he apparently now owns a bar.
Anyway, it is good to see that the Americans are still thinking big, even if I don't think it will happen for a few years yet.

 

[Stevo_G]

what ever happened to the xrl that they were gonna set up over there?

 

[ExJnrKiwi]

I think if they could do in the West (over the next 5 yrs) like they have done in the East they could have a shot at a pro comp but as it stands at the mo' I'm having a hard time seeing anyone put a dime into such a small viewer market.

The problem is that if they do succeed in getting god knows who to sink a few bucks into it it will fizzle out within the first season. Viewer ratings will be the key to future success and I just don't see the US market as anywhere near ready for this.

Any future attempts to start a pro comp will be hindered by past failures.

 

[hutch]

One rumour is that Tim Brasher might be captain coach of a team based in Calgary, Canada, where he apparently now owns a bar.

i have just come back from calgary, and although the weather was awesome when i was there, apparently it is only like that for 3 months a year and gets to around minus 30 in winter, which would be unsuitable for footy. (do they play footy in winter over there, or summer?). also, calgary is on the western side of the country, and a long way from where league is based at the moment on the east coast of the usa. i would doubt that any attempt for a team based here to join the american comp would work just yet. although if they do get the dollars, who knows.

 

[TheFirstRabbitoh]

Gridiron is traditionally played over winter (and you thought the armour was just for the hits) - but basically every other football code (union, league, gaelic, AFL, even soccer) generally plays in summer.

Playing outdoor field games in Canada or the top half of the US in winter aint such a great idea.

 

[The Electric Horseman]

I have heard a similar rumour about Brasher, except it doesn't include Calgary. Brasher owns a bar there but he would be captain/coach of an American team.

 

[joshreading]

The XRL was a hoax, the Pro ARL is an initiative of the AMNRL.

I personally think it could work, if you could get Lachlan Murdoch on side anything could happen.

Also the Small Market of the North East is over 100 million, I know they don't follow League but if you find 1 in a hundred that likes it you have a million.

 

[ExJnrKiwi]

The XRL was a hoax, the Pro ARL is an initiative of the AMNRL.

I personally think it could work, if you could get Lachlan Murdoch on side anything could happen.

Also the Small Market of the North East is over 100 million, I know they don't follow League but if you find 1 in a hundred that likes it you have a million.

I think you have to ask yourself why Rugby in the US hasn't attempted to mimick S12 here. Rugby is vastly more widespread in the US and effectively managed by a very professionl organisation.

If they're not prepared to luanch a Pro S12 type comp then there has to be good reasons for it. Having Murdoch support Pro RL is neither here nor there. The Murdochs have poored millions in to dud projects over the years.

 

[CanadianSteve]

Gridiron is traditionally played over winter (and you thought the armour was just for the hits) - but basically every other football code (union, league, gaelic, AFL, even soccer) generally plays in summer.

Playing outdoor field games in Canada or the top half of the US in winter aint such a great idea.

Just to clarify, "gridiron" was always a fall sport, September to December, but the NFL season has extended several times so it now goes into late January. The Super Bowl is always played in a warm southern city (or very rarely a northern city with a domed stadium). The Canadian football season goes from June to November, and the games in November aare quite often played in cold weather.

I think the point about why hasn't rugby union started a professional comp in North America is a good one. There is talk of it, but it remains to be seen if it can get off the ground. The US has a men's soccer league, but it loses money, and the women's soccer league just folded despite the popularity of the US women's national soccer team. So a Rugby Union league (I know that sounds confusing, but that's what a Yank would call it) is a long shot, and a Rugby League league would be even more difficult to sell. Adding to the difficulty would be the fact that most Yanks don't know the difference between the 2 codes, or even that there are 2 codes. It would really confuse fans if both tried to start competitions at the same time.

I do think that, even though Union has a much broader grass roots in the US, League would be more suited to American tastes if you could ever get them to sample it. But that's a big if.

 

[roopy]

I have now heard from two sources that a lot of meetings are still taking place, but the American's are saying nothing till they have something 100% confirmed.

Considering the track record of the Americans (they do more kite flying than Ben Franklin), I think it is a very good sign that they are playing their cards close to their chests on this.

 

[dimitri]

i think it is very important we get this right the first time

if we do

it could signal great things for our game

and hopefully a strong tomahawks side in the future

 

[Marcus]

So a Rugby Union league (I know that sounds confusing, but that's what a Yank would call it) is a long shot, and a Rugby League league would be even more difficult to sell.

TBH they would call the union comp, National Rugby League. They never mention the word union, its only rugby there. If you say union they wouldn't know what your getting at, but say rugby, then they know your talking about the sport.