Big League - The NRLUS is dead

[Dogs Of War]

give nrl on spike a few years, soon dozens of channels will be bidding millions for the NRL rights, huge potential

As a lead in to the NFL (especially a reply of say the Sunday night game before the NFL Monday night game) could be a winner. Problem is that it is marketed as Rugby, and people who want to play will find that themselves playing a different sport to the one they watched on TV. League needs to drop the Rugby Name.

 

[Jankuloski]

We should just aim for them to know Rugby League as Rugby. It helps people a lot more to know that it's rugby (means no helmets and pads) then trying a new name that everyone won't differentiate from AFL (yes, I've met Slovenian Union players who think Rugby League is AFL!)

 

[Fraser]

As a lead in to the NFL (especially a reply of say the Sunday night game before the NFL Monday night game) could be a winner. Problem is that it is marketed as Rugby, and people who want to play will find that themselves playing a different sport to the one they watched on TV. League needs to drop the Rugby Name.

what is wrong with it being marketed as rugby, we are rugby league, the proper rugby :thumn

 

[roopy]

rugby 13 is the name that works anywhere.

 

[Big Picture]

News Corporation spent 700 million bucks setting up Super League in Australia. How much would it cost to set up an equivalent competition in the US, and who will pay?

Quite obviously, a TV contract with an American network would be required to have a pro league in the US. Considering how many $ billions those networks spend on sports already and the many parallels between RL and American football, the opportunity is there if it's presented well.

 

[Jankuloski]

^^I dislike the "rugby 13" as it directs people that there is another form of rugby. When I was starting out, I played union, but it was called "rugby" - I didn't know that anything else existed. If it wasn't for the lucky set of circumstances that brought RL to Serbia, I would be done with rugby not knowing that codes exist.

This is hard for people who live in RL heartlands to grasp, but we live in a place where when you say you play rugby ppl look at you funny and say: "That thing with the helmets?"

We are rugby, the way rugby should be played, and we should insist on that and not let go of the name "rugby". It could be that the americans play rugby and be the opposite of my case - go through their entire playing carreers without even knowing about Union (not likely, but hey, it's a dream )

 

[SignGuyDino]

Well, for what it's worth, www.nrlus.com is back up and no, no updates.

 

[spinnerhowland]

Sign Guy Dino - would you explain to me your interest in Rugby League in the USA. I have looked over your Gridiron Rugby and the URL site and would like to try and understand how and why you are so interested in the progress of Rugby League in the USA. You appear to have developed a "passion" for it and I am curious as to why?

 

[coach]

Well, for what it's worth, www.nrlus.com is back up and no, no updates.

How dumb do they look?

They are still promoting the NRL playoffs being shown on Spike TV and they were finished months ago.

Also they are still prmoting the 4 nations being shown on ESPN 360. The final of that tournament was played a month ago.

 

[spinnerhowland]

Dear Sign Guy Dino and Coach, please mail your checks to the Axemen and I will personally send them onto the AMNRL so they can pay a full time internet person and IT security company to help with your requests.
Do both of you realize that your constant public negativity is viewed by potential sponsors that we as teams are out trying to secure.
This was made blatantly apparent to me this week when I was made aware of some of your negative comments by a potential sponsor for the Axemen.
We get it, you are not happy with the AMNRL or the NRLUS. Do you feel as if by stating it on multiple posts you are helping the situation.
Sign Guy Dino, do you think that your negative comments on your websites help any of us who are trying to convince sponsors that we are a worthy cause.
I am usually quiet about stuff as everyone has their own POV, until it effects my personally and that happened this week.
So please send your checks.
Put up or shut up!

 

[SignGuyDino]

Um...when Mr. Niu was giving NBC misleading information about the impact of rugby in America (combining rugby UNION information with rugby league), and was called out on it by union supporters, that's NOT on me, that's on Mr. Niu.

http://www.rugbyleague.com/blog/stevemascord/114

Will you please also ask Steve Mascord to "shut up, it's hurting our chances to get sponsors?" PLEASE. People worried about correct criticism are not in as strong an effort as they claim. I think you should know by now that I am not going to be shamed into shutting up. By the way, if the story is NOT true, where is Mr. Niu out there publicly refuting it? Think his website might be a good starting point.

Speaking of piggy-back, why are you piggy-backing union by having a promo involving "Invictus?" That's bully for union, not league.

http://www.jaxaxe.com/Home/tabid/129/newsid540/350/Default.aspx


Sir, it's a MESSAGE BOARD. The idea that anyone is above criticism is absurd.

If Mr. Niu wants to stops the criticism, he knows what he can do: Fix the website and admit the league is a no-go for 2010.

Heck, it's a no-go for 2011 unless they have a real contract in place for television and venues by MARCH 2010. You CAN'T rush a product because you'll make desperate decisions and not have time to really get into a community. The NBA's D-League is a classic example: Rushed a league with 6 months lead time in the south and it was a disaster.

It takes a year to properly market a league AFTER a television contract and venues are actually in place. (Not "big announcement coming soon...")

A year to develop booster clubs (to take care of the players).

A year to have NRL or SuperLeague on TV in advance to educate the people on the game with ads for the new league.

A year to develop a network of sports management majors for internships.

A year to develop a distribution center to sell jerseys and league equipment to Americans.

Up to that year, you need a rapport with business owners willing to pay the rent for the venues in advance (many arena directors have been burned with start-ups leaving town and not paying rent, now demand it upfront), and to set up real infrastructure like I mentioned above (for starters). NFL owners are actually the first group I'd talk to, if just two of them allow their league in a NFL venue in the Spring, it can take off.

It should be marketed as a "developmental league," with the concept being SuperLeague and/or NRL agree to feed no more than 8 players to a team. After 5 years, it is weaned off, and contracts are bought and sold like the "big boys." And get a new name, any name with "NRL" in it sounds like a minor league to NRL which would NOT be supported here.

(And of course, I think they should play 11-a-side like my "gridiron rugby" idea, so it can work on a football field. NRL and SuperLeague can see if it works. If one studies Major League Lacrosse, you'll find they did a lot of great work getting the sport in high schools throughout the country. What has rugby league done? You need to tweak the rules for rugby league to make it work on American football fields. Just my opinion.)

Bottom line: This is not happening in 2010. Or 2011. Better off starting over, without a league name that conflicts with NRL, being brutally honest with what it really takes to start a professional league, and try a totally new effort for 2012.

 

[spinnerhowland]

Thank you for showing yourself as you really are at last. You have a personal agenda that revolves around your own personal gains with your united RL or gridiron ideas. I imagine that you have a personal issue with not being the center of attention and not being able to have every bit of information at your finger tips at all times.
You have nothing invested at all and therefore nothing to lose and that gives you the ability to make comments like you do.

I personally know that the local Union teams love our partnership and they loved the money we raised for them and the USO also got more money for their cause from the Invictus movie.
YOU are OK with us raising money for the USO aren't you?

We are really good at growing partnerships at the Axemen and have forged some great progress with the sport of Rugby League.
Seen as you are airing our your issues on the public forum I will freely let you know - Today I met with a potential sponsor for the Axemen. They had been doing some research and had stumbled across your website. They made mention that rather than actually give them any real info it seemed more focused on attacking the AMNRL (and they assumed the teams that play in it). So I would like to personally recognize YOU as costing the Axemen a sponsor today due to the continuing negative comments that you make because you are so convinced that YOUR idea is better than the anything that is currently operating.

YOU personally cost the Axemen much needed sponsor dollars today purely because rather than just promote your own ideas in a positive light, YOU need to use a negative attack campaign to try and get across the belief that YOUR idea is better.

It would appear that you focus a LOT more effort on being negative towards the AMNRL and NRLUS idea than actually getting a team operating.
Why don't you start by creating a team in NC and entering them in the AMNRL. Trust me I would love the opportunity to bring the Axemen to NC and square off against anything you put on the paddock. Maybe you could pull on a Jersey yourself and have a run??

The bottom line is everything you say ends up only doing 2 things - promoting your own Gridiron idea and bashing the AMNRL/NRLUS.

Do you really think that you are the only one that has all the ideas? The Axemen have a ton of things that we are slowly working away on and as finances become available we slowly implement them. (Unfortunately due to you we are now one more revenue source away from that)
Good luck with your ideas but stop bashing those who have actually invested more than the little bit of time it took you to set up your very ordinary little websites!!

I also find it very ironic and almost hypocritical that after my e-mails today asked you for information today - you blocked my e-mail. The phone number that you listed on your reply also does not have a voice mail and is never answered. It is almost like you are doing exactly the same thing you accuse the AMNRL/NRLUS of doing. Maybe they feel the same way about you that you apparently felt about me when I started asking you the tough questions?

 

[biggestbroncosfan]

Um...when Mr. Niu was giving NBC misleading information about the impact of rugby in America (combining rugby UNION information with rugby league), and was called out on it by union supporters, that's NOT on me, that's on Mr. Niu.

http://www.rugbyleague.com/blog/stevemascord/114

Will you please also ask Steve Mascord to "shut up, it's hurting our chances to get sponsors?" PLEASE. People worried about correct criticism are not in as strong an effort as they claim. I think you should know by now that I am not going to be shamed into shutting up. By the way, if the story is NOT true, where is Mr. Niu out there publicly refuting it? Think his website might be a good starting point.

Speaking of piggy-back, why are you piggy-backing union by having a promo involving "Invictus?" That's bully for union, not league.

http://www.jaxaxe.com/Home/tabid/129/newsid540/350/Default.aspx


Sir, it's a MESSAGE BOARD. The idea that anyone is above criticism is absurd.

If Mr. Niu wants to stops the criticism, he knows what he can do: Fix the website and admit the league is a no-go for 2010.

Heck, it's a no-go for 2011 unless they have a real contract in place for television and venues by MARCH 2010. You CAN'T rush a product because you'll make desperate decisions and not have time to really get into a community. The NBA's D-League is a classic example: Rushed a league with 6 months lead time in the south and it was a disaster.

It takes a year to properly market a league AFTER a television contract and venues are actually in place. (Not "big announcement coming soon...")

A year to develop booster clubs (to take care of the players).

A year to have NRL or SuperLeague on TV in advance to educate the people on the game with ads for the new league.

A year to develop a network of sports management majors for internships.

A year to develop a distribution center to sell jerseys and league equipment to Americans.

Up to that year, you need a rapport with business owners willing to pay the rent for the venues in advance (many arena directors have been burned with start-ups leaving town and not paying rent, now demand it upfront), and to set up real infrastructure like I mentioned above (for starters). NFL owners are actually the first group I'd talk to, if just two of them allow their league in a NFL venue in the Spring, it can take off.

It should be marketed as a "developmental league," with the concept being SuperLeague and/or NRL agree to feed no more than 8 players to a team. After 5 years, it is weaned off, and contracts are bought and sold like the "big boys." And get a new name, any name with "NRL" in it sounds like a minor league to NRL which would NOT be supported here.

(And of course, I think they should play 11-a-side like my "gridiron rugby" idea, so it can work on a football field. NRL and SuperLeague can see if it works. If one studies Major League Lacrosse, you'll find they did a lot of great work getting the sport in high schools throughout the country. What has rugby league done? You need to tweak the rules for rugby league to make it work on American football fields. Just my opinion.)

Bottom line: This is not happening in 2010. Or 2011. Better off starting over, without a league name that conflicts with NRL, being brutally honest with what it really takes to start a professional league, and try a totally new effort for 2012.

if they cant get a pro league up and running soon then they could look at getting an american team in to the super league or at least upgrading to semi professional competition

 

[spinnerhowland]

Sign Guy Dino - would you explain to me your interest in Rugby League in the USA. I have looked over your Gridiron Rugby and the URL site and would like to try and understand how and why you are so interested in the progress of Rugby League in the USA. You appear to have developed a "passion" for it and I am curious as to why?

And I am still waiting for an answer to this question. What is your interest? Your lack of reply is starting to make me form my own ideas. (Oh hang on - that is what you have done with the AMNRL and NRLUS, opps)

 

[roopy]

You can find a heap of positives in American League if you want to - the game is growing strongly, the standard is improving steadily, awareness of the game increases every season - but League fans everywhere love their 'glass half empty' mindset.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

I had a look at the 2009 AMNRL GF highlights and the US Super Rugby Union last night on youtube and I was quite shocked that the Rugby League game was at least on par with the older version in skills and the crowds (and that's no spin, it's there for everyone to see), well done spinner and the rest, you guys have come a long way in such a short period of time.

Sorry to hear about the sponsors mate and I hope you can find some others to fill the void.

 

[Fraser]

I had a look at the 2009 AMNRL GF highlights and the US Super Rugby Union last night on youtube and I was quite shocked that the Rugby League game was at least on par with the older version in skills and the crowds (and that's no spin, it's there for everyone to see), well done spinner and the rest, you guys have come a long way in such a short period of time.

Sorry to hear about the sponsors mate and I hope you can find some others to fill the void.

cos thugby yawnion players have no skill

 

[biggestbroncosfan]

is there any way they could try and get the amnrl grand final on tv over there? or the Atlantic Cup? getting the nrl/superleague or both on tv would be good to watch over the nfl off season and getting rugby league for a year on tv would give them some good coverage of the game and attract more interest but they would have to show it at suitable times so people can see the game especially the state of origin

 

[DINGb@T]

Commiserations Spinner. I always thought the arguments on here from our 2 biggest sad sacks could end up having some sort of effect on American League but I didn't think it would ever be obvious enough to measure. Today I've been proved wrong in the form of one badly needed sponsor.

Here's hoping there's more out there... (sponsors that is, not whingers)

 

[spinnerhowland]

Guys, I totally understand that TV is the only way to move forward in a large step in a short time. That is why the Axemen put our games at least on our internet stream during the season. But it all cost money until you can prove you are a viable source for sponsors to buy advertising for the network. Even with the 2 camera system we use we still have to use a crew of 2 camera guys, a production guy and a guy to over see the live stream upload to the server. Add that to the cost of the streaming service we are still looking at a decent amount of $'s (at least for our budget)
YES - the Axemen are in talks with some people here in Jacksonville to get our games in at least local cable TV in 2010 and those that can read between the lines will see that we are moving our relationship with Tom McManus and his TV football show forward. I am not one to announce things prior to having them confirmed and especially when others are involved but I can tell you that the Axemen will now be REGULAR guests on the Tom McManus show and we will discuss what content is run in the NFL off season. NO this is NOT an announcement that the Axemen are going to have their games on TV but we are seeing if we can find the money to make that happen. SO every time we MISS a sponsor it is that one step we do not get to take towards that goal.
I don't have an issue with this Grid Iron Rugby guy other than the fact that he is negative for his own gain.
He is like a politician that would rather bash his opponent than actually tell us what he is going to do and more importantly WHY he is doing it.
I really am wondering that for a guy who has admitted me has no background in RL and has only recently become aware of the sport - what are his intentions and why he is so interested in the development and success of the game and or the AMNRL and NRLUS. It all seems a little off to me that a random american would just all of a sudden start making so much noise about a game is has no back ground in. He has no plans of forming a team in the AMNRL and doesn't seem to really know anything about Union either.

From what I can find on his websites he started by offering the name United Rugby League to the AMNRL/NRLUS and also promoted the use of his Grid Iron Rugby idea. As soon as there was no interest he turned nasty and negative.
As he says - just my opinion.

I am the first person to support ANY rugby in the USA (and that includes the local Union teams) but when a guy like this starts a negative campaign that has now effected me personally with the Axemen I will get a little defensive about it. Not being a prick about it but I think I have at least earned the right to that.