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Have just been doing some research on the Ohana Cup played at Aloha Stadium run by Grand Pacific events in Hawaii. Is it just me or does it seem like we should be making a bigger deal of this and supporting it a little better?
Admittedly I never really paid too much attention to it, but the list of sponsors & the stadiun being used are really impressive, TV & Radio partners, Western Union head sponsorship, Hawaii tourism on board. If this was being played in mainland USA RL fans would be jumping out of their skins!
So why do I get the impression RL isn't really getting behind it? The RLIF and Asia-Pacific federation should be all over this golden opportunity. Not sure what the state of RL is in Hawaii anymore as from memory that was an AMNRL venture, but surely some work could be done to get something happening domestically on the back of this being played annually, if not by the USARL then pushed by the Asia-Pacific federation themselves.
It may not be mainland US, but it is USA nonetheless & if we could get a foothold there it could be a great find for Rugby League. It would be interesting to see if Hawaii is part of the "Pacific Strategy". Don't want to run before I walk but if a domestic league could get up & running the opportunity is then there to go to these sponsors with the proposal of a NSW/QLD Cup team ala PNG & Fiji.
It would be typical RL not to make the most of this situation that has fallen in our lap, only to wonder what we were thinking in 10 years when it's probably then a thriving Rugby Union event.
Admittedly I never really paid too much attention to it, but the list of sponsors & the stadiun being used are really impressive, TV & Radio partners, Western Union head sponsorship, Hawaii tourism on board. If this was being played in mainland USA RL fans would be jumping out of their skins!
So why do I get the impression RL isn't really getting behind it? The RLIF and Asia-Pacific federation should be all over this golden opportunity. Not sure what the state of RL is in Hawaii anymore as from memory that was an AMNRL venture, but surely some work could be done to get something happening domestically on the back of this being played annually, if not by the USARL then pushed by the Asia-Pacific federation themselves.
It may not be mainland US, but it is USA nonetheless & if we could get a foothold there it could be a great find for Rugby League. It would be interesting to see if Hawaii is part of the "Pacific Strategy". Don't want to run before I walk but if a domestic league could get up & running the opportunity is then there to go to these sponsors with the proposal of a NSW/QLD Cup team ala PNG & Fiji.
It would be typical RL not to make the most of this situation that has fallen in our lap, only to wonder what we were thinking in 10 years when it's probably then a thriving Rugby Union event.