Pro Rugby Sevens on the NFL Network !

[ProxyIronMan]

LOS ANGELES -- Grand Prix Entertainment, a Los Angeles-based sports and entertainment enterprise, announced Thursday it has named NFL Network as its exclusive U.S. broadcast partner for Grand Prix’s July 2013 professional rugby sevens championships in partnership with USA Rugby.

“On the heels of our recent announcements extending our exclusive partnership with USA Rugby through 2018 and then moving to secure AEG Facility’s Home Depot Center as our venue partner, the important task of selecting the right U.S. broadcast partner was a key strategic priority and we could not be more pleased with the relationship we have formed with NFL Network,” said Grand Prix Sports Chairman Alan Rothenberg.

“NFL Network is excited to work with Grand Prix Rugby to bring our fans professional rugby sevens championships featuring the top teams and players in the world,” said Mark Quenzel, Senior Vice President of Programming and Production for NFL Network.

USA Rugby, an official member of the United States Olympic Committee as well as the Rugby World Cup's International Rugby Board, had previously awarded Grand Prix the exclusive rights to own, operate and globally broadcast the professional sport of Rugby Sevens, which was soon after named a new Olympic sport.

William Tatham, Chairman of Grand Prix Entertainment, said of the announcement, “From day one NFL Network was our preferred network partner. We are excited NFL Network supports our vision for the sport of Rugby, which just so happens to be the ‘Father of American Football.’”

Nigel Melville, CEO of USA Rugby, was equally enthusiastic, saying, “When I came to the U.S. five years ago I believed Rugby could become a major U.S. professional sport. Olympic inclusion and now a broadcast partner in NFL Network takes USA Rugby and our partners at Grand Prix all that much closer to the dream.”

GPE executive board member Neal Pilson, former president of CBS Sports who negotiated the carriage agreement, said, "NFL Network's live coverage of the Grand Prix Rugby Championship events will exceed any prior exposure of rugby on US television."

http://m.nfl.com/news/09000d5d828419a8/grand-prix-rugby-championships-will-air-on-nfl-network/

This could have a massive impact on Union and League if it takes off.

 

[southwalesrabbitoh]

Good article, and of course 7's is closer to League than it is to rugby union in the way that it's played most of the time. Just ask Joe Lydon and Henry Paul, and look at where Lucas Onyango has been playing since 2005.

 

[Karl]

So a variation of Rugby Union, administered by Union bodies and the IRB, where there are lineouts and rucks and mauls with no play the ball is more like league than union? Why? Because of the smaller scrum (which they still contest the ball and push in by the way)? Because it open and fast paced (which of course is Leagues claimed monopoly)? I've watched plenty of Sevens and never thought "Wow, thats just like League!"

 

[BODISGOD]

I'm interested to see who they get to play on this circuit.

Whilst the channel demo of the NFL Network is good the problem is that July is sleepy time for the mass public and AF so the audience isn't exactly big.

 

[Heritage XIII]

Good move by union. NFL fans will watch the game, think this is crap and thank their lucky stars the follow NFL. Never put league on, too much competition with NFL most likely liking the game :-D

 

[southwalesrabbitoh]

So a variation of Rugby Union, administered by Union bodies and the IRB, where there are lineouts and rucks and mauls with no play the ball is more like league than union? Why? Because of the smaller scrum (which they still contest the ball and push in by the way)? Because it open and fast paced (which of course is Leagues claimed monopoly)? I've watched plenty of Sevens and never thought "Wow, thats just like League!"

I never said 7's is like League, just said it's closer to 7's than what union is.

 

[shiznit]

I never said 7's is like League, just said it's closer to 7's than what union is.

besides the rucks, mauls, line outs, field markings, lack of shoulder charges... shall i keep going...

:lol:

get the f**k outta here son...

7's IS union... the money and exposure all goes to the IRB...

 

[BODISGOD]

I never said 7's is like League, just said it's closer to 7's than what union is.

So you're a bit of a dribbler then?

 

[southwalesrabbitoh]

Just ask Henry Paul if you don't believe me.

 

[southwalesrabbitoh]

Lucas Onyango?

 

[IowaRL]

besides the rucks, mauls, line outs, field markings, lack of shoulder charges... shall i keep going...

:lol:

get the f**k outta here son...

7's IS union... the money and exposure all goes to the IRB...

Money is one thing, exposure may be a curse as much as a blessing. I've heard rumblings here in the Midwest that the 7's deal with Grand Prix, and the Olympic debut of 7's, will actually be bad for the sport of Union. Many of the new clubs, both college, school and club based, are focussing only on 7's, and are ignoring 15's as they don't see the benefit of playing the larger game. I think within the next 5-10 years, you will find that 7's is the form of Rugby played in America, and 15's will be on the way out, played only by traditionalists who aren't chasing the dollar.

 

[Parra]

Money is one thing, exposure may be a curse as much as a blessing. I've heard rumblings here in the Midwest that the 7's deal with Grand Prix, and the Olympic debut of 7's, will actually be bad for the sport of Union. Many of the new clubs, both college, school and club based, are focussing only on 7's, and are ignoring 15's as they don't see the benefit of playing the larger game. I think within the next 5-10 years, you will find that 7's is the form of Rugby played in America, and 15's will be on the way out, played only by traditionalists who aren't chasing the dollar.

How is it a curse? 7's is a form or rugby in it's own right. It is not merely a stepping stone to 15's. With 7's being announced as an olympic sport I would expect that this will be focus would be for every country that is interested in rugby. 27 nations are already involved in the 7's world series that runs each year. This comp runs without interrupting the 15's comps and Test series that also occur annually.

 

[IowaRL]

It may not be a stepping stone, but if 90% of your new talent in some areas wants to only play 7's due to the olympic dream, and money, will we see global growth in 15's, or will the game go backwards in some areas?

 

[Parra]

Don't know what the plan is. But I can see that the 7's game can grow without causing the 15's game to go backwards. If anything, 15's participation should increase as players not suitable for 7's want a run as well. Maybe not at an international level, but why not for amateur players?

But for countries to be competitive quickly 7's is the go.

 

[Masoe_eats_babies]

The growth of Rugby in America will only hurt League. Americans are already associating Rugby with inferiority-complex having smug wankers, and given their ignorance to the differences between the two codes, League will really struggle.

Rugby is growing, but it's growing amongst the establishment class as in every other country. This will make is nth times harder for league to attract working class, every day American folk, as they're negatively associating Rugby(of both kinds) with pseudo-athletic rich merkins.