USARL Midwest Update

[The Stockyarder]

We managed to hold a trial game in Chicago this past weekend at Winnemac Park to ensure that at least some league was played in the city in 2019. Not an ideal year for us but we will be back in 2020. We need to be better and we will be. A Stockyarders team beat a MW selection by 5 tries to 4. Some new talent on show who have previously only played union in the Midwest with some players travelling from as far as Cincinnati to play. Nick Argy was the star of the show with a hat-trick. We will be back and look out for #ThisisChicagoRL around the social media pipeline in lead up to 2020.

 

[adamkungl]

I gotta ask - hopefully no one takes this as a direct criticism - but has there been any consideration to starting a conference but *not* joining the USARL competition? Try to build 4 teams from around the Chicago metro region and surrounding towns (10 Million+ population) and play amongst yourselves for the short term? Even a modified ruleset to promote participation (11 or 12 players per team for example)

Purely from observation, purely my own thoughts with no involvement whatsoever, it is starting to look to me like that USARL is unsustainable in it's current form, or at least plateaued in what it can achieve. The distances involved take immense commitment from the players and club staff.
If you tried to build an amateur comp like this in a country where RL is actually popular, you would fail miserably. No one in Sydney is gonna drive 6 hours for a game. So in that sense, it's a testament to those involved. Amazing efforts. But in another, I have to think it limits the ability to recruit new players. How much potential interest is turned off by the travel commitments?

Exhibit A is Atalanta making the playoffs but being unable to afford to attend. A sad way to end a season and a poor reflection of the competition.

I wonder if disbanding the current structure into State or even City based Leagues might be more effective. In places where there are currently 1 club in a city, would it be possible to maybe have 4 clubs if you removed the obstacle of big travel? Make participation as easy and accessible as possible.

If you had 4 teams around Chicago (example) you could play each other 3 times between June and August for 9 games each, + a Final for the top 2. Then maybe have a national knockout series in October or November with the champions from other conferences.
This looks kinda similar to the current setup, with two key differences:
1. More localised competitions. Limiting it in size greatly reduces travel time and expense. The existing Northern conference would be split into 2 or 3 smaller leagues, focused around NYC, Boston, and Washington DC. Lower costs might revive the DC Slayer and NY Knights and generate a chance for new clubs to emerge.
2. The 2 month break between the regular season and Champions knockout/playoffs gives teams a lot more time to budget and prepare for the travel requirements.

Obviously creating 4 teams from nothing around 1 city is easier said than done, I'm really not trying to minimise anyones efforts or achievements. But I think the sport needs to think outside the box in difficult markets. Sometimes a step backwards is required to progress forwards.

 

[The Stockyarder]

These are all valid points and certainly not taken as a criticism. We are always glad to hear of overseas fans taking an interest in our local scene so all feedback is always most welcome and greatly appreciated.

Regarding a local conference, this is essentially what we have been trying for 10 years but there is always one missing ingredient...people willing to operate / finance teams.

The only way to join the USARL is to create our own conference. Whether we go alone or work with the USARL, the dream has always been the same - find three other willing owner /operators within a couple of hours drive of Chicago.

In 2012 we had this with the Stockyarders, Western Storm, Iowa City Crash and Lewis University but guys involved in teams move on and without someone willing to take over teams fall away.

Since then aside from fleeting interest from two separate parties in Ohio last year, we have yet to find another Midwest team or a single person with a serious interest in owning / operating another
MW team.

We (The Stockyarders) aren't going away any time soon and we'll be here to work with anyone who wishes to take up the challenge. The USARL are a huge support to us in terms of helping with insurance and infrastructure so we are very much a part of this community and it would be counterproductive for us not to be a part of USARL.

We have an alternative plan for 2020 that is an exciting prospect for us. We hope this will be a step in the right direction and it will no longer require us waiting for other parties to take up the baton in our region.

Hope this information helps and it's great that this forum brings the interest that it does.

Look out for #ThisisChicagoRL in 2020!

Kind Regards

Mike Featherstone
(Owner / Founder Midwest Rugby League LLC / Chicago Stockyarders RLFC)

 

[adamkungl]

Having seen other nations/leagues similar struggles, you're right that finding leaders/owners is the biggest challenge.
Anecdotally and with limited experience, finding players is not too difficult with the opportunities social media gives us these days.

But finding someone willing to take on the responsibility of a club or nation with almost no support from the higher bodies is a far steeper ask.

 

[The Stockyarder]

Having seen other nations/leagues similar struggles, you're right that finding leaders/owners is the biggest challenge.
Anecdotally and with limited experience, finding players is not too difficult with the opportunities social media gives us these days.

But finding someone willing to take on the responsibility of a club or nation with almost no support from the higher bodies is a far steeper ask.

Having seen other nations/leagues similar struggles, you're right that finding leaders/owners is the biggest challenge.
Anecdotally and with limited experience, finding players is not too difficult with the opportunities social media gives us these days.

But finding someone willing to take on the responsibility of a club or nation with almost no support from the higher bodies is a far steeper ask.

You've hit the nail on the head....

When we were able to offer serious opposition and an opportunity to play a full 80 minute, 13 a-side game last year v Ontario RL...we had 21 guys suit up.

If the infrastructure is there, playing numbers are typically strong here.

 

[Deeecoreturns]

I gotta ask - hopefully no one takes this as a direct criticism - but has there been any consideration to starting a conference but *not* joining the USARL competition? Try to build 4 teams from around the Chicago metro region and surrounding towns (10 Million+ population) and play amongst yourselves for the short term? Even a modified ruleset to promote participation (11 or 12 players per team for example)

Purely from observation, purely my own thoughts with no involvement whatsoever, it is starting to look to me like that USARL is unsustainable in it's current form, or at least plateaued in what it can achieve. The distances involved take immense commitment from the players and club staff.
If you tried to build an amateur comp like this in a country where RL is actually popular, you would fail miserably. No one in Sydney is gonna drive 6 hours for a game. So in that sense, it's a testament to those involved. Amazing efforts. But in another, I have to think it limits the ability to recruit new players. How much potential interest is turned off by the travel commitments?

Exhibit A is Atalanta making the playoffs but being unable to afford to attend. A sad way to end a season and a poor reflection of the competition.

I wonder if disbanding the current structure into State or even City based Leagues might be more effective. In places where there are currently 1 club in a city, would it be possible to maybe have 4 clubs if you removed the obstacle of big travel? Make participation as easy and accessible as possible.

If you had 4 teams around Chicago (example) you could play each other 3 times between June and August for 9 games each, + a Final for the top 2. Then maybe have a national knockout series in October or November with the champions from other conferences.
This looks kinda similar to the current setup, with two key differences:
1. More localised competitions. Limiting it in size greatly reduces travel time and expense. The existing Northern conference would be split into 2 or 3 smaller leagues, focused around NYC, Boston, and Washington DC. Lower costs might revive the DC Slayer and NY Knights and generate a chance for new clubs to emerge.
2. The 2 month break between the regular season and Champions knockout/playoffs gives teams a lot more time to budget and prepare for the travel requirements.

Obviously creating 4 teams from nothing around 1 city is easier said than done, I'm really not trying to minimise anyones efforts or achievements. But I think the sport needs to think outside the box in difficult markets. Sometimes a step backwards is required to progress forwards.

Some fantastic points there and tbh it's the way i'd personally move the usarl as well

 

[welshmagpie]

I gotta ask - hopefully no one takes this as a direct criticism - but has there been any consideration to starting a conference but *not* joining the USARL competition? Try to build 4 teams from around the Chicago metro region and surrounding towns (10 Million+ population) and play amongst yourselves for the short term? Even a modified ruleset to promote participation (11 or 12 players per team for example)

Purely from observation, purely my own thoughts with no involvement whatsoever, it is starting to look to me like that USARL is unsustainable in it's current form, or at least plateaued in what it can achieve. The distances involved take immense commitment from the players and club staff.
If you tried to build an amateur comp like this in a country where RL is actually popular, you would fail miserably. No one in Sydney is gonna drive 6 hours for a game. So in that sense, it's a testament to those involved. Amazing efforts. But in another, I have to think it limits the ability to recruit new players. How much potential interest is turned off by the travel commitments?

Exhibit A is Atalanta making the playoffs but being unable to afford to attend. A sad way to end a season and a poor reflection of the competition.

I wonder if disbanding the current structure into State or even City based Leagues might be more effective. In places where there are currently 1 club in a city, would it be possible to maybe have 4 clubs if you removed the obstacle of big travel? Make participation as easy and accessible as possible.

If you had 4 teams around Chicago (example) you could play each other 3 times between June and August for 9 games each, + a Final for the top 2. Then maybe have a national knockout series in October or November with the champions from other conferences.
This looks kinda similar to the current setup, with two key differences:
1. More localised competitions. Limiting it in size greatly reduces travel time and expense. The existing Northern conference would be split into 2 or 3 smaller leagues, focused around NYC, Boston, and Washington DC. Lower costs might revive the DC Slayer and NY Knights and generate a chance for new clubs to emerge.
2. The 2 month break between the regular season and Champions knockout/playoffs gives teams a lot more time to budget and prepare for the travel requirements.

Obviously creating 4 teams from nothing around 1 city is easier said than done, I'm really not trying to minimise anyones efforts or achievements. But I think the sport needs to think outside the box in difficult markets. Sometimes a step backwards is required to progress forwards.

Absolutely spot on.

 

[adamkungl]

Some fantastic points there and tbh it's the way i'd personally move the usarl as well

There would be some unfortunate short term pain - an obvious one is in my model Atlanta would probably have to temporarily withdraw because they sit in USARL-no-mans-land.
They could still play exhibition matches against anyone willing while they try to rebuild as a local conference rather than a single club.