Guys, please remember what the Pioneers team is. Is it not the "National Team". It is an opportunity for all players, providing they have enough experience to withstand the team being played, a chance to help grow the game and represent the USARL.
The team was made up 100% of USA Players (no heritage or imports) from the three new teams in the Southern Conference. This means that every player had only 1 season of League under their belts.
In defense they were just as tough as the NZ team and a few of the visitors found out the hard way just how hard the USA guys can hit. It was the speed of the game and the sets plays of the NZ team that let the score grow. The USA team come together at 1.30pm on game day for an hour and half planning run thru and then the game. 5 Tampa Mayhem / 5 Central FL Warriors / 8 Atlanta Rhinos.
And I can now tell you that there are 18 players who have played one season of RL who are hoping for long careers in the game and are already asking about next season, more opportunity, etc. etc.
And a handful of them proved they will have a very good chance and National Team selection when the time comes.
Righto, well good on the fellas out there climbing the progression latter and gret awareness of the game in central florida then.
Yeah mate, is was a great promotion. Billing the game as New Zealand vs. USA for the City of Deland was huge and really impacted the turn out. Having an international team play a USA team in a the small town of Deland really got the attention of the locals and some media as well. There were a lot of people who said it was their first game of Rugby League and they had come to support the USA team. And having guys from all three teams meant that fans come from Tampa, Orlando, Daytona Beach and Atlanta. It was a great concept with a really good promotional edge to increase the crowd and get new fans to the game. And the game could not have been any better. Massive Hits and 3 guys with lacerations who went back in after getting patched up. The fans were blown away. It was huge for the Warriors and the growth of the game it the region. The City of Deland talked to us after the game and they are ready to commit to the venue rental for 2015 already.
That is the advantage of having an business partner who owns his own marketing and advertising firm. We are able to look at all the data on what works to promote and market to the American sports fan in general. Being able to understand the business of sports from within the USA and get solid research on how to drive a "foreign" product into the market is very valuable.