Mayhem

[Sjrugby]

for those of you who have been waiting for the Atlanta Rhinos Q&A , I am sorry to say there has been no return of emails. but luckily the Mayhem have been nice enough to pick up the Q&A and answered those questions submitted from the other post. sorry if its not exactly the same spelling I rewrote some of the questions.

enjoy. http://llrugby.blogspot.com/2017/05/tampa-mayhem.html

 

[Deeecoreturns]

Happy to be of service sir. If anyone had any follow up then feel free to ask

 

[adamkungl]

Happy to be of service sir. If anyone had any follow up then feel free to ask

How do you go about recruitment in a city where few know anything about Rugby and even less know what Rugby League is? What's the strategy?
Is getting Rugby League a nose into schools and/or colleges even remotely within reach (say, in the next 5 years) of a USARL club?

 

[Irish-bulldog]

I have a few questions. Hopefully I don't waste anyone's time lol. Sorry if these questions have already been answered.

What's the opinion of those involved in the American rugby league scene regarding the 2025 American League World Cup ? To me it just seems way too early for any chance of success ?, considering around 2,000 people know what the sport is in America ?. Yes I made that number up lol. But it seems like a dream not a reality. I hope I'm wrong.

I'm wondering what the American clubs need to do to take that next step in professionalism ? And what's stopping you from achieving it ?.

Where did the mayhem recruit its players from ? What's the retention rate like ? Future plans to grow and promote the sport and you're club.

 

[Deeecoreturns]

How do you go about recruitment in a city where few know anything about Rugby and even less know what Rugby League is? What's the strategy?
Is getting Rugby League a nose into schools and/or colleges even remotely within reach (say, in the next 5 years) of a USARL club?

Thanks for your question mate.

It's tough at times but they tend to break down as follows:

1) By far and away the best method. Great/Headline events. North V South last year generated interest. Lance Hohaia coming down this year generated interest. You've got to get your name out there and then people ask how they can get involved.

2) People seeing your page and reaching out to you. Former athletes that don't want to give up sport at 21 etc. We do get regular guys who think we're full time pro and ask can they give it a go. We always explain that in fact we're amateur and it goes 50/50 between guys deciding against it or guys deciding to give it a go anyway to be a part of the club culture.

3) Friends of friends. You can't just get 5 blokes from the pub to play in the USARL south. While the standard isn't fantastic from a technical standpoint there's some bloody big mean blokes running around out there. Occasionally guys know guys who were once decent college/high school athletes and i'd say this makes up for a fair amount of our recruitment.

What I will say is the line that gets trotted out all the time 'look at all the great athletes that didn't make the NFL' just doesn't work. They don't make rugby league players on the whole. They're explosive, usually overweight after college and can't run for five minutes never mind 40. BY FAR and away the best recruits we get at the Mayhem are former Marines/military personnel. They're tough, fit and disciplined.

As for the second part of your question; not in my opinion mate. It would require serious funding and exposure that the USARL from MY experience doesn't have. I wouldn't want to tread on anyone else's toes or opinions but if it happens, i'll eat my hat. We can get to school age kids, we have an AMAZING relationship with our stadium (which is a high school) that is growing year on year. We can't thank Spinner enough for setting that one up but the reality is there's nowhere for them to go and play and unless we all grow together, as one, into the schools, it isn't going to happen.

Irish Bulldog, i'll return to your questions mate but i'm going home. I'm still in work at 9pm and I've had enough haha

 

[Irish-bulldog]

Thanks for your question mate.

It's tough at times but they tend to break down as follows:

1) By far and away the best method. Great/Headline events. North V South last year generated interest. Lance Hohaia coming down this year generated interest. You've got to get your name out there and then people ask how they can get involved.

2) People seeing your page and reaching out to you. Former athletes that don't want to give up sport at 21 etc. We do get regular guys who think we're full time pro and ask can they give it a go. We always explain that in fact we're amateur and it goes 50/50 between guys deciding against it or guys deciding to give it a go anyway to be a part of the club culture.

3) Friends of friends. You can't just get 5 blokes from the pub to play in the USARL south. While the standard isn't fantastic from a technical standpoint there's some bloody big mean blokes running around out there. Occasionally guys know guys who were once decent college/high school athletes and i'd say this makes up for a fair amount of our recruitment.

What I will say is the line that gets trotted out all the time 'look at all the great athletes that didn't make the NFL' just doesn't work. They don't make rugby league players on the whole. They're explosive, usually overweight after college and can't run for five minutes never mind 40. BY FAR and away the best recruits we get at the Mayhem are former Marines/military personnel. They're tough, fit and disciplined.

As for the second part of your question; not in my opinion mate. It would require serious funding and exposure that the USARL from MY experience doesn't have. I wouldn't want to tread on anyone else's toes or opinions but if it happens, i'll eat my hat. We can get to school age kids, we have an AMAZING relationship with our stadium (which is a high school) that is growing year on year. We can't thank Spinner enough for setting that one up but the reality is there's nowhere for them to go and play and unless we all grow together, as one, into the schools, it isn't going to happen.

Irish Bulldog, i'll return to your questions mate but i'm going home. I'm still in work at 9pm and I've had enough haha

That's a great point about the military, I didn't even think of that, maybe instead of schools create a large military scene somehow lol.

 

[Deeecoreturns]

That's a great point about the military, I didn't even think of that, maybe instead of schools create a large military scene somehow lol.

There's a huge military base in tampa tbf, tried to hit it but unless you're paying decent $$ you can't get near the place. I think five of the mayhem first team (could be more I can't think atm) are former military. They really do make the best league converts by a long shot. The other point re former American footballers is it's just not in their genetic makeup largely. The running backs go well as centres, wingers or back rowers, the full backs as props but other than that they're few and far between. The guys who would make rugby league athletes are weeded out long before college football as it's all about ten seconds of power at a time, fast twitch muscle fibres. There are exceptions, Corey knox features largely in the wolfpack last tackle documentary and although he hasn't been signed yet, someone would be daft not to take a chance on this kid. He's playing amateur atm in Bradford and he's improving at an incredible rate and tbh I think the wolfpack should have took him straight from last tackle although I'm not privy to those details. But on the whole, people who bang the former footballer drum are barking up the wrong tree

 

[Irish-bulldog]

There's a huge military base in tampa tbf, tried to hit it but unless you're paying decent $$ you can't get near the place. I think five of the mayhem first team (could be more I can't think atm) are former military. They really do make the best league converts by a long shot. The other point re former American footballers is it's just not in their genetic makeup largely. The running backs go well as centres, wingers or back rowers, the full backs as props but other than that they're few and far between. The guys who would make rugby league athletes are weeded out long before college football as it's all about ten seconds of power at a time, fast twitch muscle fibres. There are exceptions, Corey knox features largely in the wolfpack last tackle documentary and although he hasn't been signed yet, someone would be daft not to take a chance on this kid. He's playing amateur atm in Bradford and he's improving at an incredible rate and tbh I think the wolfpack should have took him straight from last tackle although I'm not privy to those details. But on the whole, people who bang the former footballer drum are barking up the wrong tree

Have to agree about American football players, I'm a big fan of that sport also. It's completely different isn't it. it is almost embarrassing when they play for 3 plays for around 3 mins max and need to come off for oxygen lol. I can't see a flash WR getting smashed in League, it would break his gold chain. A LB would put on a great tackle stand over him and talk trash while the plays moves past and behind him lol.

The American military is so big, its got endless potential ! Picture if that scene took off, they used the sport for fitness and toughness !. Have you asked the former military guys how to break into the military ?.

 

[Deeecoreturns]

Have to agree about American football players, I'm a big fan of that sport also. It's completely different isn't it. it is almost embarrassing when they play for 3 plays for around 3 mins max and need to come off for oxygen lol. I can't see a flash WR getting smashed in League, it would break his gold chain. A LB would put on a great tackle stand over him and talk trash while the plays moves past and behind him lol.

The American military is so big, its got endless potential ! Picture if that scene took off, they used the sport for fitness and toughness !. Have you asked the former military guys how to break into the military ?.

Absolutely mate but very few serve in the area in which they live once leaving the military if that makes sense.

 

[Deeecoreturns]

I have a few questions. Hopefully I don't waste anyone's time lol. Sorry if these questions have already been answered.

What's the opinion of those involved in the American rugby league scene regarding the 2025 American League World Cup ? To me it just seems way too early for any chance of success ?, considering around 2,000 people know what the sport is in America ?. Yes I made that number up lol. But it seems like a dream not a reality. I hope I'm wrong.

I'm wondering what the American clubs need to do to take that next step in professionalism ? And what's stopping you from achieving it ?.

Where did the mayhem recruit its players from ? What's the retention rate like ? Future plans to grow and promote the sport and you're club.

Hey mate to answer your questions.

1) I think it's fantastic and if done properly will work. One look at the figures involved in Rugby League World cups and we're not talking mega bucks relatively speaking. A relative failure would still be worth a chance. Unlike a pro league a central governing world cup body could put in place central marketing, funding, source sponsors and I honestly think this will be a great success. It's SO important to get there before Rugby Union does because if we don't we're done on a large scale.

2) Won't happen in my honest opinion. A pro league wouldn't consist of any current USARL clubs imho. We haven't the money, sponsors, backing, none of it. We could make a jump towards very basic semi pro status which should probably be the long term aim but it's not within reach of at least 50% of USARL clubs. They're not well enough run. For professionalism you need big financial backers to which none of us have, there'd be no use one club going pro and the rest getting tonked every week. We must grow together.

3) I believe I've mentioned this elsewhere. Retention if you can get them through pre season is almost at 100% and carries on year to year bar people moving from the area. Pre season is where you lose any drifters so to speak.

 

[Irish-bulldog]

Hey mate to answer your questions.

1) I think it's fantastic and if done properly will work. One look at the figures involved in Rugby League World cups and we're not talking mega bucks relatively speaking. A relative failure would still be worth a chance. Unlike a pro league a central governing world cup body could put in place central marketing, funding, source sponsors and I honestly think this will be a great success. It's SO important to get there before Rugby Union does because if we don't we're done on a large scale.

2) Won't happen in my honest opinion. A pro league wouldn't consist of any current USARL clubs imho. We haven't the money, sponsors, backing, none of it. We could make a jump towards very basic semi pro status which should probably be the long term aim but it's not within reach of at least 50% of USARL clubs. They're not well enough run. For professionalism you need big financial backers to which none of us have, there'd be no use one club going pro and the rest getting tonked every week. We must grow together.

3) I believe I've mentioned this elsewhere. Retention if you can get them through pre season is almost at 100% and carries on year to year bar people moving from the area. Pre season is where you lose any drifters so to speak.

Apperciate the answers, everyone involved deserves massive credit for sticking at it, maybe the best chance at attracting those Sponsers and big fincial backing will be after the World Cup if successful, might be the time to strike. In the meantime try and build a foundation on which it take the next step. Wish I could help lol but I'm only in the states a few times a year.

 

[Deeecoreturns]

I live in England mate so you can always be involved

 

[Dakink]

I can envisage a time not to far off where the usarl have a small semi-pro call it 1st div... probably based round the south clubs and a 2nd div at a lower standard but with more clubs....

Your thoughts? The more serious clubs/perhaps better run ones? look to be progressing faster than some of the others seem capable.

I think this could be a positive as similar quality would be against each other.

 

[Deeecoreturns]

I absolutely think a minor league of developing clubs could work but tbh mate i'd have them feed into the USARL system as is. I'm personally keen on dragging existing and new clubs up to a 'standard'. There is a standard set by the USARL that's miles ahead of the AMNRL but it's still not enough IMHO.

With the distances involved we just could not afford to be travelling up to the north every other week, even at lower level semi pro, when budgeted it comes in at around $8,000 a week, if you have 7 away fixtures for example including playoffs that would rack in at $56,000 just on travelling expenses. The current model, although not perfect by any means and yes it's flawed in patches is the way forward. Jax set our three clubs up and if we could offer support and assistance to other fledgling clubs (which we're willing to do) then this is absolutely the way forward.

First year you might get a few hidings but in our first year the Mayhem got beat almost every game. 2015 was better. 2016 better still etc etc. It's tough but with the right systems in place, teams can quickly get up to speed. Maybe when we have the reserve grade nines established (HOPEFULLY this year) new teams could play fixtures against our reserves to get a taste of the action.

If someone came to me with a business plan and a solid route forward for a rival club two hours down the road i'd absolutely be interested in investing and helping out and this is what should happen. IMO we must grow outwards from our current locations rather than drop dots on a map and hope for the best.

 

[Dakink]

Mate I've followed the Slayers since I knew about the US league... however I think the you have turned me to the Mayhem

Do you ever see the day when you have juniors? Or a junior comp? I have zero knowledge of what is actually below the 1st team

 

[Deeecoreturns]

Nothing mate. One day in a far off land but honestly speaking we're 5 years off even discussing. There is a local union under 19s side and we had a serious debate this year about investing into it and using it as a joint union/league academy if you like but the value at this time just wasn't there as there's no one to play. IF we were to expand as a whole into juniors imho it would be via reserves first (hopefully this year), then into U19s as a conference and from there who knows.

Insurance liability is a nightmare in the us for kids