RLIF in talks to start US Pro League

[Heritage XIII]

PRO Rugby has collapsed.

Time to pounce.

So Whatwhere, wonder how useless those Texas union stadiums will become? Wonder if they can attract some USARL clubs to play in them

 

[adamkungl]

What's to pounce on?
Professional rugby players left high and dry.
A (small) fanbase that might be looking for something similar.
An opportunity to get a double jump on Union with professional competition AND a world cup.

 

[Evil Homer]

What's to pounce on?
Professional rugby players left high and dry.
A (small) fanbase that might be looking for something similar.
An opportunity to get a double jump on Union with professional competition AND a world cup.

Starting a pro competition from scratch is a virtually impossible task and there's no reason to think we would do any better than RU in that respect. In fact the failure of PRO Rugby should be a lesson for RL on what not to do.

 

[IntRLEnthusiast]

What i think this shows Rugby League is simply that in order to get a Pro comp going you have to build on solid foundations, do it right, have a realistic plan and one which is willing to commit to 5-10 years of hard going. It is an opportunity for Rugby League but not because it's easy but because League now has an opportunity to be successful in a place where Union hasn't been. I really hope Moore Sports have a solid viable plan ready to put in place. We will wait and see... League does have a better product

 

[Evil Homer]

What i think this shows Rugby League is simply that in order to get a Pro comp going you have to build on solid foundations, do it right, have a realistic plan and one which is willing to commit to 5-10 years of hard going. It is an opportunity for Rugby League but not because it's easy but because League now has an opportunity to be successful in a place where Union hasn't been. I really hope Moore Sports have a solid viable plan ready to put in place. We will wait and see... League does have a better product

Moore Sports were (indirectly) the ones behind PRO Rugby. Again, launching a pro comp from scratch in the North American market is virtually impossible. Much bigger and wealthier bodies and sports have tried and continue to try on a yearly basis and the rate of failure is pretty much 100%. Yes, we have a good product but that's nowhere near enough.

 

[Whatwhere]

Moore Sports were (indirectly) the ones behind PRO Rugby. Again, launching a pro comp from scratch in the North American market is virtually impossible. Much bigger and wealthier bodies and sports have tried and continue to try on a yearly basis and the rate of failure is pretty much 100%. Yes, we have a good product but that's nowhere near enough.

No, they weren't. PRO Rugby is/was (the situation is still very fluid apparently) owned and run by Doug Schoninger. A bond's trader turned stadium financier from New York. Where did you get the idea Moore Sports was involved?

 

[Whatwhere]

What i think this shows Rugby League is simply that in order to get a Pro comp going you have to build on solid foundations, do it right, have a realistic plan and one which is willing to commit to 5-10 years of hard going. It is an opportunity for Rugby League but not because it's easy but because League now has an opportunity to be successful in a place where Union hasn't been. I really hope Moore Sports have a solid viable plan ready to put in place. We will wait and see... League does have a better product

PRO isn't the only group looking at bring a pro comp to market. There are actually a handful more at present waiting to see what comes of this situation. There's also clubs independent of all of them professionalizing.

Add in the speculation that much of this has come from the prospect of one or both of Super Rugby and Pro 12 looking to enter the market. And that's just in the 15 man format.

 

[Evil Homer]

No, they weren't. PRO Rugby is/was (the situation is still very fluid apparently) owned and run by Doug Schoninger. A bond's trader turned stadium financier from New York. Where did you get the idea Moore Sports was involved?

From this: http://www.oneworldsports.com/stories/pro-rugby-inaugural-season-winding-down

Thankfully Moore was not directly involved in the operation of the league as you say, I would be very concerned if he had displayed this level of incompetence.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Bagging out a competition that actually has managed to achieve what no one has been able to in its own sports despite several previous attempts and is light years ahead of RL seems a bit rich.

As for number of teams. They are set to add three more from the East for season two.

 

[Whatwhere]

From this: http://www.oneworldsports.com/stories/pro-rugby-inaugural-season-winding-down

Thankfully Moore was not directly involved in the operation of the league as you say, I would be very concerned if he had displayed this level of incompetence.

How did you take a brief conversation with a guy who was trying to bring a concept to market as being involved. He nor his organisation had nothing to do with the launch of PRO. Also, be careful of accusing one of incompetence and not the other. Moore Sports actually beoke US law by soliciting shares for their concept online. Considering they were operating in the US at the time but failed to look this up...

 

[Whatwhere]

So, at least it happened. Which means it can again. And there are groups looking to do just that. Or we could see one or more Pro 12/Super Rugby franchises emerge. I happen to know that when news of Pro12's interest there was 6 groups looking to bid for just the one franchise.

The Wolfpack haven't even played a single league game yet. Let's see if they can survive the great number of challenges that come with running a trans-national franchise.

 

[Evil Homer]

How did you take a brief conversation with a guy who was trying to bring a concept to market as being involved. He nor his organisation had nothing to do with the launch of PRO. Also, be careful of accusing one of incompetence and not the other. Moore Sports actually beoke US law by soliciting shares for their concept online. Considering they were operating in the US at the time but failed to look this up...

Uhh because that is what happened. I said he was indirectly behind the league existing, which he was.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/19/magazine/one-mans-quest-to-get-americans-to-care-about-rugby.html

Thankfully he has now realized what the rest of us already knew, that it was a bad idea and never going to work because RU sucks.

http://www.sportinglife.com/rugby-l...-will-help-rugby-league-establish-roots-in-us

 

[Whatwhere]

Uhh because that is what happened. I said he was indirectly behind the league existing, which he was.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/19/magazine/one-mans-quest-to-get-americans-to-care-about-rugby.html

Thankfully he has now realized what the rest of us already knew, that it was a bad idea and never going to work because RU sucks.

http://www.sportinglife.com/rugby-l...-will-help-rugby-league-establish-roots-in-us

That's a bit of a reach. Schoninger had a lot more to do with the NRFL group than he ever had with Moore.

Regarding Moore, well he has to do it first. He's looking for a $100m investment which isn't exactly small for many potential investors.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

So, at least it happened. Which means it can again. And there are groups looking to do just that. Or we could see one or more Pro 12/Super Rugby franchises emerge. I happen to know that when news of Pro12's interest there was 6 groups looking to bid for just the one franchise.

The Wolfpack haven't even played a single league game yet. Let's see if they can survive the great number of challenges that come with running a trans-national franchise.

The Wolfpack? Is that the only professional rugby club in North America?

 

[Whatwhere]

The Wolfpack? Is that the only professional rugby club in North America?

Seriously?

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Seriously?

It's a simple question. Are they the only pro rugby team in North America?

 

[Whatwhere]

It's a simple question. Are they the only pro rugby team in North America?

Nope. The Austin Huns run a pro squad. Or I should say have just started running a pro squad.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Nope. The Austin Huns run a pro squad. Or I should say have just started running a pro squad.

Yeah right. Even their shit failure league wasn't really full time. The average wage was below the national average wage so players would have been semi pro.

I called the "pro" league pathetic when it was five teams and had tiny crowds. Gee isn't there egg on my face now.






I gave them waaaaaay too much credit.

 

[Whatwhere]

Yeah right. Even their shit failure league wasn't really full time. The average wage was below the national average wage so players would have been semi pro.

I called the "pro" league pathetic when it was five teams and had tiny crowds. Gee isn't there egg on my face now.





I gave them waaaaaay too much credit.

How much will the guys playing for the Wolfpack be earning?

For the first time 200 Rugby players were able to earn something for their efforts. While being able to do so exclusively for a period of 5 months. That actually represents a fairly big jump for the game. If it can happen once it can happen again.

Your pettiness is fairly pathetic. I'd suggest that you should take your hand off it before you shoot yourself in the eye but clearly that's already happened.

 

[Whatwhere]

Yeah right. Even their shit failure league wasn't really full time. The average wage was below the national average wage so players would have been semi pro.

I called the "pro" league pathetic when it was five teams and had tiny crowds. Gee isn't there egg on my face now.






I gave them waaaaaay too much credit.

Huns aren't part of PRO.