The NRL selling the AMNRL

[imported_Roopy4246]

http://www.amnrl.com/news/103001.html

This has beenproposed for some time. It's great to see it is looking good to happen.

I emailed a guy named Dan Shuppard, who is referred to as the 'voice of Rugby League' on the American website months ago. I told him about the plans to broadcast the games on foxtel (from the SMH article) and he wrote back thanking me for the information and saying he intended getting in touch with the foxtel people. I hope that led to the American content being added to the proposed broadcast.

 

[imported_Roopy4246]

The best thing about this is the sponsership potential it opens up for the American League teams. Just a few mentions on a nationally broadcast network in the USA of the New York (insert product name here) Knights should be worth tens of thousands in sponsership at least.
Foxsport only has a tiny percentage of the American pay TV market, but we have to remember that the American market ismany times the size of the Australian market.

 

[imported_global13]

G'day Roopy, to see AMNRL games on foxtel , how good would that be! The best RL, the NRL, beamed into north america plus awareness of the fact that some americans not only watch but play the game, an exponential explosion of exposure. Imagine Matty Johns leading the sharks to victory over the Knights whilst the new jersey sharks hammer the NY knights,
cheers , Global 13.

 

[imported_Roopy4246]

global13 - only in my wildest nightmare could i imagine Matty Johns leading the Sharks to victory over the Knights, but I do like what is happening in America.

 

[imported_Roopy4246]

BTW - I would love nothing more than to see an AMNRL game. The scoring in those games happens at an amazing pace from the reports I have seen. Basically, It is a bunch of Union players with very little idea of defence playing League. I don't think it would be a great game, but it would be really interesting to see how it goes.

 

[Cronulla_Mania]

Roopy, i think that if it is promoted well, it could leapfrog Union into the American spotlight. Lets face it, Americans (given their sporting tastes) would definitely find league a more attractive prospect then Union. If word gets out and the AMNRL continues its expansion, then 5-10yrs down the track, we could be looking at another fully fledged league playing nation!
David Niu should be highly commended for the job he has done. The games have attracted reasonable interest, particularly in terms of viewing numbers. The irish/american game is a highlight of the year, and the crowd numbers have been particularly impressive. If one or two NRL and ESL teams could do pre-season training over their next year, it could provide for a great exhibition game
MFC.

 

[bender]

I firmly believe that USA can become a powerhouse and RL can obtain a reasonable market share over there.

Rugby league is more like Grid Iron than any other sport. It is only game in the world which could have a serious hybrid game with NFL players. If the Kangaroos challenged the USA to a hybrid game, it would draw tremendous interest in the USA, Multi Millions of dollars in sponshorship dollars and would give so much of a boost to the local AMNRL that it is not funny. Especially, if the Kangaroos won.

 

[Marcus]

I think league plays second fiddle to union in America. I mean the guys that play league have got union backgrounds. Therefore it seems that they would rather play union first then league second.

 

[imported_Roopy4246]

Marcus,

Here is an email I received from the AMNRL when I contacted them about the since disbanded North American Rugby League message board. The way I read it, niether code has made much of an impact at all - but there is great potential for both.

Rugby League on television in the US would be quite the boost. A few years
ago, Rubert Murdoch, R, showed interest in the upcoming rugby league
expansions. He then switched his ideals towards rugby union, which is a lot
more popular in America. This is a shame because many have seen this style,
and thinks this is what we play. Not many people understand there is a huge
difference. I know while I played american football in college, I felt that
Rugby was for all the fools who could not earn a football scholarship. Maybe
even sub par athletes. This all changed when I played in my first rugby
league game. I showed up to party at the game, and boots and a jersey were
thrown my way. 15 minutes later, I'm on the wing catching a pass, and not
having a clue what to do. Since that moment I fell in love with the game. I
have attended rugby union games since then and still fail to find them fully
entertaining. I have watched professional matches on television and enjoyed
them due to the great level of play, but Americans as a whole have not even
begun to tap into their talents. My hope is that when I turn on the
television on a lazy Saturday afternoon, rugby league will be there to bring
me great happiness.
With L Murdock supporting rugby league, things are looking up. Not too many
households have Fox Sports World on their cable programming, I know I do not
but some fellow Rugby League buddies who do, and this could be another road
block. I realize that this will take a while, but I guess patience is a
virtue.
Dream, Dream Rugby League in USA,
Dan Shupard

 

[Cronulla_Mania]

Marcus, how can you say:
"I think league plays second fiddle to union in America. I mean the guys that play league have got union backgrounds. Therefore it seems that they would rather play union first then league second."
????
If you are using this theory, then should we assume that all the union guys who have league backgrounds would rather be playing league?? I dont see how you could draw such a general conclusion......
Lets not forget, a heck of a lot of union players have a league background, particularly in Australia and to a lessor extent, England.
MFC.

 

[Marcus]

MFC, why I make that statement is cause the league played in the US is in unions off-season. Therefore union has more priority over league in the US.

 

[imported_Mystery Man]

To be honest, I think that both codes are wasting their time in the States. The team running the AMNRLhave impressed me with their approach to the game , but I can't help but feel that they'd be better off focussing their attention on places like South Africa, France or Eastern Europe. There is more potential for, and a greater likelihood of, success in these places, and that would benefit leaguegreatly in the long-term.

 

[CanadianSteve]

I have seen the Foxsports RU coverage. They have a match of the week. They have a pregame and halftime show with US commentators, including a former US Eagles captain Brian Vizard. They preview the upcoming game, then show it with the local broadcast announcers (Aussie, Brit, etc depending on where the game was).
The US announcers really try to explain and promote the game to US viewers. They have a halftime feature where Vizard explains the Laws of the game, such as offside, knock on, etc., that would not be understood well by Americans. One time after the main match they showed highlights of a Canada-US womens match. Another time they showed a story on a RU coaching clinic in New York state where Aussie and British presenters spoke. So they are doing a good job of presenting RU.
I hope when the RL broadcasts begin on Foxsports USA that they will also have local announcers to explain and promote the game