US League set for lift off

[Big Picture]

According to Steve Mascord, details here: http://www.rugbyleague.com/rugby-league-news/us-league-set-for-lift.html

 

[babyg]

According to Steve Mascord, details here: http://www.rugbyleague.com/rugby-league-news/us-league-set-for-lift.html

awsome news. No idea what Nui was going on about regarding rugby union.

 

[fourplay]

Games would be played on pitches fitted with American Football goalposts and the first season would act as trial for each of host cities to ascertain which should have teams in the years ahead, he added.

I don't really like this part unless they are playing 11 a side. The fields are too narrow and it makes rugby league look almost as congested as rugby union.

awsome news. No idea what Nui was going on about regarding rugby union.

I'm pretty sure he's saying RU is trying to sabotage RL's attempts to get a TV deal.

 

[playdaball]

Good luck to them

 

[adamkungl]

The Super League kickoff rule? Odd decision. Otherwise, fantastic news

 

[Evil Homer]

The kickoffs are presumably for parity with American Football.

Great to see some news at last, still not sure why everything is so hush-hush but it's progress at least.

 

[Big Picture]

The Super League kickoff rule? Odd decision. Otherwise, fantastic news

If they move them back to the 40 rather than keeping them at the 50 it could make the games very interesting!

 

[adamkungl]

The kickoffs are presumably for parity with American Football.

Great to see some news at last, still not sure why everything is so hush-hush but it's progress at least.

I suppose in a new comp in a new country there is potential for higher than normal amounts of high scoring games, this could be an attempt to keep posession fairly even?

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Good luck to the Americans.

Pity they couldn't get the use of soccer grounds.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Hopefully this will happen now. I've had enough of false dawns from the US. It seems odd that players will be leaving Australia, NZ or Britain mid-season to play six weeks of football in America. But I guess it's plausible that players in the second and third tier might be able to do such a thing.

 

[roopy]

If they can get 50 or so really professional looking games on HD tape and show them on US TV, and possibly Aus and UK TV, they have a start they can build on.

 

[Jankuloski]

I suggest they rename to Phoenix Rugby League as they have risen from the ashes I wrote them off completely. Fantastic news!

 

[LESStar58]

According to Steve Mascord, details here: http://www.rugbyleague.com/rugby-league-news/us-league-set-for-lift.html

Whoa! Big news and a fantastic article. Whenever I read about RL making in roads in the USA I always remember that quote from a very impressed Yank after the Origin exhibition in 1987;

"That makes American Football look like a John Denver concert!"

Add to this the latest glowing endorsement we got from Sir Charles "The ROund Mound of Rebound" Barkley and the broadcast into 50 MILLION homes... I reckon if we get enough of the Yanks interested they could have a 12-16 team competition set up there in future. I mean, it took the Yanks long enough to figure out soccer and now they have a decent competition in the MLS. Who is to say rugby league can't get it right in the future?

 

[coach]

Good news if it happens. But I will belive it when I see it.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

oh well, the old union code has had 100+ years to try and crack the US market and failed miserably, time for real Rugby to give it a crack.

 

[LESStar58]

Put Rusty on Monday night football and show some NRL clips...

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Anyone know if Spike TV is going to continue their coverage of the NRL this year?

 

[Pablo-13]

I don't really like this part unless they are playing 11 a side. The fields are too narrow and it makes rugby league look almost as congested as rugby union.

It doesn't say explicitly that the pitches will be American football sized, just that they will be using that type of post - which is ok according to the laws of the game. :?

Fantastic news either way!

 

[Evil Homer]

Put Rusty on Monday night football and show some NRL clips...

Not really related to the thread but Crowe may not be the only Hollywood option we have

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Holly...film+star+friend;+Movie+legend...-a0212838831

 

[***MH***]

I don't really like this part unless they are playing 11 a side. The fields are too narrow and it makes rugby league look almost as congested as rugby union.

It's not to say that they can't remark the width of the field for the competition. They've said it would be played in NFL offseason and some MLS teams use the NFL stadiums for competition.

Gillette Stadium in New England expands it's width for Soccer.
RFK Stadium in Washington DC also accomodates for MLS.
Qwest Field in Seattle has the field width set for 67m for their Soccer team, Seattle Sounders FC.

Qwest Stadium

The playing field for NFL is narrow but you will notice that there is still a good 20m of distance from the NFL Sidelines to the fence. That extra space is required for the vast amount of bench players awaiting to take the field for offensive, defensive or special team formations. Not to mention all the playing staff, coaches, managers and trainers.

The standard playing width in NFL is 48m. You can get a width of 68 by adding 10m of playing width to each side of the field.

A good Rugby League width can be from anywhere between 55m to 68m. 68m is the maximum width for a League field but the law book advises that the dementions should be near to maximum as possible which allows for narrower fields.