US Professional Rugby League Coming Soon!!

[Sam_the_man]

Has anyone heard or read anything from the IRLF on this? Do they even know about it and is any world cup money being used for this?

 

[Panadol]

The TV deal is probably the most crucial component for this venture to be a success. Seeing though that a reported 130k salary can be achieved, that equates to about 1.5 - 2 million (using say 60k for lower end players, 22 man rosters). If there is eight teams, then you need about 16 mil, and say 4 mil extra for administration/other costs. Thats about 20 mil a year.

If they do manage to get a deal like that, TV time is also important, as it be so hard to increase the popularity showing the games at like midnight. Midnight games won't rate well, and chances of getting another better TV deal would be difficult

 

[DINGb@T]

I really dont think they should be paying that much for their players. Essentially they're starting up a competition with NRL and Superleague level wages. The free market always wins which means that the best players in the world will sort themselves amongst these new teams at exactly the same rate as they would the already established professional competitions.

What that means is that every American that wants to/can play in the competition will be competing with a horde of foreign players for each position simply because the wage is just as good as back in Australia or England. If someone doesn't get a run in the NRL or Superleague they'll just go and try out in America.

The massive advantage that foreigners will have is that they were raised in countries that have well established development systems where they've been trained since they were very young. No American will be able to compete in that environment, otherwise they'd already be playing overseas already. What this will lead to is teams full of expats which will never have a long term hold on the imagination of the American public.

If they're going to pay $130,000 a year for players lets hope it's limited to 1 or 2, with the rest on a much lower wage, the sort that doesn't create a whole lot of competition from expats so that teams can be full of American up and comers. That or set a strict foreign quota, ala the new Superleague conditions. It's the only way to build a comp that will have long term legs in America.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

I'm pretty sure there will be limits on imports. I think they already do in the AMNRL and they always planned to do that back when this pro league was first mooted about seven or eight years ago.

 

[***MH***]

What's the story on Referees in NRLUS? Is there a development program in place or will they be relying on international imports?

 

[roopy]

I'd be surprized if many of the American players are on more than 10 or 20k.
I kind of expect a lot of American players from their 'semi-pro' Union comp to work out a way to play both comps to boost their income, which will actually add credibility and crowds amongst american fans.

 

[Crippler]

Greg Smith Might con the American NRL into a big contract saying he starred for the Newcastle Knights in the Australian NRL.

 

[Crippler]

If they could offer the top players 60-90k a year then there are a wealth of College NFL talent that miss out on the NFL draft who would jump at the chance of being League professional in america.

 

[fourplay]

If they could offer the top players 60-90k a year then there are a wealth of College NFL talent that miss out on the NFL draft who would jump at the chance of being League professional in america.

and because College Football is so big (crowds of 100,000+ for regular season games) the players all have their own fanbases too. The players who miss out on the NFL draft don't really have anywhere else to go to and most arn't ready to retire after holding a lifetimes dream of a career in professional sport.

Once a few College Football players crossed over into rugby league the floodgates would probably open and it would become the alternative for players who don't make the NFL... and this could provide massive exposure for rugby league.

 

[BCSharksRLFC]

Media will soon be posted on the NRL US site. I am currently working on re.editing footage with music from small artists around the world to be used to promote the league. I'll update when some stuff is up.

 

[Billythekid]

and because College Football is so big (crowds of 100,000+ for regular season games) the players all have their own fanbases too. The players who miss out on the NFL draft don't really have anywhere else to go to and most arn't ready to retire after holding a lifetimes dream of a career in professional sport.

Once a few College Football players crossed over into rugby league the floodgates would probably open and it would become the alternative for players who don't make the NFL... and this could provide massive exposure for rugby league.

This should be our target, and we need to get their before union. I honestly think that once a rugby code gets a professional comp going and provides somewhere for these college players to go it will have a real future.

Also it's not as if this is some crappy second rate talent. Their are a lot of extremely skilled athletes unable to make it into the NFL.

If we can tap into this market it will be huge for rugby league in America and Internationally.

Edit: I don't think the pay would have to be that high to start with either. These guys dream of playing sport professionally and that is what they have spent so much of their life doing. If they can't play sport they will be forced to study or find some other employment. Fact is the sport only has to offer them a reasonable salary and these guys will jump at the opportunity.

 

[Big Picture]

and because College Football is so big (crowds of 100,000+ for regular season games) the players all have their own fanbases too. The players who miss out on the NFL draft don't really have anywhere else to go to and most arn't ready to retire after holding a lifetimes dream of a career in professional sport.

Once a few College Football players crossed over into rugby league the floodgates would probably open and it would become the alternative for players who don't make the NFL... and this could provide massive exposure for rugby league.

Exactly! A smart franchise owner would look to have a couple of players from schools in the same state, (e.g. Florida, Florida State, Miami, South Florida, etc. in Jacksonville's case) to help with marketing the team. I'd be targeting defensive players since they're already accustomed to making tackles and would have decent ball handling skills too.

 

[krudmonk]

I think it's dangerous to hype the league as "gridiron rejects" no matter how talented the guys may be. Rugby league is a separate and distinct sport.

 

[coach]

I notice on there website www.NRLUS.com there main story is headed up NRL 2010 Continues to Make Headlines Around the World.

Then it goes on to mention a story that appears on Fox Sports Australias website http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,,25248923-23209,00.html to highlite the fact that the world media is paying attention.

Its written by Dean Rictchie who also wrote a similar story for the Daily Telegraph http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,25248078-5006066,00.html

Right now the only media outlet who is reporting anything about it is News Ltd through the Telegraph and Fox Sports here in Australia.

The whole idea of professional Rugby League in the USA is no longera secret. If the US media had even the slightest of interest in it would we not hear or see something about it, even just a little bit of news?

 

[franklin2323]

I think it's dangerous to hype the league as "gridiron rejects" no matter how talented the guys may be. Rugby league is a separate and distinct sport.

Yeah true but it can be another pathway for Youths in US. I wouldn't say "gridion rejects" NFL without the padding would get fans in. Not to mention All players touch the ball and can score unlike NFL

 

[coach]

Yeah true but it can be another pathway for Youths in US. I wouldn't say "gridion rejects" NFL without the padding would get fans in. Not to mention All players touch the ball and can score unlike NFL

What we really need to do is get them before they reach college, like when they are in high school. The problem is what when they have finished playing american football at a college level then they totally have to learn how to play a new game.

 

[roopy]

I think several gridiron players who are basically defenders have converted to league in the US and made excellent forwards.
In the Tomahawks v Kangaroos game we saw young guys like Will Brazier with less than a few dozen lifetime games of league tackle Mark O'meley head on and come out on top - which few props in the NRL were capable of doing at the time.
I think backs have to come from american Union to be able to convert quickly, but really decent gridiron defenders could very quickly pick up league skills.

 

[XIII]

Media will soon be posted on the NRL US site. I am currently working on re.editing footage with music from small artists around the world to be used to promote the league. I'll update when some stuff is up.

you making any moolah for it?

 

[Big Picture]

I think several gridiron players who are basically defenders have converted to league in the US and made excellent forwards.
In the Tomahawks v Kangaroos game we saw young guys like Will Brazier with less than a few dozen lifetime games of league tackle Mark O'meley head on and come out on top - which few props in the NRL were capable of doing at the time.
I think backs have to come from american Union to be able to convert quickly, but really decent gridiron defenders could very quickly pick up league skills.

Linebackers (and some defensive linemen) would probably make good forwards, corner backs could learn wing or centre and safeties would likely make good fullbacks. There are some offensive players who could make the transition too, but they'd have to learn to play defense.

 

[Big Picture]

This should be our target, and we need to get their before union. I honestly think that once a rugby code gets a professional comp going and provides somewhere for these college players to go it will have a real future.

Also it's not as if this is some crappy second rate talent. Their are a lot of extremely skilled athletes unable to make it into the NFL.

If we can tap into this market it will be huge for rugby league in America and Internationally.

Edit: I don't think the pay would have to be that high to start with either. These guys dream of playing sport professionally and that is what they have spent so much of their life doing. If they can't play sport they will be forced to study or find some other employment. Fact is the sport only has to offer them a reasonable salary and these guys will jump at the opportunity.

Quite true. You can be sure every player at a school in the "big six" conferences has his sights set on playing pro, and more than a few at the other Bowl Subdivision colleges do too. Overall only about half actuallt get a degree, so many end up in pretty modest jobs after missing out on the NFL.