USA - the pro league

[simostorm]

griff;

Being a player and a fan of RL, I think RL would go over much better then RU. RL is much easier to follow....and more like American football. However, I can see a couple of changes that could take place.

#1 - Teams will have a roster of 25-30 players. The American fans like to see fresh players on the field....and big hits.

#2 - You will have some sort of TV timeouts.

#3 - Players will get away with more things.....less pentalities.

#4 - Will have to be very family orented. Music/cheerleaders/ect. I know the NRL does thise but it will need to be more family orented.

#5 - More protective. More players will being wearing skelitenn pads and helmits.

#6 - You will see bigger players. Players of the size on NFL lineman/linebackers.

They are a few things I see happening.


As for were it could succeed. I think any market that has a big football team. Philadelphia/NY/New England/Dallas/Tampa Bay/LA/Arizona/Indy/ect. Anywear there'sa big football market, and the have a seperate football and baseball stadium.

Tomahawk

What your explaining is just Nfl.

 

[griff]

mickyj, kids aren't just going to play because we send some coaches out, there needs to be something for them to look up to. RL in the USA can grow very slowly and organically, or there can be the big bang of a professional comp.

I think RU and American football players will initially form the basis of a professional rugby comp, and although played under league rules the vast number of RU clubs would act as an informal feeder system.

It still has to be recognisably rugby - no helmets and padding is one of the big draws of rugby. TV timeouts - fine, unlimited interchange - fine but the on the field action has to be RL. If you made it so much like NFL it would just be NFL lite and people can already go see NFL or Arena Football.

It would be premature to go into most of the major cities when you are just setting up. The markets there would already be too crowded with franchises. Better to go for smaller cities, where their American Rugby League team is the only national sports franchise the people would have. Also stadium rents would be cheaper.

 

[drinkin']

If pro RL comes to America despite what tomakawk says it will prob look identical to to the NRL, just at a lower level, their will be very few americans playing, most ex-pats from down under and various other imports, if it sells that will be great..., no one is gonna butcher the game. I would geuss a few washed-up NRL guys and some guys who couldn't quite make it big time would show us how the game is truly played with a few american pheonoms in the mix. If Murdoch attaches him self to it, and truly invests in pro RL in the US it will succeed like everything else his family does in this country.

 

[Tomahawk]

Reading the last couple of postingings I think these guys hit it right on. I was talking to an athletic trainer last night....and we talked about a pro RL in the US. He knows a little bit about both RL and RU because he works at Glen Mills. However he is not a fan. I asked him the following question;

Would you want to see a RL game were two individuals that are role players come in for 1 set of six plays...or...would you want to see same 13 guys with 4 interchange players go at it for 80 min.

His answer was that he would probally pass by the 2nd game. The 1st game he would watch for a little bit because he would want to see the BIG hits.


If a pro RL is going to suceed in the US it is going to have to be like the NFL or arena football at first. I am sorry the vat majority of american sports fans want to see big plays, big hits, and fresh players. All reasons why the NFL is the success it is.

Now when I was talking about helmets I was talking about rugby helmets. Come on do you actually think they would have any hard equipment on a rugby field?

Next is if the US does start a pro league it will not get a fan base like any of the US big 4 sports. A fan base of like Arena football or World league would be perfect.

Finally, drinkin is right it will be teams made of mostly ex forgien athlets. However, you will have to have americans on the teams. Last time I checked the AMNRL does not have a developmental program. It only has about 180 players at most....and that is if every team has 20 players. Were will you find american players? Answer collage football.

Tomahawk

 

[Jeffles]

If Tomahwak is right then maybe RL just isn't for the US. No biggy.

 

[Copa]

If rule changes are beyond superficial changes, the RL world may not accept the sport the US is playing as RL.

According to the IRB there are 37429 registered rugby union players in the US... they didn't need to change their rules to get the players in... However, this is different to making a comp that potentially has broad appeal with big money involved. I think rugby league has more potential with that. However.... country specific rule changes should be kept to a minimum.

I agree on there being more protective wear for players.... there always need to be improvements in player welfare... research and development in this area is always good.

 

[Copa]

I might not be knowledgable about RL like others, but I am learning more and more. I have learned alot from Dave Nui over the past 3 years.

Tomahawk

Fantastic... I hope you get to Australia to see a State of Origin or Great Britain (or New Zealand) Vs Australia clash one day. I'm lucky in that I live just down the road from the home ground of Canberra Raiders NRL team. I can easily go and watch top level rugby league.

I also live 300 metres from a suburban rugby league club and can watch lower level games there

I can only imagine what it is like to live in the US and be a rugby league fan... well done.