In the end it all comes down to grassroots. Build an interest in the sport at the grassroots level, and the rest will develop. This is what soccer did, grant it it took close to a 100 years for soccer to finally be considered a legitimate sport, and that came with quite a few false starts.
Again this is a sport where 99% of Americans don't even know exist, so its kind of hard to convince major sponsors to fork over money with that kind of profile.
Someone mentioned getting the sport on TV, but we already have a pretty crowded sports lineup. Both national and local broadcasters have a full plate of NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, european soccer, College football, college basketball, golf, tennis and in certain parts of the country College baseball, college hockey, and high school sports. I think currently NRL is shown randomly on Fox Sports 2, a channel which most of America doesn't get or for those who do don't even realize they have on their cable lineup, even then they usually prefer showing AFL.
I don't mean to sound pessimistic, though its in my nature, but just highlighting the realities of the situation. It will be an uphill battle to gain a foothold in the US, but the rewards are immense, hence the reason why FIFA took a direct interest/role in soccer in the US. With that said maybe the RLIF (and to a lesser extent RFL and ARLC) need to take a more hands on approach in helping USARL get this league and sport off the ground. I don't think the US is going to see the need to embrace both codes, so who ever wins this pseudo-arms race will be the prominent code in the US/North America.
Again this is a sport where 99% of Americans don't even know exist, so its kind of hard to convince major sponsors to fork over money with that kind of profile.
Someone mentioned getting the sport on TV, but we already have a pretty crowded sports lineup. Both national and local broadcasters have a full plate of NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, european soccer, College football, college basketball, golf, tennis and in certain parts of the country College baseball, college hockey, and high school sports. I think currently NRL is shown randomly on Fox Sports 2, a channel which most of America doesn't get or for those who do don't even realize they have on their cable lineup, even then they usually prefer showing AFL.
I don't mean to sound pessimistic, though its in my nature, but just highlighting the realities of the situation. It will be an uphill battle to gain a foothold in the US, but the rewards are immense, hence the reason why FIFA took a direct interest/role in soccer in the US. With that said maybe the RLIF (and to a lesser extent RFL and ARLC) need to take a more hands on approach in helping USARL get this league and sport off the ground. I don't think the US is going to see the need to embrace both codes, so who ever wins this pseudo-arms race will be the prominent code in the US/North America.
