It’s done. It’s an organization that did everything wrong. No way they attract new ownership. It will die in the next couple years and USA rugby will have to start again.
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- Thread starter pagliaccio_euforico
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Wow! What a huge loss. I thought another team might fold before next season, but not Houston. Wow!
I feel the same way, sadly. I've been a MLR fan since day one but things are spiraling out of control at a pretty fast clip.
I feel the same way, sadly. I've been a MLR fan since day one but things are spiraling out of control at a pretty fast clip.
This may seen controversial but I think that World Rugby should pay less attention to throwing good money after bad in the USA, they have College Football and NFL, instead they should concentrate to the 6N and Rugby Championship Countries. This, in my opinion, will result in a better return on investment.
It's worth a try, because what they've been doing hasn't gone well especially these past two seasons. Send them an email via their website with your idea.
Mason Flesch of MLR's Chicago Hounds.
Flesch Leads Canada Into a New Era After World Cup Qualification
Flesch Leads Canada Into a New Era After World Cup Qualification
www.majorleague.rugby
MLR is now down to only 6 teams, an all time low. 
It started with 7 and peaked at 13 teams.
It started with 7 and peaked at 13 teams.
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Major League Rugby Announces Full 2026 Schedule
Thirty-three games to be played among league’s six teams; Two-week playoffs will follow 11 week regular season
www.majorleague.rugby
Major League Rugby's Sunday Night Rugby on ESPN
Major League Rugby and ESPN will launch Sunday Night Rugby for the 2026 season, bringing an elevated broadcast to showcase rugby to a national audience.
www.majorleague.rugby
For those who won't click it's on ESPN+ (streaming) not ESPN the channel that shows NFL gamesMajor League Rugby's Sunday Night Rugby on ESPN
Major League Rugby and ESPN will launch Sunday Night Rugby for the 2026 season, bringing an elevated broadcast to showcase rugby to a national audience.www.majorleague.rugby
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Maybe they could put their heads together with the WRU. They’ll be no stopping us.
Wishfulthinker580
Academy Player
I don’t think rugby will ever be anything other than a fringe thing in the US unfortunately. We just don’t have the history and the culture for it. The effort is admirable and there has been some growth but it’ll never reach the popularity level it has in other countries. IMHO
I agree, not in my lifetime anyway. American Raptors of Super Rugby Americas also folded (after only 2 seasons).
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Wishfulthinker580
Academy Player
On a related note, I just looked at every player on the USA Eagles 2025 squad and while I didn’t take notes I feel confident in saying that less than a third and maybe even a fifth or so of the squad is American born. The handful who weren’t started playing rugby in their adolescent years. Just about every domestic player has that same story and until kids are growing up watching games on their dads and grandads laps and picking rugby balls up at 2-3 years old nothing is going to improve.
I realize many national squads around the world have players that are foreign born yet eligible but I wonder how many have such a lopsided ratio.
It’s obviously a good thing to have that influx of players who actually know the game so as to make domestic players better but man it seems like after some decades we could field players that aren’t skating by on the slimmest of reasons for eligibility. That might not be a fair thought. We’re obviously a huge destination for immigrants but it does seem like we’re relying heavily on the aforementioned type of player. On the other hand there’s always the argument (to a certain degree and not always the case for everyone) that if they couldn’t make a successful career in their home country then how much do they contribute here. USA Eagles W-L record may support that viewpoint.
This is one of the reasons I think rugby will never count for much in the US. One would think after decades of having an international program and clubs in metro areas we would be able to field domestic players but that obviously isn’t happening. I think that’s a solid indicator of little to no development in that time and foreboding of the future. The trinity of the NFL-NBA-MLB cannot be competed with. Not to mention the NHL, PGA, UFC, wrestling (real wrestling) and a myriad of other fringe sports (soccer/football is growing but probably still fringe).
We’ve got an estimated 340 million people in this country. If a solid rugby program hasn’t happened by now I’m not sure it ever will.
It’s also wild to me that a few posts above it shows the MLR is going to try a “Sunday Night Rugby” thing. A major NFL night. Makes perfect sense….
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