Rugby breakaway league coming.

[Which Tyler]

So they're spending £40m on internationals, if that's split between the 8 teams then each side has a £5m wage bill before signing the additional 30+ players they need to make their squad
Sounds really viable

But they're also doubling the money of players like Dupont, Farrell, Russell, Kolbe and De Klerk who are already on a million or so...

 

[jordiev]

I just don't see this being an issue in the current climate, rugby at this current moment (in my opinion through mismanagement from world rugby) is a niche game that is huge in only a handful of nations, normally these break aways come in. Sports with large footprints and as others have stated with infrastructure in place. Rugby doesnt have that, rugby is more like cricket but without a nation as rich as India having it as their number 1 sport to drive private investment worldwide.

The sport cant even get a foothold in America never mind a privately funded supper league where your audience is limited and their is little money to be made. England, one of its biggest markets struggles to run a sustainable domestic game that it now ring fenced and still often runs at heavy losses.

We love rugby obviously, but on an international Money making level, it just isnt a factor, France is the only country that has somehow managed to get a league system that runs at a profit and increases private investment. Ireland or Leinster to some degree as well, but thats much more a region of a country being so in love with the sport they invest at a loss due to the passion for it.

Should it's be more popular worldwide? In my opinion obviously, especially 7's which in my opinion is one of the best shortened formats in sport and could easily bring in new audiences and help support 15's as Argentina have shown with their 7'ss being a pipeline into 15'.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Saudis failed to buy game of golf – why would rugby’s breakaway fare better?

Despite what rugby’s rulers believe, the idea of a new global league with huge US investment and financial sustainability is far from the game’s priority

www.thetimes.com

 

[mdaclarke]

So they're spending £40m on internationals, if that's split between the 8 teams then each side has a £5m wage bill before signing the additional 30+ players they need to make their squad
Sounds really viable

I just don't see the market for it in the USA. Could work in the middle east though.

I think the only 2 countries that won't be hurt by this are
(a) France, the Top 14 have enough money to fight them off, and
(b) South Africa, the fans are used to their stars playing abroad, this will be another Japanese League, a place for their highly paid superstars to play, freeing up much needed places for their young talent.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

I just don't see the market for it in the USA. Could work in the middle east though.

I think the only 2 countries that won't be hurt by this are
(a) France, the Top 14 have enough money to fight them off, and
(b) South Africa, the fans are used to their stars playing abroad, this will be another Japanese League, a place for their highly paid superstars to play, freeing up much needed places for their young talent.

So basically the World Cup might become a battle between those two with every other country sending much lower quality teams.