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I read somewhere last year (I'll see if I can dig up a link) that the plan is to develop the NA4 into a professional, or at least semi pro league. At the moment 4 teams take part (Canada East and West along with the USA Falcons and Hawks) with expansion of the competition to 6 teams in 2008 or 2009 the stated aim. Currently there seems to be no appetite for it with crowds not breaking even remotely close to 1000. Perhaps plans have changed since Nigel Melville took over as chief executive but I suspect he'll try work off a North American model rather than a stand alone USA pro rugby league. Starting from a smallish base of about 4 American and 4 Canadian teams would seem to be the way to go. The player base isn't there to sustain more teams (8 would probably be pushing it as is) without saturating the market with substandard imports from established rugby nations.
I found a quote from a since deleted article on NARugby.com. Here it is:
I found a quote from a since deleted article on NARugby.com. Here it is:
Four teams â€" Canada East, Canada West, USA East and USA West â€" will play in the first two years of the competition. In 2008, two more teams will be added. Then the competition will play in a proper home-and-away, league format, following which other franchises will join the league.
For the first two years, the NA 4 committee, made up of the iRB, Rugby Canada and USA Rugby, will operate and finance for the competition. However, by 2008, cities and private owners will take ownership of the franchises, says Brown. “At the moment we don’t know what cities will take up the franchises, but perhaps, for the sake of illustration, Canada West could become the Vancouver Monarchs and perhaps Canada East will be the Toronto Knights.â€[/b]