What is the Leicester's plan in America?

[AmericanRugby]

I see a lot of post on here about the internal politics of the game right now... But I was more interested in seeing where Foreign interest lays with American Rugby. As I stated in the original post, the Leicester Tigers clearly see an opportunity here.

And clearly there is. Any investor could notice this. However what is their plan? and why aren't other foreign teams trying make their claim here.

I almost see this as a colonial era for rugby in America. A bunch of European clubs vying for power in the last frontier of Rugby.

 

[RedruthRFC]

I see a lot of post on here about the internal politics of the game right now... But I was more interested in seeing where Foreign interest lays with American Rugby. As I stated in the original post, the Leicester Tigers clearly see an opportunity here.

And clearly there is. Any investor could notice this. However what is their plan? and why aren't other foreign teams trying make their claim here.

I almost see this as a colonial era for rugby in America. A bunch of European clubs vying for power in the last frontier of Rugby.

Purely IMO and not based on any reading or research I've done, but I would say that the foreign interest lies for the most part with official bodies, not with supporters at large. As you say, the US market is a massive one, particularly in sporting terms, so it's natural that people see commercial opportunity there. On top of that it is part of World Rugby's remit to expand the game into new markets.

I have no idea what their plan is, but I hope that it's well researched / thought through, not just a case of "lets play a match in the USA, that'll get us loads of new fans there and make us a fortune!". Why aren't we hearing more of this? I would guess that it comes down to money. Leicester are a fairly rare thing within rugby - a successful business that fields a rugby team. Certainly in England and Wales there are few clubs whose activities raise a significant enough surplus to be able to write off the cost of this exercise. The French clubs certainly have huge playing budgets, but do they have spare cash to spend on an exercise like this? Are the owners concerned with building the club as a business or are they content to leave them as a financial black hole?

Do you have any articles you could share regarding the growth of rugby in the states and the potential value of the market? My gut feeling is that it is potentially very lucrative, but that it's going to be exceedingly difficult to break into, why is why I say that I hope plans have been thought through carefully.

 

[ratsapprentice]

One of the two main guys behind the NRFL, ladies and gentlemen...

:lol:

More in here: http://www.t2rugby.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=32&start=925

And here: http://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/comments/38x74s/usa_rugby_officially_block_leicesters_fixture/

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Did he just say the NRFL bunch can:
a) Beat the Tigers asses off (?!)
and b) Beat the All Blacks?


Why doesn't he want to follow the MLS style? Sure it's a longer gameplan but MLS is going from strength to strength.
He's following the game plan of those weird American Football type spinoffs that pump a ton of money in on day one and then crumble after a year or two, like XFL.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Yes - yes he did.

This is a ****ing goldmine: http://imgur.com/a/6g1eX

 

[RedruthRFC]

He's clearly a thoughtful man, certainly no chance of fools rushing in as I said I feared! Joking aside, none of this fills you with confidence about the game in the USA. As others said on the Reddit link, "MLS soccer like rugby" in the USA would constitute a great success to most people's criteria wouldn't it?

 

[goodNumber10]

Yes - yes he did.

This is a ****ing goldmine: http://imgur.com/a/6g1eX

- - - Updated - - -

also sarries game approved pending pitch inspection:

http://rugbywrapup.com/2015/06/usa-rugby-defends-nrfl-rough-riders-ruling

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Yes - yes he did.

This is a ****ing goldmine: http://imgur.com/a/6g1eX

I'm just disgusted someone called us Leinster Tigers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leinster wish they were Tigers.

 

[thechosenfamily]

Did he just say the NRFL bunch can:
a) Beat the Tigers asses off (?!)
and b) Beat the All Blacks?


Why doesn't he want to follow the MLS style? Sure it's a longer gameplan but MLS is going from strength to strength.
He's following the game plan of those weird American Football type spinoffs that pump a ton of money in on day one and then crumble after a year or two, like XFL.

Hey at least the Lingerie Football League is still running albeit under a new name



Seriously though..... no wait I need to watch that again

 

[goodNumber10]

why can't they just buy those girls some proper kit/uniforms?

 

[ratsapprentice]

why can't they just buy those girls some proper kit/uniforms?

Because they can't run sub 4.5 40yards or bench press 250+kg.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

The IRB blocked it.
The NRFL would supply them with all the clothes they need, pay off their credit cards and give them a rocket car and solid gold house.

 

[goodNumber10]

Because they can't run sub 4.5 40yards or bench press 250+kg.

 

[ratsapprentice]

 

[Jerry Blue]

The English clubs are more commercially ahead of the others because of Premiership Rugby Ltd. The Pro 12 is still quite a way behind them. The Welsh teams have been to busy fighting the WRU and looking longingly towards England and a dream of playing a British or Anglo Welsh league. The Scots are too much in debt while the Italians can barely afford to put 2 teams out. The Irish would be quite a success in certain parts of the US but are just content to prep players for the Irish team. Super Rugby could have put a franchise in the US but the cost would have been enormous. I think over the coming years especially if they can get Pacific Nations Cup moved to August then the international teams will start touring to make money. Maybe the will play a Bledisloe match there. In the end for clubs and countries it is all about making money.

- - - Updated - - -

The best way would be for the leagues to help USA rugby set up a league maybe buy into or setup a franchise and setup a player and development link with specific franchises. They can play all the exhibition matches they want but until US rugby gets it's own league(which could include 1 or 2 Canadian teams) and a full international schedule with Tier 1 nations doing 3 test tours across the country televised at prime time and a televised Pacific Nations on at prime time then rugby won't become main stream there. Realistically what can a league in the US hope to get in crowds 15,000-20,000 would be really good which puts them into MLS stadiums. 40,000-60,000 for internationals would be good which can be played in NFL stadiums. Rugby will never get up to NFL crowds for club rugby.

 

[Jerry Blue]

Would the US rugby community back an American conference or team of another league from a different country? Say Pro 12 or Super rugby?

 

[ratsapprentice]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en-gb"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hearing that some Leicester Tigers board members are (were?) NRFL investors. If true, Simon Cohen's comments toward USA Rugby are shameful.</p>&mdash; Tier 2 Rugby (@T2Rugby) <a href="https://twitter.com/T2Rugby/status/610106621725782017">June 14, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en-gb"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hearing that some Leicester Tigers board members are (were?) NRFL investors. If true, Simon Cohen's comments toward USA Rugby are shameful.</p>— Tier 2 Rugby (@T2Rugby) <a href="https://twitter.com/T2Rugby/status/610106621725782017">June 14, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I'll try and find that out if any truth.