USA Rugby League to go pro in 2013

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justanotherleaguefan
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USA Rugby League to go pro in 2013

Post by justanotherleaguefan »

http://www.wearerugby.com/news/articles ... and-center

As we reported in May, the American National Rugby League has entered into a new partnership with Grand Prix Rugby, a Los Angeles-based sports entertainment company. The reason for the pairing is to expose Rugby League to the massive American sports market starting in 2013.

Grand Prix Rugby, which is part of Grand Prix Entertainment, is the entity that will own, operate and broadcast all rugby in the United States, and will eventually create independent professional rugby leagues.

Grand Prix Entertainment is the wholly owned holding company of California sports and entertainment entrepreneur William Tatham, a man with some pedigree when it comes to running sporting franchises. He has owned or been involved in various leagues, some new, some established (World Football League, National Basketball Association - New Orleans then Utah Jazz), then the United States Football League (Phoenix), as well as serving on Owner Legal and Labor Committees.

“Want to know what they all have in common? In the US ultimately we end up with one big dog,” Tatham tells WeAreRugby exclusively. “There will never be two successful rugby leagues. There will only be one. And we intend on making Rugby League, Grand Prix Rugby League, that one big dog ... along with the awesome, tournament style and now Olympic sport of Union Rugby Sevens.”

Tatham first discovered Rugby League during a trip to London in 2007. He says as an American football fan he liked what he saw and since learning more about it he now understands why. The fast-paced, athletic, hard-hitting nature of the game is far more appealing than a two-hour wrestling match he says.

Rugby League is currently enjoying a surge in global popularity with significant increases in television viewership numbers and butts in seats, which in turn means increased revenue. In Australia, rugby league now outstrips Aussie Rules Football as the #1 TV sporting product. In New Zealand, the 2011 NRL Grand Final got a bigger TV share than a Rugby World Cup game on the same day, and in the UK, Super League’s Magic Weekend smashed previous records by attracting record-breaking crowds.

All of this is not lost on Tatham, who says making America part of the mix is very doable.

“Money honey money,” he says. “Simply taking the world's contact sport and packaging it for the world's greatest sports market. Not jamming it down their throats, but giving them what they demand. Physical, fast, Major League. Not confusing, slow, bush league.

“US Soccer found out that it doesn't matter what viewers are doing in the rest of the world if Americans don't get it. You also can't jam it down our throats, no different than fans in NZ or anywhere else.”

And teaming up with the AMNRL was a no-brainer according to GPR’s founder and CEO.

“We partnered with the AMNRL due to pure business logic,” he adds. “The AMNRL is a standalone governing body, unchanged. They own the exclusive rights. We want to partner with the RLIF [Rugby League International Federation] every single step of the way. True partners. And David Niu [AMNRL president] has proven his heart is where it belongs. In the sport, in the purest sense.

“And Star Group Communications, who had partnered with David and who now own the Grand Prix Rugby Philadelphia franchise. Star Group's Linda Rosanio and Jan Talamo see the exact same future I see. American rugby, playing and beating the world's great teams.

“Soon, the days of American rugby being “competitive” are over. We want to be feared, we want to be good partners with our global Rugby League friends, and we want to beat them with homegrown Americans. No need at all to steal anyone's players. We simply need to give our stallions a reason to step onto the pitch, bear their teeth, and kick some Rugby League ass! I dig rugby league. It’s totally bitchen! Great to watch, great to promote, great period.”

Tatham believes Rugby League is the one sport that can burst onto the American major league sports scene. He says Union Sevens is the newest, greatest fast-paced sport he has seen and it met the Grand Prix formula which sets forth the following content parameters necessary for Grand Prix to invest:

1. Must be able to stage all games on one sound stage
2. Must be able to watch it on a handheld device - iPad, iPhone, etc
3. Must be able to bet racetrack style

“If they ain't betting on it, they ain't watching it!” says Tatham. “Common denominator? Short, fast games. Thus, Rugby Sevens was the absolute perfect fit. Now, Rugby League? Absolutely the greatest traditional formatted sport to hit the American stage in 50 years, or longer. The question is why did we partner with the AMNRL? The question is why wouldn't we? Like I said, I dig Rugby League.”

One gets the feeling when talking with Tatham that he’s genuinely enthused about the potential for Rugby League to be a hit in America and he believes it’s very marketable for several reasons, including its ‘cool’ factor combined with its hard-hitting and structured nature.

He says Grand Prix Rugby has a plan for putting the game front and center in the United States.

“We will launch day one at the top. Grand Prix is not about grass roots. We're about cash roots!” continues Tatham. “We have thousands of great athletes standing on street corners. Division 1 NCAA All-Americans. Fast, tough, football skilled. We intend on offering millions and giving them a reason to play Rugby League.

“We also intend on working with our global Rugby League partners and hosting the world's greatest Rugby League teams in the US, not to compete, but to brand the game in the US the way it must be branded. Played by the world's greatest teams and players.

“Americans don't dislike soccer. We simply don't like minor league anything, which is where the MLS is today. We may be ignorant compared to the world's soccer fans, but we do know we don't have the best. Shoot, you wouldn't draw 500 fans to watch the second strings of the Dallas Cowboys play the New York Giants. But the first teams? Sellouts for decades.

“Thus, we intend on launching in 2013, with the new and improved National Rugby League. Millions, playoff intensity, championship quality. All on network television where it belongs.”


=D> =D> =D> =D>
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Re: USA Rugby League to go pro in 2013

Post by TLPG »

In Australia, rugby league now outstrips Aussie Rules Football as the #1 TV sporting product.
Typical American - lying through his back teeth.

This will fall flat on it's face because it's competition with the NFL, the sport that has the highest average attendance in the world. It'll never be more than what he described the MLS comp as at best - minor league.

He should get behind real footy. That has no real competition in the US because there's nothing like it there!
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Re: USA Rugby League to go pro in 2013

Post by ParraEelsNRL »

Idiot, RL is not played at the same time as the NFL, why would it when the NFL only goes for a few months? Plenty of room for another sport to be shown on TV between the different sporting seasons. Talk about smelling the fear :oops: #-o ](*,) :lol:
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Re: USA Rugby League to go pro in 2013

Post by TLPG »

It doesn't matter when it's played. It's still competition, and the NFL will run it out of the country.
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Re: USA Rugby League to go pro in 2013

Post by MarkZZZ »

TLPG wrote:
It doesn't matter when it's played. It's still competition, and the NFL will run it out of the country.
TLPG, give yourself an uppercut. Rugby League is not a threat to NFL the same that Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, Ice Hockey and even NASCAR is a threat. America is a big market and all you need is 3% of the American population to follow it and its already a bigger market than any here in Australia, bigger than the AFL or even the NRL.
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call me a skirt lifting sheila.
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