Premier Rugby (U.K.) backing pro rugby effort in U.S.

The NFL is collaborating with the top professional rugby union league in England on two exhibition matches in the summer, one in Gillette Stadium and the other in London, with the game in Foxborough on the NFL Network. If attendance in Foxborough is decent, the NFL will look to help launch an East Coast league hosted in NFL stadiums.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/may/11/nfl-rugby-union-rugbylaw-barbarians-irish

Maybe Tim Tebow can finally latch onto a team.

 

Re: NFL backing pro rugby effort in U.S.

Real Irish folk don't play rugby.

 

Re: NFL backing pro rugby effort in U.S.

Sure they don't.

 

Re: NFL backing pro rugby effort in U.S.

Rugby -- turning the Cal-Stanford play into an entire sport since the 19th Century.

 

Re: NFL backing pro rugby effort in U.S.

What would the NFL have to gain from this?

 

Re: NFL backing pro rugby effort in U.S.

Getting ready for the inevitable of football as we know it going away because of injury lawsuits.

 

Re: NFL backing pro rugby effort in U.S.

Cheap content for the NFL Network that would also sell in countries where rugby is commercially viable.

 

Re: NFL backing pro rugby effort in U.S.

NBCN already shows 7s tournaments, which are non-stop action.

 

Re: NFL backing pro rugby effort in U.S.

Sevens is a great "festival" product, but is not a week-to-week event. Plus, it's made up of players who, for the most part, aren't good enough for 15s. Plus, it's not a great product for live TV due to the difficulty of fitting it into a two- or three-hour TV window for North American TV.

While watching sevens is not a great TV viewing experience, I had a blast covering a couple of USA Sevens events when it was in San Diego.

 

Re: NFL backing pro rugby effort in U.S.

Yes, because no one ever gets concussions while playing rugby.

 

Re: NFL backing pro rugby effort in U.S.

I disagree about it not being good for TV. A couple of matches fit perfectly in a TV window, as NBC is showing by putting the plate and cup finals on NBC and leaving the rest on NBCN.

 

Re: NFL backing pro rugby effort in U.S.

I can't open the link because I am surfing on my phone but I would think that they are promoting "Rugby League" not "Rugby Union". League is a much quicker game with smaller, quicker line outs and scrums, the pace is great, really built for TV without the gimmickness of Sevens (which I love as well).

I got into League the year I lived in Australia and became a huge fan, even managed to got to a few games in person.

I hopes this leads to more Rugby on TV, would love to see State of Origin shown (basically all the best pro players from Queensland vs all the best from NSW, absolutely ferocious, the intensity was off the charts.