US League set for lift off, Big news! Options

[Big Picture]

According to Steve Mascord, details here: US League set for lift off.

[HappyDave]

I haven't read this yet as I'm heading out but is this what you meant?

http://www.Rugby League/blog/stevemascord

[Seems the coding of this board breaks said links so using 'rugbyleague', as one word...]

This post has been edited by HappyDave: Jan 9 2010, 12:13 AM

[ParisSurtout]

Could someone please provide a link that is workable?

My Internet Explorer tells me that it cannot display the website.

This post has been edited by ParisSurtout: Jan 9 2010, 03:21 AM

[jannerboyuk]

Could someone please provide a link that is workable?

My Internet Explorer tells me that it cannot display the website.

Its not worth getting around the bizaare terror this website has to linking to another rugby league website. just some matey trivia from mascord.

[jannerboyuk]

oops my mnistake:
WORLD EXCLUSIVE

By STEVE MASCORD in Boston

Eight top overseas coaches and up 45 imported players will be ready to move to the United States this June if the proposed professional competition kicks off, American rugby league boss David Niu says.

Niu has broken his silence over planning for the most talked-about league venture in more than a decade, exclusively telling Rugby League about finances, television and recruitment as he prepares to make an announcement this month on a launch date.
Niu did not want to comment on the structure of the league but it's understood eight teams named after broad regions of the US will play on a "carnival" basis, with all matches in each round played at the same venue on the same day over six weeks.

He said secret negotations meant overseas talent was already on call for the kick-off.
"We have always been very clear on the fact that we want the best possible coaches," Niu said. "Maybe not head coaches from Australia and Europe, but people who have held those positions in the past or are certain to in the future.

"Each team will have a franchise player. That is someone who has achieved something overseas and can add something for our franchises, that the other players can learn from.

"We are not going to go and recruit Jarryd Hayne or Sam Burgess. But everyone knows of players who just need an opportunity, who are not in the mainstream at the moment for one reason or another at the moment - be it injuries or whatever.

"Each team will need, maybe, five or six players with overseas experience."

Niu said while flying and accomodating so many people at short notice for a June kick-off looked like a formidable task, the process was already in place.

"We have been having talks for some time," Niu said. "I am happy to say that we we have coaches lined up, as long as I don't have to say who they are.

"The same goes for the players. It can all be done. We will be quite open and transparent: by the end of this month we give everyone a lanch date - be it this year or next."

Niu said a public broadcasting network had offered to beam the new comp which would cost between $10 million and $15 million to run - into 50 million US homes. He said no decision had been made on the offer. He admitted that confusion with playing numbers in rugby union had affected talks with NBC but denied trying to deceive the network.

It was reported the US Rugby Union complained to NBC when it found out Niu had included union playing numbers in his proposal.

"In order to even have any real talks with these people, they at first say ‘let's talk about rugby'," he said.

"We talked about how many people play rugby of both codes in the US but I made it clear to them ‘if you do research around the world the sport which is most likely to come across first is rugby union.

"I made that very clear. Now if someone wants to come in and say ‘well, you should be showing that game instead', if the rugby union people hurt our talks, I can't say for sure.

"But there is some truth in that story."

Niu said as far as he was concerned there was "no debate" about when the season should run: "late summer, early spring which avoids the NFL, even if it overlaps with the seasons in Australia and Europe."

He said he had many investors who had requested their identities remain secret and added rule variations would include four-quarters and a return to the Super League regulation which requires the scoring team to kick off.

Games would be played on pitches fitted with American Football goalposts and the first season would act as trial for each of host cities to ascertain which should have teams in the years ahead, he added.

[jannerboyuk]

I hate being cynical but it looks like nonsense to me. Very bizaare.

[Bob8]

I hate being cynical but it looks like nonsense to me. Very bizaare.

Yes.

[gingerjon]

So presumably - in fine rugby league tradition - if this happens it will look like a failure because the bar has been set so high, it will happen once or twice before being mothballed and will trample all over any existing structure that's already in place?

[Bob8]

So presumably - in fine rugby league tradition - if this happens it will look like a failure because the bar has been set so high, it will happen once or twice before being mothballed and will trample all over any existing structure that's already in place?

Yes.

But on the upside, that is a very big 'if'.

[EastLondonMike]

judging by his comments about NFL goalposts (are they the same width as RL goalposts?), 4 quarters and differing kick-offs, i take it he hasnt spoken to the IRLF?.. or they to him..

im guessing the kick-off ruling and naturally the 4 quarters is to make it similar to NFL?..

will certainly be interesting when this announcement takes place..

[deluded pom?]

judging by his comments about NFL goalposts (are they the same width as RL goalposts?), 4 quarters and differing kick-offs, i take it he hasnt spoken to the IRLF?.. or they to him..

im guessing the kick-off ruling and naturally the 4 quarters is to make it similar to NFL?..

will certainly be interesting when this announcement takes place..

Yeah, I just hope we don't end up with a bastardised version of the game that won't serve the Tomahawks any good when they come to play under international rules.

[Big Picture]

judging by his comments about NFL goalposts (are they the same width as RL goalposts?), 4 quarters and differing kick-offs, i take it he hasnt spoken to the IRLF?.. or they to him..

im guessing the kick-off ruling and naturally the 4 quarters is to make it similar to NFL?..

will certainly be interesting when this announcement takes place..

I have little doubt there'd be regular communication between David Nui and the RLIF, likely even Richard Lewis personally. There may well be changes in the international rules as well in time, the benefits of getting RL on the sports map in the US would be more than worth it. I for one would be very interested to see RL played with the scoring team kicking off, but having the kickoffs taken from the 40 rather than the 50.

This post has been edited by Big Picture: Jan 9 2010, 03:26 PM

[Northern Sol]

http://www.theroar.com.au/2010/01/10/the-c...silence-lifted/

Some more details. A bit of an odd format.

[skep155]

The four quarters will do the international team no favours, they will all be gassed out after 15 minutes.

[Maximus Decimus]

Seems like a strange format but I'm glad it's still going ahead. A badly set up pro-league is better than no pro-league and you never know it might work. I'll still believe it when I see it.

America is probably one of the few places left where it could build up momentum like it did in France in the 30's. They don't have the exposure to Union that often prevents this.

They should try and get Russell Crowe involved in the promotion of this, he has done stuff for us in the past and this would certainly help it to get exposure.

[Exiled Townie]

.....teams will play on a "carnival" basis, with all matches in each round played at the same venue on the same day over six weeks.

I must have had a stupid pill this morning, as I've read the above several times and still don't understand what it means ..... and help out there ?

[Northern Sol]

.....teams will play on a "carnival" basis, with all matches in each round played at the same venue on the same day over six weeks.

I must have had a stupid pill this morning, as I've read the above several times and still don't understand what it means ..... and help out there ?

Essentially it means that there will be six Millenium magic events and no regular home and away fixtures.

[Exiled Townie]

Essentially it means that there will be six Millenium magic events and no regular home and away fixtures.

Cheers. I thought it meant something like that, but the idea of 'selling' TGG to a particular city by playing 3 or 4 games there, and then not coming back for two months sems a funny way to do it ..... but more power to them, at least they are trying.

[Methven Hornet]

IIRC a similar idea was tried in the pre-Niu days, but on a smaller scale with a cable tv company.

If it can get the pro-game off the ground, and introduce it to a wider audience, then fair enough. Playing 4 quarters is a minor adjustment and is nothing compared the changes the game will face should the game really take off is the US. Okay 4 quarters might affect their ability to play international games but playing at a higher level should outweigh this disadvantage.

I was very sceptical about the venture happening but hope this latest news means that it will go ahead.

[mick wilson]

Id support it