New North American Competition?

[langpark]

Did anyone see this video from the head of NARL?

https://twitter.com/NARugbyLeague/status/1377684975567405061?s=20https://twitter.com/NARugbyLeague/status/1377684975567405061?s=20

Interesting quote at 0:34 of the video:

"We are pleased to announce that it will be made up of 14 top-tier teams from the US and Canada, each of these teams have a long history of sustained excellence in their former amateur leagues"

Can anybody enlighten me about the Las Vegas Blackjacks' "long history of sustained excellence" in rugby league??

[Gomersall]

16 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Who are the Dragons? 

 

[OriginalMrC]

6 minutes ago, langpark said:

Did anyone see this video from the head of NARL?

https://twitter.com/NARugbyLeague/status/1377684975567405061?s=20https://twitter.com/NARugbyLeague/status/1377684975567405061?s=20

Interesting quote at 0:34 of the video:

"We are pleased to announce that it will be made up of 14 top-tier teams from the US and Canada, each of these teams have a long history of sustained excellence in their former amateur leagues"

Can anybody enlighten me about the Las Vegas Blackjacks' "long history of sustained excellence" in rugby league??

I think that's one of the worries about this competition particularly. There are a number of clubs with no real history in the game and there are also a number of clubs that are long established not involved. I don't want to pour cold water on it but there are some questions still to be answered.

However I don't want this to be a negative, I think it's healthy to have questions about how it will all work, and do genuinely hope this will be a massive success. 

[Mr Plow]

9 minutes ago, OriginalMrC said:

I think that's one of the worries about this competition particularly. There are a number of clubs with no real history in the game and there are also a number of clubs that are long established not involved. I don't want to pour cold water on it but there are some questions still to be answered.

However I don't want this to be a negative, I think it's healthy to have questions about how it will all work, and do genuinely hope this will be a massive success. 

Apart from the clubs from the USARL I don’t know how it’s going to work. They’re going to need a lot of players for a 14 team league. Is McDermott going to continue as Toronto coach? 

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

9 minutes ago, Mr Plow said:

Apart from the clubs from the USARL I don’t know how it’s going to work. They’re going to need a lot of players for a 14 team league. Is McDermott going to continue as Toronto coach? 

McDermott isn’t involved. There’s no shortage of potential rugby league players. 

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

Next year we’ll have professional Rugby League teams in the following countries, Australia, New Zealand, PNG, Fiji, England, France, Wales, Canada and USA.

[Eddie]

7 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

Next year we’ll have professional Rugby League teams in the following countries, Australia, New Zealand, PNG, Fiji, England, France, Wales, Canada and USA.

Well semi professional anyway, in France, Wales, Canada and USA. 

[The Frying Scotsman]

34 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Well semi professional anyway, in France, Wales, Canada and USA. 

France has professional teams, but you are certainly right that Wales doesn't. 

 

[The Rocket]

2 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

Loads of companies and people are moving from California to Texas, particularly Austin, but Houston and Dallas etc too. It's a really interesting phenomenon which could have major repercussions for the future of both states.

Its exciting to see a Rugby League presence in Texas!

 Nevada as well, I believe it has a lot to do with the price of real estate in those States relative to California. The major repercussions your refer to I gather are political. making the red one blue.

[RobertAM]

4 hours ago, Eddie said:

Even against other North American teams? I’d love it if you’re right. 

There will be the core that Wolfpack attracted and then, contrary to the UK where 45mins is an odyssey, we will have significant numbers of Americans coming in to swell the ranks as people in NA think nothing of getting in  car for 5 to 6 hrs to go to a game. thats a huge catchment area. Plus the fact that airline travel in the US is dirt cheap.

[Pulga]

4 hours ago, Eddie said:

I’ve decided to support Phoenix Venom, as I like Arizona. So far their/our Facebook page has 39 likes and one post. There’s very little on their website either. Hopefully it’s because all this has happened quickly, and decent social media stuff will follow soon. 
 

https://m.facebook.com/PhxVenomRugby/

https://venomrugby.com

Welcome aboard mate!

[Whippet13]

2 hours ago, langpark said:

Did anyone see this video from the head of NARL?

https://twitter.com/NARugbyLeague/status/1377684975567405061?s=20https://twitter.com/NARugbyLeague/status/1377684975567405061?s=20

Interesting quote at 0:34 of the video:

"We are pleased to announce that it will be made up of 14 top-tier teams from the US and Canada, each of these teams have a long history of sustained excellence in their former amateur leagues"

Can anybody enlighten me about the Las Vegas Blackjacks' "long history of sustained excellence" in rugby league??

I am sure you have been for many years able to log on and gamble money on a NRL/SL game whilst in Vegas, surely that's enough?

Still deciding my team for 2021, ruled a few out but the Blackjacks remain a potential candidate as I've had some good times there.

[Pulga]

3 hours ago, Arizonared said:

Welcome to the Venom fan club.

I was expecting to support Ottawa Aces, but I was more than pleasantly surprised to have a team on my doorstep. I've already got a bunch of people wanting to come and watch a game with me

Can we invite all our friends on Facebook to like their page and see how it increases? I'll start.

[Pulga]

2 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

Next year we’ll have professional Rugby League teams in the following countries, Australia, New Zealand, PNG, Fiji, England, France, Wales, Canada and USA.

Serbia? Spain?

[Omott91]

3 hours ago, Gomersall said:

 

So the Dragons are the rebranded New york team? 

[Cumbrian Mackem]

1 hour ago, Omott91 said:

So the Dragons are the rebranded New york team? 

The dragons are a welsh rugby union franchise.

[DlEHARD]

Great to see some NRL footage in that video.

Footage of fast paced and exciting NRL in rectangular stadium full of fans must ignite some imagines. 

Maybe closer to the kick off we can run a poll and see who is backing what team.

I think there is room to back a team in each conference. And those new teams will need our support.

[Pulga]

Just messaged a mate who is playing for the Austin MLR team he already knew about the NARL and was trying to get on a team.

 

Makes sense for MLR players to double dip.

[The Rocket]

8 hours ago, langpark said:

Did anyone see this video from the head of NARL?

https://twitter.com/NARugbyLeague/status/1377684975567405061?s=20https://twitter.com/NARugbyLeague/status/1377684975567405061?s=20

Interesting quote at 0:34 of the video:

"We are pleased to announce that it will be made up of 14 top-tier teams from the US and Canada, each of these teams have a long history of sustained excellence in their former amateur leagues"

Can anybody enlighten me about the Las Vegas Blackjacks' "long history of sustained excellence" in rugby league??

Love his opening line, ' Good morning fellow League fans ` absolutely no confusion about which code he is referring to and very pointed too being his opening line. New World Rugby League.

[Keith989]

1 hour ago, Pulga said:

Just messaged a mate who is playing for the Austin MLR team he already knew about the NARL and was trying to get on a team.

 

Makes sense for MLR players to double dip.

Well the Austin rugby league team has waaay better branding and name, so it has a huge advantage there. But the union side are bankrolled by a billionaire.

[Cumbrian Mackem]

Anybody else think that this is too good to be true? lol!!!

Lots of wild exaggerated statements flying about from the organizers of this competition and far too many unanswered questions for my liking but I’ll enjoy the ride for however long it lasts in true RL fashion

[thebrewxi]

10 hours ago, Eddie said:

Those games were against established English sides with professional or semi professional players - I doubt the fact that we know those places are small would matter to a Canadian, they probably wouldn’t have heard of Wigan, St Helens or Warrington either, or probably even Leeds or Hull in many cases. 

And trying to forget London

[Eddie]

7 hours ago, Pulga said:

Can we invite all our friends on Facebook to like their page and see how it increases? I'll start.

Dumb question, how do you invite people to like stuff (I’m not very active on Facebook). Thanks. 

[Eddie]

8 hours ago, The Frying Scotsman said:

France has professional teams, but you are certainly right that Wales doesn't. 

 

Good point, I was just thinking of elite 1

[The storm]

10 hours ago, Mr Plow said:

Apart from the clubs from the USARL I don’t know how it’s going to work. They’re going to need a lot of players for a 14 team league. Is McDermott going to continue as Toronto coach? 

Put it this way

 

If this league had been announced on 1st April everyone would have thought it was an April fools joke