USARL

[JM2010]

Are Utah part of the Pacific competition?

[Gomersall]

2 hours ago, JM2010 said:

Are Utah part of the Pacific competition?

Yes, they are affiliated to the PCRL.

[Gomersall]

 

[welshmagpie]

4 hours ago, Gomersall said:

 

I don’t think you can underestimate the enormity of these two appointments. Brilliant stuff. 

[DoubleD]

10 minutes ago, welshmagpie said:

I don’t think you can underestimate the enormity of these two appointments. Brilliant stuff. 

Feels like a seminal moment in US RL history 

[Whippet13]

3 hours ago, welshmagpie said:

I don’t think you can underestimate the enormity of these two appointments. Brilliant stuff. 

Indeed, very experienced and no doubt well connected RL People. Hopefully this is with an eye to working more closely with the NRL, whom they must know extremely well, maybe even with their blessing. There seems to be a lot of positives happening with USARL recently, particularly in structure and governance.

[The Rocket]

4 hours ago, welshmagpie said:

I don’t think you can underestimate the enormity of these two appointments. Brilliant stuff. 

 

4 hours ago, DoubleD said:

Feels like a seminal moment in US RL history 

 

1 hour ago, Whippet13 said:

Indeed, very experienced and no doubt well connected RL People. Hopefully this is with an eye to working more closely with the NRL, whom they must know extremely well, maybe even with their blessing. There seems to be a lot of positives happening with USARL recently, particularly in structure and governance.

I don`t believe in coincidences so i think it would be unwise to underestimate the effect the Las Vegas venture is having on the optimism and excitement around Rugby League in the U.S. at the moment. It would perhaps have given those in the game over there a real focal point of something to aim for and the beauty is it has minimum 5 more years to run. A lot can happen in five years, especially in the U.S.

These are two heavyweight appointments who I have no doubt done this in consultation with the NRL hierarchy. Who knows the growth in the local game and recruitment of the female players into the NRLW  maybe two side benefits out of this whole thing we didn`t see coming.

Edited April 6 by The Rocket

[Sports Prophet]

6 hours ago, welshmagpie said:

I don’t think you can underestimate the enormity of these two appointments. Brilliant stuff. 

I’ll give it a go.

I just can’t get excited about having two corporates, each with a long list of NRL executive experience, added as independent directors to a USARL looking to grow and take advantage of some significant recent growth and a five year strategy of the biggest club rugby competition playing regular season fixtures in LV. Talk about terribly underwhelming.

I tried, I just can’t do it. Pleased for the USARL. Onwards and upwards.

[The Rocket]

15 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

I’ll give it a go.

I just can’t get excited about having two corporates, each with a long list of NRL executive experience, added as independent directors to a USARL looking to grow and take advantage of some significant recent growth and a five year strategy of the biggest club rugby competition playing regular season fixtures in LV. Talk about terribly underwhelming.

I tried, I just can’t do it. Pleased for the USARL. Onwards and upwards.

Bernie Gurr was the Finance Director of the 1994 FIFA World Cup held in the U.S. and resides now in the U.S. Joe Kelly spent three years in a senior executive role at Celsea Football club in the United Kingdom.

The addition of Kelly and Gurr to the USARL board follows the NRL's recent appointment of John Vellis as General Manager - US Expansion in a sign of the NRL`s commitment to North America.

These aren`t just anybody`s.

[Sports Prophet]

You won’t find an argument from me on this one @The Rocket.

It would be great to see USARL not just steady its ship but finally take advantage of the tremendous potential the sport has always held in America. I agree with you, I feel these appointments have come with much support of the NRL.

I have my own suspicions on the NRL’s intentions here and if I am correct, it is very exciting and in ten years time, we will be looking at a very different governance and profile of RL across the continents.

[Whippet13]

15 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

You won’t find an argument from me on this one @The Rocket.

It would be great to see USARL not just steady its ship but finally take advantage of the tremendous potential the sport has always held in America. I agree with you, I feel these appointments have come with much support of the NRL.

I have my own suspicions on the NRL’s intentions here and if I am correct, it is very exciting and in ten years time, we will be looking at a very different governance and profile of RL across the continents.

If it's the NRL taking the lead with international RL by spending a little cash and trying to create something in new markets, even if they own it, then they are welcome to have a go as far as I'm concerned, because it seems to be either them or no-one.

[fighting irish]

I wonder if these appointments are linked (or will become important) to the establishment of the recently rumoured NRL America professional franchised competition?

I must say I'm very excited about the involvement of the NRL in the USA (something I've been advocating for a number of years) and can't wait to see how it all progresses.

I'm convinced that the combination of a great product (surely the best) with some really professional marketing and hard won, real world, business acumen is bound to succeed. 

Bring it on.

[The Rocket]

 

9 hours ago, fighting irish said:

I wonder if these appointments are linked (or will become important) to the establishment of the recently rumoured NRL America professional franchised competition?

.I'm convinced that the combination of a great product (surely the best) with some really professional marketing and hard won, real world, business acumen is bound to succeed. 

Bring it on.

For as long as I`ve been coming on here Irish you`ve been advocating for a concerted effort to develop Rugby League in the world`s biggest market. Intriguing thought your first sentence.

I think you may have meant "simply the best" in your second, sounds better and I think I`ve heard it before somewhere.

 

 

[Gomersall]

 

[Whippet13]

PCRL fixtures have been announced, a very good looking schedule:

https://www.pacificcoastrl.com/news/2024-pcrl-schedule

Interesting bit at the end:

More exciting news regarding the Utah season is expected in the coming days, along with the announcement of the overall schedule of a unified nationwide USARL domestic competition for the very first time

[Whippet13]

Handy little map of current USA & Canada clubs:

 

Edited April 18 by Whippet13

[Whippet13]

Changes to the USARL structure for 2024 have been announced:

https://www.usarl.org/news/2024/usarl-announces-major-developments-in-domestic-rugby-league-structure-and-management/

The 4 Rugby League United clubs have joined the USARL as a single NE conference.

PCRL have split into 2 conferences as it has grown rapidly (PCRL and Utah).

The South conference is now called Florida RL, same clubs.

This means 4 conferences. At regular season end, the 2 East and 2 West conference champions play off in 2 semis, and the 2 winners then play to be national champions.

All sounds very sensible and positive.

Edited Friday at 22:00 by Whippet13

[Yakstorm]

3 minutes ago, Whippet13 said:

Changes to the USARL structure for 2024 have been announced:

https://www.usarl.org/news/2024/usarl-announces-major-developments-in-domestic-rugby-league-structure-and-management/

The 4 Rugby League United clubs have joined the USARL as a single NE conference.

PCRL have split into 2 conferences as it has grown rapidly (PCRL and Utah).

The South conference is now called Florida RL, same clubs.

This means 4 conferences. At regular season end, the 2 East and 2 West conference champions play off in 2 semis, and the 2 winners then play to be national champions.

All sounds very sensible and positive.

It's a great outcome. Nice to see the new USA Women's Championship will also benefit from the new structure. 

Originally it was only going to have 6 teams (3 California / 3 Florida), now NY State Queens & teams from Utah are able to take part in a structure similar to the Men's. 

Not that the Utah RLA was being held back by the PCRL, but it's nice seeing them being promoted and on equal footing with the other 3 leagues.

Means PCRL can focus on California & helping Oregon now, whilst Utah has been putting feelers into Arizona. 

[JM2010]

Positive news. Hopefully the USARL keeps growing and even gets some support from the NRL and SL

[Gomersall]

Seems strange to rename the Southern conference after a state when none of the others are, especially when one of the teams isn’t from that state.