Can Anything Be Done Before 2031?

[Sports Prophet]

USA RWC booked for the USA. I expect World Rugby have much planned for the 15 a-side club game in the USA between now and then.

What would be needed for RL in both the USA and abroad to capitalise in almost an ambush marketing manner, on a largely ignorant rugby audience?

I fear that the fractious nature of RL in USA will all but see the sport there keel over following the 2031 Cup.

[The Rocket]

48 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

USA RWC booked for the USA. I expect World Rugby have much planned for the 15 a-side club game in the USA between now and then.

What would be needed for RL in both the USA and abroad to capitalise in almost an ambush marketing manner, on a largely ignorant rugby audience?

I fear that the fractious nature of RL in USA will all but see the sport there keel over following the 2031 Cup.

Five minutes ago you were telling us that World Cups were worthless, (only a fumbleball fan would believe that anyway), now the union world cup is going to kill off any Rugby League played in the US. Have you got any more bad news.

[Sports Prophet]

4 hours ago, The Rocket said:

Five minutes ago you were telling us that World Cups were worthless, (only a fumbleball fan would believe that anyway), now the union world cup is going to kill off any Rugby League played in the US. Have you got any more bad news.

Don’t twist my words Rocket. On the other thread, I was clearly discussing the memories of WCs of the past and posing a discussion on whether we need to regularly recall on these events for them to be considered important. 

Then you frame this one as bad news (says more about you than me), rather than talking about the potential to strategise now, in a bid to fly on the coast tails of the 2031 RWC in a market which has next to no understanding of the League/Union divide.

So let me help you @the knockit, USA is a nation which has a mass appreciation for their own club/domestic activity and pitch those as World Champs. Gridiron, NBA, MLB, NHL. Is this an appreciation for America,or rather an appreciation for the highest club level of each individual sport?

If it is the latter, then is there a great opportunity for the NRL to pose itself as the World’s best club Rugby. Could even five successive World Club Challenge’s be held in USA in turn with the NRL season openers to further push Rugby League’s strength at a club level both in the northern and southern hemispheres?

So over to you @the knockit, got anything to contribute to the topic or do you just want to keep having a jab?

[Pulga]

The short answer is no.

The level of incompetence in the international game is staggering even by rugby league standards.

And as someone who has volunteered thousands and thousands of hours for developing nations it's hard to even care anymore.

[gingerjon]

5 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

What would be needed for RL in both the USA and abroad to capitalise in almost an ambush marketing manner, on a largely ignorant rugby audience?

Major League Cricket is spending around $100m so a figure around that or higher given there are more Indians than Australians in key US cities.

And that's in cash they themselves have to spend - not the NARL model of putting a bit out there and then seeking 'investors'.

[Sports Prophet]

1 hour ago, gingerjon said:

Major League Cricket is spending around $100m so a figure around that or higher given there are more Indians than Australians in key US cities.

And that's in cash they themselves have to spend - not the NARL model of putting a bit out there and then seeking 'investors'.

Yeah that is amazing. I didn’t know those figures. I saw there was MLC and maybe even Canadian 20/20 as well on Kayo recently (maybe the Canadians were part of MLC???). I was surprised to see it even existed. Is MLC prioritising the Indian market? 

Per my previous post, what if USA could host the WCC for the next five years? Would that make any difference or is it completely negligible? Is anything even worth trying? Serious question.

[dealwithit]

That ship has sailed. It’s possible broadcast and betting market, but not participation at a pro level. 

[Jparrish]

"Ignorant rugby market" is a good point. Without the inherent snobbery towards RL there's definitely a opportunity in there to capitalise on a successful Union WC. Big IFs  ands maybes regarding USRL getting their house in order though 

[HawkMan]

What sort of serious sport bases its strategy on the doings of another sport? Whether that's riding the coat tails of a successful RWC '31 ,which it may be,  or trying to spike it by getting in first and saying, look at us we're better than that shower that you're hosting. It's truly sad if that's what RL global strategy has become. 

[ATLANTISMAN]

We have had a poor RLWC/2021 (2022) leaving the RFL to clear up the mess

RLWC/2025 France cancelled 

2026 ? 

2030 USA not a bad call plenty of money over there for investment i would call their bluff and hold a proper RLWC a year before why not just takes vision and the balls to do it.

 

P 

Edited September 5, 2023 by ATLANTISMAN

[gingerjon]

1 hour ago, HawkMan said:

What sort of serious sport bases its strategy on the doings of another sport? 

Bingo.

[JM2010]

RL won’t do anything at all. There’s countries such as France, Serbia, Greece, Jamaica, Lebanon who are just left to struggle along on their own. Even Scotland and Ireland haven’t been targeted. Union will just leave RL behind in the US like it does in most other countries 

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Wouldn't even worry about it. Our issues aren't expansion at the moment anywhere outside of the Pacific. It's retention.

Unless it's a direct benefit to the NRL, the USA is a pipe dream and money thrown away.

[gingerjon]

It would probably be helpful for anyone commenting to actually spend a bit of time looking over the amusingly catastrophic recent history of rugby union in the USA.

[sam4731]

We'll be lucky to crack France by 2031.

[Jim from Oz]

56 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

It would probably be helpful for anyone commenting to actually spend a bit of time looking over the amusingly catastrophic recent history of rugby union in the USA.

Could you expand on this? Cheers

[gingerjon]

57 minutes ago, Jim from Oz said:

Could you expand on this? Cheers

USA Rugby filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and has yet to recover, USA men failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup, men's/women's 7s and 15s falling short of regional targets, Major League Rugby having to constantly restructure, losing key teams because of (ahem) dealings, and now engaged in a dispute so it doesn't have to pay players at a halfway decent rate, participation rates dropping, income and sponsorship plateauing or falling ...

All while spending eye watering amounts.

[phiggins]

Maybe we should concentrate on growth in London and France, before looking at shiny things across the Atlantic.

[fighting irish]

I think we should do, what we've always done - nothing.

That way, we'll stop deluding ourselves that we are actually working on spreading the game.

More importantly, we won't waste the American's time with promises of ''help'' which will not be forthcoming, only to dash their hopes later, with the inevitable climbdown.

Far better to let them develop their own teams, structure, management systems, tailored to suit the territory and seeking to solve their own peculiar, particular problems.

Offers of help, tend to promote and encourage dependency which is the biggest inhibitor of real growth and delay the acceptance of the burgeoning responsibilities in any new territories. 

[Keith989]

6 hours ago, gingerjon said:

It would probably be helpful for anyone commenting to actually spend a bit of time looking over the amusingly catastrophic recent history of rugby union in the USA.

Yes there are problems but if setting up your first pro league and being awarded a world cup is catastrophic, then what hope does anyone have? Everyone has growing pains so to speak. 

[gingerjon]

Just now, Keith989 said:

Yes there are problems but if setting up your first pro league and being awarded a world cup is catastrophic, then what hope does anyone have? Everyone has growing pains so to speak. 

But any sport could have a pro league and/or a World Cup in any country if they hurl enough money at it with zero financial (or sporting) return (*Nods in the direction of Saudi Arabia*). And that is what is happening.

The USA was awarded the RLWC, incidentally.

[bobbruce]

9 hours ago, HawkMan said:

What sort of serious sport bases its strategy on the doings of another sport? Whether that's riding the coat tails of a successful RWC '31 ,which it may be,  or trying to spike it by getting in first and saying, look at us we're better than that shower that you're hosting. It's truly sad if that's what RL global strategy has become. 

It hasn’t in any way shape or form. 

[Sports Prophet]

10 hours ago, HawkMan said:

What sort of serious sport bases its strategy on the doings of another sport? Whether that's riding the coat tails of a successful RWC '31 ,which it may be,  or trying to spike it by getting in first and saying, look at us we're better than that shower that you're hosting. It's truly sad if that's what RL global strategy has become. 

Fair point, I do agree with you to a degree.

Let’s make sure we go back and tell every poster that whinged about the 2022 RLWC falling around the same time as a FIFA WC did.

I just thought there is a burgeoning market due to get lots of spend on it and RL with its fractional capital could take advantage of that spend.

Edited September 5, 2023 by Sports Prophet

[Sports Prophet]

8 hours ago, JM2010 said:

RL won’t do anything at all. There’s countries such as France, Serbia, Greece, Jamaica, Lebanon who are just left to struggle along on their own. Even Scotland and Ireland haven’t been targeted. Union will just leave RL behind in the US like it does in most other countries 

When you bring Scotland and Ireland into it, it’s hard to think any strategy in the US would have the longevity to make hay.

[Keith989]

1 hour ago, gingerjon said:

But any sport could have a pro league and/or a World Cup in any country if they hurl enough money at it with zero financial (or sporting) return (*Nods in the direction of Saudi Arabia*). And that is what is happening.

The USA was awarded the RLWC, incidentally.

The MLR is nothing like the Saudi league. They have a very strict and very modest salary cap and if anyone breaks it they are booted out (see Adam Gilchrist).