NRL Under Fire for not working with rugby league clubs in the USA

[Magic XIII]

3 hours ago, Bradman Better said:

I am sure that this Las Vegas adventure will do nothing for the growth of rugby league in the USA. The only way that it could help is if the gambling project could raise enough money to be invested into the development of the game in schools in north America

There is only one model for such growth, and that was the Toronto Wolfpack just before Covid killed it. A billionaire Australian investor and recreation of the Wolfpack professional club in Canada, along with another club in a major Canadian city -- either Montreal (the best choice) or Ottawa -- would be great. That would need to be followed by the creation of a professional clubs in New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston. Those clubs in turn would form the north American conference of Super League.

There is just one huge stumbling block; where can you find the players to fill these teams with professional players of Super League standard? Toronto managed to find enough players for one team. But six teams? Impossible at this time, especially given the plans of the NRL to expand its own competition with up to three new teams in the coming years.

So I would say try to start up two teams in north America -- Toronto and New York -- participating in the European Super League competition. You will need two Australian billionaires to do that. Lachlan Murdoch could be one of them. Then use these starting teams as magnets for current rugby union and NFL rejects to join, and with the help of a few senior Australians, Kiwis, and English players, teach them how to play rugby league. Then NRL money could be used to promote development in the schools. If that limited experiment is successful, then you could add Chicago Montreal, Boston and Philadelphia over time, to make up the north American conference of Super League. But of course television coverage would have to be part of the project, otherwise there will be no corporate sponsors. 

Personally I would think that development of the game in France would be much easier, with Australian billionaire owners and NRL money starting up professional teams in Paris and Lyon (where there have been rugby league teams in the past) to join Catalans and Toulouse in Super League. Once you have four professional French teams in Super League you will start to really grow the game in France, strengthen the French national team considerably, and create a serious international competition and World Cup. Having France as well as England competitive will also make the game of rugby league more interesting for north American youth to want to play. 

Year 1 is the embryo, stick with it and by year 5 the investment of time and money will come to fruition. Everything has to start somewhere !!

[Sports Prophet]

On 19/12/2023 at 07:20, NRLandSL said:

https://www.zerotackle.com/nrl-caught-in-embarrassing-usa-blunder-204410/

Good Article, Proves even more how little this trip is actually about growing rugby league in America.

The NRL have no interest in growing rugby league in America, if they did they would help establish grassroots rugby league across the country. All they care about is more rich men having eyes on the “Prestigious NRL”.

This thread must be one of the biggest storm in a teacup discussions on this forum and that is saying something.

I don’t think the NRL ever claimed this event’s purpose is to grow the sport of RL in USA. There is one priority this event has which is light years beyond any other objective and that is to grow the NRL in the USA. I can’t believe this actually needed highlighting. As if the NRL should be apologising for this, heaven’s sakes.

The NRL are coming to town. It’s not the job of the NRL to develop the game in the USA, but I am certain where they can assist the USARL, they will accomodate.

I expect if any smaller organisation wants to gain an advantage off the coat tails of another larger related entity’s activities, then the endeavours of the smaller organisation to ensure they are heard and included as best as possible.

The fact the NRL didn’t run an event at a RL club in Utah says more about USARL and Utah RL as far as I’m concerned.

[fighting irish]

22 hours ago, Bradman Better said:

 

I know that you are not trying to be confrontational ,  but .....

 

 

But what?

Is this sarcasm? Does the ''but'' imply that you believe I am being confrontational?

Is my friend the Rocket correct, that your original comment was gross hyperbole (intended as a joke)? Is that what the emoji's signify? That I should have realised it was a joke, all along?

I know how difficult it is sometimes, to convey accurately, our true feelings and intentions in writing. I always make an effort to be explicit and as concise as possible because it's important to me to be understood and not (god forbid) to cause offence unintentionally. 

Perhaps a little more effort, on your part would reduce the risk of both, being misunderstood and causing offence. 

[zylya]

Whether growth of Rugby League as a sport is their stated purpose or not, everyone here seems to agree that NRL wants to make money off the back of this.

It might only be small numbers, but now you've got a group of Rugby League enthusiasts who are ###### off and won't go to the game. It's probably not the end of the world, but the NRL would probably do well to send some free kit to these guys with an apology and even better if they can get a player to visit as well.

The video on the article also clearly shows the kids rucking over after a carry, so Leniu's not even delivering a Rugby League session. He called a high school rugby union team "the pinnacle of Rugby League" in the area.

It's not that this is the biggest mistake they've ever made, or that it's not salvageable at this stage, but running things like coaching clinics is part of a strategy to get supporters interested in the product. Creating life time fans rather than just plugging a few events in Vegas. If the NRL stars runs a coaching clinic and the 4 youth clubs in Utah all get an extra 10-20% membership and that catalyst helps them grow to more clubs etc then you've got a ready-made group of people who are going to want to come and watch the NRL when it comes back the next year. Going to a rugby union high school and coaching rugby union is pretty one-and-done in terms of getting fans through the door.

The marketer in me also thinks that this is actually an opportunity for the NRL - because you could send them a load of free NRL stash, make an apology and offer some time from your marketing/design department to create some cool graphics and website for the Utah clubs to help them get seen. And offer a coaching session when you next can.

[fighting irish]

4 minutes ago, zylya said:

Whether growth of Rugby League as a sport is their stated purpose or not, everyone here seems to agree that NRL wants to make money off the back of this.

It might only be small numbers, but now you've got a group of Rugby League enthusiasts who are ###### off and won't go to the game. It's probably not the end of the world, but the NRL would probably do well to send some free kit to these guys with an apology and even better if they can get a player to visit as well.

The video on the article also clearly shows the kids rucking over after a carry, so Leniu's not even delivering a Rugby League session. He called a high school rugby union team "the pinnacle of Rugby League" in the area.

It's not that this is the biggest mistake they've ever made, or that it's not salvageable at this stage, but running things like coaching clinics is part of a strategy to get supporters interested in the product. Creating life time fans rather than just plugging a few events in Vegas. If the NRL stars runs a coaching clinic and the 4 youth clubs in Utah all get an extra 10-20% membership and that catalyst helps them grow to more clubs etc then you've got a ready-made group of people who are going to want to come and watch the NRL when it comes back the next year. Going to a rugby union high school and coaching rugby union is pretty one-and-done in terms of getting fans through the door.

The marketer in me also thinks that this is actually an opportunity for the NRL - because you could send them a load of free NRL stash, make an apology and offer some time from your marketing/design department to create some cool graphics and website for the Utah clubs to help them get seen. And offer a coaching session when you next can.

A very sensible suggestion.

Please forward this idea to the NRL, while there's still time to remedy this embarrassing faux pas?

[The Future is League]

On 19/12/2023 at 10:44, frank said:

It's almost unbelievable that this could happen. It's like the All blacks going to a league club to do similar work and we know that would not happen.

The NRL are not even interested in taking the game out of the Eastern Seaboard States of Aussie. Who really knows what their intensions are?

Not correct.

They want players from New Zealand and the Pacific Islands

[StandOffHalf]

On 19/12/2023 at 02:16, NRLandSL said:

What kind of “flawless roll out” doesn’t even advertise or teach the right sport.

when Aaron Woods was being interviewed on TV, the sport was only referred to as “rugby ” and they made no effort to educate the audience about the difference between union and league.

And then the players go and help out at rugby union training camps, it’s embarrassing.

I guarantee in march very very few Americans will have any idea the NRL is playing a different sport to the rugby they have likely heard about.

Seriously? That is poor by the NRL.

[StandOffHalf]

I don't see why they'd send players to a RU school. FFS.

Ostracising actual RL players/clubs doesn't reflect well on the project, whether it's about money or not. These things are inter-linked. The photo-op could have been at the RL club and local players had a light shone on them.

A small thing perhaps, but it would have showed pride and connection - rather than just rolling in without a care.

[Gomersall]

 

[Whippet13]

3 hours ago, Gomersall said:

 

That is good news. Have also seen that Sean Rutgerson (the USA coach) is holding a session with select Utah and Pacific Coast players at the start of January. Hopefully that means the muted NRL-weekend USA v Canada game is on in Vegas.

[Sports Prophet]

12 hours ago, Whippet13 said:

That is good news. Have also seen that Sean Rutgerson (the USA coach) is holding a session with select Utah and Pacific Coast players at the start of January. Hopefully that means the muted NRL-weekend USA v Canada game is on in Vegas.

That’s a bold strategy for the USA v Canada game. Surely they saw how lifeless professional games were with no crowds. Who is going to enjoy this game if there is no sound for Christ’s sake?

[Sports Prophet]

16 hours ago, Gomersall said:

 

What an American way to conduct themselves. Have a big whinge and spew at the NRL publicly on social media and then play out a “we’re all ok again” post on the same platform a week later. They should have just acted like adults and approach the NRL out of the public eye to see if it was a simple oversight rather than anything sinister.

[unapologetic pedant]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

That’s a bold strategy for the USA v Canada game. Surely they saw how lifeless professional games were with no crowds. Who is going to enjoy this game if there is no sound for Christ’s sake?

I watch lots of English games without sound. The mute button is a free and completely safe form of pain relief.

[Mathius Hellwege]

Why should the NRL risk the success of this bold move by associating with proven loosers?

[Whippet13]

3 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

What an American way to conduct themselves. Have a big whinge and spew at the NRL publicly on social media and then play out a “we’re all ok again” post on the same platform a week later. They should have just acted like adults and approach the NRL out of the public eye to see if it was a simple oversight rather than anything sinister.

How do you know they didn't try that?

From what I can see, the NRL failed to engage a single USA RL club prior to Utah going public with this issue.

[The Rocket]

2 hours ago, Whippet13 said:

How do you know they didn't try that?

From what I can see, the NRL failed to engage a single USA RL club prior to Utah going public with this issue.

With 27 teams signed up to the nines tournament (as of two weeks ago) it`s hard to believe there wasn`t some engagement with the locals.

[Sports Prophet]

2 hours ago, The Rocket said:

With 27 teams signed up to the nines tournament (as of two weeks ago) it`s hard to believe there wasn`t some engagement with the locals.

@Whippet13, what he said

[Tex Evans Thigh]

On 22/12/2023 at 17:52, Mathius Hellwege said:

Why should the NRL risk the success of this bold move by associating with proven loosers?

best to associate with tighteners, I agree.

[Gomersall]

On 22/12/2023 at 22:52, Mathius Hellwege said:

Why should the NRL risk the success of this bold move by associating with proven loosers?

That explains why the Kangaroos never play England any more.