Major League Rugby

[francoisfou]

The league's turning into a bit of a dumpster fire of late. No communication with fans, a complete lack of clarity about what's actually due to happen next year - this is no way to bring in new supporters and investors, both of which it drastically needs. Sooner or later, the owners are either going to run out of money or patience and then the whole thing will collapse like an Ikea deckchair.

Only bright spot is that it's rumoured Chicago are entering (probably replacing Austin). I'm hopeful they'll be called the Old Department Store.

Puja

Did you use to work in a Department Store?

[Puja]

The league's turning into a bit of a dumpster fire of late. No communication with fans, a complete lack of clarity about what's actually due to happen next year - this is no way to bring in new supporters and investors, both of which it drastically needs. Sooner or later, the owners are either going to run out of money or patience and then the whole thing will collapse like an Ikea deckchair.

Only bright spot is that it's rumoured Chicago are entering (probably replacing Austin). I'm hopeful they'll be called the Old Department Store.

Puja

Did you use to work in a Department Store?

Yeah, but I had to leave after someone came in one day asking for a German method of coal extraction and I evidently misunderstood what they wanted.

Puja

[francoisfou]

The league's turning into a bit of a dumpster fire of late. No communication with fans, a complete lack of clarity about what's actually due to happen next year - this is no way to bring in new supporters and investors, both of which it drastically needs. Sooner or later, the owners are either going to run out of money or patience and then the whole thing will collapse like an Ikea deckchair.

Only bright spot is that it's rumoured Chicago are entering (probably replacing Austin). I'm hopeful they'll be called the Old Department Store.

Puja

Did you use to work in a Department Store?

Yeah, but I had to leave after someone came in one day asking for a German method of coal extraction and I evidently misunderstood what they wanted.

Puja

Sounds like you were both shafted.

[Mellsblue]

[Puja]

Finally, some actual communication. Underimpressed with the league rn.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

[Puja]

Chicago Hounds officially named as 12th team for 2023: https://www.majorleague.rugby/news/majo ... o-chicago/

I quite like it. Decent badge, decent colours, they're playing at the old Chicago Fire stadium of 20k, they've got Rob and Dave Kearney as investors and consultants. They seem to have as good a chance as any to make a go of it. The league could really use a good news story and someone drawing in a half-decent crowd right about now.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

[Puja]

That looks like a massive upgrade for them, and pretty accessible for transport as well. Only issue is the Yank football lines, but could be far worse.

Puja

[Puja]

RUNY rebrand to Rugby New York Ironworkers. It's... better, I guess? Not sure it's the kind of nickname that sells a lot of merchandise or encourages dressing up and fan loyalty, like the Legion does for San Diego.

Puja

[newgalesurf]

Guess they didn't want to do Steelers.

You can always wear hard hats and carry girders

[Mellsblue]

Ffs. My merch just gets more and more dated!
All my stuff is now two iterations removed. From RUNY to just RNY and now on to NY Ironworkers. If they’re not carefully they’ll have had more names than Puff Daddy.

[Puja]

Guess they didn't want to do Steelers.

You can always wear hard hats and carry girders

Bit of a danger of coming off slightly village people though.

Still, the league's got rid of the Gilteams and RUNY - next target on the stupid names list either Freejacks or Rugby ATL.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Guess they didn't want to do Steelers.

You can always wear hard hats and carry girders

Bit of a danger of coming off slightly village people though.

Still, the league's got rid of the Gilteams and RUNY - next target on the stupid names list either Freejacks or Rugby ATL.

Puja

Rugby ATL is a good one at a local level. I listened to a podcast with their DorR or similar and there’s a big ATL movement around being proud of, improving etc etc Atlanta. Agreed that it sounds shoite from here but I think it’s a solid one.

[Puja]

Argentine mogul looks to be setting up an MLR side in Miami for 2024: https://www.iprofesional.com/negocios/3 ... dos-unidos
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity ... member_ios

That's a great market for the league to be in, although I l'd imagine it'll be hellishly hot if they host playoff games there in June. Linking back to the previous posts, Miami Sharks is a bit basic as a team name, although the league has had far worse.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Miami Sharks is a bit basic as a team name, although the league has had far worse.

Sewer gators?

[Mellsblue]

[Puja]

I watched some of the game - looked like a perfect day for MLR. Record crowd, excellent stadium, exciting game, and a win for the home team. Some of that crowd will be from people wanting to see the new stadium but, with luck, there's a good chunk of them will've had a good day out and will be back for the next game.

Frankly, I'd say USAR should make that their home stadium for the time being. There's clearly a market for rugby in California - the Legion already had some of the highest regular attendances in their old stadium - and they should have an ambition of filling a 34k stadium rather than pissing about in Glendale's 5k concrete bunker.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

https://willhooleysports.wordpress.com/ ... -the-moon/

[Puja]

San Diego (and rugby in California in general, RIP Giltinis) are just operating on another level when it comes to fan engagement and building a crowd. Looking at Houston, who have their own stadium, very little competition, a huge metroplex to draw from, getting 2k crowds at best, is just embarrassing in comparison.

I hope the Legion have a great season and can host the final. Clearly the best stadium and fanbase.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Cos it made me lol

TRN just have a superb social media game. Better than the MLR as a whole deserves honestly, cause the league itself's been terrible about its promotion.

Puja

They’re at it again:

[Puja]

Really annoyed that they've decided to do a neutral venue this year for the final. Yes, last year's final only got low attendance because there was only a week to publicise it and New York don't have a big home following, but the answer to that was not to randomly shove it in Chicago where there will be no home fans whatsoever. Rugby is not big enough for the final to be an event that neutrals will flock to - it needed to stay at the home of the top seed so that there would at least be one home crowd.

This rant brought to you by my thwarted hope that San Diego would finish top and the final be in their gorgeous new stadium, filled by their rowdy crowd.

Puja

[Puja]

https://v.redd.it/0vy8gcjezova1

Coaches getting in a fight at NY vs Houston. From the sounds of it, NY coach came over to the Houston huddle at a waterbreak and gave them lip, so the angry South African ex-no 8 came on to tell him to go away and it escalated from there.

Puja

[Puja]

Nice feelgood story: https://www.therugbynetwork.com/article ... onateakuei

Puja

[Puja]

So, New England are the 2023 champions by 25-24, with a late try to snatch it from San Diego.

Highlights are here. I couldn't watch it live, but it looks like an incredible match. Shame for Nonu to (potentially) finish his career on such a stinker of a performance.

Also I will acknowledge being wrong about the neutral venue - over 10k attendance is a big deal and shows it was worth doing. Granted, San Diego would've been the hosts the way this season's results played out, and it's entirely possible they could've got 15k plus, but for every San Diego and Utah, there's a New York and Atlanta, so it turned out to be the right call.

Puja