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Also it looks like college rugby is making some fantastic inroads. 4000 at a college game is nothing to snuff at (Rugbytalk podcast #35).
However, American rugby needs to seriously address three critical issues. The one is a lack of a professional or even semi-professional league. Most in American rugby assume that pro-rugby means paying players. Paying players is the minority work of professional rugby, rather it is how the game is run for the spectator fan.
Ian Macintosh (former South African coach) used to say professionalism was about whether the fans could buy good food, use a clean bathroom, find a good parking space, and have a hell of a good time watching the game. Right now the RSL is not very fun to watch, and the image is not that great.
First it is next to impossible when visiting a RSL website to find out where a team plays and how to get there easily. Not only that, none of the websites tell potential fans where to park their cars, where the bathrooms are to be found, and where they can buy a cold beer and get some snacks. Not one website focuses on potential fans and why a family would enjoy a day out at the rugby pitch, nor are there any indications as to who will greet a spectator coming to a game.
Another problem is that the RSL teams have an image problem. Booze cruises may be a great idea for private parties for players, it is not, however, a good idea to slap booze cruise pictures on a public website. Think about it. A dad is looking to take his family to a sporting event visits an RSL website and he gets booze cruise photos. No offense, but if someone in the NFL, MLB, or NHL posted booze cruise photos on their official site, they would probable be fired immediately.
Can anyone in American rugby give me one reason why a family, after viewing a RSL website, would want to take their family for a day out to watch rugby? Our pseudo pro-rugby teams need to take a look at the websites of pro-teams in America and learn from them. Posting pictures of drunken people on American rugby websites does not do any good for the image of rugby. In other words, American rugby needs to start focusing on potential fans, and provide decent amenities for them.
Thirdly, American rugby still has no mainstream media exposure. Having foreign games broadcast on Setanta and MediaZone is one thing, having the Churchill Cup broadcast on Setanta is a disgrace. An American Test should be on ABC, CBS, FOX, My Network TV, CW or a basic cable channel like FX, or Versus.
The fact that the Chicago Fire, the local MLS team is being paid by a local broadcast television station to air their games is a testimony as to how a minority sport can work hard to get media exposure. Let’s not forget that not even ten years ago the MLS used to pay to be on television.
The American rugby press needs to start holding Boulder and the IRB accountable for not having mainstream media exposure.
I know this is a lot of complaining, however, if Boulder can score a great coach, with a little effort towards the spectator, American rugby can become a leader in sports entertainment. No, rugby will not compete with the big four sports, but it certainly can compete with lacrosse, poker and other minority sports.
All it needs is a little forward thinking in the public relations department of clubs that want to be professional and some mainstream media exposure.
Here’s hoping that one day I will attend a semi pro match with great parking, a nice seat, a clean bathroom, and an usher to help me find my seat, beverages, and food, and if I can’t attend the game, at least be able to watch the game on My Network TV. I believe it can happen. The question is whether the American rugby community believes it too.
Paul Acutt
Round Lake Beach, IL
Thanks for the fun and insightful radio show every week! I am particularly interested in Ray’s segment on international rugby, but have noticed that he is starting to include the NRL and rugby league.
I know ARN is keen to promote rugby league, but why cover the NRL when the vast majority are interested in rugby union. I can imagine that quite a few of the listeners are college and high school rugby players. It makes sense to me to cover the top flight professional leagues in the sport they play to give them something to aspire to.
Ideally as a listener I would like to hear a run down of how the yanks abroad are doing with their respective teams. This could then be followed by a quick run down of what is going on in the top leagues around the world (Guinness Premiership, Top 14, Super 14 and Magners League). In short lose the rugby league. Thanks for your time.
Robert Apperson
York, UK via Raleigh, NC
ARN replies: We have followed the American players plying their trade overseas (an update on this will be coming soon) and we always closely follow the national teams. In the big picture, we devote nearly no time towards the NRL competition, except maybe in passing or during a conversation.
We have given much more time to the US Tomahawks and their Rugby League programs, as well we should. No doubt as our collegiate season heads towards the finals and club rugby reaches its climax, we'll take a greater look at all that's happening in the broader rugby universe.
Rugby League is also part of that universe, and from time to time we will mention things that are going on.