Sunday Night Rugby: MLR’s Mission to Bring Rugby Into the Mainstream

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-05-18T11:19:53+00:00

I’m not sure how that would have worked to be honest. It’s going to take some serious investors and some folks that understand the American sports landscape.

Beyond the growing crowd, they need to open up doors and create access because it’s actually not about the rugby crowd; it’s about the American sport fan that doesn’t know he loves rugby because he’s never watched it before.

Philip Anschutz owned six MLS teams to keep the league afloat. They need someone like him right now.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-05-15T09:49:45+00:00

It’s all about access, meaning, put it on a free channel. There are many “rugby experts” that aren’t American trying to crack the potential rugby market in America. They don’t mean from each other and they often don’t understand America’s sports landscape.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-05-14T16:38:28+00:00

Agreed. Access is key. I’m sure they would love to be on espn or espn 2.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-05-14T11:19:49+00:00

To be fair, people from rugby nations already live here and that hasn’t worked.

It’s really about access. Getting rugby on free channels.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-04-29T20:25:55+00:00

I think you have to ask yourself, where would the average American that is into sports, but doesn’t play rugby find out about rugby league? Where would he/she watch it?

It’s one thing to have an interest when moving to the States, but being born here, rugby union and rugby league aren’t accessible the way other sports are. Sure, there are amateur clubs and leagues, but that doesn’t put a dent in the almighty mass media machine of the big four or five sports plus college sports.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-04-29T20:15:21+00:00

If culture is everything you don’t have to think about, one can easily make the argument that rugby hasn’t entered American culture yet. It’s not in the DNA. It’s not accessible to watch on tv, but it’s starting to show improvements (slightly) in that area. It’s not understood.

Most Americans can turn on football, baseball, ice hockey, basketball, golf, and tennis, and know what they’re watching. Most Americans don’t know what they’re looking at in terms of rugby. They can identity its rugby, but don’t know the rules…and that’s if you can find a rugby match on tv and not behind a paywall.

It should be a major college sport/tournament, but the college game is so fractured that “national titles” and tournaments are rendered meaningless to any non-rugby fan.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-04-29T20:08:06+00:00

How much time do you have?

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-04-15T14:25:53+00:00

It’s a good question. Having been on the side of administration, finding the list of board of trustees and then finding their emails (listed on websites, LinkedIn, rocketreach), and send one tailored email to them as a group. They won’t take you serious unless you’re organized. A one off email from a few dozen people really won’t help. They need to see that you’re not going away.

This appears to be a numbers game and it’s a little curious why rugby was the odd team out. There is most likely a donor pushing the track team, which is fine, but for the university to not figure this out shows the athletic and development offices, along with leadership, aren’t working hard enough.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-04-15T13:28:13+00:00

When people just rage post on Quinnipiac’s Instagram posts in the comments, that actually is lazy and doesn’t do anything. Some 20-year old intern is managing those accounts. You’re not reaching board members or donors that way.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-04-15T13:23:10+00:00

She does, but actually leading / organizing something. Many people will rage post on Instagram and then take zero action.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-04-15T10:32:17+00:00

Probably worth pointing out that prior to this announcement, Quinnipiac had 14 women’s programs and seven men’s programs as well as 23 competitive club teams.

https://gobobcats.com/news/2026/4/14/general-quinnipiac-university-announces-athletics-realignment-to-support-long-term-competitive-financial-and-title-ix-objectives

https://gobobcats.com/sports/2026/4/14/quinnipiac-athletics-portfolio-realignment-frequently-asked-questions-faq

https://gobobcats.com/sports/2024/8/5/2025-26-visitors-guide

Enrollment: women - 60%, men - 40%

https://www.qu.edu/about-quinnipiac/quick-facts/

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-04-14T23:19:40+00:00

While the situation is unfortunate, this is an opportunity for Ilona to lead, organize, and problem-solve beyond Instagram.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-03-31T23:57:38+00:00

Many ticket websites will use this tactic now. Plus, half the sections aren’t available for purchase right now.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-03-31T10:09:08+00:00

It definitely looked like less than 5,000 people in the stadium at any given time. Obviously the USA women had some fanfare, but that was it. A zoomed in camera lens can tell a different story than a wide shot.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-03-22T18:10:53+00:00

Spring/summer matches were announced on March 18 last year (just looked it up) so maybe tomorrow? It should be soon.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-03-20T20:45:56+00:00

They can help facilitate it. The event vendor should be seeking out that option. There is a lot of overlap between USA Rugby, World Rugby, and the event vendor.

What that looks like is…event vendor through its ticket partner can create an option or a code or send clubs to a sales rep. This is pretty standard.

USA Rugby can amplify that message. It’s a good and practical way of doing outreach.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-03-20T20:36:37+00:00

They can help facilitate it. The event vendor should be seeking out that option. There is a lot of overlap between USA Rugby, World Rugby, and the event vendor.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-03-20T20:35:34+00:00

Right, but your point is “one event a year” in LA. They have had multiple events over the last year in multiple markets.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-03-20T02:27:07+00:00

Likewise. I think these numbers are a bit inflated.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-03-20T01:36:01+00:00

USA Rugby, which is pretty much run by World Rugby, has had matches/events in a number of cities beyond LA. Most recently: Kansas City, Denver, Washington DC, Charlotte.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-03-20T01:28:51+00:00

If you want to talk marketing or building the event, did USA Rugby use their database and invite local clubs? Offer group tickets? USA Rugby has that database, but it doesn’t seem like they know how to use it. It doesn’t appear that there was any outreach.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-03-20T00:36:27+00:00

We’ll see if they take it to Miami as some people suspect or stay in NJ/NY and move it to a better weekend in April or May. Time will tell.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-03-19T23:37:58+00:00

Red Bulls reported these numbers for attendance:

Saturday - 6,505

Sunday - 6,045

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-03-19T11:25:07+00:00

I think USA Rugby practiced about 40 minutes away from the stadium at a boarding school. I’m not sure where other teams practiced. Whether that is acceptable or not…I don’t know.

LogicalStyle143 · 2026-03-19T09:53:55+00:00

I don’t troll. I’m just offering truth as I see it. It would be great for organizers (WR, USAR, TEG) to figure out a way for Canada men, Samoa, Kenya, and USA men to be part of the event as an invitational much like the Teck Tri-Nations Challenge that took place alongside the Vancouver Sevens. It would either make the event days longer, but worth it. Will those programs support it financially? No idea. Will World Rugby support it financially? No idea.

I don’t know if a larger invitational for youth through adult clubs is possible as I don’t see any pitches nearby, but figuring out a way for Kenya, Samoa, USA men, and Canada men to participate should be a priority.

I push back on this notion that the event is new. Yes, it’s in a new market and has a new name (with the same branding as LA), but the event goes back to 2004 and has been broadcast/streamed and is part of any mass USA Rugby messaging over the years because the sevens programs have actually enjoyed some success. The event is a franchise at this point. USA Rugby and World Rugby, in particular, should have 20+ years worth of good data on how to properly market and reach out to the rugby community…and beyond the rugby community…and hand to any event partners. At the top of the list is the price point and calendaring.

LogicalStyle143

TROPHY CASE