Huge blow for US rugby as former MLR winner reportedly goes bust
Reports suggest that Major League Rugby is in for another blow, as Rugby New York appear to be the latest team to go under.
The side that won the 2022 MLR is now facing a disappointing end, as they reportedly had until today to come up with much needed capital, according to various sources, such as americasrugbynews writer, Bryan Ray.
He says that players from the club, which changed names multiple times since joining the league in 2019, have already started contacting other teams.
The club joins the Toronto Arrows in folding before the 2024 season after a long-rumoured deal to sell the club has reportedly fallen through.
Rugby traction in the over-saturated US sports market has always been challenging for MLR teams, with a fine example being the meagre 2,000 fans in attendance in New Jersey when New York claimed their first MLR title.
The team were being courted by a conglomerate of investors, but a deal has not been reached.
Meanwhile, Rugby Canada have announced a new strategic plan for 2024 until 2027 and beyond.
"The plan has been approved by Rugby Canada’s board after several months of consultation and collaboration with Rugby Canada’s executive leadership team and staff, national team players and representatives from all 10 provincial unions," their statement said.
"The new plan has put emphasis on three strategic aims:
- Support Our Teams to Win: Build high performing national teams and provide training environments that achieve success.
- Be a Leading Sports Organization: Transform Rugby Canada into a strong, world class national sports organization.
- Expand Financial Capacity: Grow and diversify revenues, increase financial stability and create new opportunities.
"The new plan displays a clear commitment to a new standard of performance, behaviour, attitude and decision-making as we enter a new era of rugby in Canada."
The overview version of Rugby Canada’s new strategic plan can be found here.
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Getting rid of the Dupont Law is a good thing and ought to have been done months ago! Officially getting rid of the croc roll is a good thing. The law about no scrums from a short arm is well intended in terms of speeding the game up but it’s an overreaction to a clever yet calculated gamble that could have blow up in South Africa’s face if they conceded a penalty from the scrum that was set after Willemse took claimed the mark in the World Cup QF.
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