From a province with Louth in it....
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URC expansion
- Thread starter tirawleybaron
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Supposedly URC looking to replace any axed Welsh regions with American franchises
Absolute tinpot
Absolute tinpot
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Aren't the US franchises in the process of going bust?
Or would they just take the dull (remaining) MRL?
I'm sure the prem clubs will be happy having to fork out on flights, to play in front of 30 people in b#tt f#ck Alabama.
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East Coast teams are what's being reported.
I'm sure prem fans will convince themselves New York or Boston are worse destinations for a rugby weekend than Newport but sure look.
I'd have preferred Portuguese / Spanish and a Georgian team but the URC have shown they can run a successful league through expansion periods twice already and destination cities with reasonably large numbers of Irish and UK expats and diaspora makes sense. So quite happy for them to continue making decisions as they are.
Can't wait for European rugby to get even worse,
Cut off all progression opportunities for Georgia, Romania etc. so we can have the New York *Offensive Racial Stereotype*s playing in it instead
Tbf this will have to have South Africa's approval first and they'll be pushing for more currie cup sides inclusion first
Cut off all progression opportunities for Georgia, Romania etc. so we can have the New York *Offensive Racial Stereotype*s playing in it instead
Tbf this will have to have South Africa's approval first and they'll be pushing for more currie cup sides inclusion first
They will want the Cheetahs involved.
URC chasing the mythical (non-existent?) American market for rugby.
@TRF_Olly
Tinpot indeed.
www.walesonline.co.uk
Tinpot indeed.
URC considers shock US expansion as it waits on WRU decision over cutting teams
The URC is considering further expansion
spursincornwall
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Expansion to the US is ridiculous as others have said, the Black Lions and one other makes more sense
as others have said, the Black Lions and one other makes more senseIs the plan to pocket whatever large license fee they can convince US teams to pay and not care when they go broke a few years later?
I mean Newport is a hell of a lot more affordable though
It’s hard to plan for a weekend away in New York
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Adding in a 6th country several time zones away where rugby’s not really a thing. What could possibly go wrong?
I don’t watch a second of this stuff. I’m sure some of the individual matches are fine, but to me it just feels like a random series of games, lacking the local enmity and identity that great sport has. Others will see it differently.
I don’t watch a second of this stuff. I’m sure some of the individual matches are fine, but to me it just feels like a random series of games, lacking the local enmity and identity that great sport has. Others will see it differently.
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And their average attendance would suggest that friends and family of players made up 90% of travelling fans, 5k over a season is poor. Making a holiday around a match on the east coast of the states isn't an option for every fan but I guarantee more average fans would make those trips.
In terms of logistics only a Lisbon and Spanish team are better options. Tbilisi is equally far away to the East Coast for all teams (further for Irish teams without chartered planes with no direct flight). It's a stab at a new market to replace a near dead one. The criticisms are strange imo, better than throwing two SA sides in for me and it's getting a T2 market into a T1 league, the URC isn't a European comp so where those teams come from are irrelevant.
I'm guessing it's like US sports you are reliant on home support predominantly filling a stadium. Even though it kills any real atmosphere.
Average fans will make those trips only if there team are decent and winning
The winning franchises do ok but who is going travel to watch the new Dragons get drubbed by Miami.
Average fans will make those trips only if there team are decent and winning
The winning franchises do ok but who is going travel to watch the new Dragons get drubbed by Miami.
Kinda is when they then get forced on everyone else like has happened with the South African URC sides and the Cheetahs
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Based on a rule that the PRL and LNR pushed through...
Can't blame the English and French for South African sides in Europe, that's entirely URCs fault
I think a solution may be as follows:
18 teams
1. 4 Irish and 2 USA teams in a conference i would choose Boston and maybe New York, both cities with large Irish connections.
2. 2 Welsh, 2 Scottish and 2 Italian in a conference
3. 6 South African in a conference (add the Cheetahs and Boland/Griquas).
Each play each other home and away in the conference, and against the other teams either home or away.
22 games regular season.
QF, SF and Final
25 games in the whole season, which is less than the regular season for the Top 14.
18 teams
1. 4 Irish and 2 USA teams in a conference i would choose Boston and maybe New York, both cities with large Irish connections.
2. 2 Welsh, 2 Scottish and 2 Italian in a conference
3. 6 South African in a conference (add the Cheetahs and Boland/Griquas).
Each play each other home and away in the conference, and against the other teams either home or away.
22 games regular season.
QF, SF and Final
25 games in the whole season, which is less than the regular season for the Top 14.
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And it's been excellent for the URC.
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