Crowe taking League to USA

[Gob]

SOUTHS co-owner Russell Crowe has proposed an expanded World Club Challenge competition involving the top four teams from the NRL and Super League be played in the US at the end of the season.

Crowe believes such a tournament would provide the dual benefit of promoting the game in the US, while creating a potential new revenue stream for the code from international broadcast rights.

The Academy award-winning actor told the Herald of his proposal in an email from Tokyo, where he is promoting his latest movie The Next Three Days, and predicted that the competition could eventually become the rugby league equivalent of football's Champions League.

"I have in mind that rugby league can create in America the same type of opportunity that the Premier League has in Europe with the UEFA and Champions League competitions," Crowe said.

"Instead of focusing on the World Club Challenge, where two teams play at an inconvenient time for both the NRL and ESL, there could be a competition that takes place soon after the NRL grand final on American soil whereby the top four teams from the NRL and ESL gather in a place like Las Vegas, and they play a tournament that decides the world champion.

"Two pools of four – two NRL [teams] and two ESL [teams] in each – to decide a final four and then of course the final match to decide the winner. One of the truly exciting aspects is giving a 'second chance' to the teams who got close in their home competition but didn't win. Over time you would seek to increase the teams in the competition drawing teams from the top of the AMNRL, PNG, French and NZ club competitions.

"With effort it may well become a financial boon for the clubs involved, as Europe represents for English soccer clubs. With expansion of TV that is happening worldwide I think there is a good chance of having multiple suitors for broadcast rights in the USA and other territories."

Crowe said he first thought of the concept when the Rabbitohs played Leeds in Florida during a pre-season match two years ago.

The match attracted a record crowd of 12,000 at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville and Crowe suggested other teams return the following season, while the Rabbitohs travelled to another US city to promote the code.

"The only way the USA will be excited by rugby league is to see it played with the best players," Crowe said. "The game has a foothold there through the hard work of people like [AMNRL boss] David Nui and [Jacksonville Axemen founder] Spinner Howland, but much more needs to be done to bring it to the attention of the football-loving public there.

"Rugby league is so easily explained to NFL fans because of its defined periods of offence and defence [six tackles = four downs], an affinity that rugby union just doesn't have. The USA is a huge football market and the pace, impact and excitement of rugby league is very attractive to the typical NFL and college football fan."

He said Las Vegas was the ideal venue to stage a tournament because it "has the infrastructure to accommodate and entertain fans and players alike".

"I suggest setting it in a single city to start with because that reduces the costs of broadcasting," he said. "Also there is a possibility that in a city like Las Vegas, home to many world-class promoters, a sponsoring partner could be found to present the competition. Vegas is a very popular travel destination and has many travel options for interested spectators. I point to boxing fixtures as proof of how many people are willing to travel there for a sporting event.

"Twenty-seven games in less than three weeks, each team plays a minimum of three games in their pool. Every game day has multiple matches until the final, representing value for money for spectators. Games played in the daylight leaving the other attractions of Vegas for night-time entertainment."

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 18ard.html

[oldr_n_wsr]

"Rugby league is so easily explained to NFL fans because of its defined periods of offence and defence [six tackles = four downs], an affinity that rugby union just doesn't have. The USA is a huge football market and the pace, impact and excitement of rugby league is very attractive to the typical NFL and college football fan."

I don't disagree with this, just make sure you don't try it during the NFL season (Sept-Feb) otherwise you lwill be dissapointed with your results. Feb to June would be a good time.

I joined the club rugby team way pback when I went to college in buffalo. Too bad a 7 foot snowstorm (and subsequent snowstorms) wiped out the season after the first practice.

[Gob]

Fair comment O-n-W.

I'll let Russel know next time he pops in for a cuppa.

[Daisy]

Northern Hemisphere RL is played March - October so should fit in quite nicely.

[@meric@nwom@n]

I would be very surprised if it is greeted by anything more than a modest, very modest turn out.

[Gob]

Don't tempt me to say something I'll regret.

[rubato]

Well that's nice of Mr Crowe considering how starved we Americans are for mindless entertainment and all.


yrs,
rubato

[oldr_n_wsr]

I'll watch rugby rather than sit through any March Madness bascketball game. (or any NBA game) From after teh Superbowl til basebal season gets going there isn't much sports that interest me. I do like hockey but since the ISlanders are dismal and getting worse every year, rugby would be welcomed (by me anyway).

And don't you Aussies have some game called "Hurling"? where guys hit a ball with a stick up and down a field trying to score goals/touchdowns? I remember watching it some time ago and thought that looked interesting, especially when guy try and block the guy hitting a ball with the stick.

[Gob]

Nah,, not the Aussies, only the Irish could play such a lunatic game.

[loCAtek]

And don't you Aussies have some game called "Hurling"? where guys hit a ball with a stick up and down a field trying to score goals/touchdowns? I remember watching it some time ago and thought that looked interesting, especially when guy try and block the guy hitting a ball with the stick.

Hard to believe there's anything dafter than cricket, but these guys only just invented the helmet.


Really? We can't hit each with sticks anymore!?

[Sean]

Helmets weren't mandatory in hurling at any level until last year. It was always seen as being 'a bit girly' to wear one. I was forced to play it for a brief period in my schooldays. The hurley is made out of ash with a steel band around the business end. It fucking hurts to get that full in the face at speed! No bastard helmets even at schoolboy level in the '80s... in fact no body protection whatsoever!

Not only that but the ball is the same as a cricket ball (cork wrapped in leather). Trust me, you don't want that in the nads...

[loCAtek]

After a game, Is there anyone left with a tooth in their head?

[Gob]

Shane McGowan was a player...

[loCAtek]

caption: Step off! Or I'll gum you to death!

[Long Run]

With U.S. football we are seeing that with all of the protection, the rules are changing to move the contact back toward the rugby style that is more wrestling than collision. It turns out that colliding with other people, even if wearing state of the art pads and helmet, is more dangerous than doing wrestling take downs.