RFU back US Rugby initiative

England's governing Rugby Football Union is to invest in the game in the United States in a bid to boost the "fastest growing team sport in America".

The RFU, one of the sport's wealthiest national boards, will become both a minority shareholder and strategic partner in USA Rugby's new commercial subsidiary, Rugby International Marketing (RIM) amid speculation that matches in England's elite Premiership club competition could be staged in the United States.

However, a statement issued Friday said the aim was to develop new revenue streams in the USA such as the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018, which will take place in the San Francisco Bay area as well as sponsorship and broadcast deals.

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/RFU-back-US-Rugby-initiative-20150725

Haven't a clue what this means in practical terms.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/premiership/11759854/Rugby-Football-Union-becomes-shareholder-in-American-board.html
Telegraphs view

This could be a very big deal for USA Rugby. All depends on how much the RFU is willing to sink into their investment. Broadlandboy sent me the link over the weekend (thanks, mate!) and I had a chance to call some people at USA Rugby today. USA Rugby looks at the RFU as a prime business model and lucrative business partner. England had been training in Colorado at the USA Rugby training grounds so this deal is simply a further step in an existing relationship which dates back to the Churchill Cup.

Give over. The only way to grow Rugby in the states is to have a pro league which will never happen. NFL is king with MLB close behind, lets not forget the NBA and NHL too. Rugby doesn't stand a chance. the only people who play it are failed football players anyway.

Gwlad wrote:Give over. The only way to grow Rugby in the states is to have a pro league which will never happen. NFL is king with MLB close behind, lets not forget the NBA and NHL too. Rugby doesn't stand a chance. the only people who play it are failed football players anyway.

They once said a pro football league would never happen in the US and they now have the MLS. What you fail you grasp is that the NFL only plays for less than 6 months every year, that gives big chunks of the year where NFL fans are without competitive full contact sports to enjoy that provides a market that can be tapped into not to mention a population of 300million plus the likes of Canada and Mexico on its borders. As has been previously stated, its also one of the fastest growing sports in the country and the introduction of sevens to the Olympics will boost the sports overall profile.

Considering there are thousands of college kids playing American football every year and only a few hundred will make into the NFL that's a lot of failed football players that can be tapped, not to mention high school players too. Just because they fail at one sport doesn't mean that they won't cut it at another, Brock Lesnar failed to make it to the NFL and I think a few in the UFC would reckon he did ok there.

Gwlad wrote:Give over. The only way to grow Rugby in the states is to have a pro league which will never happen. NFL is king with MLB close behind, lets not forget the NBA and NHL too. Rugby doesn't stand a chance. the only people who play it are failed football players anyway.

The game is different but some of these guys are genuine athletes and massive. They make Lomu look like a normal person.

If they can pick up the game...then they could become a major player in the game.

A Mexican friend of mine liked Rugby and the fact that you did not need all the equipment that AF requires which is a big deal in Mexico. It is going to take forever before rugby ever takes off in a place like Mexico, but at least it could

They have a team LIW.

In fact I believe they were the first game of the World cup qualifying v Jamaica it may have been.

Brings a whole new meaning to Mexican stand-off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AInjupEeHlo

Imagine if Jamaica borrowed a few athletes...

Bolt, Blake, Powell now theres a 7's team!!

Cyril wrote:Brings a whole new meaning to Mexican stand-off.

A Mexican standoff is a confrontation between at least two parties in which neither party can proceed nor retreat without being exposed to danger. As a result, all participants need to maintain the strategic tension, which remains unresolved until some outside event makes it possible to resolve it.

Seems that there are a fair few Mexican half backs already playing pro rugby....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxARXRqSHUA

And even in the African qualifying there was pretty good skills being shown.

Rugby is moving forward!

lostinwales wrote:

Cyril wrote:Brings a whole new meaning to Mexican stand-off.

A Mexican standoff is a confrontation between at least two parties in which neither party can proceed nor retreat without being exposed to danger. As a result, all participants need to maintain the strategic tension, which remains unresolved until some outside event makes it possible to resolve it.

Seems that there are a fair few Mexican half backs already playing pro rugby....

Mexican standoffs are for pussies….try a 4 way stop-sign stand off, that separates the men from the mexicans.

marty2086 wrote:

Gwlad wrote:Give over. The only way to grow Rugby in the states is to have a pro league which will never happen. NFL is king with MLB close behind, lets not forget the NBA and NHL too. Rugby doesn't stand a chance. the only people who play it are failed football players anyway.

They once said a pro football league would never happen in the US and they now have the MLS. What you fail you grasp is that the NFL only plays for less than 6 months every year, that gives big chunks of the year where NFL fans are without competitive full contact sports to enjoy that provides a market that can be tapped into not to mention a population of 300million plus the likes of Canada and Mexico on its borders. As has been previously stated, its also one of the fastest growing sports in the country and the introduction of sevens to the Olympics will boost the sports overall profile.

Considering there are thousands of college kids playing American football every year and only a few hundred will make into the NFL that's a lot of failed football players that can be tapped, not to mention high school players too. Just because they fail at one sport doesn't mean that they won't cut it at another, Brock Lesnar failed to make it to the NFL and I think a few in the UFC would reckon he did ok there.

Um, no i don't. What you fail to grasp is that I live in North America. Rugby will always be a very, very 3rd tier game here.

Gwlad, agree USRugby needs a pro league to take it on. Rugby doesn't need to compete with those sports when you consider that 1 players wages from NFL could fund a pretty good rugby team.

Its not that it needs to compete, it's that the sporting year is full and rugby is a poor substitute for NFL. North Amercians don't want sport in the summer, they are too busy outdoors. And in the winter they have so many massively established options that a sport similar to NFL simply won't be picked up as a commercial option. Soccer is working here because it is different and there has been huge uptake especially amongst girls, rugby isn't different. Rugby looks like a poor cousin to NFL….no kit? no helmets and pads? No ad breaks after each down? Very, very unAmerican.

Gwlad wrote:Its not that it needs to compete, it's that the sporting year is full and rugby is a poor substitute for NFL. North Amercians don't want sport in the summer, they are too busy outdoors. And in the winter they have so many massively established options that a sport similar to NFL simply won't be picked up as a commercial option. Soccer is working here because it is different and there has been huge uptake especially amongst girls, rugby isn't different. Rugby looks like a poor cousin to NFL….no kit? no helmets and pads? No ad breaks after each down? Very, very unAmerican.

I think footbsll has done well due to the rest of the worlds infatuation, and South American influences creeping into the US. It also doesn't hurt that it is a non contact outdoor sport that requires little but a ball to play, ingrained in every elementary and middle school are easily set up and run soccer teams.

Rugby is far more difficult to introduce to a saturated market, but it definately has the potential!

Fanster wrote:

Gwlad wrote:Its not that it needs to compete, it's that the sporting year is full and rugby is a poor substitute for NFL. North Amercians don't want sport in the summer, they are too busy outdoors. And in the winter they have so many massively established options that a sport similar to NFL simply won't be picked up as a commercial option. Soccer is working here because it is different and there has been huge uptake especially amongst girls, rugby isn't different. Rugby looks like a poor cousin to NFL….no kit? no helmets and pads? No ad breaks after each down? Very, very unAmerican.

I think footbsll has done well due to the rest of the worlds infatuation, and South American influences creeping into the US. It also doesn't hurt that it is a non contact outdoor sport that requires little but a ball to play, ingrained in every elementary and middle school are easily set up and run soccer teams.

Rugby is far more difficult to introduce to a saturated market, but it definately has the potential!

Unless you mean Mexicnas with footballs you couldn't be more wrong about South American influence, the States does everything it can to disavow that connection. And again, the States doesn't care about the rest of the world, let alone its infatuation with soccer.

Gwlad wrote:

Fanster wrote:

Gwlad wrote:Its not that it needs to compete, it's that the sporting year is full and rugby is a poor substitute for NFL. North Amercians don't want sport in the summer, they are too busy outdoors. And in the winter they have so many massively established options that a sport similar to NFL simply won't be picked up as a commercial option. Soccer is working here because it is different and there has been huge uptake especially amongst girls, rugby isn't different. Rugby looks like a poor cousin to NFL….no kit? no helmets and pads? No ad breaks after each down? Very, very unAmerican.

I think footbsll has done well due to the rest of the worlds infatuation, and South American influences creeping into the US. It also doesn't hurt that it is a non contact outdoor sport that requires little but a ball to play, ingrained in every elementary and middle school are easily set up and run soccer teams.

Rugby is far more difficult to introduce to a saturated market, but it definately has the potential!

Unless you mean Mexicnas with footballs you couldn't be more wrong about South American influence, the States does everything it can to disavow that connection. And again, the States doesn't care about the rest of the world, let alone its infatuation with soccer.

Except for most of my time spent in the South and West coast they actively blame South American influence for the foothold soccer has gained in recent years!

Plus Americans now, more than ever are trying to widen their experiences and more often than not european trends are being embraced by USA culture!

Gwlad wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Gwlad wrote:Give over. The only way to grow Rugby in the states is to have a pro league which will never happen. NFL is king with MLB close behind, lets not forget the NBA and NHL too. Rugby doesn't stand a chance. the only people who play it are failed football players anyway.

They once said a pro football league would never happen in the US and they now have the MLS. What you fail you grasp is that the NFL only plays for less than 6 months every year, that gives big chunks of the year where NFL fans are without competitive full contact sports to enjoy that provides a market that can be tapped into not to mention a population of 300million plus the likes of Canada and Mexico on its borders. As has been previously stated, its also one of the fastest growing sports in the country and the introduction of sevens to the Olympics will boost the sports overall profile.

Considering there are thousands of college kids playing American football every year and only a few hundred will make into the NFL that's a lot of failed football players that can be tapped, not to mention high school players too. Just because they fail at one sport doesn't mean that they won't cut it at another, Brock Lesnar failed to make it to the NFL and I think a few in the UFC would reckon he did ok there.

Um, no i don't. What you fail to grasp is that I live in North America. Rugby will always be a very, very 3rd tier game here.

A solid counter argument there

Given that rugby barely promoted and has no real professional output then of course its not going to compete with other sports. With the large immigrant population, growth at grassroots level and the potential introduction of a professional league it has immense potential.

While the American market is a crowded one, Wales, Ireland and NZ have a combined population of 13 million and have 3 of the best teams in the world. America just needs to tap into a small portion of its population to produce a reasonably competitive team. Couple it all with the media and advertising markets there, there would exist the money to invest and build the structures at all levels.

NZ press reporting that it looks like Ireland will play the ABs in Chicago in 2016.

http://www.the42.ie/ireland-new-zealand-chicago-2241729-Jul2015/

marty2086 wrote:

Gwlad wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Gwlad wrote:Give over. The only way to grow Rugby in the states is to have a pro league which will never happen. NFL is king with MLB close behind, lets not forget the NBA and NHL too. Rugby doesn't stand a chance. the only people who play it are failed football players anyway.

They once said a pro football league would never happen in the US and they now have the MLS. What you fail you grasp is that the NFL only plays for less than 6 months every year, that gives big chunks of the year where NFL fans are without competitive full contact sports to enjoy that provides a market that can be tapped into not to mention a population of 300million plus the likes of Canada and Mexico on its borders. As has been previously stated, its also one of the fastest growing sports in the country and the introduction of sevens to the Olympics will boost the sports overall profile.

Considering there are thousands of college kids playing American football every year and only a few hundred will make into the NFL that's a lot of failed football players that can be tapped, not to mention high school players too. Just because they fail at one sport doesn't mean that they won't cut it at another, Brock Lesnar failed to make it to the NFL and I think a few in the UFC would reckon he did ok there.

Um, no i don't. What you fail to grasp is that I live in North America. Rugby will always be a very, very 3rd tier game here.

A solid counter argument there

Given that rugby barely promoted and has no real professional output then of course its not going to compete with other sports. With the large immigrant population, growth at grassroots level and the potential introduction of a professional league it has immense potential.

While the American market is a crowded one, Wales, Ireland and NZ have a combined population of 13 million and have 3 of the best teams in the world. America just needs to tap into a small portion of its population to produce a reasonably competitive team. Couple it all with the media and advertising markets there, there would exist the money to invest and build the structures at all levels.

Unless Rugby can compete commercially with the big 3 - NFL, MLB and NHL, it will never get the air time! Soccer might but rugby won't. Too much like NHL with less kit. Have you lived Stateside? The Pro soccer league here is an afterthought compared to the big boys. Try suggesting that Rugby could compete with football int he UK as top sport, then you may have some take on the challenge faced in the US and canada.

Take lacrosse for example, very popular european sport in North America at grassroots but absolutely no coverage whatsoever on tv/media. Even in Canada, the Canadian version of football will keep rugby out.

Gwlad wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Gwlad wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Gwlad wrote:Give over. The only way to grow Rugby in the states is to have a pro league which will never happen. NFL is king with MLB close behind, lets not forget the NBA and NHL too. Rugby doesn't stand a chance. the only people who play it are failed football players anyway.

They once said a pro football league would never happen in the US and they now have the MLS. What you fail you grasp is that the NFL only plays for less than 6 months every year, that gives big chunks of the year where NFL fans are without competitive full contact sports to enjoy that provides a market that can be tapped into not to mention a population of 300million plus the likes of Canada and Mexico on its borders. As has been previously stated, its also one of the fastest growing sports in the country and the introduction of sevens to the Olympics will boost the sports overall profile.

Considering there are thousands of college kids playing American football every year and only a few hundred will make into the NFL that's a lot of failed football players that can be tapped, not to mention high school players too. Just because they fail at one sport doesn't mean that they won't cut it at another, Brock Lesnar failed to make it to the NFL and I think a few in the UFC would reckon he did ok there.

Um, no i don't. What you fail to grasp is that I live in North America. Rugby will always be a very, very 3rd tier game here.

A solid counter argument there

Given that rugby barely promoted and has no real professional output then of course its not going to compete with other sports. With the large immigrant population, growth at grassroots level and the potential introduction of a professional league it has immense potential.

While the American market is a crowded one, Wales, Ireland and NZ have a combined population of 13 million and have 3 of the best teams in the world. America just needs to tap into a small portion of its population to produce a reasonably competitive team. Couple it all with the media and advertising markets there, there would exist the money to invest and build the structures at all levels.

Unless Rugby can compete commercially with the big 3 - NFL, MLB and NHL, it will never get the air time! Soccer might but rugby won't. Too much like NHL with less kit. Have you lived Stateside? The Pro soccer league here is an afterthought compared to the big boys. Try suggesting that Rugby could compete with football int he UK as top sport, then you may have some take on the challenge faced in the US and canada.

Take lacrosse for example, very popular european sport in North America at grassroots but absolutely no coverage whatsoever on tv/media. Even in Canada, the Canadian version of football will keep rugby out.

I never said anything about competing with the top 3, in fact I said the game only needs a fraction of the population to gain a foothold since most MLS games average a few hundred thousand viewers with many clubs rarely selling out games.

I may not have lived in North America but I know that lacrosse is not a European sport, it does not have a full time professional league and does not have stars and brands it can market in the US.

The All Blacks look set to return to the US next year to play the Eagles and likely Ireland, this is because they know the market exists for the sport and their brand. There is also an immigrant population to tap into, just like MLS has.

Gwlad wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Gwlad wrote:Give over. The only way to grow Rugby in the states is to have a pro league which will never happen. NFL is king with MLB close behind, lets not forget the NBA and NHL too. Rugby doesn't stand a chance. the only people who play it are failed football players anyway.

They once said a pro football league would never happen in the US and they now have the MLS. What you fail you grasp is that the NFL only plays for less than 6 months every year, that gives big chunks of the year where NFL fans are without competitive full contact sports to enjoy that provides a market that can be tapped into not to mention a population of 300million plus the likes of Canada and Mexico on its borders. As has been previously stated, its also one of the fastest growing sports in the country and the introduction of sevens to the Olympics will boost the sports overall profile.

Considering there are thousands of college kids playing American football every year and only a few hundred will make into the NFL that's a lot of failed football players that can be tapped, not to mention high school players too. Just because they fail at one sport doesn't mean that they won't cut it at another, Brock Lesnar failed to make it to the NFL and I think a few in the UFC would reckon he did ok there.

Um, no i don't. What you fail to grasp is that I live in North America. Rugby will always be a very, very 3rd tier game here.

I live in America too. And I see potential. Where do you live?

Gwlad wrote:Give over. The only way to grow Rugby in the states is to have a pro league which will never happen. NFL is king with MLB close behind, lets not forget the NBA and NHL too. Rugby doesn't stand a chance. the only people who play it are failed football players anyway.

There is a big tendency among Rugby fans to think that all that needs to happen if for someone to turn up and set up a league and suddenly RUgby will rise in these outposts. People talk about Brazil, Germany, USA and Canada rising up to become big rugby nations as if it is a foregone conclusion. The football/soccer experience in US has been a long, long, time in the making, and it still has a long time to go. Helped also by recent USA performances in mens and womens World Cups.

The expat populations in the US of folks from Rugby nations needs to be huge for it to have a significant impact. If you say there are plenty of folk from England, France there, well not all will be Rugby fans, and why haven't these people been turning at MLS games in the numbers that would be needed to boost Rugby in the US.

Also, Rugby fans are forever saying how technical, skillful, difficult Rugby is to play well. The big Rugby teams/nations are those where there is a strong tradition, and where people have been playing the game since childhood. How can ex-AF athletes at aged 18+ suddenly be expected to pick up Rugby skills and play to a high level?

TG wrote:

Gwlad wrote:Give over. The only way to grow Rugby in the states is to have a pro league which will never happen. NFL is king with MLB close behind, lets not forget the NBA and NHL too. Rugby doesn't stand a chance. the only people who play it are failed football players anyway.

There is a big tendency among Rugby fans to think that all that needs to happen if for someone to turn up and set up a league and suddenly RUgby will rise in these outposts. People talk about Brazil, Germany, USA and Canada rising up to become big rugby nations as if it is a foregone conclusion. The football/soccer experience in US has been a long, long, time in the making, and it still has a long time to go. Helped also by recent USA performances in mens and womens World Cups.

The expat populations in the US of folks from Rugby nations needs to be huge for it to have a significant impact. If you say there are plenty of folk from England, France there, well not all will be Rugby fans, and why haven't these people been turning at MLS games in the numbers that would be needed to boost Rugby in the US.

Also, Rugby fans are forever saying how technical, skillful, difficult Rugby is to play well. The big Rugby teams/nations are those where there is a strong tradition, and where people have been playing the game since childhood. How can ex-AF athletes at aged 18+ suddenly be expected to pick up Rugby skills and play to a high level?

Agree with all of this. But for me the main reason is that commercially it can't compete with the big boys and in American sport like nowhere else - where NFL coaches are paid in the millions - cash is king and queen.

doctor_grey wrote:

Gwlad wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Gwlad wrote:Give over. The only way to grow Rugby in the states is to have a pro league which will never happen. NFL is king with MLB close behind, lets not forget the NBA and NHL too. Rugby doesn't stand a chance. the only people who play it are failed football players anyway.

They once said a pro football league would never happen in the US and they now have the MLS. What you fail you grasp is that the NFL only plays for less than 6 months every year, that gives big chunks of the year where NFL fans are without competitive full contact sports to enjoy that provides a market that can be tapped into not to mention a population of 300million plus the likes of Canada and Mexico on its borders. As has been previously stated, its also one of the fastest growing sports in the country and the introduction of sevens to the Olympics will boost the sports overall profile.

Considering there are thousands of college kids playing American football every year and only a few hundred will make into the NFL that's a lot of failed football players that can be tapped, not to mention high school players too. Just because they fail at one sport doesn't mean that they won't cut it at another, Brock Lesnar failed to make it to the NFL and I think a few in the UFC would reckon he did ok there.

Um, no i don't. What you fail to grasp is that I live in North America. Rugby will always be a very, very 3rd tier game here.

I live in America too.  And I see potential.  Where do you live?

Paciific North west, spread my time between Vancouver Island and Seattle

Gwlad wrote:

TG wrote:

Gwlad wrote:Give over. The only way to grow Rugby in the states is to have a pro league which will never happen. NFL is king with MLB close behind, lets not forget the NBA and NHL too. Rugby doesn't stand a chance. the only people who play it are failed football players anyway.

There is a big tendency among Rugby fans to think that all that needs to happen if for someone to turn up and set up a league and suddenly RUgby will rise in these outposts. People talk about Brazil, Germany, USA and Canada rising up to become big rugby nations as if it is a foregone conclusion. The football/soccer experience in US has been a long, long, time in the making, and it still has a long time to go. Helped also by recent USA performances in mens and womens World Cups.

The expat populations in the US of folks from Rugby nations needs to be huge for it to have a significant impact. If you say there are plenty of folk from England, France there, well not all will be Rugby fans, and why haven't these people been turning at MLS games in the numbers that would be needed to boost Rugby in the US.

Also, Rugby fans are forever saying how technical, skillful, difficult Rugby is to play well. The big Rugby teams/nations are those where there is a strong tradition, and where people have been playing the game since childhood. How can ex-AF athletes at aged 18+ suddenly be expected to pick up Rugby skills and play to a high level?

Agree with all of this. But for me the main reason is that commercially it can't compete with the big boys and in American sport like nowhere else - where NFL coaches are paid in the millions -  cash is king and queen.

it doesn't need to compete with them, you think to take off in America it needs to be huge it really doesn't. NFL is king because its not only big in America but across the globe, hence the regular games at Wembley. If there wasn't the possibility of building rugby in N. America the ABs would not be bothering with it but they are trying to build their brand there.

Personally I think this is a shrewd investment by the RFU, with the Olympics and the push from NZ towards the USA, rugby will undoubtedly grow in America. Its probably never going to have Beyoncé doing the half time entertainment, but I can still see this being a profitable venture for the RFU.

TG wrote:

Gwlad wrote:Give over. The only way to grow Rugby in the states is to have a pro league which will never happen. NFL is king with MLB close behind, lets not forget the NBA and NHL too. Rugby doesn't stand a chance. the only people who play it are failed football players anyway.

There is a big tendency among Rugby fans to think that all that needs to happen if for someone to turn up and set up a league and suddenly RUgby will rise in these outposts. People talk about Brazil, Germany, USA and Canada rising up to become big rugby nations as if it is a foregone conclusion. The football/soccer experience in US has been a long, long, time in the making, and it still has a long time to go. Helped also by recent USA performances in mens and womens World Cups.

The expat populations in the US of folks from Rugby nations needs to be huge for it to have a significant impact. If you say there are plenty of folk from England, France there, well not all will be Rugby fans, and why haven't these people been turning at MLS games in the numbers that would be needed to boost Rugby in the US.

Also, Rugby fans are forever saying how technical, skillful, difficult Rugby is to play well. The big Rugby teams/nations are those where there is a strong tradition, and where people have been playing the game since childhood. How can ex-AF athletes at aged 18+ suddenly be expected to pick up Rugby skills and play to a high level?

That's true, but some of these Amercian guys are high level athletes. It will take training, change of fitness requirements (instead of a 30 sec burst they need to go over 80 mins) etc

Not all of them but I have no doubt some of them will be able to adapt. Now given the large numbers failing to make the NFL etc...im sure a small % that can adapt will still give the US rugby a huge option of players to work with.

Agree with Geordiefalcon.

If someone like Hayden Smith who is an USA rugby player can get into the active roster of a NFL side (didn't last long but still he did it in a small period) then surely NFL players who haven't made the grade in NFL could adapt to rugby union?


Perhaps just a coincidence but the current USA captain is a dual -USA/English citizen - Chris Wyles, born in USA but plies his trade in the AP.

Gwlad wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:

Gwlad wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Gwlad wrote:Give over. The only way to grow Rugby in the states is to have a pro league which will never happen. NFL is king with MLB close behind, lets not forget the NBA and NHL too. Rugby doesn't stand a chance. the only people who play it are failed football players anyway.

They once said a pro football league would never happen in the US and they now have the MLS. What you fail you grasp is that the NFL only plays for less than 6 months every year, that gives big chunks of the year where NFL fans are without competitive full contact sports to enjoy that provides a market that can be tapped into not to mention a population of 300million plus the likes of Canada and Mexico on its borders. As has been previously stated, its also one of the fastest growing sports in the country and the introduction of sevens to the Olympics will boost the sports overall profile.

Considering there are thousands of college kids playing American football every year and only a few hundred will make into the NFL that's a lot of failed football players that can be tapped, not to mention high school players too. Just because they fail at one sport doesn't mean that they won't cut it at another, Brock Lesnar failed to make it to the NFL and I think a few in the UFC would reckon he did ok there.

Um, no i don't. What you fail to grasp is that I live in North America. Rugby will always be a very, very 3rd tier game here.

I live in America too.  And I see potential.  Where do you live?

Paciific North west, spread my time between Vancouver Island and Seattle

Beautiful part of the world. Must be nice. I am only 3000 miles across America in northern New Jersey. I would have thought there was a lot more interest in Rugby out your way simply because most of the current USA team come from the west coast.

I see the potential because of the growth at youth level here, which includes the number of kids actually watching on tv. I also see significant increases in corporate involvement and interest. Perhaps I see more of that because I am outside NYC where a lot of that originates. I think the commercial interest by the RFU in America (or the US, to differentiate from Canada) is another example of that. Of course, it will take time to grow and can never equal the NFL in scope or level of interest. But no sport here can. A good solid second tier sport, somewhat similar to soccer would be fine. And, to me, that can be achieved within 20 years or maybe even less.

I think a lot of the challenges are within USA Rugby. From my perspective, and those involved with pro sport here, there are a lot of gaps within that organisation. They need to change from a post-amateur organisation administering a nice little club sport to a professional organisation positioned or real growth. That is likely the hardest part - the people who have been involved as a hobby are not the people to move it ahead.

Sporting preferences can change considerably over time. The fact money and audiences are in a particular place now, doesn't provide any guarantee they will stay there.

Boxing and horse racing were huge in the US at a time American football was just a college game. Money, class, demographics, technology, social arrangements, legal status and more, can all contrive to change the way the sporting world is ordered.

Actually, one of the biggest challenges traditional sports face is from eSports, which are already building young, global viewing audiences on a large scale.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/a-new-sports-industry-is-blossoming-online-and-its-already-worth-billions-2015-05-29?page=1

While traditional sports struggle to work out how to employ technology, it's already built into the heart of eSports. I'm not going to argue that they will sweep all before them, but every minute someone spends watching a tournament online, is time they aren't spending with other entertainment options.