The USA rugby scene is teetering on the brink, pulling World Rugby's grand American dreams down with it. Meanwhile, Red Bull's swoop into English rugby is stirring up its own storm, but let's not kid ourselves by calling it revolutionary.
Just three months ago, things seemed to be looking up for rugby in the USA, with World Rugby casting hopeful eyes on what they consider a burgeoning market. The season closed on a financially positive note—at least on the surface. Fast forward a couple of months, and the Major League Rugby landscape tells a different tale. Mergers and team dissolutions have reduced the league, with some opting out of the upcoming season, though they promise a return in 2027. The idea that teams can sit out seasons at will hardly screams stability.
The league insists on a "rigorous" re-application process for these teams, but one must wonder just how stringent this will be given the dire circumstances. The irony is thick in the air as Miami Sharks' CEO Milagros Cubelli, freshly minted as rugby executive of the year, watched her team fold mere days later. Further instability looms as Utah Warriors' CEO Kimball Kjar admits they are "seeking new investment"—a phrase increasingly resembling a distress signal in today's rugby economy.
World Rugby's silence on these developments is deafening, especially considering their heavy investment in the region ahead of the 2031 World Cup. July had World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin suggesting that a cross-border competition might be a welcome addition. "
"We want MLR to be successful, yet introducing a cross-border competition could be a really good addition,"
Gilpin noted. Yet, how this aligns with the R360 concept, which is already shaking up the rugby world, remains to be seen.Across the pond, the takeover of Newcastle by Red Bull has been hailed by Premier Rugby CEO Simon Massie-Taylor as a groundbreaking event for the sport. "
"This takeover is a landmark moment for our sport and a powerful endorsement of our vision and strategy for the future of the Gallagher Prem,"
he stated. However, this perspective isn't universally shared. Buying a struggling club doesn't fundamentally change the game—it merely preserves the status quo under a new banner.While it's a lifeline for Newcastle and a pat on the back for Steve Diamond, who remains at the helm, calling it a "landmark moment" is a stretch. True landmark moments would involve a robust development of rugby's professional tiers, ensuring competitive and financially sustainable clubs, not just saving one from the brink.
Amid these developments, the sport's reliance on external financial injections continues, with its very soul up for grabs. World Rugby and the global rugby community face a reckoning—how to foster growth without selling out? The answers to these questions will shape the future of the game.