Rugby in America

Why isn’t rugby popular in America?

Since the Rugby world cup was founded in 1987  the United States has participated in 8 of 9 tournaments. The results?  Terrible. America has yet to advance to a knockout stage. We are lucky if we muster up one win in pool play.  America has the best athletes in the world.  We are competitive in the olympic sports that we don’t already dominate in. We’ve even had recent success in sports like cross country skiing and curling which we historically have failed in. So why not Rugby? 

The answer is simple. Lack of exposure and fear for safety. 

Im currently watching the Rugby World Cup but I’m sure many of you had no idea its going on. A major sports tournament like this should have the country buzzing but while everyone sleeps in America, On the other side of the globe in Japan the atmosphere is electric. And when the games are replayed they’re on during the drive home from work. Unlike the Soccer World Cup where all the games are on cable or network television, If you want access to all the rugby matches NBC requires a you to pay for their NBC sports gold streaming service.  How can the sport be expected to grow if avid sports fans who aren’t familiar with it are expected to pay extra to see it? 

• Safety in sports has become highlighted in recent years. Football stars like Gronk And Patrick Willis retired in their prime from fear of longterm effects concussions and other injuries may cause. To prevent head injuries, more parents aren’t allowing their children to play football. Even some great NFL players have said they don’t want their kids to grow up and play the game that made them rich and famous. Yet when you mention rugby to a casual sports fan they will probably tell you that it’s more dangerous than football. That’s  where there is a disconnect. People think that no pads means when you get hit you’re going to automatically break something. Not true. No pads and the pace of play almost eliminates the possibility of a full speed collision in a rugby match. Players don’t have free space like a safety running full speed at a a receiver ready to launch themselves headfirst at them as soon as they catch the ball. This isn’t just because there are no pads but the fact that the pace of play is like soccer and its constantly moving for two 40 minute halves the only time theres an opportunity to for a water break is after a score or during an injury time out or substitution. Rugby players don’t lead with their unprotected heads and its a penalty to tackle above the shoulders. 

There is hope. Major League Rugby is entering its third season and with it they have expanded to 12 teams. major sports regions on the East Coast have joined and with it the fan base and understanding for the great sport should grow. It’s a step in the right direction. A step which I believe is the foundation to a sports that will be a staple of American sports in the 20 years. 

Do yourselves a favor and check out some rugby on television or youtube and see what the great sport you’ve been missing out on all your lives.