It’s strange that it’s never caught on , yeah I know football would always be a bigger pull but there’s enough athletes out there The Rugby World cup is this in France this year ( The US did not make the finals ) Australia gets it in 2027 and then the US gets it in 2031 Maybe that’s the event to push the sport into the hearts and minds In 7’s Rugby the US is good but in the big version they are not close to the Tier 1 nations
@@tobeapirate I wasn’t really going that far back Was thinking about the period from the 90’s when Union gave up it’s amateur status and as a result lost a lot of its elites only perception and they organised their own World Cups and big Jonah was at the heights of his career Always thought it was a more natural fit then soccer would be in the US market
@The Wide World of Stadiums you should do a video on the ECHL arenas. There's 28 teams, so there's plenty of content, plus some of them have some interesting quirks or events, like Kalamazoo having green ice on St. Patrick's Day.
Dear Mr. Wide World of Stadiums, I asked you last year about this video and would like to thank you for making it. I would like to send you Philly cheesesteaks as a token (the area has no MLR team yet) but it doesn't look like I can send them. I'll at least give you a recommendation besides Pat's and Geno's, if you ever come down to Philly. Delessandro's, they're third on my list for cheesesteaks. Also, for the Houston video, can you also mention Lakewood Church? The building is the former home of the Rockets. It now belongs to church pastor, Joel Osteen. He spent the same amount of money on the arena as he spent on hair care products. I would like to hear that joke on the video as well.
yep, so far Seattle has won the championship shield twice, the first two season actually, New York is the most recent champion and one team that was kicked out of the league, LA Gilitinis also won the Shield.
The sad thing… I went to the other purpose-built rugby stadium in MLR. This was in Glendale, Colorado, a suburb of Denver that bills itself as Rugbytown USA. The stadium and the club predated MLR by several years, but the professional MLR club didn’t survive the pandemic. However, the broader club has American Raptors playing in Super Rugby Americas this year with South American clubs. On the next night of that same trip, I caught a Utah Warriors game. The Pacific Islander community around Salt Lake shows up for those games and makes things a lot more fun.
@@treywoody4706 Since I was reading up a bit more… are they kind of feuding with USA Rugby? Seems to be a lot of emphasis on “crossover athletes” in their messaging. I’m a bit skeptical about that approach.
the club left in like 2018 when MLR changed the rules to allow more foreign born players. The club still exists as the American Raptors of Super Rugby Americas.
Thanks for the video. I didn't know there was a major league rugby. In fact I was surprised that the US are relatively successful (they were qualified for 6 straight RWCs before failing for this year's edition).
Okay here’s the deal on stage thing with the early MLS venues. Basically the league’s survival was uncertain at the time. The stage setup allowed it to convert into a music venue easily which provide additional revenue and something to do with it if it went the way of the old NASL. Basically for Chicago its allowed it to stay somewhat viable as it can host music festivals and concerts.
@@PCSPounder looks like they host one festival a year along with Chicago women's team, their mls 2 team and so far one large concert on the books. They have hosted some large ones in the past, it's nearly 30k for concerts so it's a pretty big venue it seems.
@@mets137781 I’d been there once, I know Red Stars are there (I’m a protesting/upset Timbers & Thorns fan), just curious about the concert draws since the Fire moved. Thank you for the answer.
Starfire (Seattle Seawolves) is also (currently) the training facility for the Seattle Sounders of Major League Soccer. They will be moving about a 1 mile or 2 down the road in a couple of years, however.
Segra Field used to host the Washington Spirit of the NWSL also for a few games each year, but everyone in the league hated it because of the bad turf and lack of basic facilities. Now the Spirit are playing all their games at Audi Field in downtown DC.
hey brotha love ur vids wondering if u could do a CHL ( Canadian Hockey League) Arena series? theres 3 leagues the OHL for ontario the QMJHL for Quebec and the WHL for the Western Hockey League!
Snapdragon Stadium’s lack of shade has already caused a ton of trouble apparently. The first event held there had to be stopped bc too many people were getting heat stroke from what I hear
they finally built the subway up there eh...I had to go up to York U 15 years or so ago and it seemed to take hours on the bus, transfers and going through dodgy neighbourhoods. I did everything I could to avoid the place and stay South of the 401 and West of the DVP.
I’ve actually been to a few rugby gams at the Gold Mine and used to go there all the time for the Zephyrs and Baby Cakes, it’s honestly a really good stadium for its size
A little update but Old Glory DC recently moved to a new stadium in Germantown, Maryland. And Rugby new York recently folded, there are now 2 new teams in Miami, Florida and Charlotte, North Carolina with a future planned for Monterrey, Mexico. Toronto also folded and Atlanta moved to Los Angeles.
Funnily enough there was only one used! All of them played at Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Dallas. It’s being used for the T20 World Cup this year!
@@coreypetersen3301 yes they are taking a while. Still just the one. Also for the T20 World Cup there's Central Broward Park in Lauderhill, Florida. And a temporary stadium in New York.
I would ask for a video on English Rugby Union Championship Rugby. But one venue doesn’t have a grandstand. However when it becomes Premiership 2, maybe a combined Premiership 1 and 2. Have you done England and Wales Cricket Grounds?
That Saber Cats ground looks like a good model. Map out a playing surface purpose built for rugby's field dimensions then build more grandstands with decently comfortable seats as team quality and fan numbers increase. Rather than be the 4th string tenant at some peeling, once grandiose mausoleum that has seen much better days. I'm going to start supporting them for their common sense. As a New Zealander I'm used to grounds like this (though not as nifty with their colours) being a focal point in every rural gathering center, where thousands of youngsters can't wait to go to 'the park' of a weekend with their family or their mates.,
I mean, amateur club rugby has been a thing in the US for a while (and then there is the college game, of course), but this league is relatively new. But, welcome aboard. You’re gonna love it.
It seems the answer for getting more suitable stadiums for the league to play in lies in the geographic location of the team. A great deal play in the suburbs of major cities similar to second or third tier soccer. USL team stadiums often seat between 5000 and 7500 which would strike me as appropriate for the amount of spectators of MLR. Additionally, second and third tier soccer teams are struggling to find venues that are appropriate for their fan base or within their budget. Combined funding from both leagues could be enough to construct a decent stadium with fixed seating, appropriate to the league spectator figures instead of playing in a U.S. football stadium which will be over 50% empty, or a baseball diamond, which is equally as embarrassing.
Thrice for NYC. First t'was Rugby United New York or for short RUNY sounding like "Rooney", then simply Rugby New York. Now they added Ironworkers to the name. Watch, they'll probably rebrand again as NY RUFC or something similar.
They have to target cities where Rugby can become popular or cities that have a limited amount of sport teams. Hope they get a team going in Buffalo, NY and they can name them the Buffalo Bulls.😅
7:06 Atlanta Silverbacks went through some massive changes of league and name before finally folding shop as Atlanta SC about 5 years ago. The story behind why the stadium retained the name is lengthy and deserves its own video, frankly. Trust me had nothing to do with poachers, unless you count a certain MLS side owned by a somewhat evil corporate magnate
Still sad to know the Silverbacks are gone. Atlanta Ultras were great for the supporters scene and now they have no club (be it, they have kept friendships like the one with the Iron Lion Firm from Orlando City going).
The whole “can’t throw the ball forward” thing throws too many people. Mind you, 25 years ago, Americans were convinced that soccer and rugby would be passing fancies as American football grew. Yet here we are.
@@mark123655 There’s always been amateur clubs and low key competition around the country, something that ended up in a local news story in each major city once a year. There was a pro league attempt not even 10 years ago that failed. That led to MLR, whether directly or indirectly. There’s a couple of smaller networks airing games right now (noticed 3 available this weekend), but I wouldn’t call it massive. It is showing growth, though.
There are some plant based gorilla penis soup joints popping up in southern Germany, but it only over lent. I can say they are better than they used to make.
@@TheWideWorldofStadiums Oh wow! Well, if you need a tour of the Stuttgart surroundings, or even a place to stay here, I'm your man! And the soup goes under the name "Gaisburger Marsch" ;)
@@neilwhitaker6284 That is the plan. The Gold is getting popular here in SE Louisiana. Hopefully with the renovations, N.O. might be a site for 2031 Rugby World Cup.
@@YourPalAlRetroGamer I hope it turns out well! I have a soft spot for Louisiana I spent a few years on the other side of the state in Lake Charles when I was younger.
@@Staszu13 I had to look it up didn't know it. Good Catholic school, I like the big Church on campus, well from the pics! I didn't really get New Orleans but I'm not a city person I live in rural Saskatchewan. I liked Audabon Park though and the city in places had a feel like I was in somewhere tropical and not in the USA, which was pretty cool.
US needs to adapt to rugby league, just look at athletes like Jarryd Hayne & Jordan mailata who played. It’s the more athletic form of rugby and a lot of football players can adapt to the sport if they don’t make the nfl.
That's mostly because the term "major league" in America is synonymous with top tier professional sports. Our oldest professional sports competition "Major League Baseball" set the stage for that. There's even "Major League Fishing" and "Major League Gaming" too. Though it would be funny to see a "Major League Rugby League" some day IF the game of rugby league ever manages to get it together in America.
The problem is these sports league are more in it for money, so they will go into a huge market (which NYC dominates in the state) first and foremost and in many occasions, only the NYC market area. They could give a damn about anywhere else. These things ain't for the people, it's for their pockets.
I’d ask for American rugby league stadiums but honestly there are like 8 leagues that all hate each other and it’s a complete mess so idek where you’d start researching a topic like that
The dallas jackals stadium is awful. It's a tin can oven in summer time and having it in such a large stadium makes it feel empty and lifeless. The concessions are pathetic; my sons middle school football games concessions put the jackals to shame. The jackals need a smaller, more intimate stadium with better concessions and atmosphere.
I used to watch OMBAC RFC at the field on Quaalcomm property with my grandpa when I was growing up, didn’t frequent them and didn’t understand the actual rules besides lateral passes, no padding, and the ball is constantly in play. I loved it compared to football, I’d love rooting for the Legion and I know I can have two teams but OMBAC would always be my number 1 club
