Wednesday, October 26, 2011
PAN-AM Games Promotional Video
Promotional video from Youtube for the 7s Tournament at the Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. The tournament is this weekend October 28-29th. ESPN won the bid to show the Pan-Am games, no word on how much coverage they will provide for the Rugby Tournament though.
Life Stadium Rendering
Now, there's not much else on this, so this picture could just be a pipe dream. But it seems natural for Life to want to expand. They are the biggest name in the Southeast in Rugby, and they are growing their collegiate side. This could have a lot of other uses: hosting rugby events/tournaments/test matches, uses for other sports in the future (soccer or lacrosse).
As of right now, there is only one stadium built specifically for rugby, the stadium at Infinity Park in Glendale, CO. And, it unfortunately doesn't even have full-sized try zones. The CPD (now College Rugby Division 1-A) final was staged last year at the home pitch for Real Salt Lake in Salt Lake City, and that, too made some considerations for safety and had to adjust the dimensions. It would be nice to see something like this, even if it was smaller, in the Southeast, so that not everything had to go out west. And a legitimate pitch with 100% correct dimensions would be great.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Pro Bull Riders Visit Jesuit HS
It's always good to see others taking an interest in Rugby. Whether it's unstoppable Sam with the EAS tour or these Bull Riders.
In an unrelated note, I still laugh at the fact that Chad Johnson (I still refuse to call him Chad 85) attempted to ride a bull in Atlanta. He did so with a bet that if he lasted 8 Seconds, he could rename the bull after his head coach in Cincinnati. Of course now he is in New England, but I digress.
Check out the video, Jesuit HS is one of the best high school teams in the country.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Rugby World Cup on NBC; Universal Sports
This is actually old news. We have known for a while that the Rugby World Cup would be shown on NBC and on its affiliate NBC's Universal Sports. In fact, this article was posted on the IRB's website on June 17, 2010. But, came across the article again and it has me excited for the RWC '11.
Unfortunately, I doubt the U.S. will have similar success to the Women's soccer team, or even the men's soccer team for that matter. Even without the US seriously contending for the title, it will be great to watch more of the RWC and see more of the top tier nations playing some high-level rugby. Which ultimately seems to be what the IRB and NBC are both looking to accomplish, having said this:
In a random tangent about Universal Sports, I love that they have made rugby content available on their website (http://www.universalsports.com), and the same for ESPN (espn3.com). I am wondering how long it will take to make this media available in an App for the smart TV or internet ready tvs, and for video game consoles. I think ESPN3 is already available for Xbox Live, but would like to see it available in the other two formats. There's always another way to spread the love.
Unfortunately, I doubt the U.S. will have similar success to the Women's soccer team, or even the men's soccer team for that matter. Even without the US seriously contending for the title, it will be great to watch more of the RWC and see more of the top tier nations playing some high-level rugby. Which ultimately seems to be what the IRB and NBC are both looking to accomplish, having said this:
IRB Chief Executive Mike Miller said: "Today's announcement represents a significant milestone in the development of Rugby in the United States. NBC and Universal Sports are globally renowned for quality broadcast delivery of major sports events in the United States and their considerable experience and passion for sport will deliver the widespread platform for Rugby World Cup to truly capture the hearts and minds of American sports fans."
In a random tangent about Universal Sports, I love that they have made rugby content available on their website (http://www.universalsports.com), and the same for ESPN (espn3.com). I am wondering how long it will take to make this media available in an App for the smart TV or internet ready tvs, and for video game consoles. I think ESPN3 is already available for Xbox Live, but would like to see it available in the other two formats. There's always another way to spread the love.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Rugby World Cup Trailer
A great look at the upcoming Rugby Challenge video game. Enjoy!
Also, today is my birthday, Happy Birthday to me!
Also, today is my birthday, Happy Birthday to me!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
A True American Jersey
There have been a lot of complaints about the jerseys worn by the Eagles during the Churchill Cup. While I personally didn't hate the jersey for the match against Russia as much as I lamented the choice for the match vs Tonga. It brings to mind a problem that I notice with all the teams for the USA. The problem is that America doesn't have an identity. At least not with our competitive uniforms. It is sad that rugby is not the only American side that suffers from this lack of identity.
Maybe the problem lies in the way so much of America is pop culture. They way everyone wants the new thing or the new fashion. Put simply, America is too flashy. There, I said it. Look at the Oregon Ducks and the 1,000 different combinations of helmets, jerseys and pants they have. The University of Oregon is the USA of college football. The have a logo that they use and that is the only thing that is consistent. That and the fact that there uniforms are consistently different.
Let's run down a list.
Rugby
Baseball
Basketball
Soccer
In my opinion all terrible uniforms. The one major sport with good uniforms? Hockey. Consistent. Whiter shirt, blue shoulders, red and blue stripes at the bottom and USA across the front.
Compare 1980 to 2010:
I don't love the need to make a logo out of USA.... I mean this one looks better than the Baseball team's attempt, but come on. I just find these logos to be so cheesy. It's tacky. It's awful. Basketball actually isn't that bad, now that they have moved on from the Dream Team's cheesy USA Basketball logo. In Soccer and Rugby we just don't have an identity. I understand subtle changes that may occur, but this is ridiculous. You can see some of the progression of the USA's rugby kit on RugbyMag's website.
Someone suggested going with a look like the Cal Golden Bears. Blue socks, white shorts and thin red, white and blue hoops. I actually really like this idea. It gets all the colors in, isn't overly cheesy. While hoops, may not be a classic look for the Eagles, I really think it could work. Here is an example of what the Cal uniforms look like.
It looks good, kinda classic. Cal is the pinnacle of collegiate rugby in the USA. So, really it could work. Not sure about how Cal fans would feel to have their color scheme applied to the national team, and also, not sure how Cal haters would feel about it. But I do like the kit used lately, including for the match vs the England Saxons.
These with white shorts and Navy socks look good. And then the inverse of this should be the away, and possibly the hoops for a third kid. But basically, they should pick a theme and stick with it. The socks, shorts and jerseys should all be similar with subtle design changes. When you look at the big teams, the colors are so identifiable. England in all white, Ireland in green, Italy in the Azzurri shade of blue, France and Mexico have uni's that resemble their flags. Green/Blue tops, White shorts and Red socks. The big three of the southern hemisphere have their colors. The Green and Gold of the Springboks, the All Blacks, the Yellow of Australia. Even the light blue and white hoops of Argentina.
The USA needs to pick an identity and go with it. We can't be changing every single year.
Maybe the problem lies in the way so much of America is pop culture. They way everyone wants the new thing or the new fashion. Put simply, America is too flashy. There, I said it. Look at the Oregon Ducks and the 1,000 different combinations of helmets, jerseys and pants they have. The University of Oregon is the USA of college football. The have a logo that they use and that is the only thing that is consistent. That and the fact that there uniforms are consistently different.
Let's run down a list.
Rugby
Baseball
Basketball
Soccer
In my opinion all terrible uniforms. The one major sport with good uniforms? Hockey. Consistent. Whiter shirt, blue shoulders, red and blue stripes at the bottom and USA across the front.
Compare 1980 to 2010:
 |
| 1980 Winter Olympics |
 | |||
| 2010 Winter Olympics |
I don't love the need to make a logo out of USA.... I mean this one looks better than the Baseball team's attempt, but come on. I just find these logos to be so cheesy. It's tacky. It's awful. Basketball actually isn't that bad, now that they have moved on from the Dream Team's cheesy USA Basketball logo. In Soccer and Rugby we just don't have an identity. I understand subtle changes that may occur, but this is ridiculous. You can see some of the progression of the USA's rugby kit on RugbyMag's website.
Someone suggested going with a look like the Cal Golden Bears. Blue socks, white shorts and thin red, white and blue hoops. I actually really like this idea. It gets all the colors in, isn't overly cheesy. While hoops, may not be a classic look for the Eagles, I really think it could work. Here is an example of what the Cal uniforms look like.
It looks good, kinda classic. Cal is the pinnacle of collegiate rugby in the USA. So, really it could work. Not sure about how Cal fans would feel to have their color scheme applied to the national team, and also, not sure how Cal haters would feel about it. But I do like the kit used lately, including for the match vs the England Saxons.
The USA needs to pick an identity and go with it. We can't be changing every single year.
Future Professional Rugby in the USA?
Maybe. There is certainly no shortage of opinion on how to grow ruby and get more competitive rugby competitions in the USA. From how to promote the leagues we have and get sponsors to huge pipe dreams about existing professional tournaments establishing franchises or competitive sides in the USA. Most recently this article from the New Zealand Herald talked about the Super Rugby competition and its desire to expand into Asia and the Americas.
More after the jump....
More after the jump....
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Sevens Grand Prix
 | |
| Image from GrandPrixRugby.com |
Someone on http://www.gainline.us submitted the link for Grand Prix Rugby. The website has very limited information. In fact, here is all of the information provided by the website:
Not really a lot there. Nonetheless I have to wonder if this is something related to the FIRA Euro Sevens Grand Prix, or if maybe that very tournament is being organized by Grand Prix Entertainment. I have read on RugbyAmerica.org about this tournament. And it appears they were trying to plan it back in 2010. And even as early before that in 2003. The Grand Prix Rugby logo is extremely similar to the World Rugby League logo. And it is interesting that the picture features the Leicester Tigers and the Wasps in what appears to Fifteens rugby, not sevens. This is judging by the pile of bodies and not the teams themselves.
World Sevens Championship
Coming to Las Vegas 2012 3 Great Days
24 World Teams
57 Exciting Games
$1,000,000 Prize Money For more information on how you can
become a part of our mission and future,
please email us at info@grandprixrugby.com.
New York • Chicago • Los Angeles • Dallas
While I would like to see an American sevens series, my vision is one that includes tournaments hosted in the USA, Canada and also in South America. Most likely in Argentina. I am fine with a grand finale for one million dollars, but question the ability of four events in the USA at this time. Possibly in 5 years, after the olympics and continued growth of rugby, but in 2012, that event would not do well.
Still it is something to keep an eye on. I am hoping to find out more information on who is organizing the FIRA Euro Sevens Grand Prix.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Churchill Cup Final: USA 32, Russia 25.
 |
| Ian Muir Photo/Rugbymag.com |
You can read about the final match at these links. Seems troubling that even in a victory, most would rather comment on their opinions that the jerseys were ugly or too flashy for a team with limited skill.
Rugbymag.com
http://rugbymag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1249:usa-wins-bowl-at-churchill-cup&catid=39:usa-men&Itemid=194
Rugbyamerica.org
http://www.rugbyamerica.org/2011/06/20/eagles-pick-up-win-over-russia-in-final-churchill-cup-match/
ESPN Scrum:
http://www.espnscrum.com/churchill-cup-2011/rugby/story/141817.html
| Date/Time: Jun 18, 2011, 12:00 local, 11:00 GMT | ||
| Venue: Sixways, Worcester | ||
| Russia 25 - 32 United States of America | ||
| Half-time: 8 - 8 | ||
| ||
Friday, June 17, 2011
Adidas Commercials
Adidas has strategically aligned itself with some of the biggest names in rugby. Most well-known in the world of rugby is the Adidas logos on the kit of the New Zealand All Blacks and the majority of all the NZRU clubs. Not just the national teams, 15s and 7s, but the NZ-based clubs in Super Rugby are kitted out in Adidas.
I mention this because, I just stumbled onto a youtube video featuring Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic doing the famous Haka with members of the New Zealand all blacks. Dwight Howard is one of the biggest stars in the NBA right now and this is actually the second video featuring the dominant center that I have seen. Adidas has another video with Howard to promote its adicolor merchandise.
Adidas is a company that has been very savvy in the way it has gotten the most out of getting its brand in all corners of the world. In the Americas, Adidas is the sponsor of the Argentina Rugby Union and the sponsor of the NBA in the USA. In Europe it is the sponsor of the Munster Rugby Club, one of the 2 most popular teams in Ireland, and also the sponsor on the kit of the British & Irish Lions touring side.
In American rugby the Adidas company has signed on with the Atlantic Coast Rugby League (I hope they change the word league to Conference, Union or other word in the future).
I mention this because, I just stumbled onto a youtube video featuring Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic doing the famous Haka with members of the New Zealand all blacks. Dwight Howard is one of the biggest stars in the NBA right now and this is actually the second video featuring the dominant center that I have seen. Adidas has another video with Howard to promote its adicolor merchandise.
Adidas is a company that has been very savvy in the way it has gotten the most out of getting its brand in all corners of the world. In the Americas, Adidas is the sponsor of the Argentina Rugby Union and the sponsor of the NBA in the USA. In Europe it is the sponsor of the Munster Rugby Club, one of the 2 most popular teams in Ireland, and also the sponsor on the kit of the British & Irish Lions touring side.
In American rugby the Adidas company has signed on with the Atlantic Coast Rugby League (I hope they change the word league to Conference, Union or other word in the future).
Euro Sevens Grand Prix
From the IRB.com website:
European teams now have another leg up on the Americans. And in this sense, the Americans refers to the nations in North and South America and not just the USA. They have established their FIRA European Sevens ‘Grand Prix’ and it is set to kick off this weekend in Lyon, France.
Here is a breakdown of the circuits dates:
European teams now have another leg up on the Americans. And in this sense, the Americans refers to the nations in North and South America and not just the USA. They have established their FIRA European Sevens ‘Grand Prix’ and it is set to kick off this weekend in Lyon, France.
Here is a breakdown of the circuits dates:
FIRA Sevens Grand Prix circuit
1. Lyon, France 18-19 June
2. Moscow, Russia 25-26 June
3. Barcelona, Spain 9-10 July
4. Bucharest, Romania 16-17 July
2. Moscow, Russia 25-26 June
3. Barcelona, Spain 9-10 July
4. Bucharest, Romania 16-17 July
And I am not sure if the following is only the teams for Round 1, or the teams that will be in the circuit for all four rounds. But the round 1 pools are as follows:
Round 1 - Lyon, France
Pool A Pool B
Portugal France
Spain Russia
Georgia England
Romaina Wales
Ukraine Italy
Netherlands Moldova
Portugal France
Spain Russia
Georgia England
Romaina Wales
Ukraine Italy
Netherlands Moldova
This provides stout competition for the sevens circuit regulars like France, England and Wales and provides the opportunity for more play time for growing nations like Georgia, Romania, Ukraine, Netherlands and Moldova. What a great concept this is. With the growth of the Sevens version of rugby, this is truly something that will not only make these teams better but get more fans accustomed to the game. The latter benefit may not be a necessity in UK or France, but it would certainly benefit nations without the strong pedigree in Rugby Union.
This is something that we should be looking at replicating in the Americas. And Americas Sevens Series with 3 to 4 dates needs to be organized ASAP. Minimum 3 dates with one each in the USA, Canada and Argentina. and a fourth to be played somewhere else, but between Mexico, the Caribbean, Brazil or other Central/South American nations there should be plenty of options. This is most crucial for the Canadians and the Americans. Argentina's rugby is vastly superior than its North American neighbors. Well in 15s at least. At time Canada and the Eagles have both been able to shine in 7s. However for the Eagles it hasn't been nearly as often as would be desired.
The problem as it always has been and always will be is the acquisition of sponsorship dollars and investors to organize such an event. This should be bolstered by the success in the USA of not only the USA Sevens Tournament but also the 2-year-old Collegiate Rugby Championships, both of which have seen improvement in 2011. Having the event in the Americas makes it easier for all the teams to get involved, the distance isn't so great and they are in very similar timezones. But the reality is that if American countries want to be able to compete in the HSBC Sevens World Series and in the Olympic Sevens beginning in 2016, they will need more competition opportunities. This tournament from Europe definitely needs to be replicated in the Americas.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
American Rugby Identity
I once saw someone say what would you say the American style of rugby is. I'm not really sure we have one right now. Other than the fact that B-sides from Ireland, France and England right now are in a level well above the Eagles there's not a lot to say about the American First XV. Which is unfortunate because I am sure that every player that puts on the red, white and blue is extremely proud of the opportunity to represent our nation. Right now rugby in America is at a crossroads of how to grow the game.
They have tried to grow the game with test matches, no doubt trying to tap the nationalism that helps to support the Olympics, US Soccer and other obscure events. As far as a marketing standpoint I really can't argue against the inception of this idea. What's unfortunate is that the results haven't been favorable. Then there are two other discussions, should we focus on the college game? Should we focus on the excitement of sevens rugby and its acceptance for the 2016 Olympics?
Truly, both are great options. We just need to get people more accustomed to the basic rules. How to tackle, how to ruck, scoring and penalties. Sevens can accomplish this but people are leery of becoming a nation that specializes in Sevens only. I honestly would gladly be like Fiji. A team that is great in Sevens and top 10 in 15s. I think the America has the population that could utilize that could grab the attention of athletes for rugby sevens and get them interested from there in 15s.
But then there still lies the problem in America's rugby identity. Truly this is our largest problem. We play a game we love here without our own identity. While I don't know how to get us here, I would like for the Eagles to play rugby like the Life University Running Eagles. I could easily switch to a preference of the RSL champions SF Golden Gate. But it's this description from rugbymag.com that gets me:
"None of their games have been blowouts, but the Life MO is pretty clear: strangle with the forwards, don’t take a step back in the set piece, defend like crazy, kick for field position whenever possible, and if there’s a chance to run wild, do so."
This was just the 3rd season back in RSL for Life, and while it is unfortunate the dropped a home-playoff match to Golden Gate, this description is what I want from the national team. "Defend like crazy" evokes a sense of passion and desire that would remind me of American football teams like the Bears or 99-2010 Baltimore Ravens.
It's a team that plays with a purpose that plays with passion. They play hard and they come out and do the little things right. And then when their is space "to run wild" they do. The Americans do have plenty of athleticism. In rugby just like football though it is going to take all players on the field playing hard, and playing together to get the job done and to win.
That's what I want. That's what we should all want. And, if we were known for our defense we wouldn't lose 87-8. I wouldn't care if we went winless in pool play of the RWC. As long as we played defense like it was our life, and yielded less than 30 points to any opponent, I could be proud of our boys.
"None of their games have been blowouts, but the Life MO is pretty clear: strangle with the forwards, don’t take a step back in the set piece, defend like crazy, kick for field position whenever possible, and if there’s a chance to run wild, do so."
That's just me. I know people love tries and offense. That's why the Super Rugby competition from SANZAR is bonus points for 4 tries, but the Life MO is something that America would embrace.
They have tried to grow the game with test matches, no doubt trying to tap the nationalism that helps to support the Olympics, US Soccer and other obscure events. As far as a marketing standpoint I really can't argue against the inception of this idea. What's unfortunate is that the results haven't been favorable. Then there are two other discussions, should we focus on the college game? Should we focus on the excitement of sevens rugby and its acceptance for the 2016 Olympics?
Truly, both are great options. We just need to get people more accustomed to the basic rules. How to tackle, how to ruck, scoring and penalties. Sevens can accomplish this but people are leery of becoming a nation that specializes in Sevens only. I honestly would gladly be like Fiji. A team that is great in Sevens and top 10 in 15s. I think the America has the population that could utilize that could grab the attention of athletes for rugby sevens and get them interested from there in 15s.
But then there still lies the problem in America's rugby identity. Truly this is our largest problem. We play a game we love here without our own identity. While I don't know how to get us here, I would like for the Eagles to play rugby like the Life University Running Eagles. I could easily switch to a preference of the RSL champions SF Golden Gate. But it's this description from rugbymag.com that gets me:
"None of their games have been blowouts, but the Life MO is pretty clear: strangle with the forwards, don’t take a step back in the set piece, defend like crazy, kick for field position whenever possible, and if there’s a chance to run wild, do so."
This was just the 3rd season back in RSL for Life, and while it is unfortunate the dropped a home-playoff match to Golden Gate, this description is what I want from the national team. "Defend like crazy" evokes a sense of passion and desire that would remind me of American football teams like the Bears or 99-2010 Baltimore Ravens.
It's a team that plays with a purpose that plays with passion. They play hard and they come out and do the little things right. And then when their is space "to run wild" they do. The Americans do have plenty of athleticism. In rugby just like football though it is going to take all players on the field playing hard, and playing together to get the job done and to win.
That's what I want. That's what we should all want. And, if we were known for our defense we wouldn't lose 87-8. I wouldn't care if we went winless in pool play of the RWC. As long as we played defense like it was our life, and yielded less than 30 points to any opponent, I could be proud of our boys.
"None of their games have been blowouts, but the Life MO is pretty clear: strangle with the forwards, don’t take a step back in the set piece, defend like crazy, kick for field position whenever possible, and if there’s a chance to run wild, do so."
That's just me. I know people love tries and offense. That's why the Super Rugby competition from SANZAR is bonus points for 4 tries, but the Life MO is something that America would embrace.
Monday, May 16, 2011
CPD and RSL Semis
College Premier Division (CPD):
Cal handled Utah with the precision that has become a staple of Golden Bears rugby. The scoreline of 62-14 was an unfortunate one for the Utes. I feel like they are a much better team than that, but they weren't able to get much going. Even with Thretton Palamo playing at flyhalf, the Cal defense was quick to pressure him and didn't give the Utah attack much room to operate. When Cal had the ball, they worked quick and linked up well to devastate on attack. BYU on the other hand, had its hands full with Arkansas State. This match was very entertaining to watch and I found myself really concentrating on the rugby that was being played and less on the empty stands. The score was 19-15 in favor of BYU with 25 minutes to go. But ASU just couldn't get much else going. In the end BYU was able to pull away to a 36-15 hard fought victory. Sets up another great matchup between Cal and BYU for the National Championship.
I did watch both matches and my first thought was about the low attendance in the background. I admit I was selfishly glad to be able to watch the rugby on ESPN3 and ESPNU. But I think most would agree that showing the empty stands could have been detrimental or at the very least, not desirable. With all teams having to travel to Colorado, it was certainly a neutral site.
In filming on campus, what if the teams that advanced, didn’t have the facilities for a good broadcast. Now, I know that Life, BYU, and Cal could all be set up for broadcast. Same with Army and St. Mary’s. But in some of the comments, fans have complained about the multiple lines on the fields and the “traffic cones” used to mark the fields. Obviously, this year we would have had that problem, but if we had teams without “adequate” facilities-then what? More fans at the game, but the broadcast would probably be hurt by the facilities. It is problematic that no matter what you do there is a drawback, USA Rugby and the CPD decided to opt for a high quality venue, but were cursed with poor weather that obviously hurt the attendance. But even with the driving rain, especially evident in the second match, it is doubtful that the attendance could match that of an on-campus matchup.
Rugby Super League (RSL).
As someone who was cheering for Life, and probably Golden Gate, this matchup for the final is somewhat anti-climactic. I know Life and GG were both undefeated in a very tough competition, and I know that this year was still a great one in RSL, but I guess I was hoping that maybe the Golden Gate match would be closer than it was, 52-23. I enjoyed the suspense of the Life match(27-23), I didn’t get to watch it live (if you didn't either you can still watch video archives of several Life matches here). Still this should be another very entertaining match between Life and Golden Gate. I think I favor Golden Gate in the matchup, and would pick them in a neutral venue. But being played at home, I think that could be enough to swing into Life’s favor.
More teams need to make their matches or at least highlights available and RSL needs to improve the way that it promotes its product. It is a great competition, and the PR needs to rise up to the way the teams perform on the pitch. I'm not sure what the hold up with the highlights is. The College Rugby Films blog does a great job of getting CPD highlights available to view. I know that more than one RSL club has matches on webcast, why not throw together a highlight each week similar to College Rugby Films? I know you could get a company to sponsor that RSL week 1 highlights brought to you by: (sponsor name).
Cal handled Utah with the precision that has become a staple of Golden Bears rugby. The scoreline of 62-14 was an unfortunate one for the Utes. I feel like they are a much better team than that, but they weren't able to get much going. Even with Thretton Palamo playing at flyhalf, the Cal defense was quick to pressure him and didn't give the Utah attack much room to operate. When Cal had the ball, they worked quick and linked up well to devastate on attack. BYU on the other hand, had its hands full with Arkansas State. This match was very entertaining to watch and I found myself really concentrating on the rugby that was being played and less on the empty stands. The score was 19-15 in favor of BYU with 25 minutes to go. But ASU just couldn't get much else going. In the end BYU was able to pull away to a 36-15 hard fought victory. Sets up another great matchup between Cal and BYU for the National Championship.
I did watch both matches and my first thought was about the low attendance in the background. I admit I was selfishly glad to be able to watch the rugby on ESPN3 and ESPNU. But I think most would agree that showing the empty stands could have been detrimental or at the very least, not desirable. With all teams having to travel to Colorado, it was certainly a neutral site.
In filming on campus, what if the teams that advanced, didn’t have the facilities for a good broadcast. Now, I know that Life, BYU, and Cal could all be set up for broadcast. Same with Army and St. Mary’s. But in some of the comments, fans have complained about the multiple lines on the fields and the “traffic cones” used to mark the fields. Obviously, this year we would have had that problem, but if we had teams without “adequate” facilities-then what? More fans at the game, but the broadcast would probably be hurt by the facilities. It is problematic that no matter what you do there is a drawback, USA Rugby and the CPD decided to opt for a high quality venue, but were cursed with poor weather that obviously hurt the attendance. But even with the driving rain, especially evident in the second match, it is doubtful that the attendance could match that of an on-campus matchup.
Rugby Super League (RSL).
As someone who was cheering for Life, and probably Golden Gate, this matchup for the final is somewhat anti-climactic. I know Life and GG were both undefeated in a very tough competition, and I know that this year was still a great one in RSL, but I guess I was hoping that maybe the Golden Gate match would be closer than it was, 52-23. I enjoyed the suspense of the Life match(27-23), I didn’t get to watch it live (if you didn't either you can still watch video archives of several Life matches here). Still this should be another very entertaining match between Life and Golden Gate. I think I favor Golden Gate in the matchup, and would pick them in a neutral venue. But being played at home, I think that could be enough to swing into Life’s favor.
More teams need to make their matches or at least highlights available and RSL needs to improve the way that it promotes its product. It is a great competition, and the PR needs to rise up to the way the teams perform on the pitch. I'm not sure what the hold up with the highlights is. The College Rugby Films blog does a great job of getting CPD highlights available to view. I know that more than one RSL club has matches on webcast, why not throw together a highlight each week similar to College Rugby Films? I know you could get a company to sponsor that RSL week 1 highlights brought to you by: (sponsor name).
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Really the biggest draw to me as an alum/fan of a college team is the opportunity to play against traditional rivals. Good or bad at rugby, that is the draw.
People around campus get excited. Not just if Cal beats the University of Spoiled Children or UCLA, but Oregon State or Washington might get pumped up about beating Arizona or AZ State. Same thing in the SEC or ACC. The ACC is really spread out though from Boston College to Miami... so some allowances have been made. Does Florida State want to be in the ACRL? Do they want to have to travel to Maryland?
I get your point. It's a balancing act. Do the traditional rivalries get the attention of the administration? And does that attention get you more financial support? Or other support? As rugby grows, you're going to eventually look at the NCAA getting involved. At least that is what you should want. Baseball is heralded as the 3rd sport in college. While it is played all over, it doesn't necessarily get more coverage than women's hoops, lacrosse or hockey. Probably a little bit more. But Football and Basketball are huge. The CWS is big, but not as big as the former two.
But still, the NCAA gives support to all its championships and gets the attention of athletic directors. That's what we want in college. Well that is really the money and attention will help to foster the competitive environments for rugby that will lead to better domestic competitions and a stronger pool for the Eagles.
You have to ask yourself what your goals are. Do we want to grow the college game? Or are we trying to get better players for the Eagles? Growing the college game the right way and for the right reasons will lead to better players.