Why has it taken so long for Professional Rugby to catch on in the U.S.?

Question

Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

Variety of reasons, the biggest being American football, (which was birthed from rugby might I point out as well).  There are contact football leagues for kids as young as 8 and 9 years, and flag football even younger, you're very hard pressed to find any kids that young playing rugby in the US unless they are either from another country, or from a rugby family, and even if you do there are no leagues for young kids like that except in some major cities.  

ESPN and actual coverage of rugby is a big problem as well.  For some reason ESPN can find it acceptable to broadcast card games, darts, bowling and other bar games, but not one of the most popular sports in the world.  Hopefully they'll wake up in time for the world cup.  Perhaps USA rugby along with all of the clubs in the country can make a big push to get it some airtime during sportscenter, because I know once people get exposed to it and learn generally what is going on they will love it, maybe more than American football.

Next few companies want to invest in clubs, because of the relatively "bad" conotation that goes with us ruggers, that all we are is brutes, drunks and arseholes.  Also since there is no airtime, they can't advertise.  Most companies see rugby for what it is in America, an amateur sport.  It's starting to change with more recognition for the US Superleague, but it's incredibly difficult to justify giving rugby airtime when the average attendance to a "professional" rugby match is under 250 people.  If people don't want to go see it live, why would they want to watch it on tv?

But mostly it comes down to the fact that we as Americans are lazy and basically unaccepting of anything that is somewhat foreign to us.  It is a complex game with complex rules that your average 20-40 year old man (the ideal audience for rugby) wouldn't have the attention span to learn.  So until ESPN decides to air rugby on nights that don't have anything going on (during the summer when the only sport active is baseball) and have a tutorial throughout the game as to explaining the rules, and do this over and over again, we will be considered an amateur sport until some generation really picks it up, latches on to it and takes it to that next level.

Answer 2

Lets face it, even if we started a pee wee rugby team here, the most talented kids would defect to football for the possibly of the big payday. How long have we pushing soccer down our kids throats. By now, we should have developed a world dominating team by now. The first wave of kids have grown, discovered girls, and found another sport to impress them. It breaks my heart to say this, and I hope I'm wrong, but we Americans are too set in our ways to develop descent profession rugby.

Answer 3

Probably because we aren't ready to let go of our beloved football. But Rugby is a much tougher sport...yah deafinatly gotta have guts to play rugby!

Answer 4

Bottom line is that it isn't televised AT ALL here in the U.S.... except if you're willing to get a special channel on DirecTV.   Its not offered on cable stations.  Most people don't even know what rugby is.  And those of us that have figured it out, probably found the sport in college... and that was probably by accident.  Someone once said to me... "I think i would like rugby... I like horses!"  (she thought I was talking about polo!)

It is a growing sport though here.  High Schools are starting to pick it up, especially in the North East.  I live in the south and it is very difficult to field a full women's 15's side - we end up combining 3 cities... and then never have anyone to play!   Slowly, but surely it is becoming more popular as people become more aware.

Answer 5

As far as I have gathered, the lure of professional (American) Football and the $$$$ that can be earned with it draws anyone who has any aptitude for rugby away. Its a shame, the US has a lot of sports mad, big-guys who would with the correct amount of support become world class.

Answer 6

Kids don't play rugby in school so they don't grow up with a love of or undertanding of the game.

Answer 7

Because it isn't that well known, so no-one wants to invest money in it.

But it is about time they did.