Rugby in America is Doomed...But Not Really

USA vs. Japan Ticket Code (I have nothing to do with this): https://legion.rugby/news/exclusive-t... Major League Rugby teams are dropping like flies. The men’s and women’s Eagles results leave a lot to be desired. The championship game TV rating was bad, and attendance was not great either. It’s all doom and gloom for American rugby…is it really though? Look, I’m not saying any of those are positives. However, it does somewhat lose sight of the bigger picture. The Guardian led off with the quote Pretty dark right now as it relates to MLR. Compared to what? There wasn’t a league in America ten years ago, and nine years ago, Pro Rugby came and went in the blink of an eye. The Women’s team went 5-23 between 2016 and 2021. The men’s team didn’t win a game in the 2015 and 2019 World Cups and couldn’t even qualify for 2023. It’s not ideal that MLR has lost two teams and saw the two California sides merge. Nor does the loss of NOLA Gold or the Miami Sharks Yet, for all the negatives in relation to MLR and American rugby in general, there are plenty of rays of light shining through the darkness. The USA Women’s Eagles signed contracts for the upcoming World Cup and have one of America’s biggest stars, Ilona Maher, in their ranks. The doubleheader in DC brought our great crowds for both the men’s and women’s sides. And the quality of play in MLR this season was so much better than those first few seasons. Good news/bad news. Positive/Negative. Glass half full/glass half empty. All that misses the point. American rugby has plateaued. Some really solid growth over the past few years, but things have gone a little flat across the board. When that happens, the key is to adjust and get back on track for growth. If you continue doing the same thing, the results won’t change. MLR, the men’s and women’s eagles, will all remain in this holding pattern. The World Cups don’t change that. About The Touchback #takeitouttothe25 The Touchback is the world’s best sports and culture website…or something like that. You’ll either really like it or really hate it. But it’s worth reading either way.