: Fri Mar 20, 2009 12:20 pm  

YED79 wrote:

looking at American sports i would think (a hunch) Rugby League has more chance of taking off than football (soccer) purely because American football is their No.1 sport and it shares some characteristics.

If the Yanks propelled Rugby L into a high end sport it would do wonders for the sport internationally and help kick the inferior code into the dark ages

Union would just become more like league...then in this country they'd claim they invented it first or something.

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 1:33 pm  

YED79 wrote:

it would do wonders for the sport internationally

based on which north american sport that has a strong international program?

i don't think they would like it because:

a - they would see it as an inferior version of nfl
b - there isn't much opportunity for multiple advert breaks (which was given to me as a reason by an american in all seriousness, they really love them)

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 1:35 pm  

tino wrote:

based on which north american sport that has a strong international program?

i don't think they would like it because:

a - they would see it as an inferior version of nfl
b - there isn't much opportunity for multiple advert breaks (which was given to me as a reason by an american in all seriousness, they really love them)

Never seen the marketing miracles Fox work with the NRL coverage?

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 1:36 pm  

oh yeah i have actually now you mention it i take 2nd point back

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:23 pm  

'Hitman' Norvern Soul wrote:

Never seen the marketing miracles Fox work with the NRL coverage?

Talk about your blatant advertising.

Channel Nine do slot in advert breaks after every try during Origin coverage and most of the time in NRL games.

I think it was Wayne Bennett, who came out a few years ago because Nine were on a break and the referee wouldn't allow Brisbane to get on with play because of an advert on the telly after a penalty.

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:51 pm  

i remember a few years ago one of their ad breaks which came up during games was for a phone company one of the union players holding a phone and saying "don't you just hate ads during the footy", genius

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 3:25 pm  

I worked in America for 10 months and Im returning come May the 4th (Means a drive from Murrayfield to heathrow Like ) and there really trying to push RL in America. I went to watch a game in NJ last year and although from a core skills and technical point of view it seemed abit rough round the edges there was no doubt the players we're flying in and putting some effort into playing. Was pretty encouraging to watch. Ive spoke to alot of RL fans about American Football and there is the constant theme of "They wear helmets and pads; their soft" etc etc etc. Ive played both RL and American Football and there both totally different games. In league you can brace for a contact, in American Football no such luck. But what I found when in the USA was that rugby league suited people who would be probably described as "Jocks." What I'd call em sounds like jocks but its certain there are many many Americans who would willingly go play rugby league . They might not initially go out to play because they enjoy it (more likely they have something to prove) but im sure the more people play the more they'll play for the right reasons. Hopefully it can get a base like MLS has. If so I know i'd rather play in Sunny California than on a windswept moor somewhere in Yarkshire.