The Rugby Football League launches US Rugby Sevens Major League
The Rugby Football League (RFL), a newly formed US company, has launched the first-ever US Rugby Sevens Major League, which will see international male players battle it out against US players for record-breaking prize money.
Kicking off in October 2022 in Las Vegas, the RFL aspires to create a genuinely new fan experience by combining the energy of Rugby Sevens events with the excitement of betting in a new, immersive and integrating offering.
Fans at home and in the stadium will have access to live betting markets, in-running stats, insights and expert advice throughout each game. The RFL will work with betting tech providers to deliver this betting proposition, taking advantage of new innovations and gamification developments.
The inaugural RFL event will feature 12 international teams pitted against 4 US team franchises to win their share of the $1,000,000 prize money. From 2023, the RFL will expand to up to 17 tournaments in major US cities and will feature up to 16 US team franchises.
The RFL has assembled a team of expert professionals led by former World Rugby Competition general manager Philippe Bourdarias (RFL chief executive officer). They commented: “The RFL is an amazing development for the game of Rugby in the US. There is a huge appetite for Rugby Sevens events in the US, as shown by the record-breaking RWC Sevens 2018 in San Francisco and the success of the Las Vegas Sevens over the years. We feel that there is a huge growth opportunity for the RFL and Franchises with an innovative model whereby the League centralises all expenses and rights, leaving the fun side of the League (managing the teams) to the franchisees.”
Bourdarias is supported by former Las Vegas Sevens organiser Rob Cornelius (chief operations officer) and former European Rugby Cup (Heineken Cup), Paddy Power and Racing Post executive Eugene Delaney (gaming and commercial adviser), to build and deliver this ambitious project.
Delaney commented: “The RFL delivers a truly innovative concept with fan engagement front and foremost. We want to provide a new and unique experience for fans at the stadium and at home by working with sportsbooks to create a dynamic betting offering, something not available in any of the other US Sports leagues. Our Race Track Rugby concept will enable us to leverage the fast-growing live betting market, providing sportsbooks with a fantastic opportunity for customer acquisition and engagement. Given our unique positioning, we are already in partnership talks with US and European operators.”