If readers were to see my list of favourite team sports to watch, and yes such a list has been made on more than once as a time filler, you would find I waffle from day-to-day between box lacrosse and rugby, depending I suspect largely on what is in season, or that which I watched most recently.
So when I received an email a few weeks back offering me an opportunity to interview Major League Rugby (MLR) Commissioner George Killebrew, I was surprised, a tad flattered, and certainly excited by the prospect.
If you are not familiar with MLR it is the pro 15s (union) league in North America kicking off in 2018 with seven teams, and me along as a fan.
In 2019 the Toronto Arrows joined, and of course immediately became the team to follow in my find.
The 2020 season had started, with Boston, Atlanta and Washington joining, but five weeks in COVID-19 hit and the league shutdown.
Killebrew said while some leagues persevered through COVID and played without fans the MLR needs fans as a key revenue generator.
“That’s important getting local revenues for ticket sales and sponsorships,” he said.
So the season was suspended, and while that was a difficult decision to make, Killebrew said in some ways the MLR gained from the path they took.
The league made the decision to pay all its players for a full 2020 season, not just the five weeks played, a decision that Killebrew said has increased the MLR’s creditability in particular with international players.
“It showed we care about you (the players),” said Killebrew.
Those players went home with a good feeling about the way the league treated them in the face of a pandemic shutdown and that will help attract other players down the road.
But recently the MLR announced its plans to play in 2021, starting in March and ending with a championship tilt in August, and again new teams; Dallas and Los Angeles will hit the pitch.
Speaking of expansion that was actually my first question for the Commissioner; when will we see a second team in Canada?
“I think it would be great to have a second team in Canada,” he said, then refocused quickly on overall MLR growth. “I think it would be great to have a team in Mexico, a team in Hawaii.”
In the case of Canada there have been rumblings of interest out of Vancouver – the most likely locale in my mind, as well as Halifax and Calgary, at least on social media.
“I’ve had some pretty lengthy discussions with a group out of Vancouver,” said Killebrew, but that was six or more months ago, so nothing appears immanent.
It was not without reason Killebrew mentioned possible expansion to Hawaii, as a group calling itself Kanaloa Hawaii made a rather public push to join the MLR for 2021. The bid fell short, but Killebrew noted that had much to do with COVID-19.
Killebrew said Hawaii is really a gateway to hotbeds of rugby such as New Zealand and Japan, calling a franchise on the islands at some point “a great opportunity to get a foothold if we could get a franchise there.”
Moving forward Killebrew said the MLR will expand, but only when bids come forward that have four key cornerstones solidly in place, the “financial where-with-all” to meet the needs of a pro rugby franchise, a plan that makes sense in terms on a venue to play home games at, some background within the ownership with experience in professional sport management, and a plan to foster rugby development in youth within the community.
But then Killebrew circled back to Canadian expansion too.
“I think a second or third team in Canada would be great for the league,” he reiterated.
In more general terms Killebrew said the MLR while not having a plan etched in stone in terms of expansion, adding “one or two teams each year moving forward,” is a reasonable approach if owners come forward with good game plans.
As it stands LA and Dallas add two of the top-five media markets in the USA to the MLR roster, and brings to seven-of-10 of the top markers now hosting teams.
The impetus for growth of the sport in general and the MLR could well be the World Cup of Rugby with the USA making a bit to host the international championship in either 2027 or 2031. By that time the MLR will be well-established and in a perfect position to fully take advantage of the boost the event will give the sport, reasoned Killebrew.
Looking ahead the Toronto Arrows are scheduled to start their 2021 season in San Diego on March 28.
You can follow all the league happenings at www.majorleague.rugby
