Rugby targets a breakthrough in the crowded American sports market ahead of major tournaments on US soil.
Rugby’s push into the American market took a significant step forward in Baltimore this month. A record North American crowd watched South Africa (2.00) beat New Zealand, but real challenges remain ahead.
A Record Crowd With Caveats
A crowd of 68,173 packed M&T Bank Stadium for the series-deciding Test. That figure set a new record for any rugby match played in North America. Ticket data, though, revealed something important about who actually attended.
Buyers came from all fifty states and more than thirty different countries. Only around one in ten tickets went to someone living locally in Baltimore. The crowd also fell short of the venue’s full 71,000 capacity. It came nowhere near the nearly 86,000 who filled FNB Stadium in Soweto a week earlier.
Competing For Attention In A Crowded Market
Rugby faces enormous competition from America’s established professional sports leagues. The NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL dominate revenues, media rights and cultural conversation.
Soccer has also grown considerably following this year’s World Cup on American soil. Sports marketing analyst Bob Dorfman identified specific barriers facing the sport’s growth.
“It’s not an easy sport to learn, a lot of complicated rules,” Dorfman said.
He questioned whether NFL fans would find time for another similar sport. That anonymity was evident during the week of the Baltimore Test itself.
“We had a few people recognise us, not me necessarily,” Springbok Jasper Wiese admitted.
A Blueprint For Growth
USA Rugby currently has over 100,000 active members across various levels of the sport. Chief executive Bill Goren wants that figure to reach 500,000 by the 2031 World Cup.
“Where it needs to go, we’ve got a long way and a lot of work to do,” Goren said.
His plan centres on alignment across every level of American rugby. That means clear pathways making it easier for curious newcomers to find somewhere to play. Household names could also accelerate growth considerably across the country.
Ilona Maher demonstrated that potential during the 2024 Paris Olympics through her social media presence. Her posts about body positivity attracted an entirely new audience to rugby sevens.
Major Events Offer A Rare Opportunity
Rugby sevens features at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in a major showcase opportunity. The United States then hosts the men’s Rugby World Cup in 2031. The women’s tournament follows two years later in 2033. World Rugby is investing up to £200 million in preparing those growth markets.
Chief executive Alan Gilpin called the Baltimore match a genuine tentpole moment for the sport. World Rugby also invested roughly $1.5 million into Saturday’s presentation and production. That investment included a halftime show and fireworks during the team arrivals. The match doubled as a dry run for the 2031 tournament preparations. More than two dozen American cities remain in the application phase to host World Cup matches.
Selling The Product Itself
Springbok centre Damian de Allende offered a practical assessment of rugby’s American challenge: “I think it’s a bit hard to sell it to America as a sport,” de Allende said.
He suggested the stadium experience offers the most effective way of converting newcomers: “The best way to sell it is to have them come to the stadium and enjoy the experience,” he added.
Major League Rugby co-president Alexander Magleby drew comparisons to soccer’s recent growth. He pointed to how American audiences embraced international supporters during the World Cup.
“If people love soccer fans, they’re absolutely going to love rugby fans,” Magleby said.
Five years until 2031 is a relatively short runway for meaningful growth. But a record crowd attending a match with no home team suggests genuine potential exists.
