Atlanta pro rugby team to play at Life University - Atlanta Business Chronicle
Dan Santoro
https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2019/09/30/whats-up-with-atlantas-rugby-team.html
Atlanta's pro rugby franchise to set roots in Marietta
Rugby ATL will play its home games next year at Lupo Family Field.
Atlanta's next professional sports franchise will be setting roots in Marietta.
The city's upcoming Major League Rugby team, called Rugby ATL, will play its home games at Life University's Lupo Family Field, the team told Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Rugby ATL, owned by Marcus Calloway, is set for its MLR debut in 2020, alongside expansion teams in Boston (New England Free Jacks) and Washington D.C. (Old Glory DC). Rugby United New York and Toronto Arrows joined the league's seven other franchises ??? from Austin, Houston, Glendale, New Orleans, San Diego, Seattle and Salt Lake City ??? this year.
Rugby ATL in April announced US Eagles assistant Scott Lawrence as its head coach, and has signed about a half-dozen players. Lawerence also serves as the team's general manager. The team's first game will be against Utah on Feb. 9.
The team has inked multiple partnerships, according to Sports Pro Magazine.
Sports Pro reports that MLR's inaugural season in 2018 saw modest but consistent crowds averaging in the low thousands. The championship at Tolero Stadium in San Diego drew 2,901 spectators.
Rugby is the one of the most popular sports internationally, but has struggled to make consistent gains in the U.S. Previous incarcerations in the country folded after less than one season, including the five-team Pro Rugby league that ended within nine months of kicking off in 2016.
ESPN reports the annual salary cap for the league is $350,000 per team. It's peanuts compared to the roughly $9 million clubs in England???s Gallagher Premiership spend.
CBS Corp.'s (NYSE: CBS) sports network currently carries at least one league game a week nationwide. A partnership with The Walt Disney Co.'s (NYSE: DIS) ESPN+ includes domestic coverage as well. RugbyPass??provides access to an international audience.
The addition of rugby solidifies??the Atlanta's case as one of the world's most diverse sports markets.
Life University in Marietta is one of the country???s top college rugby programs and has produced many current MLR players.