MLR leaders hail players union deal as US league heads for six-team season | Rugby union

LLeaders on both sides of the field have welcomed a new collective bargaining agreement between Major League Rugby and its players, with the union chief hailing “a new standard” for American professional men’s rugby after a traumatic offseason in which four teams left MLR and two merged, leaving just six on the field.

“We are happy with the outcome of the negotiations,” Chris Mattina, executive director of the United States Rugby Players Association, a former US Eagles winger, told the Guardian.

“This was a very good faith negotiation with the league. We think this really sets a new standard. It increases player protections, but also stabilizes the league and sets it up for success.”

Graeme Bradbury, co-chairman of MLR, formerly with the Dragons in Wales, said: “It’s a momentous occasion, it really is, to come to our first CBA… I think it gives us a stability of work and it sets a baseline standard for how we treat players.”

Speaking anonymously, another source close to the negotiations said with a rueful laugh that the ABC had emerged from a situation that could be described as “a shit show”. Both parties would probably agree that was an understatement. Between July and November of last year, the league saw the San Diego Legion and RFCLA merge while NOLA Gold, the Miami Sharks, the Houston Sabercats and the Utah Warriors dropped out entirely. This week, everyone involved was happy to report progress, given how difficult life in the MLR can be.

In 2023, as MLR completed its fifth full season (2020 having been lost to Covid), players spoke candidly to the Guardian as it reported on the realities of life in the league.

“My first season [playing] “It took a lot of cruciate and ankle ligament damage and helped me dislocate my AC joint.”

Kyle Breytenbach, a South African-born defender who played for Austin and Houston, said: “I have a 20-month-old daughter and I couldn’t support her as an MLR player. Every year we get to the 15th or 16th round of the season, and internally my wife and I start bickering about where the next paycheck is going to come from, how we’re going to be insured.”

The new CBA addresses these concerns, including provisions strengthening the rights of injured players and free agents, enhanced health and safety protections and a $2,000 payment to each player before the season.

In the spirit of one senior league source quoting former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel – “never waste a crisis” – the MLR has refocused on US-eligible players. That represents the price tag for Canadians once considered domestic, but this week a source close to the negotiations said the minimum salary for a young American player, covering preseason, all 10 regular season games and the playoffs, is now just under $17,000. Playing rugby in America has never been a get-rich-quick scheme. Neither is owning a team.

Under the new CBA, the union has the option to reopen negotiations after a season that begins March 28, with the California Legion taking on North Carolina Anthem RC, the World Rugby-backed team made up of Americans that begins its third season looking for its first victory.

Mattina, who played for Austin Gilgronis (released in 2022), Rugby New York (released in 2023) and Chicago Hounds (still plays), said: “I think in this process, you always come up with a strategy as soon as the first one is over. So we had an economic reopening, if things change with the league, and it will be important to get more feedback on that as players move forward in the season.

“I think we’re just going to continue to monitor this and do what we’ve done throughout this process, which is take feedback from the players, understand where the potential issues might be, take them to the league and see if we can find a solution.”

Bradbury cited previous negotiations when he said, “If we look at the way the ACA was written compared to what we were doing in previous seasons, we’re not that far away from the economics that we were talking about and a few other key areas. I think a lot of the good work had already been done.

“We both had to cross the barrier at times, so we probably found ourselves in positions that made us uncomfortable, and the players had to do the same. But that’s the art of negotiation, and that’s the art of getting the CBA. So I think we’re in a good position…both sides have something that they can work with and move forward, and we can focus on the season, on the development of this sport.”

Bradbury spoke about the changes in the way MLR presents rugby to American audiences, saying: “We’ve never had a problem getting people through the door for the first time. What we’ve had difficulty with is getting people to stay and understand what’s really going on in the game, because it’s such a different game than what Americans are used to.

“You go to an average high school football game and you see so much entertainment, even at this level, and we have to kind of lean into that a lot better and explain what we’re doing and make it easier to understand…we’re going to make some subtle changes to Americanize the way we present our game. We’re not going to change the rules or anything like that, but just the way we produce the plays and talk to the public is going to be noticeably different.”

As such remarks suggest, the U.S.-hosted World Cups in 2031 (men) and 2033 (women) look increasingly important. For women, the Women’s Elite Rugby semi-professional tournament announced this week the schedule for its second season. On May 2, the Boston Banshees and New York Exiles will launch a campaign shifted from spring to summer, to accommodate the international game. Denver Onyx will defend their title.

Dr. Jessica Hammond-Graf, co-founder and president of the WER, hailed a “defining moment” and said: “Bigger venues and a growing fan base in returning markets mean increased visibility for our athletes and teams. This season reflects our commitment to growing the professional game and creating meaningful opportunities for women’s rugby to thrive in the United States.”

The league also teased investment from an as-yet-unnamed “Grammy-winning artist.”

Also this week, USA Rugby announced three spring home games for the Eagles women. In the Pacific Four, the United States will face New Zealand and World Cup finalist Canada will face Australia in Sacramento on April 11. on April 17 in Kansas City, the United States will face Australia while Canada will face New Zealand; and on April 24, the United States and Canada will play in Chicago.

Alan Gilpin, CEO of World Rugby, said: “The United States is at the heart of our global strategy to increase reach, visibility and impact before the Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cups are hosted in the United States. In partnership with our national federations and cities enthusiastically engaged in the host selection process, we are excited to bring the best rugby content to sports fans in the United States.”