Why isn't rugby big in the states?

AdamB2 · 03-06-2008, 03:05 PM

I often wonder why rugby isn't as popular in the states as it is over here.
After watching u guys in the world cup I gotta say though you didnt play with skill youz played with heart. I rugby had a bigger fan base youz could really make impact.

Its a shame though, I feel, and this is only my opinion, that sports like baseball and American Football have become very commercal. The money in those sports has created untouchables. For example, if it were brought in that random drug testing should be made compulsory in baseball, most baseballers would go on strike. Thats not sportsmanship thats not right.

Rugby is a mans game. No untouchables just war!

NJPump · 03-06-2008, 03:06 PM

because we have football.

dean. · 03-06-2008, 03:07 PM

in before rugby/american football argument

brianphi · 03-06-2008, 03:07 PM

Once it's more prominant as a high school sport it may become popular... look at the recent growth of lacrosse (finally growing on the west coast)

adamlm · 03-06-2008, 03:07 PM

Probably the same reason soccer isn't popular in the US

dean. · 03-06-2008, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adamlm

Probably the same reason soccer isn't popular in the US

so what's the reason?

eatsleephate · 03-06-2008, 03:09 PM

Americans really aren't tough enough to play rugby. It takes grizzled, mean mother****ers for that.

I'm American, before yous start bitching about me insulting Americans.

The-Stig · 03-06-2008, 03:09 PM

I think it has something to do with the short shorts.

Like brianphi said, Americans tend to stick to sports they play in high school/college.

Channel1 · 03-06-2008, 03:09 PM

it sucks?

Amel · 03-06-2008, 03:10 PM

because americans like their protective pads...

BigBen85 · 03-06-2008, 03:10 PM

people just get into different sports in different places, for example no one loves hockey more than Canada, while in the US its hardly watched, and soccer is HUGE just about everywhere else in the world but in the US we think its gay.

steve39 · 03-06-2008, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dean.69

so what's the reason?

They never were popular, even in the early years of our country.

Britain and other European/South American countries have been playing sports like soccer/rugby for hundreds of years.

We never really took them with us when colonists moved to America. Instead, we developed our own sports....and therefore there is a more fan base for the American sports in the country.

bc8436 · 03-06-2008, 03:11 PM

Because people watch football instead.

TV stations won't carry a sport that's not popular, especially one that isn't tailor-made for TV broadcasts with shot spurts of action followed by brief intervals for commercials.

Also, kids would rather play sports where there are people they can idolize, or have a potential to make a lot of money in. Rugby just isn't that in the US.

Underdose · 03-06-2008, 03:18 PM

IMO Rugby is what American football would be if it was good.

The popularity of Rugby is strange though, it's most popular in UK, France, Italy, South africa, Austrailia , new zealand and Samoa. But not popular at all in more western europe and America (as a continent)

CLK-GTR · 03-06-2008, 03:33 PM

Because Americans like everything instant, easy and in your face. They like to sit in their chairs, sip their beers and watch intense, exciting action for a few seconds before there's another pause to take a bite of their hotdog and another gulp before resuming the action all over again. All the major national sports adhere to the same formula. NFL, NBA, MLB, NASCAR etc.

Rugby, soccer etc. are too drawn out and there are too many periods of relative inactivity to appeal to an audience so used to rampant consumerism and ease of access

Underdose · 03-06-2008, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CLK-GTR

Because Americans like everything instant, easy and in your face. They like to sit in their chairs, sip their beers and watch intense, exciting action for a few seconds before there's another pause to take a bite of their hotdog and another gulp before resuming the action all over again. All the major national sports adhere to the same formula. NFL, NBA, MLB, NASCAR etc.

Rugby, soccer etc. are too drawn out and there are too many periods of relative inactivity to appeal to an audience so used to rampant consumerism and ease of access

Inactivity?

American football is boring because the players are only active for 45 minutes of the 10 hours the game is on tv

brianphi · 03-06-2008, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CLK-GTR

Because Americans like everything instant, easy and in your face. They like to sit in their chairs, sip their beers and watch intense, exciting action for a few seconds

Are you saying NASCAR is intense and exciting? Earnhardt enters turn 1, it looks like he's going to turn the wheel left!... down the front straight, Dale Jr makes another Left!... HOLY COW, do you see him going wide left through turn 3? We're on the back straight this time, I'm guessing he'll go 1mph faster than he last 40 times down the back straight... here comes turn four... this is the left hander... he's through it, back into turn one again, last time this got a little hairy, he had to turn left AND pass a car. and we're coming down the front straight, boy they really pick up some speed before turning left down there!!!!

The-Stig · 03-06-2008, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CLK-GTR

Because Americans like everything instant, easy and in your face. They like to sit in their chairs, sip their beers and watch intense, exciting action for a few seconds before there's another pause to take a bite of their hotdog and another gulp before resuming the action all over again. All the major national sports adhere to the same formula. NFL, NBA, MLB, NASCAR etc.

Rugby, soccer etc. are too drawn out and there are too many periods of relative inactivity to appeal to an audience so used to rampant consumerism and ease of access

People at my work are shocked when I tell them I watch an entire cricket match for about 7 hours straight.

TechLady · 03-06-2008, 03:40 PM

I never even heard of rugby until around '95 when my ex husband played for the Navy team. That's when I started learning about the sport. I find it more engaging than football (no offense to football fans). He also played for a local team in San Diego and we traveled to the Ruggerfest in Aspen, CO. Good times. Crazy guys.

Not much of it on tv here in America unless you get the Skynet channel.

CLK-GTR · 03-06-2008, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underdose

Inactivity?

American football is boring because the players are only active for 45 minutes of the 10 hours the game is on tv

see the bit about the pause to munch the hotdog and slurp the beer

american audiences want every second of play to be action packed. rugby and soccer players spend most of the game time doing nothing much in particular

and to people who love NASCAR...and only NFL has more followers in the US...every minute or so when those cars come past it IS exciting

5G · 03-06-2008, 03:43 PM

i love playing rugby. football is fun too. played it too. i guess its too much liability here in the states?

ZzW3iZ · 03-06-2008, 03:45 PM

They just built A huge Rugby stadium 100 yard from my place. Rumor has it the US rugby championships are gonna be held here. I don't know much about it, so don't hold me to it.

AdamB2 · 03-06-2008, 03:46 PM

If u aren't familiar with rugby I advise watching one of the following videos:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=26ElDSoOPas
http://youtube.com/watch?v=VsDLuFSYh1M
http://youtube.com/watch?v=hRYxLakkeR8

Aune · 03-06-2008, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotMeAgain

i love playing rugby. football is fun too. played it too. i guess its too much liability here in the states?

I tried starting a club in my high school and was denied because of the liability.

****ing sucks too, that was the one sport I was passionate about in school and I couldnt play it aside from college clubs