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why do yanks always gotta call there comps the world series??
very interesting
http://americanrugbynews.com/2007/03...y-world-series
US main feature of proposed global comp
By Brian Lowe
The United States would be the backbone of a proposed Super 20 Rugby World Series. The Super 20 has been proposed as a way of growing the game among new television audiences and attracting multinational corporations to underwrite and sponsor Tier II, Tier III and surplus elite players from the top ten rugby playing nations.
The basis of the proposal is this – there would be 20 franchises from the US, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Europe, the Pacific Rim and South Africa. America would field eight of those franchises with Canada providing two; there would be one each from Argentina and Brazil, four from Europe, and two each from the Pacific Rim and South Africa. Each team would be allowed to have as many as eight import players on its roster.
It’s envisaged that the Super 20, which would start in 2008 and run from July through November, would be underwritten by media companies and other sponsors. There would also be a Challenger-in-Waiting series, or in other words, a promotion and relegation system whereby the bottom two franchises would play a home and away series against three other franchises-in-waiting to determine who would move up and who would go down every year. The Super 20 would not be played in World Cup years.
The series would be bankrolled to the tune of 60-million-dollars a year, with each franchise getting three-million-dollars per annum for player salaries, administration and transportation costs. On top of that, each governing body, such as USA Rugby, would get one-million-dollars for administration, officials, referees and marketing.
The idea is the brainchild of marketing whiz Tony McKeever, who is the past CEO of the Southern Spears Super 14 franchise in South Africa. McKeever’s background is in strategic brand marketing and positioning in the US, Canada and Mexico and he led the change in South African Airways’ corporate identity. He says that he assessed the needs for a global rugby tournament in major countries that had previously been excluded from elite rugby competitions.
“Consider for a moment the USA Super League teams and the need for them to consolidate into eight (could be 10) powerful centers of rugby with a background of 2,000 clubs,” McKeever tells ARN. “Japan, who have no annual international rugby tournaments other than the Sevens and RWC, and particularly the number of elite rugby players in Europe and South Africa that could assist the development and growth of other rugby playing countries around the world with the upskilling and coaching of rugby.
“This Super 20 Rugby World Series LLC is registered in Wilmington, DE, and will be operated out of New York where the broadcast partner, major multinational marketers, and their respective international advertising agencies are based. The main focus is the USA, specifically because the broadcaster, and especially the sponsors of the tournament and the advertisers on the television programming and stadiums, require exposure in the USA. This Super 20 Rugby World Series provides a rugby sports programming inventory for the broadcaster that is primarily based in eight major geographic areas, through 16 host metropolitan cities in densely populated areas.”
McKeever goes on to say that the estimated worldwide television audience for the Super 20 would be somewhere around 300 million based on research of the collective audiences that would receive and see images of the television broadcasts in the Americas, Europe and Asia. He says the New York-based television partner would underwrite the competition and would syndicate coverage worldwide, especially to the participating countries’ broadcasters and sponsors participating at various levels from the tournament to in-country sponsors of the Union hosting the competition.
The proposal has been sent to Boulder for perusal by USA Rugby.