The competition that became the AMNRL was established in 1997, with six teams competing in the first season the following year. It grew to eleven by 2010, with future plans for westward expansion. On January 12, 2011, seven teams announced they were departing the AMNRL to for the new USA Rugby League.[1]
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History
See also: Rugby league in the United States
The competition that became the modern American National Rugby League was established in 1997, when Super League America was formed to organize a national team, establish an amateur domestic competition, and build the sport in the United States.[2] The organization was established under former professional player David Niu, who had come to Philadelphia in 1992 and had been active in promoting the sport there.[3] Super League America's domestic competition began its inaugural season in 1998, and was contested by six teams all in the Northeastern United States: the Glen Mills Bulls (now the Aston Bulls), the New Jersey Sharks (now the Bucks County Sharks), the New York Broncos (now the New York Knights), the Philadelphia Bulldogs (now the Philadelphia Fight), the Boston Storm, and the Pennsylvania Raiders.[2] The Boston and Pennsylvania teams soon dropped out; the others formed the core of the modern AMNRL. Super League America organized the domestic competition in 1998 and 1999; the Glen Mills Bulls were declared league champions in both years.[4]In December 1999 Super League America announced a reorganization. The league headquarters moved to Jacksonville, Florida, with Jacksonville marketing executive Steve Gormley made the organization's new president; David Niu would serve as CEO and maintain the northeastern branch.[2] The organization was renamed the United States Rugby League, and set its sites on expanding into the Southeastern United States and attracting British rugby league teams to Florida for training camps and international competitions.[5] The USRL was successful in attracting foreign teams and advanced the U.S. national team to the Rugby League World Cup qualifiers for the first time; however, it was soon beset by internal strife.[6][7]
Complications over a deal with the British Rugby Football League led to a dispute that bankrupted the USRL.[3] In the midst of the dispute, in May 2001 the five domestic teams announced they were forming a new organization, the American National Rugby League, with Niu as its head.[8] Later that year Gormley sold the USRL's assets to the British Rugby Football League, leaving the AMNRL as the sole rugby league body in the United States.[6]
Growth
| Season | Winner | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Jacksonville Axemen | |||
| 2009 | New York Knights | |||
| 2008 | New Haven Warriors | |||
| 2007 | Connecticut Wildcats | |||
| 2006 | Connecticut Wildcats | |||
| 2005 | Glen Mills Bulls | |||
| 2004 | Glen Mills Bulls | |||
| 2003 | Connecticut Wildcats | |||
| 2002 | New York Knights | |||
| 2001 | Glen Mills Bulls | |||
| 2000 | Glen Mills Bulls | |||
| 1999 | Glen Mills Bulls | |||
| 1998 | Glen Mills Bulls | |||
| Further information: List of AMNRL records | ||||
In 2006 the league expanded once again to include the Jacksonville Axemen, the New Haven Warriors, and the Boston Braves. After the end of the season, however, the Boston Braves folded, and two charter teams, the Media Mantarays and the Philadelphia Fight, announced they were merging. The Fairfax Eagles joined the competition in 2007, and the Boston Thirteens joined in 2009. Another charter franchise, the Bucks County Sharks, suspended operations in 2010, while the Pittsburgh Vipers were added.
It was announced in early January 2010 that the Grand Final will be played at Philadelphia's A. A Garthwaite Stadium.[10] The league underwent a major rebranding in 2010, with all teams getting their logos upgraded. The league has also announced plans for expansion; after a great first showing showing at the 2010 War at the Shore (L 10-16), Midwest Rugby League looks to possibly add the Chicago Stockyarders to the AMNRL in the coming years.[11]
Expansion and future
See also: National Rugby League USA
The AMNRL has announced various plans to expand. The Bucks County Sharks, who had not competed in the 2010 season, announced that they planned to return for the 2011 season.[12]In 2009 league officials announced the creation of a new, fully professional league, the National Rugby League USA (NRLUS), which originally hoped to launch in 2010. The AMNRL would serve as an amateur and semi-professional feeder league for the new competition. However, the new league has not gotten off the ground.[13]
The AMNRL has also stated its intention to expand beyond the sport's traditional "heartland" in the Northeastern United States. A Florida league is currently going through various stages of development and will be seeking to enter a representative team from that league into the AMNRL in the near future. Florida has hosted rugby league games in the past, the state was the host to 1999 North Pacific Qualification Tournament, where the USA beat both Japan and Canada to meet Lebanon for the right to play in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. In 2001, Florida was also host to the Sunshine State Challenge, where the United States competed against the Huddersfield Giants, Halifax and the Leeds Rhinos; the miniature tournament drew a crowd of 6,700.[citation needed]
The Canadian team will feature in the War at The Shore which will be their first game after years of inactivity. There are also proposed competitions which will be played in the provinces of British Columbia and Ontario.[14] There are also plans underway to get new tv deals for the NRL and Super League on American TV.[15][16]
Western American National Rugby League
Split
On January 12, 2011, seven teams announced they were breaking with the AMNRL to form a new league, the USA Rugby League. Teams confirmed to be playing in the new league, which has an expected kickoff date of Summer 2011, are the Boston 13s, the D.C. Slayers, the Fairfax Eagles, the Jacksonville Axemen, the New Haven Warriors, the Philadelphia Fight, and the Pittsburgh Vipers; they are to be joined by two expansion teams. Officials have given the lack of club involvement in the AMNRL's decision making as the reason for the split; the USA Rugby League will involve member clubs in its administration.[18][19][1]Teams
There are five teams confirmed to be playing in the league for the 2011 season. Four of these teams, the Aston Bulls, the Connecticut Wildcats, the New York Knights, and the New York Raiders, played in the AMNRL the previous season. The Bucks County Sharks, who did not play the previous season, have announced they will be rejoining the league for 2011.[20]In addition, other teams are scheduled to compete in AMNRL-sponsored tournaments, and the league has announced plans for prospective future expansion such as Hawaii, the Midwest and the South East and North Carolina. The Chicago Stockyarders played two rugby league nines games in 2010 and will embark on a fuller exhibition schedule in 2011.[21][22][23]
| AMNRL teams | ||||
| Team | Stadium | City/Area | Foundation Year | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aston Bulls[24] | Aston Community Field | Aston Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania | 1998 | 6 (as Glen Mills Bulls) |
| Bucks County Sharks[25] | Falls Township Community Park | Levittown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania | 1997 | 0 |
| Connecticut Wildcats[24] | Andrews Field | Norwalk, Connecticut | 2003 | 3- 2003,2006,2007 |
| New York Knights[24] | Hudson River Park | New York City, New York | 1997 | 2- 2002,2009 |
| New York Raiders | Walkill Airport Rugby Field | Essex County, New York | 2002 | 0 |
Season structure
Since 1998 member teams of the domestic competition have competed in a Grand Final for the league championship. The winning team receives the "Ferrainola Cup", named for American rugby league promoter Sam Ferrainola.[26] The AMNRL has not released the schedule for the 2011 season. Prior to the split, the AMNRL season consisted of an eight week, six game regular season followed by a playoffs series that culminated in the Grand Final. Teams advanced to the playoffs based on points differential. The playoff series consists of a three-round single-elimination tournament, with the Grand Final winners receiving the championship title.[27]One of signature events in the AMNRL's domestic schedule has been the War at the Shore. The event, held annually in Sea Island, New Jersey, generally consists of full 13-a-side and rugby league sevens games between AMNRL teams, local and national representative sides, and developmental teams.[28]
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