Sensational revelation from the CEO of World Rugby, Alan Gilpin: to promote the World Cup in a continent on the launch pad, he is thinking of bringing matches of historic tournaments to the USA.
America calls, and the rugby (apparently) seems intent on responding. Why the oval on the other side of the ocean no longer rhymes only with football: in 2031 the United States they will organize the premiere World Cup on the American continent, and the stages of rapprochement risk rewriting conventions and traditions that are quite well rooted in the European continent and in the southern hemisphere. So much so that the international federation is seriously thinking about moving some of the most important events of the next few years directly to US soil, in a sort of march towards 2031.
Strange but true: the NFL and NBA did it backwards
The premise is due: rugby isn’t inventing anything, if anything, he is simply thinking of following paths that other disciplines have already taken some time ago. And those who find the idea of moving in bad taste should resign themselves a Milan-Como in Perth, Australia (La Liga wanted to bring Barcelona-Villarreal a Miami, but it was stopped by the clubs): if football can do it, other sports can do it too.
Il football moreover, he has done so far reverse path: has brought more and more games in every year Europa, taking advantage of the fabulous facilities of Nord (Munich for one, I am now at home at the New White Hart Lanethe house of Tottenham a London), and in doing so it expanded its boundaries. Even the NBA came from the other side of the ocean: after Paris, a usual stop in past years, this year Magic e Grizzlies they will play two close matches in mid-January, the first in Berlin, the second a London (in 2027 we will play Manchester ea Paris, in 2028 still at Berlin e Paris).
But why on earth Should rugby follow this trend? Because he United States they are the new frontier of the oval world, and it is no coincidence that the 65,000 spectators who attended the Soldier Field in Chicago to the success of the All Blacks in the test match against Ireland they are just waiting for more challenges like this.
Gilpin’s revelation: “Tier 1 teams in the USA”
World Rugby has taken the issue to heart and through its CEO, Alan Gilpin, made it clear that many initiatives are being studied to bring international events to the United States between now and 2031. And the lottery would also include competitions Six Nations and of Rugby Championship.
“There are many opportunities at stake and we are seriously thinking about how to increase the audience in view of the 2031 World Cup. Bringing matches from major international competitions could be a good idea: 27 cities have given their availability to host one or more matches of the tournaments, which would have important consequences both from a commercial point of view and for the growth of the movement”.
Among the hypotheses under consideration, that of “impose” to the national teams of Tier 1 (i.e. the first world tier) to come and play systematically at least one match in the next 6 years, which could also be a summer or autumn test match, if not one of the competitions in which they participate.
When football emigrated to the States before the 1994 World Cup
We could already start thinking about what could happen if we played a match between Italy-Wales in Miami or an All Blacks-South Africa in Los Angeles. Of course they would have a decidedly different charm compared to a canonical seat such as the Olympic o Eden Park, but globalization also requires choices that may at first appear unpopular, and apparently World Rugby he understood that turning the economy around is the best way to grow discipline in places where there is greater room for maneuver.
More than thirty years ago, football also did the same close to the World Cup USA 1994: the US Cup 1992 brought to the national states as Italy, Ireland e Portugal (in addition to the home national team), deliberately to try to “catechizzare” the American crowds in view of the World Cup (the unforgettable teasing on live TV by Bruno Pizzul against the wrong graphics of local TV).
And the following year they were Germany, Brazil e England (which also didn’t go to the World Cup because it didn’t qualify) to compete in the second edition. In September 1993 even the Italian Super Cup transloycotic to Washington, with the Milan won 1-0 over Torino. In short, it wouldn’t be the first time, but it would certainly have a strange effect. And in a world conservative like that of rugby, some might take it really badly.
