Justin M.Fitzpatrick
North America is, by every major metric, the most commercially powerful sports market on Earth. According to PwC’s Global Sports Market Outlook, the United States alone generated more than $83 billion in sports-related revenue in 2023. That number exceeds the combined output of the next five global markets. It reflects a complex and thriving ecosystem built on media rights, sponsorships, ticketing, merchandise, digital engagement, and sports betting.
The NFL stands as the world’s most profitable league. Forbes estimates the average franchise is now valued at over $5.1 billion. The NBA and MLB continue to expand their reach through globally televised games and multibillion-dollar broadcasting agreements.
Even Major League Soccer, once overlooked, now rivals European football clubs in valuation. Inter Miami and LAFC are no longer just teams. They are media-driven businesses with strong infrastructure, commercial partnerships, and real estate strategies. MLS’s $2.5 billion global streaming deal with Apple TV marks a new era. This deal unlocks centralized digital control, fan data insights, and global scalability.
Layer in the rise of sports tech, college athlete monetization through NIL, and constant fan engagement, and the North American model reveals itself as not just dominant, but transformative.
For a global sport like rugby, entering this market is more than an opportunity. It represents a pivotal decision point. North America offers the infrastructure, capital, and cultural energy needed to elevate rugby from a niche pursuit into a global movement.
City by City: Why North American Markets Are Built for Global Rugby
To grasp rugby’s potential in North America, we must shift focus from countries to cities. Here, franchises are not just teams. They are cultural platforms, civic brands, and media machines.
In contrast to Europe, where elite clubs often originate from smaller regional towns, North American franchises operate from major global cities. These cities and other cities on the continent carry influence far beyond their geographic borders.
- New York City anchors a metro population of 20 million and boasts a GDP of over $2 trillion. It hosts more Fortune 500 headquarters than anywhere else in the world.
- Los Angeles serves as a global entertainment capital where sport and storytelling merge to drive fan engagement.
- Chicago is home to 9.5 million people and global brands like Boeing, McDonald’s, and United Airlines.
- Dallas–Fort Worth ranks as the fourth-largest U.S. metro, with a GDP exceeding that of entire nations and a fast-growing population ideal for investment.
- Toronto brings over 6.5 million residents, deep sports infrastructure, and a multicultural rugby audience.
- Vancouver combines a proven rugby fan base, $160 billion GDP, and international access through the Pacific Rim. Its BC Place Stadium draws over 66,000 Sevens fans each year.
These cities are more than markets. They are launchpads. Their combination of population density, economic power, cultural reach, and civic pride makes them ideal locations for rugby franchises. In contrast, many European rugby strongholds such as Marseille or Dortmund generate regional GDPs below $100 billion.
North America enables a rugby franchise to transcend legacy and geography. Here, clubs can become media brands, year-round businesses, and cultural institutions within cities that build with scale and ambition.
Rugby Reimagined: The North American Model
To succeed in North America, rugby must move beyond the European template. The traditional system of promotion and relegation, decentralized ownership, and small-town allegiances lacks the scalability and commercial clarity that this market demands.
A North American approach to rugby would prioritize:
- Stable franchises protected from the financial shock of relegation
- Asset ownership, including stadiums, training facilities, and real estate
- Real estate integration, with clubs anchoring urban commercial projects
- A city-first identity, rooting clubs in metropolitan culture
- Commercial autonomy, enabling faster, market-driven decision-making
This is how the NFL, NBA, and MLS have achieved global valuations. They succeeded not through tradition, but through business systems built for scale and sustainability.
As one investor put it:
“In North America, the stadium is the brand, the city is the story, and the league is the launchpad.”
By embracing this mindset, rugby can transform into one of the most dynamic growth sports of the next decade.
The Myth of “It’s Just Not an American Sport”
Skeptics once said rugby would never resonate in the U.S. They called it too foreign, too physical, too niche.
But that story no longer holds.
- In years gone by Las Vegas and now in Vancouver, Sevens tournaments sell out with crowds that mirror the game’s global energy.
- In Chicago, 61,000 fans packed Soldier Field to watch the U.S. face the All Blacks.
- In San Francisco, the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens converted Oracle Park into a tech-savvy rugby festival.
USA Rugby now counts over 100,000 registered players. Rugby is a varsity sport at more than 50 colleges, and high school girls’ rugby is among the fastest-growing segments of youth athletics.
These are not anomalies. They are signals. Rugby’s foundation in North America has already been laid. The next step is conversion, from participation to performance and from local interest to national infrastructure.
Beyond the Weekend: Rugby Needs a Circular Economy
MLR clubs host only eight home games per season. Even with sellouts, this schedule limits financial growth in a market that thrives on year-round engagement.
Compare that to:
- MLS: 17 home games
- French Top 14: 13
- URC and Premiership Rugby: 9
- European Cups: up to 8 total matches
Even the busiest European rugby clubs rarely host more than 17 home matches per year, leaving the majority of weekends underutilized.
The answer lies in creating a circular economy. A rugby club should operate as a 365-day hub, not a seasonal attraction. Successful models already exist:
- Inter Miami’s Freedom Park includes hotels, retail, office space, and green zones.
- LAFC’s BMO Stadium serves as a year-round entertainment venue.
- The Dallas Cowboys’ Star in Frisco generates over $100 million annually with dining, hotels, youth fields, and commercial real estate.
A modern rugby facility can deliver:
- Shared athletic spaces for schools and community use
- Public wellness and rehab centers
- Event venues for esports, weddings, and conferences
- Retail and dining that generates daily foot traffic
- Office and coworking spaces for sports-related startups
In this model, the match is just one piece of a broader commercial engine. The club becomes a civic destination, always open, always earning and always engaged.
Build an Ecosystem, Not Just a League
Soccer’s rise in America was built not on goals, but on systems. It was powered by vision, infrastructure, and layered investment.
Rugby must do the same.
Success depends on:
- Club-controlled stadiums or long-term development partnerships
- Youth academies tied into schools, universities, and grassroots programs
- Urban districts built around clubs as anchors
- Brand strategies that link each club to city identity and local pride
A franchise built this way isn’t temporary. It becomes embedded in the civic and cultural life of its city. This is how valuation climbs. This is how long-term relevance is created.
The Gift of Stability and a Global Runway
Many European clubs live under constant threat of relegation. A single bad season can dismantle a business.
In North America, the franchise model eliminates that risk. It allows for stability and long-term planning. It also invites strategic investment.
Now combine that with the 2031 and 2033 Rugby World Cups, and you get something rare: a six- to eight-year window to build, brand, and grow before the eyes of the world arrive.
No other sport has this opportunity. The moment is now.
Universities, Executives, and the Rugby Network
Rugby has always cultivated leadership. Across North America, it has quietly shaped a generation of business leaders, founders, and executives.
According to Nielsen, those who played rugby in university are overrepresented in C-suite and partner roles. Many hold degrees from top institutions like Harvard, Dartmouth, UBC, and Stanford. They lead investment firms, tech companies, and policy organizations.
A 2018 USA Rugby, Gallup alumni survey found that over 60% of former collegiate players held director-level or higher roles within 15 years of graduation.
Yet this powerful network remains untapped. Unlike other sports, rugby has not mobilized its alumni base for capital, media, or strategic support.
These leaders don’t need nostalgia. They need a credible path to reengage, through investment, education and storytelling.
With the World Cups ahead, now is the time to connect the sport’s quiet power network with its future.
Don’t Just Chase Broadcasts. Own the Platform
MLS didn’t just sign a TV deal. It created a media engine through Apple TV, controlling content, narrative, and direct fan access.
Rugby must do the same. The goal is not just airtime. It’s platform ownership.
This includes:
- Live games
- Short-form content and mic’d-up moments
- Behind-the-scenes series
- Interactive, gamified fan experiences
Modern fans crave connection, not just results. They want stories.
- Ilona Maher, U.S. Olympian, grew the game through TikTok.
- Welcome to Wrexham transformed a fifth-tier club into a global brand through authenticity.
Rugby has stories. What it needs is a digital home to tell them.
Scarcity Drives Value. The Time to Build Is Now
The World Cups in 2031 and 2033 are not just tournaments. They are catalysts.
Rugby has the chance to build a scalable, high-value ecosystem in the world’s largest sports market. But windows like this do not stay open forever.
Strategic Imperatives for Stakeholders
Growth will not happen by accident. It requires bold, coordinated action across sectors:
- Cities must treat stadiums as economic hubs
- Businesses should form rugby investment syndicates
- Governing bodies must align behind a franchise-driven model
- Schools should integrate rugby into physical education and leadership programs
- Media partners must build dedicated rugby content channels and platforms
This is the moment for big vision.
The Call to Action
Soccer broke through in North America despite the odds. Rugby now has more advantages: a connected generation, a longer runway, and a built-in leadership community.
This is the chance to shape a new global era for rugby. To create legacy. To embed values. To build an ecosystem.
Will rugby be the next billion-dollar sports story?
Rugby in America doesn’t need 100 years of tradition. It needs unforgettable moments and experiences. Events that go viral. Experiences that blend culture and competition. Follow the journey. Share your voice. Help shape the future of rugby in North America.