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Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Major League Rugby Partners with CBS Sports Network

Major League Rugby will debut in April 2018, with 7 teams participating in the first season.

Major League Rugby (MLR) announced a multi-year, exclusive television partnership with CBS Sports Network earlier today. This is a huge step for the 7-team league set to launch in 2018.

CBS Sports Network will air 13 games over the course of the season. Each week, the network will air the Major League Rugby Game of the Week, and will also air the Semi-finals and inaugural Championship Game.

This marks the first time in the history of American rugby that a professional league will have a national television partnership.

Major League Rugby Commissioner, Dean Howes, offered the following through the official release, “Partnering with CBS Sports Network is a great step for Major League Rugby and for the sport of rugby in America. There is no question that rugby is growing fast in the U.S. market. A successful professional league is a critical component of that growth. Television partnerships are incredibly important to any professional league, and we are excited to chart a path to success together with CBS Sports Network.”


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