Major League Rugby is reportedly looking for $100 million to grow the sport in the U.S.
The 12-team North American rugby league is raising money to expand its reach, according to Bloomberg.
The league was founded in 2017 and began its sixth season in February.
“The Rugby World Cup — the third-biggest sports event in the world after the Olympics and the soccer World Cup — is coming to the U.S. in 2031, and then the women’s in 2033, and so our league is perfectly positioned to grow and receive a ton of attention and investment,” MLR chief commercial officer Harry Hardy said on Front Office Sports Today.
Hardy said the event’s arrival is “a huge indicator for the potential of the sport in this country, and how the global rugby community sees North America as the next big destination for the sport.”
MLR extended its deal with Fox in January, which will air MLR matches on FS1 and FS2 every weekend during the season, as well as the conference finals and championship match on the main Fox network.
CVC Capital Partners bought a stake in the Europe-focused Six Nations Rugby in March 2021, while Silver Lake bought a stake in top New Zealand club the All Blacks after contentious negotiations.
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