• Loading stock data...
Sunday, March 16, 2025
Nominations Are Open for Front Office Sports Honors! Submit Now

Major League Rugby Scrums for Piece of U.S. Sports Market

  • Rugby ATL president Amanda Windsor White is the league’s only woman president.
  • She faces the challenge of introducing rugby to the U.S.
Major-League-Rugby
Major League Rugby/Design: Alex Brooks

Amanda Windsor White is president of a team in one of the U.S.’s most established sports cities, but she still has to build an audience for Rugby ATL from scratch.

“I’ve lived in Atlanta for 15 years,” she told Front Office Sports. “I’m a sports fan. I keep a pulse on all the things happening in the city.” And yet, had it not been for a friend connected to the team’s former ownership group, “I would not have known there was a rugby team.” 

Though operating with a fraction of the budget of the larger sports leagues and launching only four years ago, Major League Rugby has already gained a foothold.

  • The league has collectively attracted over $100 million in investments, according to White.
  • The annual average cost of operating a franchise is between $4 million and $6 million. Some of the 13 teams have already broken even.
  • The expansion fee for a new team is $10 million.

The league’s best-attended game last year came when Rugby ATL visited the LA Giltinis in front of a crowd of 7,389. Most teams’ stadiums have a capacity under 5,000. 

Growing the Community

White, the first woman president in the league (and Rugby ATL’s only full-time employee), values the unique perspective she brings to the sport.

“I don’t see it as the challenge of being a woman,” she said. “I just want to take a different approach than everybody else has.”

Specifically, White sees a need to reach out beyond rugby’s core audience, noting the sport has been “insular” so far.

“It’s going to take people with outside thinking and more diverse backgrounds to speak to a different audience and take a different approach.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Callaway’s LIV Deal Shows How Much Golf Has Shifted

The company has signed a first-of-its-kind club contract.
Jun 13, 2018; Moscow, Russia; A general view of a beer stand inside of Luschniki Stadium one day prior to the start of the FIFA World Cup 2018.

Saudi Arabia Says No Alcohol at 2034 World Cup

Saudi Arabia won’t allow alcohol anywhere during the 2034 World Cup.
U.S. Soccer Federation president Carlos Cordeiro (left) and Sunil Gulati (center) and MLS commissioner Don Garber (right) pose for a photo.

Billionaire Who Chaired NASL Admits He Used Burner Account to Attack MLS,..

Rocco Commisso, the Mediacom founder, compared the MLS commissioner to Harvey Weinstein.
Sponsored

How Sportradar and the NBA Are Shaping the Future of Immersive Fan..

By transforming raw data into tailored, interactive content, Sportradar helps turn the NBA’s enormous fanbase into active participants.

Featured Today

Auburn Tigers guard Miles Kelly (13) reacts after hitting a three-point shot against Kentucky during the first half in SEC basketball at Rupp Arena Saturday afternoon in Lexington, Kentucky March 1, 2025

The SEC’s Ascent to Men’s Basketball Supremacy

The league brought its football pageantry and power to college hoops.
San Diego Wave FC falls to Orlando Pride at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, CA on April 29, 2023.
March 14, 2025

The New Tailored Approach to Women’s Sports Uniforms

For new women’s sports leagues, every detail is custom.
Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) cuts down the net after beating LSU in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament between Iowa and LSU at MVP Arena, Monday, April 1, 2024 in Albany, N.Y.
opinion
March 9, 2025

Reader Mailbag: Leagues Need Must-Watch Moments

Readers responded to NHL success and what it means for other leagues.
Moolah Kicks
March 8, 2025

Breaking the Mold: The Brands Designing Footwear Specifically for Female Athletes

New companies are laser focused on changing the women’s athletic footwear landscape.

Gavin Newsom Reveals Status of 2028 Olympics As Los Angeles Wildfires Roar

Gavin Newsom says there’s a “Marshall Plan” to rebuild Los Angeles.
Paralympics Tiktok
August 25, 2024

The Wildly Successful Paralympics TikTok Account Isn’t What You Think

A cheeky TikTok account is opening the world of Paralympic sports.
August 30, 2024

Premier League Transfer Spending Has Already Topped $2 Billion As Deadline Looms

Saudi Pro League teams haven’t yet matched their English counterparts.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
August 11, 2024

Passing of the Torch: Los Angeles Set for Olympic Firsts in 2028

The city last hosted the Summer Olympics in 1984.
August 1, 2024

Saudi Arabia Submits Bold World Cup Bid That Includes a Cliffside Arena

The Saudis are proposing a new stadium in a futuristic city called Neom.
John John Florence (USA) surfs in men’s round two competition during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach.
July 29, 2024

Olympic Surfers Won’t Get Their Full Paris Moment

‘We’re kind of separate off on our own little thing over here.’
Teahupo'o Tahiti Surfing
July 26, 2024

Olympic Surfing Crashes on Tahiti Like a Wave

For Teahupo‘o’s locals, the Olympics are a mixed blessing.