http://rugbyamerica.net/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog NBC Rocking Live Coverage of the USA 7′s December 1, 2010 As predicted as couple days ago in an article regarding Universal Sports’ coverage of the IRB World Series, NBC has officially announced that they are covering the upcoming USA 7′s tournament in Las Vegas. That’s right everyone… more live rugby on national television! This time around, it isn’t up and coming collegiate players, but ready-for-primetime international athletes that play the game at a level and pace that will truly highlight and show off the best of what sevens has to offer. ABC Sports had provided coverage of the past two USA 7′s tournaments via delayed broadcast highlight videos. Now that NBC has stepped up to the plate, we’re getting it live. NBC Sports and Universal Sports will broadcast eight hours of live rugby coverage of the 2011 HSBC Sevens World Series event in Las Vegas the weekend of February 12-13, 2011. This marks the first time that the tournament has had live television coverage in the United States. “Rugby Sevens is an exciting, fast-paced sport that is growing in global popularity, participation, and interest,” said NBC Sports executive vice president Jon Miller. “NBC had the privilege of broadcasting the inaugural 2010 Rugby Sevens Collegiate Championship and is excited to expand its coverage of rugby by bringing the HSBC Sevens World Series to live network television for the first time.” Broadcast Schedule: · NBC Sports: Live coverage, 3:30-6:00pm ET on February 12; 4:30-6:00pm ET on February 13 · Universal Sports: Live coverage, 2:00-3:30pm ET on February 12; 2:00-4:30pm ET on February 13 · NBC Mobile: Live simulcast, 3:30-6:00pm ET on February 12; 4:30-6:00pm ET on February 13 · Hulu.com: Full-event coverage available on-demand in HD quality video The Olympic announcement continues to have a positive trickle down effect on American rugby. The global appeal of the sport and its growing popularity isn’t lost on NBC, who is familiar with Olympic sports coverage and how sports have significance across the world. Few sports embody the global spirit of rugby and the sport in America has found a valuable partner moving forward. “The global appeal of rugby is undeniable and this tournament is known for featuring the best-of-the-best in the rugby world,” said Dan Lyle, Tournament Director of USA 7’s Rugby. “We look forward to sharing the electric atmosphere of the HSBC Sevens World Series with millions of viewers as we take this exciting step for the sport.” Last year’s tournament saw a championship battle of the tournament’s two undefeated teams, Samoa and New Zealand, with Samoa ultimately winning, 33-12. Samoa returns to defend its title in 2011, along with teams from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, England, France, Canada, South Africa and Kenya to name a few. The Cosmopolitan has been confirmed as the official hotel partner for the event, with additional hotel partners including the Palms, Tropicana, Hard Rock and the Boyd Gaming Corporation. The HSBC Sevens World Series Las Vegas begins on Saturday, February 12 and concludes with the championship game on Sunday, February 13 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event features teams from 16 countries competing in the fourth leg of the Series. To purchase tickets for the event visit www.usasevens.com. Editor’s note: I have been reminded in the comments section that Setanta sports carried live coverage of the USA 7′s in years past. The press release from NBC was not completely correct. The correct statement is that this is the first live Network TV appearance for the USA 7′s in America.
http://rugbyamerica.net/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog Universal Sports Beefs Up World Series Coverage December 3, 2010 It appears that Universal Sports is just beginning to scratch the surface of their coverage of the IRB HSBC Sevens World Series. As reported on Rugby America a couple days ago, Universal Sports has added a World Series package to their online offerings. The pacakge includes Live and On Demand coverage of the semifinals and finals of all eight tournaments on the World Series. They have now announced expanded coverage of the World Series to their other platforms including television and mobile networks. Universal Sports and USA Sevens LLC announced today that the network will be the exclusive broadcaster and distributor of VOD coverage of the 2010-2011 HSBC Sevens World Series of rugby. The partnership marks the first time the series will be available on “free-to-air” and will bring an international quality feed with English commentary to the properties’ widest-ever audience. “It is great that Universal Sports is on board to help us take rugby sevens to the next level in the US and we are confident that having Universal’s world-class production and reach will deliver huge value to the American audience and the growth of the sport,” said Jonathan First, President of USA Sevens. “With the addition of the HSBC Rugby Sevens World Series, our network continues to provide fans the most extensive rugby coverage in the United States,” said Perkins Miller, COO of Universal Sports. “We look forward to broadcasting these great events across all of our platforms –TV, Online and Mobile.” The Series opens in Dubai on December 3-4 and South Africa on December 10-11 and coverage will be streamed LIVE on universalsports.com beginning December 4th. The remainder of the series, including events in New Zealand, Hong Kong, Australia, England and Scotland, will be broadcast on Universal Sports cable network, LIVE on universalsports.com and other Universal Sports platforms, including mobile feeds. It was also recently announced that NBC Sports and Universal Sports will broadcast 8 hours of the HSBC Sevens World Series from Las Vegas on February 12-13th, 2011. Universal Sports Broadcast Schedule Dubai, December 4th, 2010 - 9am EST Live on Universalsports.com South Africa, December 11th, 2010 - 11am EST Live on Universalsports.com New Zealand, February 5th, 2011 - 7pm EST on Universal Sports TV Hong Kong, March 27th, 2011 - 10pm EST on Universal Sports TV Australia, April 3rd, 2011 - 9pm EST on Universal Sports TV England, May 22nd, 2011 - 10pm EST on Universal Sports TV Scotland, May 29th, 2011 - 10pm EST on Universal Sports TV Team USA just kicked-off the 2010-2011 HSBC Sevens World Series in Dubai against 8 time Series champion and defending Dubai Cup winner New Zealand. The Eagles are coming off a tenth place finish overall in last year’s Sevens World Series and are looking to improve this season behind coach Al Caravelli and team captain Matt Hawkins. About Universal Sports: Universal Sports, a partnership between NBC Sports and InterMedia Partners, LP, serves as the preeminent multiplatform destination for Olympic-related sports programming on television and online. Universal Sports is available in more than 63 million homes, including all of the nation’s top 10 DMAs: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Dallas-Fort Worth and Washington, D.C. Recent expansion includes launches in Boston, Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Denver, Portland, and Jacksonville. Go to UniversalSports.com for a complete list of TV markets. Major world championship and Olympic qualifying events found on Universal Sports include track and field, figure skating, skiing, swimming, gymnastics, rugby, marathons cycling and triathlons. UniversalSports.com delivers an immersive experience via live and on-demand competition coverage, interaction with top athletes through blogs and in-depth access to Olympic sports news and information year round. For more information on the availability of the Universal Sports 24-hour television channel, please visit UniversalSports.com. About USA Sevens: USA Sevens LLC owns and operates America’s premier rugby events, the Las Vegas HSBC Sevens World Series and the USA 7’s Collegiate Rugby Championship Invitational. Held annually, the Las Vegas HSBC Sevens World Series is one of the eight international stops in the HSBC Sevens World Series. The Series sponsor is HSBC bank. With an attendance of over 50,000 during the two day event, it is the largest annual rugby event in North America and one of the fastest growing rugby events in the world.
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http://rugbyamerica.net/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog CCI Heads to City of Brotherly Love November 10, 2010 College Rugby, Featured, Olympics, Rugby News, Sevens It’s been a week since my last article. Sorry about that, but I splipped away for a couple days and getting back into the groove took a couple more. Anyways, after months of speculation and plenty of rumors, the USA 7′s have officially announced the host of the 2011 Collegiate Championship Invitational. As expected, Columbus is not getting a return shot at hosting while Philadelphia came strong to the negotiating table and pulled down the hosting rights. The new PPL Park will be the backdrop for the tournament that brings together sixteen top collegiate rugby teams to battle it out for national bragging rights. NBC is also on board for the 2011 CCI as they have signed on for similar coverage that was provided during the inaugural championship. The second-ever USA 7’s Collegiate Rugby Championship, a Rugby Sevens World Cup-style tournament featuring sixteen top-tier collegiate rugby teams, will be held at PPL Park in Chester, PA, on both Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 5. The tournament will be broadcast nationally on NBC live on both days. “We are excited that NBC Sports is bringing the Collegiate Rugby Championship to Chester in 2011,” said Mayor Wendell N. Butler, Jr. “Not only does this mean more jobs for Chester residents, but it also allows for a whole new set of fans and viewers to experience PPL Park and Chester’s fine waterfront, our historic birthplace.” At a price tag of $120 million, the state of the art PPL Park opened this past year and seats 18,500 fans. The crux will be how to fill those stands and show off the sport of rugby to the many fans new to the sport watching from their homes. This is an area that Columbus came up well short last year. Is Philly going to be able to get it done? “PPL Park continues to draw the attention and interest of a wide range of events and now in partnership with the USA 7′s Collegiate Rugby Championship, we are bringing the great sport of rugby for fans to enjoy right here to the greater Philadelphia region,” said Nick Sakiewicz, CEO & Operating Partner of Keystone Sports and Entertainment. “International sports fans have always supported rugby with an ardent fervor and we hope the fans of Philadelphia will similarly embrace it,” said Jon Miller, Executive Vice President of NBC Sports. “We have high hopes that the Collegiate Rugby Championship and the sport itself will become part of the fabric of the city and the region.” The USA 7’s Collegiate Rugby Championship features sixteen Division I collegiate traditional powers, including; Temple, Penn State, Notre Dame, Army, Navy, Cal and defending champs Utah. “It is truly invigorating to see that Rugby 7’s is establishing a presence on the National stage in America,” said Donal Walsh, VP of Operations for USA 7’s Rugby. “We had such success with the first event in Columbus, it’s a true privilege to bring this competition to Philadelphia for its second year.” Comcast-Spectacor, the Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment, is a partner in the Tournament by supplying the marketing, sales, promotional, and publicity support. The company also manages PPL Park through its public assembly facility management subsidiary, Global Spectrum. “We’re thrilled to help Rugby Sevens with this outstanding event,” said Comcast-Spectacor President Peter Luukko. “We are providing our full support to make this event a success and to keep it here at PPL Park for years to come.” A new addition to the tournament this year will include first-ever Philadelphia style rugby block party. “Rugby Sevens is quickly gaining the respect and appreciation it deserves among sports fans in the United States,” said Penn State head coach Don Ferrell. “The continuation of this tournament exemplifies the growing talent that exists in the sport leading into rugby’s debut at the 2016 Olympic Games.” Broadcast Schedule: · NBC Sports live coverage from 4:00-6:00 p.m. ET on June 4 and 5 · Universal Sports live coverage from 2:00-4:00 p.m. ET on June 4 and 5 · NBC Mobile live simulcast from 4:00-6:00 p.m. ET on June 4 and 5 · Hulu.com full event coverage available on-demand in HD quality video About USA Sevens: USA Sevens owns and operates America’s premier rugby event, the USA Sevens Rugby Tournament. Held annually, the event is one of the eight international stops in the HSBC Sevens World Series. With an attendance of over 50,000 during the two day event, it is the largest annual rugby event in North America and one of the fastest growing rugby events in the world.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/s...n-sevens-a-more-accessible-form-of-rugby.html You’re Big? Fast? Tired of Football? Here’s Your Sport ELLENSBURG, Wash. (AP) — When Kellen Gordon became tired of being typecast as a lineman because of his size and made the switch to rugby from football in high school, there were few long-term goals to work toward. It gave him a reason to get a college education and offered the possibility of playing for a club team during the summers and after getting his degree. But Gordon, a player for Central Washington, otherwise had little more than the love of the game keeping him on the field. That all changed in 2009, when rugby sevens, the scaled-down version of the traditional 15-man game, was added to the Olympic roster for men and women beginning in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. The vote by the International Olympic Committee has led to a surge of interest in the sport, with the World Sevens Series making a stop in the United States and the second college championships for men’s sevens scheduled for next weekend. “A lot of guys dream about being on the USA 15s squad and go to a World Cup or something,” Gordon said. “The idea of the Olympics and playing sevens as well, the idea of playing that, and for a professional side, is exciting and something to work for.” When Central Washington and 15 other top college rugby programs gather near Philadelphia for the USA Sevens Collegiate championships, they will be playing before USA Rugby officials trying to project how certain players could fit into a plan that is a half-decade from reaching fruition. Even if Rio de Janeiro and the 2016 Olympics are still five years away, the core of the first United States Olympic sevens team will probably be on display in Chester, Pa., starting Saturday. That there even is a college championship devoted to the seven-a-side game is another milestone in the growth of rugby in the United States. According to statistics from USA Rugby, the sport had a 48 percent overall increase in participation from 2005 to 2010. That growth was most pronounced at the youth and high school levels. USA Rugby expects to get its 100,000th registered member soon, up from 62,000 five years ago. “I don’t think we’ve reached the tipping point,” said Nigel Melville, the chief executive of USA Rugby. “There is momentum being created, but I think there will be more momentum being created the next two years. By going to youth markets the last two years, we’ve increased the number of kids that will develop into rugby players. We have to keep those kids growing and building the skills and everything else that goes with it.” The optimism infusing Melville and others in the rugby community stems in part from the rise in popularity of sevens and its television-friendly format. The scaled-down game was once considered a “festival” version of the sport or a way to stay in shape during the off-season. But it has long been the game of choice in many smaller countries, especially the Pacific islands of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, whose teams are among the world’s best. The former Fijian star Waisale Serevi — considered the best sevens player in the world during his international career — now lives in the Seattle area and is teaching the game and trying to raise its profile. Sevens is played on the same field as the traditional 15-man game but is limited to 14 minutes of breakneck action carved into two seven-minute halves. In 15s, games go for 80 minutes and scoring usually comes in a staged progression because there are so many players on the field; in sevens, a score can seemingly happen at any time. It is a series of seven one-on-one matchups, in which athleticism is at a premium and there is no backup if one player makes a mistake. “If you have a lot of speed and have a lot of big power, 230- and 240-pound guys who can move like the wind, combined with the aerobic capacity with the ability to run 14 minutes straight, it’s something that makes a sevens athlete special,” said Evan Haigh, the coach of the Old Puget Sound Beach rugby club of Seattle, the reigning United States club champions at sevens. The game also is easier to understand for fans and players with limited rugby experience. The intricacies of rucking and scrumming that are crucial to success in 15s are not as important in sevens. NBC will broadcast the college championships, and it showed the Sevens World Series event in February in Las Vegas . For television executives, the short game fits perfectly between commercial breaks. For the college championships, teams will play three pool matches on the first day before advancing to the knockout phase on Day 2. “Our attention spans nowadays are based on the 30-minute sitcom,” said Dan Lyle, the executive director of USA Sevens, the organization that runs the Las Vegas event and the college championships. “It very much plays itself toward the American audience,” he said. Lyle was largely responsible for putting together the field that will compete in Pennsylvania. It is a mixture of traditional rugby powers, like California and Utah — which played for the title last year — and some big-name Division I schools seeking a larger rugby profile. Arizona, Army, Boston College, Dartmouth, Texas, North Carolina, Louisiana State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Navy, Penn State and Temple make up the rest of the invited field. “We set out to find the best historic schools combined with good high-quality brands that would show a cross section of the United States and appeal from California to Maine to Florida to Texas,” Lyle said. “We went out with that criteria and we’re looking to help change programs.” Central Washington is the only team to earn its way into the tournament, and the only N.C.A.A. Division II program in the field. In the college rugby world, the Wildcats are far from small-school, considered the top program in the Pacific Northwest. “I think what we proved to ourselves,” said a Central Washington player, Tim Stanfill, “is it doesn’t matter what name or where you are from or what the name is on your jersey.”
