MLR Leaders Celebrate Players Union Deal as US Rugby League Prepares for Six-Team Season
Leaders from both Major League Rugby and the United States Rugby Players Association have hailed a new collective bargaining agreement as a pivotal moment for professional men's rugby in the United States. This landmark deal comes after a rocky off-season marked by significant franchise upheaval, with four teams exiting the league and two merging, reducing the competition to just six teams for the upcoming campaign.
A New Standard for US Professional Rugby
Chris Mattina, executive director of the United States Rugby Players Association and a former US Eagles wing, expressed satisfaction with the negotiations. "We are happy with where the talks landed," Mattina told the Guardian. "It was a really good-faith negotiation with the league. We think this really sets a new standard. It increases the protections for players, but also stabilizes the league and sets it up for success."
Graeme Bradbury, MLR's co-president, echoed this sentiment, describing the agreement as "a momentous occasion" that provides "labor stability" and establishes "ground standards for how we treat players." However, an anonymous source close to the negotiations offered a more candid assessment, ruefully laughing that the CBA emerged from a situation best described as "a shitshow."
Addressing Player Concerns After Turbulent Times
The new collective bargaining agreement directly addresses longstanding player concerns that were highlighted in previous Guardian reports. These include provisions that bolster rights for injured players and free agents, improve health and safety protections, and provide a $2,000 advance payment to each player before the season begins.
Player testimonies from the 2023 season painted a stark picture of the challenges faced. Nick Civetta, an Eagles second-row forward, recounted playing on "a 30- or 40-year-old high school football field that was hard as a rock," which contributed to numerous injuries including ACL tears and dislocated joints. Kyle Breytenbach, a lock who played for Austin and Houston, spoke of financial strain, noting he "couldn't provide" for his young daughter as an MLR player and faced constant anxiety over paychecks and insurance.
League Restructuring and Financial Realities
Between July and November last year, MLR underwent dramatic restructuring. San Diego Legion and RFCLA merged, while NOLA Gold, Miami Sharks, Houston Sabercats, and Utah Warriors exited the league entirely. In response, MLR has refocused on US-eligible players, a move that comes at the cost of Canadians previously classified as domestic players.
Under the new agreement, the minimum wage for a young American player covering pre-season, the 10-game regular season, and playoffs is now just shy of $17,000. As one source noted, playing rugby in America has never been a get-rich-quick scheme, nor has owning a team.
Looking Ahead to the Season and Beyond
The union has secured an option to re-open economic talks after the upcoming season, which kicks off on March 28 with the California Legion facing Anthem RC of North Carolina. Mattina emphasized the importance of ongoing player feedback, stating, "We're just going to continue to monitor that and do what we did throughout this whole process, which was get the players' feedback, understand where potential issues might lie, and take them to the league."
Bradbury revealed plans to "Americanize" the presentation of rugby to US audiences, though he stressed rules would not change. "We've never had a problem getting people through the door for the first time," he said. "What we've had a problem with is getting people to stay and to understand what's actually happening in the game." He promised "subtle changes" to production and commentary to make the sport more accessible to American viewers.
Broader Context: World Cups and Women's Rugby
These developments occur against the backdrop of upcoming US-hosted World Cups in 2031 (men) and 2033 (women). In the women's game, the semi-pro Women's Elite Rugby announced its second season schedule, with the Boston Banshees and New York Exiles kicking off on May 2. Dr. Jessica Hammond-Graf, WER co-founder and president, hailed this as a "defining moment" for increased visibility and opportunities in women's rugby.
Additionally, USA Rugby announced three spring home games for the women's Eagles as part of the Pacific Four series, featuring matches against New Zealand, Canada, and Australia across Sacramento, Kansas City, and Chicago. World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin emphasized that "the US is at the heart of our global strategy to grow the reach, visibility and impact" ahead of these World Cups.
As MLR prepares for its reduced six-team season, the new collective bargaining agreement represents both a response to past challenges and a foundation for future growth in American rugby.
