Prepared for a Powerful Season, Major League Rugby Secures New Deal with ESPN
Straight up, MLR CEO Nic Benson's pumped for the upcoming season. Kicking off February 15 at 6 PM EST, five matches will ignite the eighth season of America's pro rugby competition, now streaming exclusively on ESPN+.
ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports, has bet big on this rugged sport. In early February, they signed a multi-season agreement to bring the thrills of MLR to their platforms. Tim Bunnell, ESPN's SVP of Programming and Acquisitions, praised the deal, referring to MLR as a vital part of their platform's growth.
Rugby nuts in sub-Saharan Africa can also catch the action, as the broadcast agreement extends beyond U.S. borders. Pumped about the collaborative move, Benson applauded ESPN for recognizing MLR's growing momentum.
MLR's participation in the 2025 season looks promising, boasting strong growth and high spirits. Rugby viewership swelled over 25% compared to 2023, indicating that their efforts to captivate American sports fans are working.
The league has confronted challenges in the U.S. sports market, but Benson is confident they're on the right track. MLR's ups and downs have been intense, with teams folding and financial struggles. But, the competition's fast pace and physical gameplay have found a fanbase alike, drawing audiences with extraordinary feats on the field.
Expected to be MLR's best year yet, the 18-week season will culminate in the MLR Championship game in June. The New England Free Jacks and San Diego Legion aim to snatch the title from the 2-time defending champs, the tantalizingly named New England Free Jacks.
With the new deal, the league hopes to introduce rugby to even more American sports fans. The agreement with ESPN will supercharge growth, promising to unlock fresh households to the sport.
MLR is also laying a solid foundation for future generations, intending to break the game's low-scoring percentages by implementing new rules to speed up play. Witnessing changes like scrums being replaced for endzone mistakes and exciting new maul replacements, fans will get a taste of the brand-new MLR this season.
An MLR expansion to Miami and Charlotte introduces the lucrative RC Anthem franchise, co-owned by World Rugby and MLR. RC Anthem helps American players level up, offering talent acceleration programs to expand the pool of players in the U.S. league.
Throughout the years, MLR has managed to fill up the sports market with promising attendance numbers. In 2024, the championship game attracted over 12,000 spectators, with last year's overall attendance up by 13%. Viewership also skyrocketed, with a 55% subscription increase for The Rugby Network.
Rugby might have a humble beginning in the U.S., but it's building momentum through innovative programs, captivating fandom, and an exciting broadcast deal with ESPN. With the 2031 Rugby World Cup on the horizon, MLR's future looks golden.
The New England Free Jacks and San Diego Legion are eager to dethrone the 2-time defending champions, the New England Free Jacks, in the upcoming MLR Championship game.
The upcoming season of Major League Rugby, set to start on February 15, will be streamed exclusively on ESPN+.
ESPN has agreed to a multi-season deal to bring the thrills of MLR to their platforms, recognizing the league's growing momentum and potential to captivate American sports fans.
Rugby fans in South Africa can also watch the matches as the broadcast agreement extends beyond U.S. borders.
In the 2025 season, MLR's participation looks promising, boasting strong growth and high spirits, with rugby viewership increasing by over 25% compared to 2023.
The Seattle Seawolves and Old Glory DC are among the teams competing in the eighth season of Major League Rugby, which will consist of five matches kicking off on February 15.
With the new deal, MLR expects to introduce rugby to even more American sports fans, unlocking fresh households to the sport and promising supercharged growth.
