Aviva Premiership moves US game to September, start of NFL season

The Aviva Premiership will stage a game in the US in September, bringing its American adventure into contact with the mighty NFL.

Executives seem not so wary of such contact as might be expected. Heath Harvey of Saracens, who are at the front of the queue to cross the Atlantic, has said that in terms of viewing figures and participation American football is “having a hard time”, creating “a vacuum which we would all like to see rugby union step into”.

The second Premiership fixture on US soil will not clash with international fixtures, the first having been played on 12 March 2016, out of the NFL season but on the same day England beat Wales in the Six Nations. Thousands of miles away from Twickenham, at the Red Bull Arena, just outside New York City, Saracens beat London Irish 26-16 in front of an official attendance of 14,811.

It was meant to be the first of three Irish games in the US but the Exiles were relegated and no announcement has been made since. A Premiership official, however, told the Guardian the project will move to September as part of a “multi-year deal” and with east coast cities including Philadelphia under consideration to host.

After last year’s game in New Jersey, Premiership Rugby chief executive Mark McCafferty told reporters that if Irish went down, “we wouldn’t change both teams as I think it is important to build some stability and continuity in the event … it just gives us a bit more of a platform with the US public.”

He added: “I understand Saracens … are very keen to be involved again and they have a number of American partners.”

The Saracens head coach, Mark McCall, said he would “love to come over here with a full team” unaffected by international call-ups.

Sources in US rugby say Newcastle have been lined up as Sarries’ new opponents. The Premiership official said teams would be decided in the next few weeks.

The game will take place at the start of the NFL season. English club rugby will thus seek coverage in media markets dominated by the New York Giants and Jets, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens and Washington Redskins, never mind the sprawling world of college football.

After the game in New Jersey, McCafferty said the Premiership would “obviously want to avoid NFL”, which he said was “just too huge to go up against”.

In November, McCafferty appeared in a Q&A at Rugby Expo, a conference at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. McCafferty said the US was Premiership Rugby’s “No1 target” and discussed 60,000-plus crowds for two All Blacks Tests in Chicago, the second a historic victory for Ireland.

In the same session, Saracens CEO Harvey was quoted by The Rugby Paper as saying: “If you look at participation sports in the US it’s all about lacrosse and rugby. Everything else is struggling from a viewing perspective and participation perspective.

“NFL is having a hard time of it at the moment, and that creates a vacuum which we would all like to see rugby union step into.”

Major League Baseball will also be in play in September, nearing its playoffs. On the other side of the coin, the east coast weather will be more reliable than in March and the Premiership will have completed its first season of live broadcast on NBC.

Harlequins, who last month sent coaches to California, have played in Philadelphia. They beat the US Eagles 24-19 in a warm-up for the 2015 World Cup played at the Talen Energy Stadium, home of the Philadelphia Union soccer team. It holds 18,500, and was sold out for an Eagles loss to the Maori All Blacks in November 2013.

Premiership Rugby are not alone in seeking to capitalise on US interest in rugby. Pro12 plans to place franchises in the US and Canada remain in play, with Houston and Toronto the most likely venues and interest from Boston and New York. This week, USA Rugby announced that the Eagles will play Ireland at the Red Bull Arena on 10 June.

Rugby league has already pitched camp in Canada, with the Toronto Wolfpack due to begin play in the third tier of British competition in March.