November 27 - National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) and The Rugby Network (TRN) have announced a deal to broadcast the men’s and women’s championships on TRN, an over-the-top platform owned by Major League Rugby (MLR).
“At Major League Rugby, we’re committed to growing the footprint of rugby across the United States, and the extension of our partnership with NCR is a key piece of our strategy to bring world-class rugby to a new generation of fans,” said Nic Benson, CEO of MLR. “NCR features some of the best, young rugby players in North America, which is why we’re so excited to be able to continue this partnership and be able to share their championships with passionate rugby fans in the U.S.”
Coverage gets underway Dec. 2-3, 2023 with the Women’s XVs National Championship hosted at SaberCats Stadium in Houston, crowning national champions in women’s Division I, Division II and Small College. Also on Dec. 2, TRN will feature the men’s Division I and Division I-AA national semifinals from Reading, Pa.
On Dec. 8-10, TRN will stream the Men’s XVs National Championship also hosted at SaberCats Stadium. The weekend includes the men’s Division II and Small College semifinals and national championships games. On Saturday, Dec. 9, the line-up will include the two bowl matchups, as well as the men’s Division I and Division I-AA National Championship games.
Across two weekends in January, TRN will showcase the best men’s and women’s players in the country as the exclusive streaming partner of NCR’s Men’s All Star National Shield Challenge and the Women’s All Star 7s National Cup. Both events will be live streamed from Austin, TX.
“The Rugby Network is the ideal streaming platform for showcasing college rugby to U.S. fans,” said Wade Smith, COO of NCR. “We look forward to extending our past partnership and streaming all championship events on TRN this year.”
For the third time, TRN will be the exclusive streaming partner of the Collegiate Rugby Championship - National 7s - scheduled for April 26-28, 2024 near Washington, D.C. National 7s is the largest collegiate rugby tournament in America with 130 teams competing for national titles in eight men’s and women’s divisions.
The Rugby Network is the exclusive U.S. streaming home of MLR and the historic Gallagher Premiership Rugby as well as international matches, collegiate rugby matches, highlight programs and various analysis and commentary offerings.
About Major League Rugby
Major League Rugby is a professional sports league representing the highest level of rugby competition in North America. MLR prides itself in fostering intense, high-stakes competition while bringing together a passionate community built on the values of Respect, Inclusivity, and Tradition. Matches are televised on Fox Sports, among other national and local market platforms, and its OTT Platform, The Rugby Network offers fans the ability to stream select MLR matches live, along with Gallagher Premiership Rugby, and other international rugby content. For more information, visit www.Majorleague.Rugby and follow @USMLR on Twitter and Instagram.
About National Collegiate Rugby
National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) serves 16,000 players across 600 men’s and women’s teams. The teams compete in Division I, Division II and Division III, ranging from full varsity programs to grassroots clubs. With a singular focus on supporting and growing college rugby, NCR operates five national championship events including the men’s and women’s XVs National championships, National 7s, and the men’s and women’s national All Star tournaments. For more information, visit ncr.rugby and collegiaterugbychampionship.com.
About The Rugby Network
The Rugby Network is the exclusive streaming service of Major League Rugby. Launched in 2021, TRN has been established as the home of rugby in America. TRN provides rugby fans with a single destination OTT platform to stream MLR, PRL, international matches, highlights, shows, and other exclusive content.
