For today’s episode of Show Pony Live, I decided to step outside my normal college football lane and explore a sport that could be on the verge of a major breakthrough in the United States.
My guest is Will Hooley, one of the leading voices in American rugby and a former member of the USA Eagles national rugby team who competed for the Stars and Stripes in the World Cup.
Will joined me to discuss the recent growth of rugby and why the sport appears better positioned than ever to gain traction with American sports fans.
We also discussed the World Cup of Rugby coming to the USA in 2031, which could become a transformative moment for the sport in this country.
If you are a football fan, this conversation is especially fascinating. Rugby and American football share more DNA than many people realize, but the sports also differ in ways that make rugby uniquely compelling to watch.
Among the topics we covered:
Why Major League Rugby continues to build momentum
How the 2031 Rugby World Cup could accelerate the sport’s growth in America
Key similarities and differences between rugby and football
Why rugby has become a global phenomenon
What American sports fans may be missing
I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and learned a tremendous amount from Will. If you are curious about the future of rugby in the United States, this is a terrific place to start.
This will also be the final podcast of the week, as I’m taking a short family vacation over the holiday weekend. I hope you and your family have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day weekend, and I look forward to returning next week with more episodes of Show Pony Live.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support of Show Pony Media.
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