South Africa and NZ rugby captains see record crowd as a 2031 US World Cup 'appetizer'
Rugby captains from South Africa and New Zealand expressed hope that a record-breaking crowd in Baltimore will help build momentum for the 2031 Rugby World Cup in the United States. They suggested that increased exposure and potential NFL partnerships could help the sport gain a foothold in the American market.
Why it matters
The event serves as a strategic test for the commercial viability of rugby in the US ahead of the 2031 World Cup.
BALTIMORE (AP) — The captains of South Africa and New Zealand hoped Saturday's final Greatest Rivalry rugby test , before almost 70,000 fans at Baltimore's M&T Stadium, would whet American appetites for the 2031 World Cup, which the United States will host.
Saturday's crowd of 68,173 was the largest ever for a rugby international in the U.S. From the colors speckled among the crowd, most were in the green of South Africa with a few black jerseys of New Zealand and a balance of interested neutrals.
Rugby has tried for years to break into the lucrative American sporting market without great success. Saturday's large and enthusiastic crowd suggested there might yet be a foothold for rugby in America, on ground strongly populated by baseball, basketball and football.
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