All Blacks still 'outrank' Boks in America
SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks drew larger crowds in Baltimore, won back-to-back World Cups, and remain ranked No. 1 worldwide.
However, the All Blacks remain the more recognisable brand in the United States, the host nation for the 2031 World Cup.
Michael Yormark, President of Roc Nation Sports International, made this assertion at the media roundtable in Cape Town this week.
The Springboks defeated the All Blacks 43–28 at the Ravens Stadium, or ‘The Bank’ as it is also known, in September.
This historic Test sealed a 3–1 series victory for South Africa in the Greatest Rivalry series and drew over 68,000 fans, setting a record for the largest rugby crowd in the US.
Yormark, always frank in his view, admitted that Rugby Union still has a long way to go in America, where it is competing with sporting brands like American Football (Gridiron), Basketball, Baseball, Soccer and Ice Hockey.
Rugby Union is still seen as a niche tier-two sport in the United States, typically ranking outside the top 10.
“Rugby has a long way to go,” he said, adding: “Between now and [the] 2031 [World Cup] there needs to really be a blueprint that is executed to perfection to gain traction for the game,” the RNSI boss said.
“It’s going to be a challenge, in my humble opinion.
“It’s a great sport, and there are so many great athletes that play rugby around the world and will be representing their countries.
“To a larger degree, rugby is foreign for many people.”
Then came the kicker from Yormark, raised and educated in the United States alongside his twin brother, Brett.
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“The only brand that, in my opinion, resonates in America as it relates to rugby is the All Blacks,” he said.
“They are the one global rugby brand that, if you’re a fan or not, you know them.
“Even the Springboks, having won back-to-back World Cups,. If you asked the average sportsman in America: ‘Do you know anything about the Springboks?’
“They would probably say no. They’d say no.”
Then, returning the World Cup in 2031, he said the next five years are going to be critical to gain traction in the American market.
“The other thing is you have so many distractions.
“After the [2026 soccer] World Cup, everyone was back focused on baseball, the beginning of football season was around the corner, the beginning of collegiate football, with the college football season around the corner.
“The World Cup became a distant memory so quickly, because the fans were on to the next thing.
“In a lot of countries around the world, that is not the case, but our [American] calendar is full.
“To squeeze this tournament [Rugby World Cup] into our calendar to break through and gain the attention of the American public, it’s not going to be easy.”
@JanDKrugby
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