When Rugby United New York rebranded to Rugby New York Ironworkers this time last year, I thought about getting a new T-Shirt. My navy blue RUNY top was starting to get a little ratty, and the fresh Ironworkers logo was better, anyway.
Oh, I’d still wear the original for throwback purposes, but it was time to upgrade and update. Plus, it was a good way to support the team.
Alas, there is no longer a team to support.
Unable to find financial backing for 2024, the Ironworkers went cleats up on Wednesday. They join the Toronto Arrows as the second Major League Rugby club to cease operations since late November.
“We’re disappointed and saddened to announce the withdrawal of the New York Ironworkers from Major League Rugby, particularly knowing the commitment and pride of its players and staff, as well as the fervent passion of its fan base,” MLR CEO Nic Benson said in a statement. “We’re deeply grateful to the team’s leadership, who have worked to grow the game of rugby in the U.S. and New York, striving to do so in one of the most competitive markets in the world.
“As always, our focus is on doing right by the Club and its players as operations wind down with an announcement about the player disbursal process to come later.”
This news caught me off guard but truthfully, I wasn’t paying much attention. The 2023 season has been over for five months and I had already started concentrating on the United Rugby Championship (and the Glasgow Warriors).
Still, I figured a franchise in the top media market in the league would be safe.
I figured wrong.
And with the largest city in the United States and the largest city in Canada both losing teams over a 10-day span, I wonder if I should start buying up MLR memorabilia so I’ll have a few more collector’s items.
Benson, of course, insists all is well.
“Major League Rugby is embarking on its own positive evolution as a professional sports league,” he added in Wednesday’s statement. “We feel for those impacted by New York’s decision to withdraw, knowing it was a painful and difficult one to make. But we also remain confident in the course the league and its owners have charted, leading the way for the success of the sport in advance of North America hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2031. We remain committed to growth and look forward to a thrilling 2024 season.”
I hope he’s right, because I’ve really enjoyed this league.
I started watching in 2018 and cheered for the NOLA (New Orleans) Gold during the inaugural season. But when New York came aboard a year later, I continued my tradition of “adopting” New York sports teams as my own, and became a RUNY supporter.
They rewarded me with an MLR championship in 2022, and provided a lot of fun along the way.
From a business standpoint, though, the club didn’t establish firm roots.
It had gone through ownership changes, five different venues, and based on attendance, the “fervent passion of its fan base” Benson spoke of came from a pretty small number of supporters.
The teams competing next season are the Chicago Hounds, Dallas Jackals, Houston SaberCats, a Los Angeles entry (relocating from Atlanta), Miami Sharks (expansion team), New England Free Jacks, NOLA, Old Glory DC, San Diego Legion, Seattle Seawolves and Utah Warriors.
I guess I’ll go back to pulling for NOLA (although the guys from the Big Easy might not want me back as a fan after I deserted them once before), but my enthusiasm for the circuit has taken a major hit.
If you know anything about me, though, you know I’m no stranger to having teams – and leagues – I follow cease to exist.
I’m truly sorry to see the Ironworkers join that group.
And while I’d like to think New York will get a new franchise in the future, the future of MLR doesn’t seem quite as bright as it once did.