All Clubs Participating in Major League Rugby,

USA Rugby is in receipt of your correspondence crafted by Major League Rugby (MLR), and signed by each of you. I would like to take this opportunity to formally respond to the issues identified in your letter.

USA Rugby is committed to developing a rational and integrated system of competition that addresses the different competitive requirements of all member clubs and which provides a coherent avenue of promotion and relegation within the tiers of competition (Premier League, Division I and II). For this reason, USA Rugby is not prepared to recognize or sanction MLR.

MLR, created as a for-profit business outside of the umbrella of the USA Rugby, has proceeded on its own terms and is wholly unaccountable to anyone other than its owner/operator, Mr. Anthony Hunter, who is not even a registered member of USA Rugby. Additionally, MLR never sought to engage USA Rugby prior to initiating its private competition several years ago. The MLR competition itself is contrary to the goal of having an integrated and tiered national competitive structure that allows for promotion and relegation. USA Rugby is not interested in fostering a quilt work of private competitions operated by individuals who have no formal allegiance or accountability to USA Rugby.

The letter USA Rugby received suggests that we have not been consistent in our treatment of MLR compared with the treatment accorded the Rugby Super League (RSL). This is not the case.

First and foremost, USA Rugby refused to recognize or sanction the RSL until it met certain conditions, including commitment to a system of promotion and relegation, the abolition of private ownership and the re-integration of the competition within USA Rugby. Over the course of several years, USA Rugby forced RSL to change its name (to avoid confusion with USA Rugby) and USA Rugby took all appropriate steps to distinguish itself from the Rugby Super League in the market place.

USA Rugby had advised RSL that if the reintegration of the competition within USA Rugby was not accomplished, USA Rugby was prepared to take a series of steps, including the withdrawal of referees for all matches. Notwithstanding the tensions between USA Rugby and the individual member teams of the Rugby Super League, member teams continued to express an interest in integrating their competition within USA Rugby and that goal was accomplished.

Most of you have returned the Men's Club Division I questionnaire that we sent and we are currently in the process of developing a plan for a future national competitive structure. USA Rugby is committed to the following course of action:

USA Rugby plans to develop its own national league competition to officially start in the Fall 2001 and/ or Spring 2002 (depending upon the seasons of the teams involved). This national league structure (utilizing regional divisions) will aim to accommodate the aspirations of all qualified clubs to compete at the highest levels while providing each club with a high number competitive matches (excluding play-offs). This structure may also include opportunities to play clubs from outside the region, annually. Thus, all qualified teams will have an opportunity to compete in a national league that will ultimately lead into a national championship. Of course, a major consideration of this structure is to minimize financial hardships on member clubs.

Although RSL will compete, with its existing membership for the Spring 2001 season, the agreement finalized in October 2000 commits USA Rugby and the RSL to developing a system of promotion and relegation between tiers that will allow additional Division I clubs to participate in RSL in 2002, based upon their performance this year and other factors. (Because the agreement contract was finalized late in 2000, there was not an opportunity to confirm arrangements for promotion and relegation for the upcoming season.)

Because every club that is affected by this competition is an integral part of our overall plan, we feel strongly that USA Rugby will not only be able to match the positive experiences that you have found in MLR, but will also provide more, including national media coverage, event management assistance, potential sponsorship opportunities, insurance, top experienced referees and central scheduling services for less money than is currently paid to MLR.

You will be hearing from us shortly as we have assembled a small task group to meet from January 12-14 and begin to mold information collected from the questionnaire into a multi-tiered national league with a bona fide promotion and relegation program. As we continue to move forward, the creation of the new structure will only take place following extensive consultation with participating clubs.

USA Rugby plans to invite three-four club representatives to serve on the steering committee designed with the goal of finalizing structures by the end of March 2001. If you are interested in serving on this important committee, please contact Mark Rudolph, USA Rugby Executive Director at (719) 637-1022 ext. 14.

We understand your current commitment to MLR and applaud your efforts in obtaining quality competitive opportunities for your club. Likewise, we hope that you will be even more committed to the USA Rugby national competition in the future.

Respectfully,

Anne M. Barry
President USA Rugby