Women's Elite Rugby

Last updated

Women's Elite Rugby
Current season, competition or edition:
Rugby football current event.svg 2025 Women's Elite Rugby season
Women's Elite Rugby.svg
Sport Rugby union
First season 2025
No. of teams6
CountryUnited States
Broadcaster DAZN
Official website womenseliterugby.us

Women's Elite Rugby (WER) is an annual semi-professional women's rugby union club competition at the top level of the United States rugby union system. It is contested by six clubs, owned by the league and operated by investor-operators, who play two round robins for spots in a championship-determining playoff tournament. It began play in the 2025 season, superseding the amateur Women's Premier League (WPL).

Contents

The league was founded by WPL executives in 2023, as the final stage of their efforts to professionalise American women's rugby union. A growth in the game was anticipated ahead of an Olympic tournament and World Cup to be hosted in the United States, which the league sought to capitalise upon by offering a professional league to American players that would otherwise take on professional opportunities abroad, such as in England's Premiership Women's Rugby. All front office staff are paid full-time wages, while players are paid monthly stipends. The league's matches are livestreamed worldwide by DAZN.

History

Foundation and development

The 2028 Olympics (pictured) and 2033 World Cup, both to be held in the United States, were catalysts in the league's founding. LA Coliseum Dec 2022.jpg
The 2028 Olympics (pictured) and 2033 World Cup, both to be held in the United States, were catalysts in the league's founding.

Having deemed its amateur pay-to-play model as "no longer sustainable", [1] [2] the Women's Premier League (WPL), an iteration of the top-level women's rugby union club competition in the United States founded in 2009, embarked on its "Ignite the Change" campaign in 2022 that sought to professionalize women's rugby union in the United States. [2] [3] [4] The campaign led to a board of directors being formed in mid-2023 to establish a for-profit professional league, [4] [5] to capitalize on the perceived rise of professional women's sports, and both the 2028 Olympic rugby sevens tournament and 2033 Women's Rugby World Cup to be hosted in the United States. [2] [6] [7] A retention of American players and an expansion of rugby union's reach into the American sports market were also touted as goals for the new league; [6] [8] [9] twelve of the United States national team's 2024 Pacific Four Series squad played in England's semi-professional Premiership Women's Rugby instead of an American league. [10]

The league was publicly unveiled as "Women's Elite Rugby" in an April 2024 press conference, announcing that its inaugural season will be played the following year, and that it'll seek to be profitable by its third season. [1] [5] [11] A pre-seed funding round that same month raised $500,000 for the league through SAFEs with the venture capital firm Chasing Rainbows, and former Procter & Gamble executive Deb Henretta, [12] [13] along with other unnamed family offices and private equity firms. [14] In May, the league embarked on a seed round that lasted until March 2025, which aimed to raise $3 million, and are planning a series A round in mid-2025. [13] [15] [16] Amid this, the national rugby sevens team's surprise bronze medal win at the 2024 Olympic tournament sparked a surge in player registrations for USA Rugby-sanctioned women's clubs – dubbed the "Ilona Maher effect" – which the league's marketing campaign sought to benefit from, despite Maher playing for the Bristol Bears. [7] [16] [17] During an open call in September to October, the league received applications from 385 players expressing interest in signing for a WER team. [15]

First seasons (2025–present)

The Banshees celebrate their victory in the inaugural game, held at The Stadium at Memorial Field. BostonBansheesMArch2025.jpg
The Banshees celebrate their victory in the inaugural game, held at The Stadium at Memorial Field.

In the months leading up to the start of their inaugural season in March 2025, [18] [19] the league promoted its launch with publicized unveilings of each team's brandings, co-designed by the league and British advertising agency Matta; [20] [21] head coaches; and first five signings, referred to as the teams' "Foundational Five". [19] [22] They included Rachel Ehrecke, McKenzie Hawkins, and Maya Learned, who all signed for the Denver Onyx. [22] [23] [24] The first ever WER match was played on March 21 at The Stadium at Memorial Field in Mount Vernon, New York – a New York Exiles home game loss to the Boston Banshees, during which Misha Green-Yotts scored the league's first try. [25] [26]

Organization

Women's Elite Rugby's president is former national rugby sevens team player Jessica Hammond-Graf, and its vice president is Department of Justice legal historian and information specialist Katherine Aversano, [2] [27] [28] while former Dallas Jackals general manager Phil Camm is its executive adviser. [13] Stacy Carone, Koma Gandy, Jenny Houlihan, and Hallie Martin also sit on the league's board of directors alongside Hammond-Graf and Aversano. [5] [28] The league and its teams' front office staff will be paid on a full-time basis. [28] [29]

Format

In Women's Elite Rugby's regular season, consisting thirty games in total played from March to June, each team plays a double round robin to earn spots in a playoff tournament that determines the league's champion. [30] The format of the playoffs are yet to be finalised. [31]

Teams

Women's Elite Rugby
Transparent.svg
Transparent.svg
900km
559miles
6
5
4
3
2
Locations of teams in the United States competing in the 2025 season.
1
Bay Breakers
2
Boston Banshees
3
Chicago Tempest
4
Denver Onyx
5
New York Exiles
6
Twin Cities Gemini

Women's Elite Rugby's six charter franchises – the Bay Breakers, Boston Banshees, Chicago Tempest, Denver Onyx, New York Exiles, and Twin Cities Gemini – are based in the locations of the seven clubs in the preceding WPL, chosen their "unique, storied history with the sport of rugby." [18] [32] [33] An expansion to eight teams or more within its first ten seasons is planned. [29] [34] Each team is run by investor-operators with shares in the WER itself, with the league itself retaining a degree of control over the recruitment of players and personnel. [35] Up to thirty players can be signed to a team, with each player compensated with monthly stipends throughout the season. [29] [34] [35] While players benefit from travel cost and accident insurance coverage, the exact amount of pay players receive has not been publicly disclosed by the league. [16]

2025 Women's Elite Rugby teams
TeamLocationVenue(s)Joined
Bay Breakers Lodi, California Grape Bowl2025
Boston Banshees Quincy, Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Stadium [a] 2025
Chicago Tempest Evanston, Illinois Northwestern Medicine Field 2025
Denver Onyx Glendale, Colorado Infinity Park 2025
New York Exiles Mount Vernon, New York The Stadium at Memorial Field 2025
Twin Cities Gemini Eagan, Minnesota TCO Stadium 2025
  1. ↑ Three matches of the 2025 season will be played at the Tidewater Landing Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Broadcasting

Women's Elite Rugby's 2025 season is livestreamed worldwide by the streaming service DAZN, who provide WER matches as one of its free-to-watch offerings. [9] [26] The global broadcasting deal with DAZN was made to "create an entertaining rugby product for Americans", according to Hammond-Graf, while gaining exposure for the league among rugby fans outside of the franchise markets, and among women's sports fans in general. [17] The value of the deal was not publicly disclosed. [36]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Organizers of first US women's professional rugby league hope to launch inaugural season in 2025". Associated Press . April 10, 2024. Archived from the original on April 10, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Pengelly, Martin (April 10, 2024). "Women's Elite Rugby pro league plans 2025 launch ahead of US World Cups". The Guardian . Archived from the original on April 10, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  3. ↑ Hajducky, Dan (April 10, 2024). "First U.S. pro women's rugby league announces plans for '25". ESPN . Archived from the original on April 28, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Lemire, Joe (April 11, 2024). "Women's Elite Rugby launches as first women's pro 15-on-15 league in U.S., plans to debut in '25" . Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal . Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024. ...it launched its "Ignite the Change" campaign in 2022 to create a path to professionalism. That effort began with the appointment of a board of directors, whose collaborations led to the formation of the WER...
  5. 1 2 3 Flynn, Kerry (April 11, 2024). "Women's Elite Rugby seeks funds as new U.S. league" . Axios . Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024. WER board member Jenny Houlihan said the board formed about a year ago to create a for-profit league. [...] Houlihan says WER expects to be profitable by its third year.
  6. 1 2 Feldman, Jacob (April 12, 2024). "Women's Elite Rugby Announces U.S.' First Pro League". Sportico . Archived from the original on April 12, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  7. 1 2 Mccartney, Georgina (March 7, 2025). "US women's grassroots flourishes after Olympic sevens heroics". Reuters . Archived from the original on March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  8. ↑ Carosella 2024 , "Until now women's rugby union players looking to play at the elite level had to seek opportunities abroad, but now they will be offered the chance to compete on their home soil. The hope of the new league's executives is that WER will break down the traditional barriers and make rugby a more accessible sport. In the words of Aversano, "we just have to show people in the U.S. how great this game is."
  9. 1 2 "Everything you need to know about Women's Elite Rugby". The GIST . March 21, 2025. Archived from the original on March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  10. ↑ Thomas, Martyn (May 1, 2024). "Women's Elite Rugby tipped to have big impact on USA". RugbyPass . Archived from the original on May 1, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  11. ↑ Carosella, Vitas (April 16, 2024). "Women's Elite Rugby Becomes First Professional Women's Rugby League In U.S." . Forbes . Archived from the original on April 17, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024. The new competition's inaugural season is slated for 2025 [...] The announcement of the new competition was made during a virtual press conference...
  12. ↑ Pengelly, Martin (November 13, 2024). "'This is the time for women's sports': investor Deb Henretta backs US rugby". The Guardian . Archived from the original on November 13, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  13. 1 2 3 Flynn, Kerry (May 30, 2024). "Exclusive: Women's Elite Rugby to raise seed funding" . Axios . Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024. ...executive adviser Phil Camm [...] WER closed a $500,000 round, structured as a SAFE (simple agreement for future equity), in April. Camm says WER is currently raising up to a $3 million seed round [...] and will seek a Series A next year or sooner.
  14. ↑ Lemire 2024 , "Hammond-Graf declined to name them but added that the league has been well supported by the rugby community and "is starting to gain traction with family offices and private equity."
  15. 1 2 Healy, Emma (March 21, 2025). "A new professional women's rugby team is coming to Boston. Here's what to know". The Boston Globe . Archived from the original on March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025. ...WER is wrapping up its seed round of fund-raising, which began with a goal of $3 million. Players interested in competing in WER's inaugural season had from Sept. 23-Oct. 20 to declare their interest [...] WER had received 385 applicants...
  16. 1 2 3 Healy, Emma (March 21, 2025). "By putting its players' needs first, Women's Elite Rugby wants to be the next big thing in pro sports". Boston.com . Archived from the original on March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  17. 1 2 Corum, Sterling (March 22, 2025). "A new women's rugby league kicks off in NYC. Players hope bigger paychecks will follow". Gothamist . Archived from the original on March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  18. 1 2 Hammond, Joseph (November 4, 2024). "2025 Will Be A Big Year For Women's Rugby Even Without The World Cup". Sports Illustrated . Archived from the original on November 4, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  19. 1 2 Pengelly, Martin (January 29, 2025). "'High-energy, risk-taking, intense' US women's league shows its rugby colors". The Guardian . Archived from the original on January 30, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  20. ↑ Gabbitass, Anna-Rose (January 29, 2025). "Matta partners with Women's Elite Rugby". Sports Industry Group. Archived from the original on January 30, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  21. ↑ "MATTA partners with Women's Elite Rugby (WER) to create bold identities for their inaugural teams". Matta. January 29, 2025. Archived from the original on January 30, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  22. 1 2 Ainsworth, Imogen (January 29, 2025). "Women's Elite Rugby announce team names ahead of March 2025 kick-off". RugbyPass . Archived from the original on January 30, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  23. ↑ Barackman, Jenna (February 28, 2025). "Women's Elite Rugby league to launch with six teams". The Business Journals . Archived from the original on March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  24. ↑ "WER Foundational Five: Part 2". The Rugby Breakdown. January 5, 2025. Archived from the original on January 30, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  25. ↑ Nash, Jade (March 5, 2025). "Professional women's rugby team to play 5 games at Memorial Field". News 12 Westchester . Archived from the original on March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  26. 1 2 "DAZN to broadcast WER games for free". The Rugby Breakdown. March 20, 2025. Archived from the original on March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  27. ↑ Carosella 2024 , "...former international rugby union player and WER President Dr. Jessica Hammond-Graf. [...] WER Vice President Katherine Aversano..."
  28. 1 2 3 Lemire 2024 , "...Aversano, a Legal Historian & Information Specialist for the U.S. DOJ. [...] The board of directors include Hammond-Graf, Aversano, Stacy Carone, Koma Gandy, Jenny Houlihan and Hallie Martin. The WER and each club will, in time, hire full-time staff."
  29. 1 2 3 Carosella 2024 , "...the league would be looking to build a strategic expansion plan over the next ten years. The target model is for each team to be composed of 30 players [...] WER will have a paid, full-time front office staff..."
  30. ↑ Pengelly, Martin (March 21, 2025). "Women's Elite Rugby: new league aims to boost US game and – finally – pay its players". The Guardian . Archived from the original on March 21, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  31. ↑ Wingfield, Sydney (February 24, 2025). "The United States just got its first-ever professional women's rugby league—here's everything to know about it". Cosmopolitan . Archived from the original on March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  32. ↑ Nguyen, Joe (July 31, 2024). "Denver to host team for Women's Elite Rugby's inaugural season". The Denver Post . Archived from the original on August 3, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  33. ↑ "Women's Elite Rugby (WER) Adds New York, San Francisco Bay Area, Twin Cities for Inaugural Season". LRA . August 21, 2024. Archived from the original on September 3, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  34. 1 2 Lemire 2024 , "The plan is to field between six and eight teams for the first season with strategic expansion over the next decade. Rosters are expected to consist of 30 players per franchise."
  35. 1 2 Ferridge, Arthur (May 23, 2024). "'Hundreds of rugby professionals': players welcome US women's league". The Guardian . Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  36. ↑ Cahillanne, Mollie (March 20, 2025). "DAZN, Women's Elite Rugby lock in free streaming deal" . Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal . Archived from the original on March 23, 2025. Retrieved March 23, 2025. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
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