Almost nine years ago, Major League Rugby CEO Nic Benson was at Soldier Field for the world-famous New Zealand All Blacks’ visit to Chicago to face the United States in an exhibition. Sitting high atop the stadium, Benson had an “incredible experience” at the sold-out event.
The match — a lopsided New Zealand win — was only part of the event that brought rugby fans from all over the Chicago area, the country and the world.
“It was really a gathering for the [rugby] community,” Benson said.
Benson is planning for another rugby gathering Saturday at SeatGeek Stadium when MLR stages its championship match between the San Diego Legion and New England Free Jacks. Beyond the match hosted by the Chicago Hounds, the day will include a pregame performance by Shaquille O’Neal as DJ Diesel and the band Dropkick Murphys after the final whistle.
And like there was that November day in 2014 at Soldier Field, there will be a gathering geared toward bringing rugby fans together. The events at Saturday’s block party include a youth tournament and a tutorial about the sport.
“I’ve been to a lot of games at Soldier Field and at SeatGeek Stadium over the years,” Benson said. “There’s a ton of history. There’s a great rugby community in Chicago, so we’re excited about what we can do.”
Even with a history of big rugby matches, Chicago is still a relative newcomer to MLR. In their first season, the Hounds went 3-13 and finished fifth in the Western Conference.
Despite the usual expansion struggles, Benson and the league are excited about the Hounds and the market’s potential. Playing the championship match in Chicago was a natural step for the Hounds and MLR.
“We had an ownership group in Chicago who were willing to take the bull by the horns,” Benson said. “It’s going to be our first true neutral-site final, and they really pushed the event and pushed to make it more than a game. We’re trying to make this a celebration of MLR, but also of rugby in the community.”
Clearly, the Chicagoland area is significant for MLR. Not only is Chicago home to a robust rugby community, but it’s also the country’s third-biggest market and the Hounds are MLR’s lone team in the Midwest.
“It’s a great media market, a tremendous sports town. People love their sports,” Benson said. “This showcase for what we can do is really important.”
Since this match is at a neutral venue, MLR and the Hounds have been able to diagram the event in advance. That’s allowed planners to figure out the best ways to make the day memorable for fans, and something the league and Hounds can use to continue burnishing their brands in Chicago.
“If you really want to showcase what you’re trying to build, you need the time to plan it,” Benson said. “That, for me, is the key thing. We put our flag in the sand and said we want our final to be more than just a game. We want it to be a celebration of rugby, of the sport that we love and that we’re trying to build.”
