USA Rugby League
| USA Rugby League | |
|---|---|
Current season or competition:: 2017 USARL season
|
|
 |
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| Sport | Rugby league |
| Instituted | 2011 |
| Inaugural season | 2011 |
| Chairman | Peter Illfield |
| Number of teams | 14 |
| Country |
 United States
|
| Champions |
 Philadelphia Fight (4th Title) (2016)
|
| Most titles |
Philadelphia Fight (4 titles)
|
| Website | usarl.com |
The USA Rugby League (USARL) is the official governing body for rugby league in the USA and runs a top level rugby league football competition in the United States. The league consists of fourteen teams located in east coast states. The regular season is played in June and July.
The league was founded in 2011 by clubs that had broken with the established American National Rugby League (AMNRL), plus expansion franchises. The USARL began its inaugural season in 2011 with eight teams. The USARL was granted affiliate membership in November 2014 of the RLIF and RLEF, replacing the AMNRL which is now defunct.
The formation of the USA Rugby League was announced on January 12, 2011. Seven teams that had previously competed in the American National Rugby League, the United States' established rugby league organization and recognized governing body for the sport, announced they were breaking with the AMNRL to form a new league. The stated reason for the split was dissatisfaction with the governance of the AMNRL; the departing teams were unhappy with the lack of club involvement in the league's decision making, and the new league was founded with the principle of including its member clubs in its administration.
The departing AMNRL teams were the Boston Thirteens, the Washington, D.C. Slayers, the Fairfax Eagles, the Jacksonville Axemen, the New Haven Warriors, the Philadelphia Fight, and the Pittsburgh Vipers; they were to be joined by two new teams, the New Jersey Turnpike Titans and Kodiak Rugby from New York City. Before the season Pittsburgh and Fairfax became "developmental" teams in the new league outside of the top-tiered competition; Fairfax subsequently suspended operations. The New York team was unable to find a suitable stadium in the city, and instead became the Rhode Island Rebellion. One additional team, Oneida FC, joined the top-tiered competition for the 2011 season.
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