AUSTIN JOINS MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY’S NEW

PROFESSIONAL RUGBY COMPETITION

AUSTIN, TEXAS (May 5, 2017) – Major League Rugby (MLR) has announced their launch in 2018 as a new professional rugby competition in North America, and Huns Rugby Management is excited to be involved as founding members and one of the ten U.S. national professional teams in 2018.



Huns Rugby Management is opening 30% of its shares to accredited investors to be able to grow and develop professional rugby in Austin, while also developing programs with the youth by introducing rugby into different schools and outreach programs next year.



Coming off a great 2017 season, the Austin Elite team recently won the Red River Rugby Conference Championship and advance to the national playoffs. The players and coaching staff have been working hard all year preparing the team to take the next step into this new level of North American Major League Rugby.



“Rugby is growing very fast, and Austin is a very popular city for rugby with two amazing amateur clubs, the Austin Huns and the Austin Blacks. There are also many high school teams and youth programs. The future is bright, and we are excited to bring a professional team to the city,” said Richard Osborn, President of HRM.



Major League Rugby will announce the final team and venue list, player contract information, and the 2018 schedule in the coming months. However, in addition to Austin, the list of founding members released by MLR includes some outstanding clubs from around the country.



MLR’s founding members include the following: 1924 Rugby (Glendale, CO)

Blues Rugby Management (Kansas City, MO)

DFW Major Rugby (Dallas, TX)

Houston Strikers (Houston, TX)

Huns Rugby Management (Austin, TX)

NOLA Rugby Enterprises (New Orleans, LA)

Seattle Rugby LLC (Seattle, WA)

Tornadoes Rugby LLC (Minneapolis, MN)

Rugby Utah Ventures (Salt Lake City, UT) Beyond 2018, MLR has announced they will continue to expand and grow to more cities in the U.S. following three keys points: finding the right partners, the right markets and the right venues.

Growing the game of rugby is at the core of the MLR model. MLR will create local destinations where rugby fans and families can come together to celebrate the highest levels of the American game. MLR stadia will be gathering places for rugby fans and local communities to gather around the game. By connecting the national to the local, MLR will invite America to join the unique, vibrant rugby family and discover its core values: “Integrity, Passion, Solidarity, Discipline and Respect.”



MLR will reinvigorate the American rugby development pathway. By creating outreach programs to bring new players to the game and high-performance pathways to keep the best athletes in the sport, MLR will create the competitive environment to push the American game to the next level.



Rugby is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States and one of the most popular sports in the world, as evidenced by its strong reception at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Rugby’s rising domestic growth and wide-reaching global fan base combine to create a unique environment for a professional league to succeed in the American market. While hundreds of local clubs have helped the sport take hold in the U.S. during the past decade, Major League Rugby is poised to unite these fans under a common banner as rugby enters the American sports mainstream.



About Austin Huns Rugby: The Austin Huns Rugby Football Club was founded in 1972 as one of the first rugby clubs of its kind in central Texas. For more than 40 years, the Huns have developed an organization and a culture that have produced winning teams, first class coaches and players, and a training and competition facility that is unmatched by any other in the region. The club is dedicated to developing athletes for national and international rugby competition, who are also constructive and contributing members of the community. The Austin Huns take pride in their contributions to improving the City of Austin and the culture of athleticism in the United States.



Visit



For more information on HRM shares please contact:

Richard Osborn

Thierry Daupin



About MLR: MLR is an initiative driven by existing USA Rugby-member teams, in partnership with private investors, who believe that American rugby can thrive at the highest levels: as a commercial enterprise; as an influential player on the international scene; and as a participation sport at the youth and senior level.



For more information on MLR, please contact Nic Benson, Deputy Commissioner, at: Growing the game of rugby is at the core of the MLR model. MLR will create local destinations where rugby fans and families can come together to celebrate the highest levels of the American game. MLR stadia will be gathering places for rugby fans and local communities to gather around the game. By connecting the national to the local, MLR will invite America to join the unique, vibrant rugby family and discover its core values: “Integrity, Passion, Solidarity, Discipline and Respect.”MLR will reinvigorate the American rugby development pathway. By creating outreach programs to bring new players to the game and high-performance pathways to keep the best athletes in the sport, MLR will create the competitive environment to push the American game to the next level.Rugby is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States and one of the most popular sports in the world, as evidenced by its strong reception at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Rugby’s rising domestic growth and wide-reaching global fan base combine to create a unique environment for a professional league to succeed in the American market. While hundreds of local clubs have helped the sport take hold in the U.S. during the past decade, Major League Rugby is poised to unite these fans under a common banner as rugby enters the American sports mainstream.The Austin Huns Rugby Football Club was founded in 1972 as one of the first rugby clubs of its kind in central Texas. For more than 40 years, the Huns have developed an organization and a culture that have produced winning teams, first class coaches and players, and a training and competition facility that is unmatched by any other in the region. The club is dedicated to developing athletes for national and international rugby competition, who are also constructive and contributing members of the community. The Austin Huns take pride in their contributions to improving the City of Austin and the culture of athleticism in the United States.Visit www.austinhunsrugby.com for more information.For more information on HRM shares please contact:Richard Osborn rosborn@austinhunsrugby.com Thierry Daupin tdaupin@austinhunsrugby.com MLR is an initiative driven by existing USA Rugby-member teams, in partnership with private investors, who believe that American rugby can thrive at the highest levels: as a commercial enterprise; as an influential player on the international scene; and as a participation sport at the youth and senior level.For more information on MLR, please contact Nic Benson, Deputy Commissioner, at: nbenson@rugbyunitedmarketing.com Follow the Huns on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube (@AustinHunsRugby) for the latest news and scoring. #AreYouHUNgry



Photos provided by Norma Salinas Photography