NRL Side Parramatta Eels Plans Exhibition Game In Seattle Ahead Of '16 Season

National Rugby League side Parramatta Eels officials spent Sunday "touring the facilities of the 4,000 seat training ground" of Major League Soccer franchise Seattle Sounders, according to David Riccio of the SUNDAY TELEGRAPH. The Eels "are preparing to play either a trial match or exhibition game at Seattle’s Starfire Sports Stadium within the next 12 months." Parramatta officials "have not ruled out playing another NRL team," for what would be the first rugby league match in the U.S. since '08. The fixture "would likely be played ahead of the 2016 season, with Parramatta officials using their pre-season training tour of Seattle as an opportunity to meet with Sounders officials." Parramatta CEO Scott Seward said that "it was important that not just the Eels, but the game, pushed the boundaries when it came to promoting the code." Seward: "You look at what we’ve done already with our training camp in Seattle and that began as a question of why not? This is no different. Why can’t the Parramatta Eels play a game here (Seattle), why can’t we broaden our reach, I can’t see why not" (SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, 11/10).