Schoninger has tapped into the already existing grass-roots rugby communities for Pro Rugby’s inaugural season, but he hopes to develop the league further and increase rugby’s footprint in America. There are already plans to add teams next year.

“The league is only really sustainable if you break out into the wider American sporting consciousness,” Lewis said. “We’ve got to get the game in front of people who are not used to rugby yet.”

To help with that, matches are being shown free on AOL; they will also be shown on One World Sports, a cable network that specializes in global sports. For now, though, the league is too small to attract major broadcasters or corporate sponsors.

Pro Rugby is a single-entity league, so players, coaches and other staff members have contracts with the league and are assigned to one of the five teams in an attempt to make them evenly matched and competitive. Of the 102 contracted players, 54 have played international rugby, either the 15-a-side game or sevens, including 36 from the Eagles, the American national team, and six from the Canadian national team.

The foreign players include the former New Zealand fullback Mils Muliaina, who played 100 tests for the All Blacks and will play for San Francisco; the former South Africa flanker Pedrie Wannenburg (Denver); and former Italy back Mirco Bergamasco (Sacramento).

While the top players in the French and English leagues can earn in the high six figures or more, the wages in Pro Rugby will be far smaller, with the top tier making about $35,000 for the season. It will be the first time that many of the players have been paid to play at all, though.

Foreign players earn slightly more, although Lewis readily admits that “they are not here for the coin; they are here for the opportunity and adventure.”