Only days after announcing a partnership with global sports leader ESPN+ for the U.S. and international broadcast rights to the World RFL’s kick-off NYC Champion Sevens, the RFL achieved a second major building block in its mission to create an innovative media strategy in order to capitalize on the success of live streaming delivery platforms and America’s legalization of online sports betting.

Through it's partnership with Kiswe and Kwokman Productions, the RFL will offer the world's 300 million rugby fans a groundbreaking live, all-access, interactive opportunity to experience the NYC Champion Sevens rugby tournament live from Red Bull Arena on Saturday, July 15, 2023.

With up to ten screens to choose from, fans can follow their favorite teams from the locker-room, through the tunnel out onto the sideline, and ultimately to live and intense on-the-field action. The RFL all-access package’s continuous live streaming of the championship’s 16 games will also include exclusive interviews with players, coaches, and rugby VIPs from around the world.

RFL Founder and Commissioner, William Tatham, Esq. confidently stated, “The RFL showcases the ‘Father of American Football’ but unlike established powers like the NFL, NBA and MLB, the new media RFL will provide fans a chance to watch and wager via a never-before-allowed, all-live, all-access pass to see, hear, and almost feel World Rugby’s top-ranked teams fighting for World Rugby’s richest prize.”

The RFL’s $1 million NYC Champion Sevens, sanctioned by the U.S. Olympic and World Cup governing body USA Rugby, promises to bring an international-style rugby festival to the Big Apple. This day-long race for cash will feature 16 fast-paced, 14-minute rugby sevens games. World Rugby top ranked teams set to compete include:

• All Blacks from New Zealand
• Wallabies from Australia
• Springboks from South Africa
• Eagles from the United States
• The Blues from France
• Ireland
• Flying Fijans from Fiji
• A hero from Kenya

Tatham went on to say, “Just as the UFC transformed boxing for today’s younger demographic, the RFL’s ‘League of Barbarians’ will forever change the way team sports are produced, delivered, and consumed. We want every hard-working fan to experience sports history so to celebrate the RFL’s inaugural season, the RFL is making this groundbreaking, all-access program available to ESPN+ subscribers as well as to RFL Barbarian Club members around the world via the league-owned and Kiswe-powered RFL Network direct to consumer platform."

RFL Barbarian Club membership includes both NYC Champion Sevens premium tickets, the RFL League of Barbarians All-Access Tournament Pass, season ticket rights to the RFL’s 2024 league schedule, and other NYC Champion Sevens VIP rights and privileges. To secure RFL Barbarian Club membership, call 1-833-400-7735 or email dan@nycsevens.com.

Monday Night Football producer and Kwokman Productions CEO, Matt Kwok, confirmed, "The RFL has given us the green light to deliver what every sports fan could have only dreamed of; a dramatic championship, unparalleled live access to teams, players, officials on and off the field and even to historically off-limits owners’ boxes.”

RFL Co-Founder Deb Henretta added, “These are the kind of new media innovations surrounding the sport of rugby sevens that gave me great confidence the RFL will appeal to a broad market across all demographics.”

As head of the RFL's innovative new media global pay-per-view operation, league President Kevin Wynne affirmed, "We are excited to have a technology leader like Kiswe spearheading the RFL's efforts to transform the traditional pay-per-view model that has fueled the success of boxing and mixed martial arts for years by exploiting today’s direct-to-consumer streaming platforms and cutting-edge technology to offer global rugby fans unprecedented access to create a best-in-class PPV experience. It’s a thrilling moment for the sport, ESPN+ subscribers, and members of the RFL’s Barbarian Club.”

Echoing Wynne's commitment to go where no league has gone before, Kiswe CEO Glenn Booth emphasized, "Kiswe is a leader in fan-first, streamed events and is uniquely qualified to partner with the RFL and Kwokman Productions. We have worked closely with many sports associations and teams to transform the sports viewing experience for digital fans and are excited to deliver a first-of-its-kind rugby pay-per-view experience for the RFL."

To learn more about the World RFL and purchase premium tickets to the NYC Champion Sevens, visit https://nycsevens.com/ or Ticketmaster.

 

Source:businesswire.com

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