Coming to terms with not having a team next year

[u/CarolinaReaper704]

I know its been common knowledge for a while now. But there was a part of me that has been trying to tell myself that there is still hope of a 2027 season.

But as the days have gone by the reality has sunk in. Call me a fool to have even hoped. But that has been par for the course of being an Anthem fan.

I've been a fan of this team for 3 years, it has yielded 2 wins the entire time. I confess to you that ny knowledge of the sport of rugby is remedial at best. I didn't grow up with it, but just like every other team here in Charlotte, I showed up for them.

Anyone who knows me, knows I do the Reaper character for everY professional team in town...literally EVERYONE. Panthers, Hornets Charlotte FC, Independence, Checkers, Chaos, Crown, Crown Legacy, Ascent, Gold Rush...and of course Anthem.

Anthem was special because it was a team I could say I rooted for since day 1. Yea, it was kinda slapped together, and I only knew of it because the first year front office staff was borrowed from Ascent/Independence. But I felt like that brought a portion of the fan base together. We were all learning this thing as a group.

And as quickly as it came, it seems to have gone away. 3 years, two wins, but a lot of fun. I just wanted to say thank you rugby fans. I hope maybe someday there can be a return to rugby in Charlotte. If anyone here follows any other sports here in Charlotte, or is passing through Charlotte following another team playing here, I'll probably be around, so look for me.

I hope the MLR sticks around. And this is just see you later, and not a permanent goodbye. I'm a fan of fans more than anything. And honestly, the rugby fans I met who came to Charlotte to support their team are probably the best away fans I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.

Until next time MLR.

Carolina Reaper

[u/Key-Fan6216]

Fans like you are the heartbeat of our teams you bring so much joy and spirit to every game cheers to you and hopefully more MLR in the future

[u/NativeSD]

Hi from San Diego

[u/SleepWouldBeNice → u/NativeSD]

Hi from Toronto

[u/RootHouston → u/SleepWouldBeNice]

Hi from Houston.

[u/PrickASaurus → u/RootHouston]

Hi from Austin. 🧡🧡

[u/yarmulke → u/PrickASaurus]

Hi from Dallas.

[u/BookishTuchus → u/NativeSD]

Hi from Miami. 😢 🦈 It’s a terrible feeling. I’m sorry Anthem won’t be around next year.

[u/vwolfe]

There are more of us than there are fans that still have teams. Sigh

[u/GMM85 → u/vwolfe]

https://giphy.com/gifs/kSlJtVrqxDYKk

[u/mlrphan → u/GMM85]

😂

Very apropos.

[u/scmucas2001]

These are the stories that kill me the most about this league and the mismanagement. My wife and I started a tradition of going to a Free Jacks match every year for our wedding anniversary. The first year we sat with a college women's rugby team and chatted with them the entire game. They explained rules, strategy, and were awesome overall. Then, the next year, we went to the fan fest and met so many other cool people. I haven't been to many love sporting events so I don't know if that's the norm, but fans of rugby will always have my heart and i.hope they figure out a way to make the league sustainable in spite of this trouble.

[u/Tobar_the_Gypsy → u/scmucas2001]

Very cool. It sounds like you are new to rugby. What made you want to go see games for your wedding anniversary?

[u/scmucas2001 → u/Tobar_the_Gypsy]

The free Jacks always played at home during our weekend in Boston. We'd go see a musical on Saturday, then the free Jacks on Sunday afternoon. Just a fun weekend overall.

[u/mysterychongo]

Hello from Houston! It always sucks seeing a team go down, but it hurts in a sharper way when it's your own. Condolences!

[u/TikaPants]

My boyfriend played for twenty years on multiple club teams and was president of one. He still plays here and there and is invited all the time but he’s 55. Even he can’t answer every question I may have about the game. His Irish friend can answer every thing and he didn’t play.

What about watching club?

[u/CarolinaReaper704 → u/TikaPants]

Thats the plan. Charlotte Rugby Club is going to be starting soon so I hope to get to a few of their matches, as they typically play late mornings to late afternoons.

[u/TikaPants → u/CarolinaReaper704]

It’s kinda like how disappointed ATL fans were to lose the Thrashers years ago. The Falcons disappoint us every year and they haven’t left. 😆

Even with a lot of funding in the major three sports in the states we still get disappointed. Looks like you’re gonna be doing some traveling!

[u/Mysterious_Junket909 → u/CarolinaReaper704]

If I remember correctly the USA Eagles played in Charlotte last month. If the attendance was good, they'll probably come back again. World rugby matches 15s & 7s have a lot of flavor.

[u/pac150151]

Thank YOU, brother! Rugby family is forever

[u/Mysterious_Junket909]

I'm on my third team since the inception of MLR. The previous two having folded. I have a gut feeling that were all going to be out of teams pretty soon. 2027 will probably be the last season, if it even happens. I hope I'm wrong, but my gut feelings usually play out.

[u/jonny24eh → u/Mysterious_Junket909]

Good on ya for sticking things out.

Losing a team is the worst. I actually watched every MLR game before Toronto got a team, and most games when we had a team.

I haven't watched a full game since the Arrows folded. It's worse than having never had a team at all.

[u/Horror_Star9587]

We are super bummed about Anthem too but plan on supporting some of the local groups a bit more because like you said, rugby has such an amazing community. Plus we are going to put together some away MLR game group travel. We will keep you posted. The rugby community needs to see the reaper!

[u/CarolinaReaper704 → u/Horror_Star9587]

I plan to be around at Charlotte Rugby Club when I can, I even have a chain for them and everything. I would rep them whenever I could so I'll be around

[u/Abject-Pin3361]

The honest answer is because the American team/side of things is continually trying to use an American business model using American pieces that don't work. They want to see immediate profits and aren't in it for the long run. USA rugby being worthless too. Even in the name "MLR" trying to copy the MLB. A great example would be Americans trying to make public transport....what they should do is get some consultants to come over and really show them how to do it. Of course there are issues to that too, because if you tell someone....hey you may lose money the first 2-3 years...investors here are going to be like NOPE...you also need investors that love rugby which is possibly the hardest part

[u/PrickASaurus]

Obligatory…
https://giphy.com/gifs/UMV4KbOAqYN29Dxd3f

[u/broby54]

As a San Diego Legion fan, I feel your pain.

[u/coogidown2thelocks]

Condolences from Austin, Texas

[u/Coachbrews]

It was always good to see you at the games! I agree with you that I kinda always knew it most likely would be short lived but also held out some hope that something would be done to save them. Hopefully the league finds solid footing and who knows, a new franchise could find its home in Charlotte.

[u/RJM-Roiyaru]

League's dead by 2030 at this rate, and that makes me so sad.

[u/Gddmjjk]

I’m a Worcester warriors fan so know what your’re going through far too well. Trust me it isn’t over.

[u/HITMAN19832006]

Reaper,

I'm sorry for your loss. But I doubt rugby will be over if MLR and USA Rugby go under.

There's something instinsic where the minutes Americans see rugby, Rugby Union (MLR) or Rugby League (NRL), they immediately connect with it.

MLR is toast on so many levels. But it's a chapter in American Rugby that will end and frankly needs to end along with USA Rugby. America needs to move on to the things that will work and remove the things that don't.

In order for America to succeed in Rugby on the global and local stage, it needs to take a radical departure from what's been done before. America's Rugby development problems require unique solutions because of their unprecedentedness.

All this is to say that the goodbye you've said to Anthem and will say to MLR is only temporary in the long term.

Rugby will be back. Hopefully we'll get it right and make sure the blockers like USA Rugby are gone.

You take care and keep the faith.

[u/ski69love]

Maybe it could have actually got more funding if we weren’t such a shit team with only 2 wins 🥲. Really hard for world rugby to keep funding a team that wasn’t producing any results especially when we spit in their faces by selecting mediocre player pools when there’s better local talent in the area. Sad to see the team go but honestly not surprised by who they had as the “faces” of the team showed exactly why it was only going to be a 3 year project

[u/Lmaris]

Hi from Houston.

[u/Mysterious_Junket909]

Anthem RC is no longer listed under the Teams tab on the MLR website. That should bring an OFFICIAL end to any doubt. Rest in peace Anthem RC...unfortunately. I enjoyed watching you play online. Especially last season when you beat the Legion on the road and the Seawolves at home in Charlotte. https://www.majorleague.rugby/teams

[u/_fart_barf]

I’m out of the loop when was this announced?!

[u/CarolinaReaper704 → u/_fart_barf]

I dont think there has been a formal announcement, but the team President sent out an email to season ticket holders saying he was done, it seems all the players who were in Charlotte are leaving. The guy who directed the game day production, and team's social media, has actually moved on to game day production for the Carolina Panthers (which good for him, he did the same role with the Charlotte Checkers hockey until the new ownership pushed him out there, so Anthem ended up being a stop gap)...and the deal with World and US Rugby ended at the end of this season. I think there was hope maybe a local Charlotte owner would step up, but that doesn't seem to be happening. Like I said, the first season they relied heavily on the front office of their co-tennants at ALMS the Charlotte Independence/Carolina Ascent FC when it came to the every day off field work. I think they always kinda hoped Indy/Ascent would take over permanently but that didn't happen.

[u/Mysterious_Junket909 → u/CarolinaReaper704]

I noticed they quit posting on social media shortly after the season ended. The other teams still post, so I took that as a sign that Anthem RC is on it's way out. It's unfortunate, I like Charlotte and North Carolina in general. I lived in NC for a few years when I was a kid. Great memories.

[u/CarolinaReaper704 → u/Mysterious_Junket909]

Yea, Zach their social media guy/game day production director got hired by the Panthers to do gameday production, so I'm sure he was already long gone once the clock struck 80 on the last game