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Major League Rugby have confirmed the addition of a team from Chicago for the 2023 season. The announcement, which came in the form of a video tease, was widely expected after last week’s decision to move ahead without established teams from Austin and LA.
Are you ready? pic.twitter.com/4mT0bcVab4
— Major League Rugby (@usmlr) November 2, 2022
No new information has been unveiled by the league as of yet. The team name remains unknown. SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, approximately 15 miles west of the downtown core, has been rumored as a possible venue. The 28,000 seat facility, formerly known as Toyota Park, last hosted rugby union when the USA played the New Zealand Māori in 2016.
Details on when a possible dispersal draft for players contracted to Austin and LA are also yet to emerge. Many will be needed by Chicago to build a competitive roster in the short time before the 2023 season. The team should initially compete in the Western Conference until further expansion takes place.
It’s the first professional rugby team for the Windy City. A team affiliated with the Chicago Lions was intended to join the league when plans were first revealed in 2017. Sources indicate that the new team is not directly connected to that club.
Chicago will be the 15th city to act as home for Major League Rugby team. Austin and LA join Glendale, Colorado, on the list of those that have dropped out since the league’s inception in 2018.
