NEW YORK CITY, April 20, 2023 - The World RFL announced today that ESPN+ will stream the $1 million NYC Champion Sevens rugby tournament live from Red Bull Arena on Saturday, July 15, 2023. Coverage will be available to ESPN+ subscribers, along with ESPN international networks in Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, and Sub-Saharan Africa. ESPN+ will stream nine hours of non-stop NYC Champion Sevens action, including 16 games starting at 11:45 a.m. EST.

"Unlike any new sports league in history, the World RFL’s inaugural event will showcase World Rugby's greatest seven's teams fighting for World Rugby's richest-ever prize – $1 million cash,” said William Tatham, Esq., the World RFL Founder and Commissioner. “It's only fitting that this great championship be live on the industry-leading sports streaming service, ESPN+.”

Nations projected to participate in the NYC Champion Sevens include New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, France, Fiji, Ireland, Kenya, and the United States. The tournament is sanctioned by the U.S. Olympic and World Cup governing body USA Rugby.

To learn more about the World RFL’s NYC Champion Sevens and purchase tickets, visit: www.nycsevens.com.

About The World RFL

The World RFL was founded to establish America’s first professional major rugby sevens league, delivering avid and casual fans an exciting, world-class live sports event and media experience. The World RFL's premiere $1 million NYC Champion Sevens will kick-off major league play on July 15, 2023 showcasing the world’s greatest teams playing for the world’s richest prize. The league is committed to offering private investment opportunities via sports franchise ownership. The World RFL’s innovative start-up will target expansion of two playoff tournaments leading to the RFL’s 2024 Champion Sevens, with the three tournaments in 2024 offering a total prize of $4 million. Through collaboration with USA Rugby, the World RFL is committed to developing the league’s six-year growth into the top sixteen U.S. media markets, producing and distributing a range of sports, entertainment and gaming content, marketing initiatives, and grassroots programs aimed at educating and exciting America and the world's rugby fans and players.

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).

Media Contacts

The World RFL Media: Gregory FCA, Britni Ackrivo, backrivo@gregoryfca.com

ESPN+ Media: ESPNPlusPR@disney.com

NEW YORK CITY - April 4, 2023 - The World RFL kicks off play this summer with the NYC Sevens tournament on July 15 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ. The event will showcase World Rugby’s top-ranked men's rugby sevens teams baring their teeth for $1 million; the sport’s richest-ever prize pool. Nations projected to participate at NYC Sevens include New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, France, Fiji, Ireland, Kenya, and America’s own vaunted USA Sevens squad. The tournament is sanctioned by the U.S. Olympic and World Cup governing body USA Rugby.

NYC Sevens will bring together 25,000 rabid fans cheering on eight of World Rugby's top-ranked men's teams. This one-day, 16-game international rugby festival promises to bring Red Bull Arena a Hong Kong Sevens-style party off the field with 11 hours of entertainment and the international sports culture rugby sevens is most famous for. Tickets, starting at $55.00, go on sale April 10 at www.nycsevens.com and on Ticketmaster.

"NYC Sevens is not just fast-paced, hard-hitting rugby that features the best teams in the world; it’s an all-day festival showcasing the energy and passion of international rugby sevens through music and sport," said Rob Cornelius, President of 44FiftyFive Sports & Entertainment and Head of Operations for NYC Sevens. "As a leading promoter of the Las Vegas USA Sevens, the most successful rugby sevens event in the United States, we are excited to be a part of The World RFL’s premiere kick-off event by introducing Olympic-caliber rugby sevens to New York City.”

In recent years, similar rugby sevens events in Las Vegas have seen crowds in excess of 80,000. World Rugby’s San Francisco 2018 World Cup Sevens drew over 100,000 spectators.

“This event will bring a unique sports experience to both avid and new rugby fans,” said Sean Verity, The World RFL's Executive Producer. “We are developing creative solutions and identifying venue and broadcast innovation that presents rugby sevens in the most dynamic way possible across the modern landscape of live and televised sports. We have an incredible opportunity to bring the world's best rugby sevens players to the Big Apple, and we intend to build a strong foundation to expand The World RFL as a major league sport.”

Ross Young, CEO of USA Rugby, said, “Rugby sevens is a unique experience in so many ways, the festival and entertainment atmosphere are unlike any other. NYC Sevens aims to enhance that with a blend of top-level rugby, music, and culture. With some of the world’s best men’s teams descending on Red Bull Arena this summer, it will take things to another level here in the USA.”

The World RFL Founder and Commissioner William Tatham noted that, “Rugby is the world’s contact

sport and the ‘father of American football.’ I am committed to making The World RFL the next major U.S.

league and the first new American professional sports league in 50 years to truly prosper.”

Major league teams, major league cash, and major league fun, the NYC Sevens is a can't-miss

sport and entertainment festival! To learn more about The World RFL’s NYC Sevens, visit: www.nycsevens.com.

About The World RFL

The World RFL was founded to establish America’s first professional major rugby sevens league, delivering avid and casual fans an exciting, world-class live sports event and media experience. The World RFL's premiere NYC Sevens in July 2023 will kick-off major league play and showcase the world’s greatest teams playing for the world’s richest prize. The league is committed to offering private investment opportunities via sports franchise ownership. The World RFL’s innovative start-up will target 2024 expansion of two playoff tournaments leading to the RFL’s 2024 Champion Sevens. Through collaboration with USA Rugby, The World RFL is committed to developing the league’s six-year growth into the top sixteen U.S. media markets, producing and distributing a range of sports, entertainment and gaming content, marketing initiatives, and grassroots programs aimed at educating and exciting America and the world's rugby fans and players.

About Red Bull Arena

Built in 2010, Red Bull Arena is the home of the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer and Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League. The Harrison, NJ-based stadium has also hosted some of the top soccer clubs in the world including FC Barcelona, Chelsea FC, Manchester United, Manchester City FC, Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich, SL Benfica, Club America, Paris Saint Germain, AS Roma and Juventus as well as international squads including the United States Men’s and Women’s National Teams, Ecuador, Colombia, Czech Republic and Turkey. The Sports Turf Management Association named Red Bull Arena the "2021 Professional Soccer Field of the Year" and the venue has twice been selected as J.D. Power's "Best in Fan Experience" from all New York/New Jersey professional sports and entertainment facilities.

Media Contact

Gregory FCA, Britni Ackrivo, backrivo@gregoryfca.com

The NYC Champion Sevens is scheduled to take place at Red Bull Arena on Saturday, July 15th, 2023. The estimated event start time is 11am EST. Credential applications are now available for the media. The World RFL is committed to maintaining a safe environment for everyone attending the event at Red Bull Arena. Prior to attending the NYC Sevens at RBA please review the Red Bull Arena Policies page.

Agreement: Use of this credential by the bearer constitutes the bearer’s agreement and the agreement of the bearer’s employer to the terms stated below. Compliance with these terms is a condition of all uses permitted by this credential. Any unauthorized use of this credential or violation of any term of this credential automatically and immediately revokes all permissions granted in this credential and subjects the bearer to ejection from the stadium and possible prosecution for criminal trespass. This credential must be surrendered upon demand by The World RFL staff.

Credential Use: This credential is issued solely to provide stadium access to an individual with a legitimate working function at a game involving the 2023 World RFL Champion Sevens, solely to perform such function. The bearer must be on a specific assignment as an employee or agent for the organization to which this credential is issued. It is forbidden to lend, sell or otherwise transfer this credential.

Release of Liability: The bearer of this credential and his or her employer assume all risk and danger of personal injury and all other hazards arising from or related in any way to stadium access, and agree to indemnify and hold harmless The World RFL, The NYC Sevens, RBA and other agents and employees from and against all liability, loss, damages or expense resulting from or arising out of the bearer’s presence at the stadium.

No Personal Use: Credential bearers may not request autographs, take non-work-related photographs, or make any other personal use of this credential or the stadium access conferred by this credential.