USARL partner with BLK & Rugby Athletic
Rugby Athletic and BLK (#Beyond Limits Known) have officially announced a new three-year partnership in which they will be the official apparel provider to USA Rugby League (USARL) National Team, the Hawks.
In addition to outfitting the Hawks from head to toe in BLK, Rugby Athletic will also be handling all the BLK replica collections and lifestyle ranges for the USARL throughout 2017.
“This is a groundbreaking first for USA Rugby League and no doubt a sign of great things to come in our first season being recognized by the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) and our road towards the 2017 World Cup,” said USARL Director of Strategic Marketing and Partnerships Matthew Bailey.
The USARL is a 14-team rugby league football competition based in the United States that held its inaugural season in 2011. In November 2014, the USARL was granted affiliate membership from the RLIF and Rugby League European Federation (RLEF) and are now the official governing body for the sport in the USA.
“We’re delighted to have such innovative and forward-thinking brands to partner with the USARL and its national team,” said Peter Illfield, Chairman USARL. “BLK and RA will be with us through the Rugby League World Cup Qualifiers later this year and then ultimately to the RLWC 2017 in Australia and New Zealand. We are excited to gain maximum exposure while outfitting our players with the top-of-the-line apparel that comes from both BLK and Rugby Athletic.”
Rugby league is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field. One of two versions of rugby football, league originated in England in 1895 after a split from the Rugby Football Union over an issue of payments to players. Its rules gradually changed with the purpose of producing a faster more entertaining game for spectators.
This partnership for BLK comes on the heels of a recent partnership with the Rugby Football League (RFL) in which they provide their world leading performance sports apparel to the England Rugby League team, the RFL and sports match officials. In addition, BLK currently outfits New Zealand’s National League Team, the Kiwis, as well as Australia’s National Rugby League All-Stars, Indigenous All-Stars and professional sides, the Melbourne Storm and Gold Coast Titans.
“BLK has a very strong presence in Rugby League internationally, and extending that into the U.S through our partnership with the USARL is a natural progression,” Rugby Athletic’s Chris Babiash said. “We are very excited to be an integral piece of this partnership and, in the near future, are looking to provide many avenues for both the USARL and its clubs to take advantage of the high-quality apparel and service that BLK and RA offer.”
BLK Chief Marketing Manager Jason Sintome added, “As a brand we look forward to working with Rugby Athletic and the United States Rugby League to ensure the organizations national team is able to build on the momentum gained in recent seasons and further improve their international position over the next three years.”
For more information on BLK, feel free to visit http://blksport.com. If you wish to learn more about the products available to your team or club, please visit www.rugbyathletic.com or contact Rugby Athletic at This email has been obfuscated. or via phone at 952-542-1725.
To follow the USARL Hawks along their path to the Rugby League World Cup in 2017, visit www.usarl.com or find them on FB at https://www.facebook.com/USARL.