PRO14 chief executive keen on US expansion

PRO14 chief executive Martin Anayi speaks at a press conference. Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

PRO14 chief executive Martin Anayi speaks at a press conference. Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

Published Sep 12, 2017

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LONDON - The chief executive of PRO14 believes it is a matter of "when, not if" a team based on the east coast of the United States will join the cross-hemisphere tournament.

Martin Anayi is hoping to facilitate further expansion of the PRO14 following the inclusion South Africa's Cheetahs and Southern Kings last month.

"We are thinking about what is next," Anayi told the Times. "The two teams in South Africa can change our game and change our tournament and if we get that right we shouldn’t stop there.

"We would be looking to expand again at some stage. We have got to do things differently. When it comes to America we have to be innovative."

Anayi confirmed PRO14 have received offers that would enable expansion across the Atlantic, another step towards building a global presence for the tournament.

"We have had more than expressions of interest (in the U.S.), we have had real solid business cases that would make it work on the east coast, so it is a question of when, not if,” he added.

Reuters

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