Meet the Houston Strikers.
A group of rugby supporters are kicking around plans to build a rugby stadium in the area.
The ownership group behind the new Major League Rugby franchise the Houston Strikers is finalizing plans to develop a plot of land adjacent to the Houston Sports Park along TX-288 and south of Mowery Road. Now they’re sharing renderings of the $10 million rugby complex they’re looking to construct.
The Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash both practice at the complex which is ten miles south of downtown and just northwest of Pearland.
The Strikers would begin play in the city in 2018. The team would likely play in alternate parks as needed before their stadium is completed.
[…]
The group has started the lengthy permitting process necessary before construction can begin. The City of Houston is also on board and excited about a community outreach possibility with the neighboring areas starved for programs for kids. The two parties have signed a memorandum of understanding.
The new stadium would initially have room enough in bleachers for up to 5,000 fans, with plans for expansion to accommodate much more than that.
The Strikers are one of ten organizations around the country signed on to the Major League Rugby group. There are teams in Dallas and in Austin as well. Two more cities in other states are about to sign on, according to Turner.
Here are the Major League Rugby website and the Houston Strikers Facebook page. I confess, I’ve never seen a rugby game, and I’m pretty fuzzy on the rules. I might give it a try once the Strikers are in their new home. Any rugby fans out there? Swamplot has pictures, and This Is American Rugby has more.
Lots of Rugby fans in Houston and in Texas.
The USA Men’s National Rugby Team have played Scotland, Ireland and Italy in “friendlies” matches at BBVA Compass stadium to soldout/high attendance crowds since 2012 and then last year played Argentina in the the first match of the now annual Americas Rugby Championship.
Back in 2002 USA played South Africa in rugby at UH’s Robertson stadium to a crowd that was, at that time, the largest attended game in US history.
These 4 Houston hosted US men’s national matches are 4 of the top 7 of all-time in US history.
Now, how that translates to professional club rugby attendance in Houston I don’t know. If the Strikers could get 5,000 to any match in Houston that would be tremendous.
I wish the Strikers luck and look forward to hearing more about the development of the MLR and the Strikers team.