Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) Partners with FanWide to Launch Rugby League Fan Engagement Events in the United States

LONDON, June 4, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today, rugby league's international governing body, the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF), announced a new partnership with Seattle-based fan club network, FanWide. FanWide will help the RLIF develop their fanbase throughout the United States by organizing game watch parties for rugby matches at sports bars. The federation will be working with FanWide to grow American interest in rugby by setting up these events and establishing fan clubs across the country.

The RLIF was founded in 1927 to provide unified rules across all of their teams and tournaments. Rugby League has expanded throughout the world, and there are now 64 member countries who are competing to play in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. Some of the top matchups between clubs in the Australian Rugby League and Europe's Super League will also be featured in US sports bars throughout the summer.

"The RLIF are excited to partner with FanWide so that we can develop meaningful relationships with rugby fans in the States," said Danny Kazandjian, Global General Manager of the RLIF. "Our partnership with FanWide will allow us to promote televised and streamed international games plus the scheduled Super League, NRL and State of Origin games to a wider audience than we have previously been able to reach.

"USA Rugby League has been steadily growing in popularity as more contact sports fans look for entertainment during the offseason of American football." Peter Illfield, Chair of USARL also welcomed the development saying, "The US Association of Rugby League welcomes the partnership with FanWide. We are excited to have them promoting and encouraging new sports fans to learn more about the sport of Rugby League. We look forward to welcoming new Rugby League fans as we continue to grow our game domestically and the USA Hawks brand on the international stage."

FanWide is a digital platform for sports fan clubs which helps fans find the closest game watch party for their favorite team a local sports bar in any city. Seattle-based FanWide has promoted over a million events at more than ten thousand sports bars nationwide for fans of almost every professional and college teams. The company partners with both international and domestic leagues looking to increase their viewership and fan engagement by getting their broadcasts played in sports bars. FanWide promotes these game watch parties to its network of sports fans, directing local supporters to meet up at the same bar which will be featuring their game on TV with sound. It has never been easier for rugby fans to find a local bar to watch all the top matches.

"Becoming the Official Game Watch Partner of the RLIF is a great opportunity for FanWide to bring rugby fans together," added Symon Perriman, President and Founder of FanWide. "FanWide recently conducted a nationwide survey of its American football fans and discovered that a majority of them would most likely enjoy rugby, so we are looking forward to introducing this sport to a new generation of American fans."

Over the next few months, rugby enthusiasts can expect the number of sports bars featuring rugby matches to increase now that FanWide is the Official Game Watch Partner of the RLIF. Check out https://fanwi.de/rlif to find where to watch a rugby league match in a nearby venue. FanWide also shows the location of sports fan meetups, charity events, and booster club activities for football, soccer, basketball, baseball, hockey and dozens of other sports. Restaurant operators who are interested in becoming an official game watch party host for the Rugby League International Federation are encouraged to contact FanWide for more information.

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About RLIF
The Rugby League International Federation (RLIF - http://www.RLIF.com) is the international governing body for the sport of rugby league. Rugby League was founded originally in 1895. It organized the first ever rugby world cup in 1954 and will host the next world cup in England in 2021.

About FanWide
FanWide (http://www.FanWide.com) is a free digital platform for fan clubs which helps sports fans find the closest game watch party for their favorite team at a local bar. Fans check in for deals from the venue, to enter contests from sponsors, or to earn rewards. Now sports fans living in any city can feel like they are inside the stadium of their favorite team on gameday. FanWide has promoted over a million events, manages the world's largest database of sports fan clubs, and measures out-of-home TV viewership at over 10,000 sports bars nationwide. FanWide also provides services for professional sports teams and leagues, college athletics, alumni associations, fan clubs, booster clubs, sports brands, athletes, and TV broadcasters.

SOURCE FanWide