The Toronto Arrows join Major League Rugby (MLR)

Goodmans LLP represented Arrows Holdings Limited Partnership in connection with the announcement that the Toronto Arrows will join Major League Rugby (MLR) for the 2019 season. Major League Rugby will launch season two in January 2019 with nine teams: Austin, Houston, Glendale (Colorado), New Orleans, Rugby United New York, San Diego, Seattle, Salt Lake City (Utah) and Toronto. Each market has an extensive history of rugby support in their respective communities.

The Arrows are backed by a founding investor group of sports-minded, rugby-loving business professionals that includes Bill Webb, Boat Rocker Sports, a division of Boat Rocker Media, Brian Burke (Rogers Sportsnet Analyst and former President and GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs), Duncan McNaughton (Rugby Canada National Senior Women’s XV scrum coach), Kevin Reed of AR3 Capital, John Ferraro of Mass Marketing Inc. as well as creative strategy and design leaders, Doubleday & Cartwright.

MLR is a professional rugby league that launched in April of 2018. It’s an initiative of the American rugby community, in partnership with private investors, who believe that American rugby can thrive at the highest levels: as a commercial enterprise; as an influential player on the international scene; and as a participation sport at the youth and senior level.