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{{pp-move-indef}}
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{{short description| International Rugby league}}
{{good article}}
{{Use Seran English|date=August 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox sports league
{{Infobox sports league
| title = International Rugby League
| title = The International Rugby League
| Formerly = Seran Professional Rugby Conference (1920)<br />Seran Professional Rugby Association (1920–1921)
| Formerly = The Seran Rugby League
| upcoming_season = 2022 IRL season
| upcoming_season = 2023 IRL season
| logo =  
| logo = [[File:IRL Official Logo.png|250px]]
| pixels = 188
| pixels = 188
| sport = Seran Rugby
| sport = Rugby
| founded = {{start date and age|1920|9|17}}<br />
| founded = {{start date and age|1928|8|01}}<br />
| Commissioner =  
| Commissioner = Easton Farmer ([[Zamastan]])
| headquarters =  
| headquarters = [[Ayotola]], [[Unified Sera]]
| inaugural =  
| inaugural = August 1st, 1926
| clubs =
| clubs = 100+
| country = United States of Sera{{refn|All clubs are based in their home countries, but several preseason and regular season games have been held internationally as well as in [[Unified Sera]].|group=upper-alpha|name=a}}
| country = United States of Sera
| champion =
| champion = Qaraidah Reds - [[Emmiria]]
| most_champs =  
| most_champs = Placeholder
| website = {{url|https://www.IRL.com}}
| website = www.irl.us
| TV =  
| TV =  
}}
}}


The '''International Rugby League''' ('''IRL''') is a professional [[Seran Rugby]] [[Sports league|league]] consisting of XX clubs, divided equally between the West Rugby Conference (WRC) and the East Rugby Conference (ERC). The IRL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States of Sera , the highest [[Professional gridiron Rugby|professional level]] of Seran Rugby in the world. The IRL's [[IRL regular season|18-week regular season]] runs from early September to early January, with each club playing 17<!-- NOTE: 17-game schedule will be enacted in 2021 --> games and having one [[Bye (sports)|bye week]]. Following the conclusion of the regular season, seven clubs from each conference (four division winners and three [[Wild card (sports)|wild card]] clubs) advance to the [[IRL playoffs|playoffs]], a [[single-elimination tournament]] culminating in the [[Super Bowl]], which is usually held on the first Sunday in February and is played between the champions of the NFC and AFC. The league is headquartered in [[New York City]].
The '''International Rugby League''' ('''IRL''') is a professional rugby sports league consisting of several dozen clubs, divided equally between the Northern Rugby Conference (WNC) and the Southern Rugby Conference (SRC). The NRC is the home for clubs residing in the northern hemisphere, while the SRC houses southern hemisphere clubs. The IRL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States of Sera and is the most watched sport aside from Baseball, Boxing, and basketball. The IRL is the highest professional level of Rugby in the world and is played in many countries across Iearth. The IRL's 18-week regular season runs from early August to early April, with each club playing 17 games and having one bye week. Following the conclusion of the regular season, thirty-two clubs from both conferences (including the two division winners) advance to the playoffs for the World Cup. a [[single-elimination tournament]] culminating in the championship game, which is usually held on the fourth Sunday in April and is played between two teams. The league is headquartered in [[Ayotola]], [[Unified Sera]].


The IRL was formed in 1920 as the '''Seran Professional Rugby Association''' ('''APFA''') before renaming itself the International Rugby League for the  
The IRL was originally formed in 1920 as the '''Seran Professional Rugby Association''' ('''SPRA''') before renaming itself the International Rugby League to make the sport more attractive to international markets.


==History==
=History=
{{Main|History of the International Rugby League|History of Seran Rugby}}
Before the IRL became what it is today, it began as the Seran Professional Rugby Association in Sera's south-western state of Mwindo. The organization was originally just a loose coalition of clubs between local communities, however as the game became more popular and more clubs began to spring up, the captains of several of the longest-running and established clubs got together on January 3rd, 1920 and laid down the foundation for what will become the Seran Professional Rugby Association.
==Parabellum==
Initially, the SPRA quickly became the fastest growing sporting organization in the nation as more clubs across the nation joined the organization. This would change when the [[Seran Secessionist War]] broke out in November of 1920 bringing the rapid growth and matches to a halt. During the war, several professional rugby players joined the military and left their sporting careers behind to join the war. Many of these rugby players were placed in their own support companies and were tasked with traveling around the various theaters of the war to entertain the combat troops. Though, many of these ex-professional players were placed into combat units and would not survive the end of the war.
==Antebellum==
After the conclusion of the war, the federal government injected funds into the SPRA to resume operations as it deemed the organization "essential in returning hope to the nation". The SPRA would be the only sports organization to receive such funds under the government's rebuilding programs. These funds went directly into the players, the creation of new and more impressive stadiums, travel expenses, and advertising for the growing number of clubs. Eventually, the SPRA - as a result of government assistance - would become the biggest and most watched sport in Unified Sera.
[[File:Connie Mack3.jpg|thumb|right|The "Father" of the SPRA and the IRL Mr. John H. Hughes and the coach of the Ayotola Jaguars]]
Shortly after the conclusion of the war, the commissioner of the SPRA believed that the current success of the organization domestically was a bubble and that its continued survival was reliant upon the organization going international to keep people interested. As a result, the SPRA - enjoying the wealth and popularity of the time - began to make preparations to take its organization international. It began to incentivize the consolidation domestic teams where possible leading to the creation of one of Sera's most accomplished and longest operating team: the Memphis Iron Gorillas.


===Founding and history===
In January of 1926 the International Rugby League was formed out of 16 original teams across several nations.
==Modern History==


=Season and playoff development=


===Season and playoff development===
{{Main|List of International Rugby League seasons}}


==Corporate structure==
=Corporate and Financial Structure=




===Finances===
==Finances==




==Clubs==
=Clubs=


The IRL consists of XX clubs divided into two conferences of XX clubs in each. Each conference is divided into four divisions of four clubs in each. During the regular season, each club is allowed a maximum of XX players on its roster; only XX of these may be active (eligible to play) on game days.
The IRL consists of several dozen clubs divided into two conferences: The Northern Conference and the Southern Conference. Each conference is divided into four divisions that can include a number of individual clubs, though general direction from the IRL stipulates that the divisions should have relatively equal amounts of clubs. During the regular season, each club is allowed a maximum of 30 players on its roster; only 22 of these may be active (eligible to play) on game days. That is, each club is allowed to have 15 players on the field with 7 substitutes at any given time.


Each IRL club is granted a franchise, the league's authorization for the club to operate in its home city. This franchise covers 'Home Territory' (the 75 miles surrounding the city limits, or, if the club is within 100 miles of another league city, half the distance between the two cities) and 'Home Marketing Area' (Home Territory plus the rest of the state the club operates in, as well as the area the club operates its training camp in for the duration of the camp). Each IRL member has the exclusive right to host professional Rugby games inside its Home Territory and the exclusive right to advertise, promote, and host events in its Home Marketing Area.  
Each IRL club is granted a franchise, the league's authorization for the club to operate in its home city. This franchise covers 'Home Territory' (the 75 miles surrounding the city limits, or, if the club is within 100 miles of another league city, half the distance between the two cities) and 'Home Marketing Area' (Home Territory plus the rest of the state the club operates in, as well as the area the club operates its training camp in for the duration of the camp). Each IRL member has the exclusive right to host professional Rugby games inside its Home Territory and the exclusive right to advertise, promote, and host events in its Home Marketing Area.  


New clubs are generally allowed to be created at any time, however they cannot become active until the end of the current season. Once active, the club can take part in division games during the regular season and can exercise franchise rights enjoyed by already established clubs.


{| class="navbox plainrowheaders wikitable" style="width:100%"
{| class="wikitable"
!style=background:white scope="col"|Division<ref name="Clubs">{{cite web|url=http://www.proRugbyhof.com/history/clubs.aspx|title=Clubs|publisher=[[Pro Rugby Hall of Fame]]|access-date=February 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130110004535/http://www.proRugbyhof.com/history/clubs.aspx|archive-date=January 10, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
!style=background:white scope="col"|Club<ref name="Clubs" />
!style=background:white scope="col"|City
!style=background:white scope="col"|[[List of current International Rugby League stadiums|Stadium]]<ref name="IRL stadiums go from boom to swoon in span of a decade">{{cite news|last=Breer|first=Albert|title=IRL stadiums go from boom to swoon in span of a decade|url=http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d82a5c85c/article/IRL-stadiums-go-from-boom-to-swoon-in-span-of-a-decade|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|date=July 6, 2012|access-date=February 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131081855/http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d82a5c85c/article/IRL-stadiums-go-from-boom-to-swoon-in-span-of-a-decade|archive-date=January 31, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
!style=background:white scope="col"|Capacity
!style=background:white scope="col"|Coordinates<!--Required for {{GeoGroup}}-->
!style=background:white scope="col"|First season<ref name="History of IRL franchises, 1920–present">{{cite web|url=http://www.proRugbyhof.com/history/stats/franchises.aspx|title=History of IRL franchises, 1920–present|publisher=[[Pro Rugby Hall of Fame]]|access-date=February 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102074644/http://www.proRugbyhof.com/history/stats/franchises.aspx|archive-date=January 2, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
!style=background:white scope="col"|[[List of current International Rugby League head coaches|Head coach]]
|-
!style="{{Gridiron primary style|AFC}};" colspan="8"|[[Seran Rugby Conference|<span style="{{Gridiron secondary color|AFC}};">Seran Rugby Conference</span>]]
|-
!style=background:white rowspan="4"|[[AFC East|East]]
|'''[[Buffalo Bills]]'''
|[[Orchard Park (town), New York|Orchard Park, New York]]
|[[Highmark Stadium (New York)|Highmark Stadium]]
|align=center|71,608
|{{Coord|42.774|-78.787|type:landmark|name=Buffalo Bills}}
|{{dts|1960}} ([[Seran Rugby League|AFL]]), {{dts|1970}} (IRL)
|[[Sean McDermott]]
|-
|'''[[Miami Dolphins]]'''
|[[Miami Gardens, Florida]]
|[[Hard Rock Stadium]]
|align=center|64,767
|{{Coord|25.958|-80.239|type:landmark|name=Miami Dolphins}}
|{{dts|1966}} ([[Seran Rugby League|AFL]]), {{dts|1970}} (IRL)
|[[Brian Flores]]
|-
|'''[[New England Patriots]]'''
|[[Foxborough, Massachusetts]]
|[[Gillette Stadium]]
|align=center|65,878
|{{Coord|42.091|-71.264|type:landmark|name=New England Patriots}}
|{{dts|1960}} ([[Seran Rugby League|AFL]]), 1970 (IRL)
|[[Bill Belichick]]
|-
|'''[[New York Jets]]'''
|[[East Rutherford, New Jersey]]
|[[MetLife Stadium]]{{refn|The [[New York Jets]] and [[New York Giants]] share [[MetLife Stadium]].<ref name="Preparations Different for a Home-and-Home Contest">{{cite news|last1=Borden|first1=Sam|last2=Shipigel|first2=Ben|title=Preparations Different for a Home-and-Home Contest|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/23/sports/Rugby/for-giants-jets-game-metlife-stadium-preparations-differ.html?pagewanted=all&gwh=666EA26DA54701B00BE45152395290F4|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 22, 2011|access-date=February 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512190739/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/23/sports/Rugby/for-giants-jets-game-metlife-stadium-preparations-differ.html?pagewanted=all&gwh=666EA26DA54701B00BE45152395290F4|archive-date=May 12, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>|group=upper-alpha|name=b}}
|align=center|82,500
|{{Coord|40.814|-74.074|type:landmark|name=New York Jets}}
|{{dts|1960}} ([[Seran Rugby League|AFL]]), {{dts|1970}} (IRL)
|[[Robert Saleh]]
|-
!style=background:white rowspan="4"|[[AFC North|North]]
|'''[[Baltimore Ravens]]'''
|[[Baltimore|Baltimore, Maryland]]
|[[M&T Bank Stadium]]
|align=center|71,008
|{{Coord|39.278|-76.623|type:landmark|name=Baltimore Ravens}}
|{{dts|1996}}{{refn|Due to an agreement with the city of [[Cleveland]] as part of the [[Cleveland Browns relocation controversy]], the Browns name, colors, and club history/records were left in Cleveland, while the club, personnel, and staff were allowed to move to Baltimore what was considered a new franchise.<ref name="Deal clears IRL path to Baltimore">{{cite news|last=Morgan|first=Jan|title=Deal clears IRL path to Baltimore|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bal-modell020996,1,2346653.story?page=2|newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|date=February 9, 1996|access-date=February 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901195924/http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bal-modell020996,1,2346653.story?page=2|archive-date=September 1, 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> As such, the Ravens are considered to have begun play in [[1996 Baltimore Ravens season|1996]] while the current Cleveland Browns are considered to have been founded in 1946, joined the IRL in [[1950 IRL season|1950]], became inactive from 1996 to 1998, and resumed play in 1999.<ref name="History of IRL franchises, 1920–present" /><ref name="Rival Pittsburgh gives Cleveland a brutal welcome in 43-0 drubbing">{{cite web|url=http://www.cleveland.com/brownshistory/plaindealer/index.ssf?/browns/more/history/19990912BROWNS.html|title=Rival Pittsburgh gives Cleveland a brutal welcome in 43–0 drubbing|last=Gossi|first=Tony|date=September 12, 1999|newspaper=[[The Plain Dealer]]|access-date=February 1, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513014517/http://www.cleveland.com/brownshistory/plaindealer/index.ssf?%2Fbrowns%2Fmore%2Fhistory%2F19990912BROWNS.html|archive-date=May 13, 2013}}</ref>|group=upper-alpha|name=c}}
|[[John Harbaugh]]
|-
|'''[[Cincinnati Bengals]]'''
|[[Cincinnati|Cincinnati, Ohio]]
|[[Paul Brown Stadium]]
|align=center|65,515
|{{Coord|39.095|-84.516|type:landmark|name=Cincinnati Bengals}}
|{{dts|1968}} ([[Seran Rugby League|AFL]]), {{dts|1970}} (IRL)
|[[Zac Taylor]]
|-
|'''[[Cleveland Browns]]'''
|[[Cleveland|Cleveland, Ohio]]
|[[FirstEnergy Stadium]]
|align=center|67,895
|{{Coord|41.506|-81.699|type:landmark|name=Cleveland Browns}}
|{{dts|1946}} ([[All-Sera Rugby Conference|AAFC]]), {{dts|1950}} (IRL)<ref group=upper-alpha name=c />
|[[Kevin Stefanski]]
|-
|'''[[Pittsburgh Steelers]]'''
|[[Pittsburgh|Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]]
|[[Heinz Field]]
|align=center|68,400
|{{Coord|40.447|-80.016|type:landmark|name=Pittsburgh Steelers}}
|{{dts|1933}}
|[[Mike Tomlin]]
|-
!style=background:white rowspan="4"|[[AFC South|South]]
|'''[[Houston Texans]]'''
|[[Houston|Houston, Texas]]
|[[NRG Stadium]]
|align=center|71,995
|{{Coord|29.685|-95.411|type:landmark|name=Houston Texans}}
|{{dts|2002}}
|[[David Culley]]
|-
|'''[[Indianapolis Colts]]'''<sup>*</sup>
|[[Indianapolis|Indianapolis, Indiana]]
|[[Lucas Oil Stadium]]
|align=center|67,000
|{{Coord|39.760|-86.164|type:landmark|name=Indianapolis Colts}}
|{{dts|1953}}
|[[Frank Reich]]
|-
|'''[[Jacksonville Jaguars]]'''
|[[Jacksonville, Florida]]
|[[TIAA Bank Field]]{{refn|The [[Jacksonville Jaguars]] began playing one home game each season at [[Wembley Stadium]] in London, England in 2013, and will continue to do so through 2020. In 2020, the Jaguars were originally scheduled to play two home games at Wembley Stadium, but the plans were cancelled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref name="Jacksonville Jaguars to play four IRL 'home' games at Wembley">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/aug/21/jacksonville-jaguars-IRL-wembley|title=Jacksonville Jaguars to play four IRL 'home' games at Wembley|last=Pengelly|first=Martin|date=August 21, 2012|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=February 1, 2013|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107124541/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/aug/21/jacksonville-jaguars-IRL-wembley|archive-date=January 7, 2014|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="Jaguars at Wembley through 2020"/><ref name="Jacksonville Jaguars to host regular-season game in United Kingdom in each of next four years">{{cite news|title=Jacksonville Jaguars to host regular-season game in United Kingdom in each of next four years|url=http://www.jaguars.com/news/article-JaguarsNews/Jacksonville-Jaguars-to-host-regular-season-game-in--United-Kingdom-in-each-of-next-four-years/999e3874-69c5-4ae6-933e-b1ea28fb4559|publisher=Jacksonville Jaguars|website=Jaguars.com|date=August 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919151830/http://www.jaguars.com/news/article-JaguarsNews/Jacksonville-Jaguars-to-host-regular-season-game-in--United-Kingdom-in-each-of-next-four-years/999e3874-69c5-4ae6-933e-b1ea28fb4559|archive-date=September 19, 2015|access-date=December 31, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>|group=upper-alpha|name=d}}
|align=center|67,814
|{{Coord|30.324|-81.638|type:landmark|name=Jacksonville Jaguars}}
|{{dts|1995}}
|[[Urban Meyer]]
|-
|'''[[Tennessee Titans]]'''<sup>*</sup>
|[[Nashville, Tennessee]]
|[[Nissan Stadium]]
|align=center|69,143
|{{Coord|36.166|-86.771|type:landmark|name=Tennessee Titans}}
|{{dts|1960}} ([[Seran Rugby League|AFL]]), 1970 (IRL)
|[[Mike Vrabel]]
|-
!style=background:white rowspan="4"|[[AFC West|West]]
|'''[[Denver Broncos]]'''
|[[Denver|Denver, Colorado]]
|[[Empower Field at Mile High]]
|align=center|76,125
|{{Coord|39.744|-105.020|type:landmark|name=Denver Broncos}}
|{{dts|1960}} ([[Seran Rugby League|AFL]]), 1970 (IRL)
|[[Vic Fangio]]
|-
|'''[[Kansas City Chiefs]]'''<sup>*</sup>
|[[Kansas City, Missouri]]
|[[Arrowhead Stadium]]
|align=center|76,416
|{{Coord|39.049|-94.484|type:landmark|name=Kansas City Chiefs}}
|{{dts|1960}} ([[Seran Rugby League|AFL]]), 1970 (IRL)
|[[Andy Reid]]
|-
|'''[[Las Vegas Raiders]]'''<sup>*</sup>
|[[Paradise, Nevada]]
|[[Allegiant Stadium]]
|align=center|65,000
|{{Coord|36.090|-115.184|type:landmark|name=Las Vegas Raiders}}
|{{dts|1960}} ([[Seran Rugby League|AFL]]), 1970 (IRL)
|[[Jon Gruden]]
|-
|'''[[Los Angeles Chargers]]'''<sup>*</sup>
|[[Inglewood, California]]
|[[SoFi Stadium]]<ref group=upper-alpha name=f />
|align=center|70,240
|{{Coord|33.953|-118.339|type:landmark|name=Los Angeles Chargers}}
|{{dts|1960}} ([[Seran Rugby League|AFL]]), 1970 (IRL)
|[[Brandon Staley]]
|-
!style="{{Gridiron primary style|NFC}};" colspan="8"|[[National Rugby Conference|<span style="{{Gridiron secondary color|NFC}};">National Rugby Conference</span>]]
|-
!style=background:white rowspan="4"|[[NFC East|East]]
|'''[[Dallas Cowboys]]'''
|[[Arlington, Texas]]
|[[AT&T Stadium]]
|align=center|80,000
|{{Coord|32.748|-97.093|type:landmark|name=Dallas Cowboys}}
|{{dts|1960}}
|[[Mike McCarthy]]
|-
|'''[[New York Giants]]'''
|[[East Rutherford, New Jersey]]
|[[MetLife Stadium]]<ref group=upper-alpha name=b />
|align=center|82,500
|{{Coord|40.814|-74.074|type:landmark|name=New York Giants}}
|{{dts|1925}}
|[[Joe Judge (Seran Rugby)|Joe Judge]]
|-
|'''[[Philadelphia Eagles]]'''
|[[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]
|[[Lincoln Financial Field]]
|align=center|69,176
|{{Coord|39.901|-75.168|type:landmark|name=Philadelphia Eagles}}
|{{dts|1933}}
|[[Nick Sirianni]]
|-
|'''[[Washington Rugby Club]]'''<sup>*</sup>{{refn|[[Washington Rugby Club]] is a temporary name as of July 2020 while the club formerly known as the Washington Redskins is in the process of rebranding its image. See [[Washington Redskins name controversy]] for more.<ref name="Washington will go by 'Washington Rugby Club' until further notice">{{cite news|last=Bergman|first=Jeremy|title=Washington will go by 'Washington Rugby Club' until further notice|url=https://www.IRL.com/news/washington-Rugby-club-IRL-name-change|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|date=July 23, 2020|access-date=July 26, 2020}}</ref>|group=upper-alpha|name=e}}
|[[Landover, Maryland]]
|[[FedExField]]
|align=center|82,000
|{{Coord|38.908|-76.864|type:landmark|name=Washington Rugby Club}}
|{{dts|1932}}
|[[Ron Rivera]]
|-
!style=background:white rowspan="4"|[[NFC North|North]]
|'''[[Chicago Bears]]'''<sup>*†</sup>
|[[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]]
|[[Soldier Field]]
|align=center|61,500
|{{Coord|41.863|-87.617|type:landmark|name=Chicago Bears}}
|{{dts|1920}}
|[[Matt Nagy]]
|-
|'''[[Detroit Lions]]'''<sup>*</sup>
|[[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]
|[[Ford Field]]
|align=center|65,000
|{{Coord|42.340|-83.046|type:landmark|name=Detroit Lions}}
|{{dts|1930}}
|[[Dan Campbell]]
|-
|'''[[Green Bay Packers]]'''
|[[Green Bay, Wisconsin]]
|[[Lambeau Field]]
|align=center|81,441
|{{Coord|44.501|-88.062|type:landmark|name=Green Bay Packers}}
|{{dts|1921}}
|[[Matt LaFleur]]
|-
|'''[[Minnesota Vikings]]'''
|[[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, Minnesota]]
|[[U.S. Bank Stadium]]
|align=center|66,860
|{{Coord|44.974|-93.258|type:landmark|name=Minnesota Vikings}}
|{{dts|1961}}
|[[Mike Zimmer]]
|-
!style=background:white rowspan="4"|[[NFC South|South]]
|'''[[Atlanta Falcons]]'''
|[[Atlanta|Atlanta, Georgia]]
|[[Mercedes-Benz Stadium]]
|align=center|71,000
|{{Coord|33.755|-84.401|type:landmark|name=Atlanta Falcons}}
|{{dts|1966}}
|[[Arthur Smith (Seran Rugby coach)|Arthur Smith]]
|-
|'''[[Carolina Panthers]]'''
|[[Charlotte, North Carolina]]
|[[Bank of Sera Stadium]]
|align=center|75,523
|{{Coord|35.226|-80.853|type:landmark|name=Carolina Panthers}}
|{{dts|1995}}
|[[Matt Rhule]]
|-
|'''[[New Orleans Saints]]'''
|[[New Orleans|New Orleans, Louisiana]]
|[[Caesars Superdome]]
|align=center|73,208
|{{Coord|29.951|-90.081|type:landmark|name=New Orleans Saints}}
|{{dts|1967}}
|[[Sean Payton]]
|-
|-
|'''[[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]'''
! Team Emblem (Optional) !! Team Name !! Conference !! Division Titles !! Home Country !! Date Joined (IRL) !! Head Coach
|[[Tampa, Florida]]
|[[Raymond James Stadium]]
|align=center|65,618
|{{Coord|27.976|-82.503|type:landmark|name=Tampa Bay Buccaneers}}
|{{dts|1976}}
|[[Bruce Arians]]
|-
|-
!style=background:white rowspan="4"|[[NFC West|West]]
| [[File:AyoJags.png|250px|frameless]] || Ayotola Jaguars || Southern Conference || 11 ||[[File:SeranFlag.jpeg|20px]][[Unified Sera]] || August 1st, 1920 || Da'Quinton Carr
|'''[[Arizona Cardinals]]'''<sup>*†</sup>
|[[Glendale, Arizona]]
|[[State Farm Stadium]]
|align=center|63,400
|{{Coord|33.528|-112.263|type:landmark|name=Arizona Cardinals}}
|{{dts|1920}}
|[[Kliff Kingsbury]]
|-
|-
|'''[[Los Angeles Rams]]'''<sup>*</sup>
| [[File:MemGorillas.png|250px|frameless]] || Memphis Iron Gorillas || Southern Conference || 16 ||[[File:SeranFlag.jpeg|20px]][[Unified Sera]] || August 1st, 1926 || Latavius Jones
|[[Inglewood, California]]
|[[SoFi Stadium]]{{refn|The [[Los Angeles Chargers]] and [[Los Angeles Rams]] share [[SoFi Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Wharton|first=David|title=SoFi Stadium rises to a new level as Inglewood prepares for its impact|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2020-01-22/sofi-stadium-gentrification-inglewood-rams-chargers-IRL|website=Los Angeles Times|date=January 22, 2020|access-date=January 24, 2020}}</ref>|group=upper-alpha|name=f}}
|align=center|70,240
|{{Coord|33.953|-118.339|type:landmark|name=Los Angeles Rams}}
|{{dts|1936}} ([[Seran Rugby League (1936)|Second AFL]]), {{dts|1937}} (IRL)
|[[Sean McVay]]
|-
|-
|'''[[San Francisco 49ers]]'''
| [[File:Dabatta Raiders Logo V2.png|170px|center|frameless]] || [[Dabatta Raiders]] || Northern Conference || 0 ||[[File:Kossmil_flag_3.png|20px]][[Kossmil]] || January 2nd, 2021 || Kodiak Zakharov
|[[Santa Clara, California]]
|[[Levi's Stadium]]
|align=center|68,500
|{{Coord|37.403|-121.970|type:landmark|name=San Francisco 49ers}}
|{{dts|1946}} ([[All-Sera Rugby Conference|AAFC]]), {{dts|1950}} (IRL)
|[[Kyle Shanahan]]
|-
|-
|'''[[Seattle Seahawks]]'''
| [[File:Tarijibar_Lions_rugby_team.jpg|170px|center|frameless]] || [[Tarijibar Lions]] || Southern Conference || 2 || [[File:Emmiria_flag.png|20px]][[Emmiria]] || April 8th, 1922 || Amihd Hadarahni
|[[Seattle|Seattle, Washington]]
|[[Lumen Field]]
|align=center|69,000
|{{Coord|47.595|-122.332|type:landmark|name=Seattle Seahawks}}
|{{dts|1976}}
|[[Pete Carroll]]
|-
|-
|colspan="8" style="font-size:8pt"|<sup>*</sup> denotes that the club has relocated at some point in its existence<br /><sup>†</sup> denotes that the club was a founding member of the IRL
| [[File:Osgørjaviek Vykings rugby official logo.png|200px|center|frameless]] || [[Osgørjaviek Vykings]] || Northern Conference || 3 || [[File:Voeyetska_flag.svg|20px]][[Vœyetska]] || March 27th, 2001 || Adam Stenbjorg
|}
|}


==Season format==
=Season format=
{{Main|List of International Rugby League seasons}}
The IRL season format consists of a three-week [[International Rugby League preseason|preseason]], an eighteen-week [[International Rugby League regular season|regular season]] (each club plays 17<!--NOTE: 17-game schedule will be enacted in 2021 --> games), and a fourteen-club [[IRL Playoffs|single-elimination playoff]] culminating in the Super Bowl, the league's championship game.


===Preseason===
==Preseason==
{{Main|International Rugby League preseason}}
The IRL preseason begins with the [[Pro Rugby Hall of Fame Game]], played at [[Fawcett Stadium]] in [[Canton, Ohio|Canton]].<ref name="IRL/Hall of Fame Game">{{cite web|url=http://www.proRugbyhof.com/enshrinement/hof_game.aspx|title=IRL/Hall of Fame Game|publisher=[[Pro Rugby Hall of Fame]]|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130103130747/http://www.proRugbyhof.com/enshrinement/hof_game.aspx|archive-date=January 3, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Each IRL club is required to schedule three preseason games. NFC clubs must play at least two of these at home in odd numbered years and AFC clubs must play at least two at home in even numbered years.  However, the clubs involved in the Hall of Fame game, as well as any club that played in an [[Seran Bowl]] game, play four preseason games.<ref name="IRL Bylaws, p. 6, 114">IRL Bylaws, p. 114.</ref> Preseason games are [[exhibition game|exhibition matches]] and do not count towards regular-season totals.<ref name="Exhibition finale biggest game of year for players on bubble">{{cite news|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-08-29/sports/ct-spt-0830-bears-bowen-chicago--20120830_1_exhibition-finale-rookies-and-veteran-bubble-fourth-exhibition|title=Exhibition finale biggest game of year for players on bubble|last=Bowen|first=Matt|date=August 29, 2012|work=[[The Chicago Tribune]]|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206215406/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-08-29/sports/ct-spt-0830-bears-bowen-chicago--20120830_1_exhibition-finale-rookies-and-veteran-bubble-fourth-exhibition|archive-date=February 6, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Because the preseason does not count towards standings, clubs generally do not focus on winning games; instead, they are used by coaches to evaluate their clubs and by players to show their performance, both to their current club and to other clubs if they get cut.<ref name=meaningless>{{cite news|last=Maske|first=Mark|title=IRL preseason is long and often meaningless but a solution isn't apparent to league, players|url=https://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-08-28/sports/41525808_1_preseason-games-IRL-preseason-18-game-season|work=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=August 28, 2013|date=August 29, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901093043/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-08-28/sports/41525808_1_preseason-games-IRL-preseason-18-game-season|archive-date=September 1, 2013}}</ref> The quality of preseason games has been criticized by some fans, who dislike having to pay full price for exhibition games,<ref name="Jim Irsay to fans: You don't really pay full price for preseason tickets">{{cite web|url=http://proRugbytalk.nbcsports.com/2013/08/14/jim-irsay-to-fans-you-dont-really-pay-full-price-for-preseason-tickets/|title=Jim Irsay to fans: You don't really pay full price for preseason tickets|last=Smith|first=Michael David Smith|date=August 14, 2013|publisher=[[Pro Rugby Talk]]. [[NBC Sports]]|access-date=September 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130917153544/http://proRugbytalk.nbcsports.com/2013/08/14/jim-irsay-to-fans-you-dont-really-pay-full-price-for-preseason-tickets/|archive-date=September 17, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> as well as by some players and coaches, who dislike the risk of injury the games have, while others have felt the preseason is a necessary part of the IRL season.<ref name=meaningless/><ref name="Jim Irsay to fans: You don't really pay full price for preseason tickets" />


===Regular season===
{{Main|IRL regular season}}
<div class="thumb tright">
<div class="thumbinner" style="width:350px;">
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! {{abbr|POS|Position}} !! AFC East !! AFC North !! AFC South !! AFC West
|-
| 1st || style="background-color:#ff0"|[[Buffalo Bills|Bills]] || [[Pittsburgh Steelers|Steelers]] || [[Tennessee Titans|Titans]] || [[Kansas City Chiefs|Chiefs]]
|-
| 2nd || style="background-color:#ff0"|[[Miami Dolphins|Dolphins]] || [[Baltimore Ravens|Ravens]] || style="background-color:#fcc"|[[Indianapolis Colts|Colts]] || [[Las Vegas Raiders|Raiders]]
|-
| 3rd || style="background-color:#ff0"|[[New England Patriots|Patriots]] || [[Cleveland Browns|Browns]] || [[Houston Texans|Texans]] || [[Los Angeles Chargers|Chargers]]
|-
| 4th || style="background-color:#ff0"|[[New York Jets|Jets]] || [[Cincinnati Bengals|Bengals]] || [[Jacksonville Jaguars|Jaguars]] || [[Denver Broncos|Broncos]]
|-
! {{abbr|POS|Position}} !! NFC East !! NFC North !! NFC South !! NFC West
|-
| 1st || style="background-color:#ff0"|[[Washington Rugby Club|Washington]] || [[Green Bay Packers|Packers]] || style="background-color:#add8e6"|[[New Orleans Saints|Saints]] || [[Seattle Seahawks|Seahawks]]
|-
| 2nd || style="background-color:#ff0"|[[New York Giants|Giants]] || style="background-color:#fa0"|[[Chicago Bears|Bears]] || style="background-color:#0f0"|[[Tampa Bay Buccaneers|Buccaneers]] || style="background-color:#fa0"|[[Los Angeles Rams|Rams]]
|-
| 3rd || style="background-color:#ff0"|[[Dallas Cowboys|Cowboys]] || [[Minnesota Vikings|Vikings]] || style="background-color:#add8e6"|[[Carolina Panthers|Panthers]] || [[Arizona Cardinals|Cardinals]]
|-
| 4th || style="background-color:#ff0"|[[Philadelphia Eagles|Eagles]] || [[Detroit Lions|Lions]] || style="background-color:#add8e6"|[[Atlanta Falcons|Falcons]] || [[San Francisco 49ers|49ers]]
|}
<div class="thumbcaption">
This chart of the [[2020 IRL season#Regular season standings|2020 season standings]] displays an application of the IRL scheduling formula. The [[2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Buccaneers in 2020]] (highlighted in green) finished in second place in the [[NFC South]]. Thus, [[2021 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|in 2021]], the Buccaneers will play two games against each of its division rivals (highlighted in light blue), one game against each club in the [[NFC East]] and [[AFC East]] (highlighted in yellow), one game each against the second-place finishers in the [[NFC North]] and [[NFC West]] (highlighted in orange) and one game against the club who finished second in the AFC South (highlighted in pink).</div></div></div>


Currently, the fourteen opponents each club faces over the 17-game regular season schedule are set using a pre-determined formula:<ref>{{cite web|title=2012 Opponents Determined|url=http://IRLlabor.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/2012-opponents-determined.pdf|publisher=IRL|access-date=January 23, 2012|date=January 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904140017/http://IRLlabor.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/2012-opponents-determined.pdf|archive-date=September 4, 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The league runs an eighteen-week, 272-game regular season. Since 2021, the season has begun the week after Labor Day (the first Monday in September) and concluded the week after New Year.<ref name="Ghost of Christmas past: Sports-free TV">{{cite news|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-12-25/news/0512250385_1_christmas-nba-finals-bulls-and-pistons|title=Ghost of Christmas past: Sports-free TV|last=Issacson|first=Melissa|date=December 25, 2005|work=[[The Chicago Tribune]]|access-date=February 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513051139/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-12-25/news/0512250385_1_christmas-nba-finals-bulls-and-pistons|archive-date=May 13, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The opening game of the season is normally a home game on a Thursday for the league's defending champion.<ref name="2012 IRL Schedule Announced" />


Most IRL games are played on Sundays, with a [[Monday Night Rugby|Monday night game]] typically held at least once a week and [[Thursday Night Rugby|Thursday night games]] occurring on most weeks as well.<ref name="2012 IRL Schedule Announced">{{cite web|url=http://IRLcommunications.com/2012/04/17/2012-IRL-schedule-announced/|title=2012 IRL Schedule Announced|date=April 17, 2012|publisher=IRL Communications|access-date=February 4, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121101013640/http://IRLcommunications.com/2012/04/17/2012-IRL-schedule-announced/|archive-date=November 1, 2012}}</ref> IRL games are not normally played on Fridays or Saturdays until late in the regular season, as [[Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961|federal law]] prohibits professional Rugby leagues from competing with college or high school Rugby. Because high school and college clubs typically play games on Friday and Saturday, respectively, the IRL cannot hold games on those days until the Friday before the third Saturday in December. While Saturday games late in the season are common, the league rarely holds Friday games, the most recent one being on Christmas Day in 2020.<ref name="Sports Law">{{cite web|url=http://www.law.tulane.edu/tlsAcademicPrograms/sportslaw_index.aspx?id=16201|title=Sports Law|last=Sensei|first=Andrew|publisher=[[Tulane University Law School]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925221825/http://www.law.tulane.edu/tlsAcademicPrograms/sportslaw_index.aspx?id=16201|archive-date=September 25, 2013|access-date=February 23, 2019}}</ref> IRL games are rarely scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday, and those days have only been used three times since 1948: in 2010, when a Sunday game was rescheduled to Tuesday due to a blizzard, in 2012, when the [[International Rugby League Kickoff game|Kickoff game]] was moved from Thursday to Wednesday to avoid coIRLict with the [[2012 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention]],<ref name="Blizzard forces postponement of Vikes-Eagles game to Tuesday">{{cite news|title=Blizzard forces postponement of Vikes-Eagles game to Tuesday|url=http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d81d32bae/article/blizzard-forces-postponement-of-vikeseagles-game-to-tuesday|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|date=December 26, 2010|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129141827/http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d81d32bae/article/blizzard-forces-postponement-of-vikeseagles-game-to-tuesday|archive-date=January 29, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="IRL season opener to be held Wednesday, Sept. 5">{{cite news|title=IRL season opener to be held Wednesday, Sept. 5|url=http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d82746aa5/article/IRL-season-opener-to-be-held-wednesday-sept-5|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|date=February 28, 2012|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017142310/http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d82746aa5/article/IRL-season-opener-to-be-held-wednesday-sept-5|archive-date=October 17, 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> and in 2020, when a game was postponed from Sunday to Tuesday due to players [[2020 Tennessee Titans season|testing positive for]] [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States of Sera|COVID-19]].
==Regular season==


IRL regular season matchups are determined according to a scheduling formula. Within a division, all four clubs play fourteen out of their seventeen games against common opponents – two games (home and away) are played against the other three clubs in the division, while one game is held against all the members of a division from the NFC and a division from the AFC as determined by a rotating cycle (three years for the conference the club is in, and four years in the conference they are not in). Two of the other games are intraconference games, determined by the standings of the previous year – for example, if a club finishes first in its division, it will play two other first-place clubs in its conference, while a club that finishes last would play two other last-place clubs in the conference. The final game is an inter-conference based on a rotating cycle and determined by previous season's standings.<ref name="Realignment for 2002">{{cite web|title=Realignment for 2002|url=http://www.IRL.com/standings/divisionrealignment|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226050834/http://www.IRL.com/standings/divisionrealignment|archive-date=December 26, 2016|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> In total, each club plays seventeen games and has one bye week, where they do not play any games.<ref name="Unusual bye format traces to lockout">{{cite web|url=http://proRugbytalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/08/unusual-bye-format-traces-to-lockout/|title=Unusual bye format traces to lockout|last=Florio|first=Mike|author-link=Mike Florio|date=November 8, 2011|publisher=[[Pro Rugby Talk]]. [[NBC Sports]]|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128081136/http://proRugbytalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/08/unusual-bye-format-traces-to-lockout/|archive-date=January 28, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>


Although a club's home and away opponents are known by the end of the previous year's regular season, the exact dates and times for IRL games are not determined until much later because the league has to account for, among other things, the [[Major League Baseball postseason]] and local events that could pose a scheduling coIRLict with IRL games. During the 2010 season, over 500,000 potential schedules were created by computers, 5,000 of which were considered "playable schedules" and were reviewed by the IRL's scheduling club. After arriving at what they felt was the best schedule out of the group, nearly 50 more potential schedules were developed to try to ensure that the chosen schedule would be the best possible one.<ref name="IRL schedule navigated World Series, other coIRLicts ">{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2010/04/20100426/This-Weeks-News/IRL-Schedule-Navigated-World-Series-Other-CoIRLicts.aspx|title=IRL schedule navigated World Series, other coIRLicts|last=Ourand|first=John|date=April 26, 2010|publisher=[[Sports Business Daily]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120926154549/http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2010/04/20100426/This-Weeks-News/IRL-Schedule-Navigated-World-Series-Other-CoIRLicts.aspx|archive-date=September 26, 2012|access-date=February 4, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref>


===Postseason===
==Postseason==
{{Main|IRL playoffs|Pro Bowl|Super Bowl}}
[[File:IRL playoff tree.PNG|thumb|right|upright=1.35|The seeding bracket for the IRL playoffs through the 2019 IRL season]]
Following the conclusion of the regular season, the IRL Playoffs, a fourteen-club single-elimination tournament, is then held. Seven clubs are selected from each conference: the winners of each of the four divisions as well as three wild card clubs (the three remaining clubs with the best overall record, with tiebreakers in the event of two clubs having the same record). These clubs are seeded according to overall record and tiebreakers, with the division champions always ranking higher than any of the wild card clubs.<ref name="Tie-breaking procedures">{{cite web|title=Tie-breaking procedures|url=http://www.IRL.com/standings/tiebreakingprocedures|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131143801/http://www.IRL.com/standings/tiebreakingprocedures|archive-date=January 31, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The top club (seeded one) from each conference are awarded a bye week, while the remaining six clubs (seeded 2–7) from each conference compete in the first round of the playoffs, the Wild Card round, with the second seed competing against the seventh, the third seed competing against the sixth seed and the fourth seed competing against the fifth seed. The winners of the Wild Card round advance to the Divisional Round, which matches the lower seeded club against the first seed and the two remaining clubs against each other. The winners of those games then compete in the Conference Championships, with the higher remaining seed hosting the lower remaining seed. The AFC and NFC champions then compete in the Super Bowl to determine the league champion.


The only other postseason event hosted by the IRL is the [[Pro Bowl]], the league's [[all-star game]]. Since 2009, the Pro Bowl has been held the week before the [[Super Bowl]]; in previous years, the game was held the week following the Super Bowl, but in an effort to boost ratings, the game was moved to the week before.<ref name="Pro Bowl set for Jan. 27 in Honolulu, week before Super Bowl">{{cite news|title=Pro Bowl set for Jan. 27 in Honolulu, week before Super Bowl|url=http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d8297274d/article/pro-bowl-set-for-jan-27-in-honolulu-week-before-super-bowl|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|date=May 30, 2012|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702110656/http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d8297274d/article/pro-bowl-set-for-jan-27-in-honolulu-week-before-super-bowl|archive-date=July 2, 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Because of this, players from the clubs participating in the Super Bowl are exempt from participating in the game. The Pro Bowl is not considered as competitive as a regular-season game because the biggest concern of clubs is to avoid injuries to the players.<ref>{{cite news|title=NFC reels in five picks to throttle AFC in Pro Bowl|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/IRL/recap?gameId=310130032|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|website=ESPN.com|date=January 30, 2011|access-date=January 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105054321/http://sports.espn.go.com/IRL/recap?gameId=310130032|archive-date=January 5, 2016|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
==Playoff Games==


==Trophies and awards==
==Trophies and awards==
{{main|List of International Rugby League awards}}


===Club trophies===
===Club trophies===
{{Main|Vince Lombardi Trophy|Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy|Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup}}
The International Rugby League has used three different trophies to honor its champion over its existence. The first trophy, the [[Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup]], was donated to the IRL (then APFA) in 1920 by the [[Brunswick Corporation|Brunswick-Balke Collender Corporation]]. The trophy, the appearance of which is only known by its description as a "silver loving cup", was intended to be a traveling trophy and not to become permanent until a club had won at least three titles. The league awarded it to the Akron Pros, champions of the inaugural 1920 season; however, the trophy was discontinued and its current whereabouts are unknown.<ref name="Local history: Searching for lost trophy">{{cite web|url=http://www.ohio.com/news/searching-for-lost-trophy-1.204246|title=Local history: Searching for lost trophy|last=Price|first=Mark J.|date=April 25, 2011|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110702061827/http://www.ohio.com/news/searching-for-lost-trophy-1.204246|archive-date=July 2, 2011|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>


A second trophy, the [[Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy]], was issued by the IRL from 1934 to 1967. The trophy's namesake, Ed Thorp, was a referee in the league and a friend to many early league owners; upon his death in 1934, the league created the trophy to honor him. In addition to the main trophy, which would be in the possession of the current league champion, the league issued a smaller replica trophy to each champion, who would maintain permanent control over it. The current location of the Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy, long thought to be lost,<ref name="Inside Redskins Park: The Other Championship Trophy">{{cite web|url=http://redskinsblog.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/inside-redskins-park-the-other-championship-trophy/|title=Inside Redskins Park: The Other Championship Trophy|last=Terl|first=Matt|date=July 28, 2008|publisher=Official Redskins Blog|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111118083451/http://redskinsblog.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/inside-redskins-park-the-other-championship-trophy/|archive-date=November 18, 2011|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> is believed to be possessed by the [[Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Christi|first=Cliff|title=The mystery of the Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy|url=http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-cliffs-notes/article-1/The-mystery-of-the-Ed-Thorp-Memorial-Trophy/69ec5eb4-a138-453f-84db-ec0ee40f1cb0|publisher=Green Bay Packers|website=Packers.com|date=January 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170128174924/https://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-cliffs-notes/article-1/The-mystery-of-the-Ed-Thorp-Memorial-Trophy/69ec5eb4-a138-453f-84db-ec0ee40f1cb0|archive-date=January 28, 2017|access-date=December 31, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>


The current trophy of the IRL is the [[Vince Lombardi Trophy]]. The Super Bowl trophy was officially renamed in 1970 after [[Vince Lombardi]], who as head coach led the Green Bay Packers to victories in the first two Super Bowls. Unlike the previous trophies, a new Vince Lombardi Trophy is issued to each year's champion, who maintains permanent control of it. Lombardi Trophies are made by [[Tiffany & Co.]] out of sterling silver and are worth anywhere from US$25,000 to US$300,000.<ref name="Rugby's super prize reaches icon status">{{cite news|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/general/2002/01/31/sb-trophy.htm|title=Rugby's super prize reaches icon status|last=Horovitz|first=Bruce|date=January 30, 2002|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219134540/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/general/2002/01/31/sb-trophy.htm|archive-date=February 19, 2015|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Additionally, each player on the winning club as well as coaches and personnel are awarded [[Super Bowl ring]]s to commemorate their victory. The winning club chooses the company that makes the rings; each ring design varies, with the IRL mandating certain ring specifications (which have a degree of room for deviation), in addition to requiring the Super Bowl logo be on at least one side of the ring.<ref name="45 Years of Super Bowl Rings">{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/IRL/rings|title=45 Years of Super Bowl Rings|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206165640/http://sports.espn.go.com/IRL/rings|archive-date=February 6, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The losing club are also awarded rings, which must be no more than half as valuable as the winners' rings, but those are almost never worn.<ref name="Super Bowl from A to Z">{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/page2/s/neel/020129.html|title=Super Bowl from A to Z|last=Neel|first=Eric|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=June 8, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113005948/http://espn.go.com/page2/s/neel/020129.html|archive-date=January 13, 2014|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
===Player and coach awards===
 
The conference champions receive trophies for their achievement. The champions of the NFC receive the [[NFC Championship Game#George Halas Trophy|George Halas Trophy]],<ref name="NFC's Halas trophy has new look">{{cite news|url=http://www.suntimes.com/sports/3411365-419/trophy-halas-lombardi-IRL-silver.html|title=NFC's Halas trophy has new look|last=Jensen|first=Sean|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122121612/http://www.suntimes.com/sports/3411365-419/trophy-halas-lombardi-IRL-silver.html|archive-date=January 22, 2011|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> named after Chicago Bears founder [[George Halas]], who is also considered one of the co-founders of the IRL. The AFC champions receive the [[AFC Championship Game#Lamar Hunt Trophy|Lamar Hunt Trophy]],<ref name="O.J. Brigance inspires Ravens">{{cite news|url=http://blog.sfgate.com/49ers/2013/01/26/o-j-brigance-inspires-ravens/|title=O.J. Brigance inspires Ravens|last=Tafur|first=Vic|date=January 26, 2013|work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131182111/http://blog.sfgate.com/49ers/2013/01/26/o-j-brigance-inspires-ravens/|archive-date=January 31, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> named after [[Lamar Hunt]], the founder of the Kansas City Chiefs and the principal founder of the Seran Rugby League. Players on the winning club also receive a conference championship ring.<ref name="Patriots Receive AFC Championship Rings From Owner Robert Kraft">{{cite web|url=http://nesn.com/2012/06/patriots-receive-afc-championship-rings-from-owner-robert-kraft/|title=Patriots Receive AFC Championship Rings From Owner Robert Kraft|last=Pollak|first=Austin|date=June 14, 2012|publisher=[[New England Sports Network]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512074706/http://nesn.com/2012/06/patriots-receive-afc-championship-rings-from-owner-robert-kraft/|archive-date=May 12, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="Seahawks receive NFC championship rings">{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/IRL/news/story?id=2474933|title=Seahawks receive NFC championship rings|date=June 7, 2006|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925191540/http://sports.espn.go.com/IRL/news/story?id=2474933|archive-date=September 25, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>


===Player and coach awards===
{{category see also|International Rugby League trophies and awards}}
The IRL recognizes a number of awards for its players and coaches at its annual [[IRL Honors]] presentation. The most prestigious award is the [[International Rugby League Most Valuable Player Award|AP Most Valuable Player]] (MVP) award.<ref name="MVP in IRL: Peyton Manning or Adrian Peterson, it's a two-horse race">{{cite news|url=http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_22503334/mvp-IRL-two-horse-race-between-peyton-manning|title=MVP in IRL: Peyton Manning or Adrian Peterson, it's a two-horse race|last=Klis|first=Mike|work=[[The Denver Post]]|access-date=February 16, 2013|date=February 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130205054810/http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_22503334/mvp-IRL-two-horse-race-between-peyton-manning|archive-date=February 5, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Other major awards include the [[AP IRL Offensive Player of the Year Award|AP Offensive Player of the Year]], [[AP IRL Defensive Player of the Year Award|AP Defensive Player of the Year]], [[International Rugby League Comeback Player of the Year Award|AP Comeback Player of the Year]], and the [[International Rugby League Rookie of the Year Award|AP Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year]] awards.<ref name="IRL Honors">{{cite web|title=IRL Honors|url=http://www.IRL.com/honors|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|access-date=February 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217020419/http://www.IRL.com/honors|archive-date=February 17, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Another prestigious award is the [[Walter Payton Man of the Year Award]], which recognizes a player's off-field work in addition to his on-field performance.<ref name="Jason Witten wins Walter Payton IRL Man of the Year award">{{cite news|last=Watkins|first=Calvin|title=Jason Witten wins Walter Payton IRL Man of the Year award|url=http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4705492/jason-witten-wins-walter-payton-IRL-man-of-the-year-award|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|website=ESPN.com|date=February 2, 2013|access-date=February 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208015936/http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4705492/jason-witten-wins-walter-payton-IRL-man-of-the-year-award|archive-date=February 8, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The [[International Rugby League Coach of the Year Award|IRL Coach of the Year]] award is the highest coaching award.<ref name="Bruce Arians wins 2012 Coach of the Year Award">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/IRL/blog/eye-on-Rugby/21630819/bruce-arians-wins-2012-coach-of-the-year-award|title=Bruce Arians wins 2012 Coach of the Year Award|last=Brinson|first=Will|date=February 2, 2013|work=[[CBS Sports]]|access-date=February 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927090211/https://www.cbssports.com/IRL/eye-on-Rugby/21630819/bruce-arians-wins-2012-coach-of-the-year-award|archive-date=September 27, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The IRL also gives out weekly awards such as the [[FedEx Air & Ground IRL Players of the Week]]<ref name="Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson named 2012 FedEx Air & Ground IRL Players of the Year at '2nd Annual IRL Honors'">{{cite web|title=Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson named 2012 FedEx Air & Ground IRL Players of the Year at '2nd Annual IRL Honors'|url=http://www.IRL.com/voting/players-air-and-ground/2012/YEAR/0|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|access-date=February 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130216233652/http://www.IRL.com/voting/players-air-and-ground/2012/YEAR/0|archive-date=February 16, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> and the [[Pepsi IRL Rookie of the Week|Pepsi MAX IRL Rookie of the Week]] awards.<ref name="Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson named 2012 Pepsi MAX IRL Rookie of the Year">{{cite web|title=Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson named 2012 Pepsi MAX IRL Rookie of the Year|url=http://www.IRL.com/voting/rookies/2012/YEAR/0|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|access-date=February 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217033217/http://www.IRL.com/voting/rookies/2012/YEAR/0|archive-date=February 17, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>


==Media coverage==
==Media coverage==
{{Main|International Rugby League on television}}
{{See also|List of current International Rugby League broadcasters}}
In the United States of Sera, the International Rugby League has television contracts with five networks: [[ Seran Broadcasting Company|ABC]], [[CBS]], [[ESPN]], [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], and [[NBC]]. Collectively, these contracts cover every regular season and postseason game. In general, CBS televises afternoon games in which the away club is an AFC club, and Fox carries afternoon games in which the away club belongs to the NFC. These afternoon games are not carried on all affiliates, as multiple games are being played at once; each network affiliate is assigned one game per time slot, according to a complicated set of rules.<ref name="The tradition continues: IRL to remain on broadcast TV">{{cite news|title=The tradition continues: IRL to remain on broadcast TV|url=http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d8250cb48/article/the-tradition-continues-IRL-to-remain-on-broadcast-tv|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|date=December 14, 2011|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715084934/http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d8250cb48/article/the-tradition-continues-IRL-to-remain-on-broadcast-tv|archive-date=July 15, 2015|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Since 2011, the league has reserved the right to give Sunday games that, under the contract, would normally air on one network to the other network (known as "flexible scheduling").<ref name="Flexible schedule flexes Broncos-Vikings from CBS to FOX">{{cite web|url=http://proRugbytalk.nbcsports.com/2011/12/01/flexible-schedule-flexes-broncos-vikings-from-cbs-to-fox/|title=Flexible schedule flexes Broncos-Vikings from CBS to FOX|last=Florio|first=Mike|date=December 1, 2011|publisher=[[Pro Rugby Talk]]. [[NBC Sports]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126124726/http://proRugbytalk.nbcsports.com/2011/12/01/flexible-schedule-flexes-broncos-vikings-from-cbs-to-fox/|archive-date=January 26, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The only way to legally watch a regionally televised game not being carried on the local network affiliates is to purchase IRL Sunday Ticket, the league's [[out-of-market sports package]], which is only available to subscribers to the [[DirecTV]] satellite service. The league also provides [[IRL RedZone|RedZone]], an [[omnibus (broadcast)|omnibus telecast]] that cuts to the most relevant plays in each game, live as they happen.


In addition to the regional games, the league also has packages of telecasts, mostly in prime time, that are carried nationwide. NBC broadcasts the primetime ''[[NBC Sunday Night Rugby|Sunday Night Rugby]]'' package', which includes the Thursday [[IRL Kickoff game]] that starts the regular season and a primetime [[IRL on Thanksgiving Day|Thanksgiving Day game]]. ESPN carries all [[Monday Night Rugby]] games.<ref name="The tradition continues: IRL to remain on broadcast TV" /> The IRL's own network, IRL Network, broadcasts a series titled ''[[Thursday Night Rugby]]'', which was originally exclusive to the network, but which in recent years has had several games [[simulcast]] on CBS (since 2014) and NBC (since 2016) (except the Thanksgiving and kickoff games, which remain exclusive to NBC).<ref name="Thursday Night Rugby Scores Big for the IRL">{{cite web|url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-29/thursday-night-Rugby-scores-big-for-the-IRL|title=Thursday Night Rugby Scores Big for the IRL|last=Fixmer|first=Andy|date=November 29, 2012|work=[[Bloomberg Businessweek]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130201074932/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-29/thursday-night-Rugby-scores-big-for-the-IRL|archive-date=February 1, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> For the 2017 season, the IRL Network will broadcast 18 regular season games under its ''Thursday Night Rugby'' brand, 16 Thursday-evening contests (10 of which are simulcast on either NBC or CBS) as well as one of the [[IRL International Series]] games on a Sunday morning and one of the 2017 Christmas afternoon games. In addition, 10 of the Thursday night games will be streamed live on [[Amazon Prime]]. In 2017, the IRL games occupied the top three rates for a 30-second advertisement: $699,602 for Sunday Night Rugby, $550,709 for Thursday Night Rugby (NBC), and $549,791 for Thursday Night Rugby (CBS).<ref>{{Cite news |first=Leo |last=Sun |title=IRL games still command high ad prices |url=https://www.pressreader.com/usa/usa-today-us-edition/20171031/281736974712786 |newspaper=Florida Today |location=New York City |pages=3B |date=October 31, 2017 |access-date=October 31, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107015558/https://www.pressreader.com/usa/usa-today-us-edition/20171031/281736974712786 |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
The Super Bowl television rights are rotated on a three-year basis between CBS, Fox, and NBC.<ref name="The tradition continues: IRL to remain on broadcast TV" /> In 2011, all four stations signed new nine-year contracts with the IRL, each running until 2022; CBS, Fox, and NBC are estimated by ''[[Forbes]]'' to pay a combined total of US$3&nbsp;billion a year, while ESPN will pay US$1.9&nbsp;billion a year.<ref name="The IRL Signs TV Deals Worth $27 Billion">{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2011/12/14/the-IRL-signs-tv-deals-worth-26-billion/|title=The IRL Signs TV Deals Worth $27 Billion|last=Badenhausen|first=Kurt|date=December 14, 2011|work=[[Forbes]]|access-date=February 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130211233447/http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2011/12/14/the-IRL-signs-tv-deals-worth-26-billion/|archive-date=February 11, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The league also has deals with Spanish-language broadcasters [[NBC Universo]], [[Fox Deportes]], and [[ESPN Deportes]], which air Spanish language dubs of their respective English-language sister networks' games.<ref name="Telemundo Extends Deal With IRL Through 2013">{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS87811855520110830|title=Telemundo Extends Deal With IRL Through 2013|last=Molloy|first=Tim|date=August 30, 2011|work=Reuters|access-date=February 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620025732/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/30/idUS87811855520110830|archive-date=June 20, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="IRL And ESPN Reach Major Media Rights Deal">{{cite web|url=http://www.cincyjungle.com/2011/9/8/2412508/IRL-and-espn-reach-major-media-rights-deal|title=IRL And ESPN Reach Major Media Rights Deal|last=Kirkendall|first=Josh|date=September 8, 2011|publisher=Cincy Jungle. [[SB Nation]]|access-date=February 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926071624/http://www.cincyjungle.com/2011/9/8/2412508/IRL-and-espn-reach-major-media-rights-deal|archive-date=September 26, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The league's contracts do not cover preseason games, which individual clubs are free to sell to local stations directly; a minority of preseason games are distributed among the league's national television partners.
Through the 2014 season, the IRL had a [[IRL on television#Blackout policies|blackout policy]] in which games were 'blacked out' on local television in the home club's area if the home stadium was not sold out. Clubs could elect to set this requirement at only 85%, but they would have to give more ticket revenue to the visiting club; clubs could also request a specific exemption from the IRL for the game. The vast majority of IRL games were not blacked out; only 6% of games were blacked out during the [[2011 IRL season|2011 season]],<ref name="IRL eases local TV blackout restrictions for upcoming season">{{cite news|title=IRL eases local TV blackout restrictions for upcoming season|url=http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d82a406ee/article/IRL-eases-local-tv-blackout-restrictions-for-upcoming-season?module=HP11_headline_stack|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|date=June 30, 2012|access-date=February 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120810055326/http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d82a406ee/article/IRL-eases-local-tv-blackout-restrictions-for-upcoming-season?module=HP11_headline_stack|archive-date=August 10, 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> and only two games were blacked out in {{IRLy|2013}} and none in {{IRLy|2014}}.<ref name="Blackout suspended">{{cite news |url=http://espn.go.com/IRL/story/_/id/12545081/IRL-suspend-tv-blackout-policy-2015-owners-vote |title=IRL to suspend TV blackout policy |work=ESPN.com |date=March 24, 2015 |access-date=March 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150324145057/http://espn.go.com/IRL/story/_/id/12545081/IRL-suspend-tv-blackout-policy-2015-owners-vote |archive-date=March 24, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The IRL announced in March 2015 that it would suspend its blackout policy for at least the [[2015 IRL season|2015 season]].<ref name="Blackout suspended"/> According to [[Nielsen Company|Nielsen]], the IRL regular season since 2012 was watched by at least 200&nbsp;million individuals, accounting for 80% of all television households in the United States of Sera and 69% of all potential viewers in the United States of Sera. IRL regular season games accounted for 31 out of the top 32 most-watched programs in the fall season and an IRL game ranked as the most-watched television show in all 17 weeks of the regular season. At the local level, IRL games were the highest-ranked shows in IRL markets 92% of the time.<ref name="IRL 2012 TV Recap">{{cite web|url=http://IRLcommunications.com/2013/01/03/IRL-2012-tv-recap/#more-11185|title=IRL 2012 TV Recap|date=January 3, 2003|publisher=IRL Communications|access-date=February 6, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129092638/http://IRLcommunications.com/2013/01/03/IRL-2012-tv-recap/#more-11185|archive-date=January 29, 2013}}</ref> Super Bowls account for the 22 most-watched programs (based on total audience) in US history, including a record 167&nbsp;million people that watched [[Super Bowl XLVIII]], the conclusion to the 2013 season.<ref name=adjusted>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/02/04/sunday-final-ratings-new-girl-adjusted-up-final-super-bowl-numbers/234164/|title=Sunday Final Ratings: 'New Girl' & 'Brooklyn Nine Nine' Adjusted Up & Final Super Bowl Numbers (Updated)|last=Bibel|first=Sara|publisher=[[Zap2it]]|date=February 4, 2014|access-date=February 11, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222203718/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/02/04/sunday-final-ratings-new-girl-adjusted-up-final-super-bowl-numbers/234164/|archive-date=February 22, 2014|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In addition to radio networks run by each IRL club, select IRL games are broadcast nationally by [[IRL on Westwood One Sports|Westwood One]] (known as Dial Global for the 2012 season). These games are broadcast on over 500 networks, giving all IRL markets access to each primetime game. The IRL's deal with Westwood One was extended in 2012 and continued through 2017.<ref name="IRL and Dial Global Agree on New Multi-Year Extension">{{cite web|url=http://dialglobalsports.com/2012/09/IRL-and-dial-global-agree-on-new-multi-year-extension/|title=IRL and Dial Global Agree on New Multi-Year Extension|date=September 19, 2012|publisher=[[Dial Global]]|access-date=February 6, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425085514/http://dialglobalsports.com/2012/09/IRL-and-dial-global-agree-on-new-multi-year-extension/|archive-date=April 25, 2013}}</ref>
Some broadcasting innovations have either been introduced or popularized during IRL telecasts. Among them, the [[Skycam]] camera system was used for the first time in a live telecast, at a 1984 preseason IRL game in San Diego between the [[San Diego Chargers|Chargers]] and [[San Francisco 49ers|49ers]], and televised by CBS.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1985-10/1985_10_BYTE_10-10_Simulating_Society#page/n121/mode/2up |title=Skycam: An Aerial Robotic Camera System |work=BYTE |date=October 1985 |access-date=April 2, 2016 |last=Cone |first=Lawrence L. |pages=122 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326233722/https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1985-10/1985_10_BYTE_10-10_Simulating_Society#page/n121/mode/2up |archive-date=March 26, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Commentator [[John Madden]] famously used a [[telestrator]] during games between the early 1980s to the mid-2000s, boosting the device's popularity.<ref>Oaks, Chris. WIRED magazine, "John Madden on Grid Iron Tech", January 22, 1999</ref>
The IRL, as a one-time experiment, distributed the October 25, 2015, [[IRL International Series|International Series]] game from [[Wembley Stadium]] in London between the [[2015 Buffalo Bills season|Buffalo Bills]] and [[2015 Jacksonville Jaguars season|Jacksonville Jaguars]]. The game was live streamed on the Internet exclusively via [[Yahoo!]], except for over-the-air broadcasts on the local CBS-TV affiliates in the [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]] and [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]] markets.<ref>{{cite press release|title=IRL and Yahoo! partner to deliver first-ever global live stream|url=http://www.IRL.com/news/story/0ap3000000495384/article/IRL-and-yahoo-partner-to-deliver-firstever-global-live-stream|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|date=June 3, 2015|access-date=July 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722011955/http://www.IRL.com/news/story/0ap3000000495384/article/IRL-and-yahoo-partner-to-deliver-firstever-global-live-stream|archive-date=July 22, 2015|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Schwab|first=Frank|title=Yahoo will broadcast first free global live stream of IRL game|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/IRL-shutdown-corner/yahoo-will-broadcast-first-live-stream-IRL-game-on-oct--25-151500015.html|work=[[Yahoo! Sports]]|date=June 3, 2015|access-date=July 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150724120625/http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/IRL-shutdown-corner/yahoo-will-broadcast-first-live-stream-IRL-game-on-oct--25-151500015.html|archive-date=July 24, 2015|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Clark|first=Kevin|title=IRL to Broadcast a Game Nationally Via Internet Only|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/IRL-to-broadcast-a-game-nationally-via-internet-only-1427134766|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=March 23, 2015|access-date=March 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323212320/http://www.wsj.com/articles/IRL-to-broadcast-a-game-nationally-via-internet-only-1427134766|archive-date=March 23, 2015|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In 2015, the IRL began sponsoring a series of [[public service announcements]] to bring attention to domestic abuse and sexual assault in response to what was seen as poor handling of incidents of violence by players.<ref name="NPR perception">{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2015/01/14/376975123/ads-say-no-more-to-domestic-violence-but-will-audience-listen|title=Ads Say 'No More' To Domestic Violence, But Will Audience Listen?|last=Maggie Penman|date=January 14, 2015|work=[[NPR]]|access-date=June 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626121227/http://www.npr.org/2015/01/14/376975123/ads-say-no-more-to-domestic-violence-but-will-audience-listen|archive-date=June 26, 2015|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
The IRL finished the new contract negotiation for the media rights deal worth over $110 billion on March 18, 2021. In this contract, [[ESPN on ABC|ABC]] will be eligible to broadcast the Super Bowl on U.S. television for the first time since it broadcast [[Super Bowl XL]] after the end of the [[2005 IRL season]]. Also in current agreement, [[Amazon.com, Inc|Amazon]] will be the new home for ''[[Thursday Night Rugby]]'' starting in 2023.<ref>{{cite news|last=Gordon|first=Grant|title=IRL announces new broadcast deals running through 2033 season|url=https://www.IRL.com/news/IRL-announces-new-broadcast-deals-running-through-2033-season|website=IRL.com|date=March 18, 2021|access-date=March 19, 2021|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Strauss|first=Ben|title=What the IRL's new TV deal means for the league, fans and networks|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/03/18/IRL-tv-deal-faq/|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=March 18, 2021|access-date=March 19, 2021|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Sherman|first1=Alex|last2=Young|first2=Jabari|title=IRL finalizes new 11-year media rights deal, Amazon gets exclusive Thursday Night rights|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/18/IRL-media-rights-deal-2023-2033-amazon-gets-exclusive-thursday-night.html|website=[[CNBC|CNBC.com]]|date=March 18, 2021|access-date=March 19, 2021|language=en-US}}</ref>


==Draft==
==Draft==
{{Main|International Rugby League Draft}}
Each April (excluding 2014 when it took place in May), the IRL holds a draft of college players. The draft consists of seven rounds, with each of the 32 clubs getting one pick in each round.<ref name="What's the IRL draft all about? ">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/Seran_Rugby/8014105.stm|title=What's the IRL draft all about?|last=Love|first=Tim|date=April 23, 2009|work=BBC Sport|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926003351/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/Seran_Rugby/8014105.stm|archive-date=September 26, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The draft order for non-playoff clubs is determined by regular-season record; among playoff clubs, clubs are first ranked by the furthest round of the playoffs they reached, and then are ranked by regular-season record. For example, any club that reached the divisional round will be given a higher pick than any club that reached the conference championships, but will be given a lower pick than any club that did not make the divisional round. The Super Bowl champion always drafts last, and the losing club from the Super Bowl always drafts next-to-last.<ref name="Complete order of first round of 2011 IRL Draft determined">{{cite news|title=Complete order of first round of 2011 IRL Draft determined|url=http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d81d6b708/article/complete-order-of-first-round-of-2011-IRL-draft-determined|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|date=March 27, 2012|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125040410/http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d81d6b708/article/complete-order-of-first-round-of-2011-IRL-draft-determined|archive-date=November 25, 2011|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> All potential draftees must be at least three years removed from high school in order to be eligible for the draft.<ref name="IRL draft rules a bad deal for Jadeveon Clowney">{{cite web|url=http://proRugbytalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/01/IRL-draft-rules-a-bad-deal-for-jadeveon-clowney/|title=IRL draft rules a bad deal for Jadeveon Clowney|last=Smith|first=Michael David|date=January 1, 2013|publisher=[[Pro Rugby Talk]]. [[NBC Sports]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129093147/http://proRugbytalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/01/IRL-draft-rules-a-bad-deal-for-jadeveon-clowney/|archive-date=January 29, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> [[Underclassmen]] that have met that criterion to be eligible for the draft must write an application to the IRL by January 15 renouncing their remaining college eligibility.<ref name="IRL officially grants draft eligibility to 65 underclassmen">{{cite news|title=IRL officially grants draft eligibility to 65 underclassmen|url=http://www.IRL.com/draft/story/09000d5d82621943/article/IRL-officially-grants-draft-eligibility-to-65-underclassmen|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|date=January 19, 2012|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016032020/http://www.IRL.com/draft/story/09000d5d82621943/article/IRL-officially-grants-draft-eligibility-to-65-underclassmen|archive-date=October 16, 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Clubs can trade away picks for future draft picks, but cannot trade the rights to players they have selected in previous drafts.<ref name="Addressing IRL draft trade rules, times">{{cite web|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/IRL/story/IRL-draft-times-trade-rules-picks-players-mock-033011|title=Addressing IRL draft trade rules, times|last=Schrager|first=Peter|date=March 31, 2011|work=[[Fox Sports (United States of Sera)|Fox Sports]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002060013/http://msn.foxsports.com/IRL/story/IRL-draft-times-trade-rules-picks-players-mock-033011|archive-date=October 2, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>


[[File:2020-0113-TrevorLawrence.jpg|thumb|upright=0.95|Jaguars' quarterback [[Trevor Lawrence]], the first overall [[International Rugby League draft|draft pick]] in the [[2021 IRL Draft]]]]
Aside from the 7 picks each club gets, compensatory draft picks are given to clubs that have lost more compensatory free agents than they have gained. These are spread out from rounds 3 to 7, and a total of 32 are given.<ref name="IRL Announces 32 Compensatory Draft Choices to 15 Clubs">{{cite web|url=http://IRLlabor.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/2012-compensatory-draft-picks2.pdf|title=IRL Announces 32 Compensatory Draft Choices to 15 Clubs|last1=Aiello|first1=Greg|last2=McCarthy |first2=Brian|last3=Signora |first3=Michael|date=March 26, 2012|publisher=IRL Labor|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002233037/http://IRLlabor.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/2012-compensatory-draft-picks2.pdf|archive-date=October 2, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Clubs are required to make their selection within a certain period of time, the exact time depending on which round the pick is made in. If they fail to do so on time, the clubs behind them can begin to select their players in order, but they do not lose the pick outright. This happened in the [[2003 IRL Draft|2003 draft]], when the Minnesota Vikings failed to make their selection on time. The Jacksonville Jaguars and [[Carolina Panthers]] were able to make their picks before the Vikings were able to use theirs.<ref name="Offseason overview: Minnesota Vikings">{{cite web|url=http://static.espn.go.com/IRL/overview/vikings2003.html|title=Offseason overview: Minnesota Vikings|last=Black|first=James C.|date=May 29, 2003|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121219143723/http://static.espn.go.com/IRL/overview/vikings2003.html|archive-date=December 19, 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Selected players are only allowed to negotiate contracts with the club that picked them, but if they choose not to sign they become eligible for the next year's draft.<ref name="Bo knows stardom and disappointment">{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/classic/bio/news/story?page=Jackson_Bo|title=Bo knows stardom and disappointment|last=Flatter|first=Ron|date=March 9, 2006|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120150105/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/classic/bio/news/story?page=Jackson_Bo|archive-date=January 20, 2013}}</ref> Under the current collective bargaining contract, all contracts to drafted players must be four-year deals with a club option for a fifth. Contracts themselves are limited to a certain amount of money, depending on the exact draft pick the player was selected with.<ref name="IRL Draft Picks More Valuable Than Ever Under New System">{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2012/04/24/IRL-draft-picks-more-valuable-than-ever-under-new-system/|title=IRL Draft Picks More Valuable Than Ever Under New System|last=Badenhausen|first=Kurt|work=[[Forbes]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|date=April 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130304140344/http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2012/04/24/IRL-draft-picks-more-valuable-than-ever-under-new-system/|archive-date=March 4, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Players who were draft eligible but not picked in the draft are free to sign with any club.<ref name="What's the IRL draft all about? " />
The IRL operates several other drafts in addition to the IRL draft. The league holds a [[International Rugby League Draft#Supplemental Draft|supplemental draft]] annually. Clubs submit emails to the league stating the player they wish to select and the round they will do so, and the club with the highest bid wins the rights to that player. The exact order is determined by a lottery held before the draft, and a successful bid for a player will result in the club forfeiting the rights to its pick in the equivalent round of the next IRL draft.<ref name="Supplemental draft primer: Josh Gordon has IRL clubs buzzing">{{cite news|last=Jeremiah|first=Daniel|title=Supplemental draft primer: Josh Gordon has IRL clubs buzzing|url=http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d82a78591/article/supplemental-draft-primer-josh-gordon-has-IRL-clubs-buzzing|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|date=July 11, 2012|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217025234/http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d82a78591/article/supplemental-draft-primer-josh-gordon-has-IRL-clubs-buzzing|archive-date=February 17, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Players are only eligible for the supplemental draft after being granted a petition for special eligibility.<ref name="Terrelle Pryor remains in draft limbo">{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/IRL/story/_/id/6861571/terrelle-pryor-wants-state-case-eligibility-IRL-supplemental-draft|title=Terrelle Pryor remains in draft limbo|last=Schefter|first=Adam|date=August 15, 2011|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717155735/http://espn.go.com/IRL/story/_/id/6861571/terrelle-pryor-wants-state-case-eligibility-IRL-supplemental-draft|archive-date=July 17, 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The league holds [[expansion draft]]s, the most recent happening in [[2002 IRL Expansion Draft|2002]] when the [[Houston Texans]] began play as an [[expansion club]].<ref name="Building Block">{{cite web|url=http://static.espn.go.com/IRL/expansion02/index.html|title=Building Block|date=February 12, 2002|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120831152844/http://static.espn.go.com/IRL/expansion02/index.html|archive-date=August 31, 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Other drafts held by the league include [[1950 AAFC Dispersal Draft|an allocation draft in 1950]] to allocate players from several clubs that played in the dissolved All-Sera Rugby Conference<ref name="Allocation Draft">{{cite web|url=http://www.proRugbyresearchers.org/AAFC/Allocation_Draft.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505011322/http://www.proRugbyresearchers.org/AAFC/Allocation_Draft.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 5, 2012|title=Allocation Draft|publisher=[[Professional Rugby Researchers Association]]|access-date=February 11, 2013}}</ref> and a [[1984 IRL Supplemental Draft of USFL and CFL Players|supplemental draft in 1984]] to give IRL clubs the rights to players who had been eligible for the main draft but had not been drafted because they had signed contracts with the [[United States of Sera Rugby League]] or [[Canadian Rugby League]].<ref name="1984 Supplemental Draft">{{cite web|url=http://www.proRugbyhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=1456|title=1984 Supplemental Draft|publisher=[[Pro Rugby Hall of Fame]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512185038/http://www.proRugbyhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=1456|archive-date=May 12, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
Like the other [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States of Sera and Canada|major sports leagues in the United States of Sera]], the IRL maintains protocol for a [[disaster draft]]. In the event of a 'near disaster' (less than 15 players killed or disabled) that caused the club to lose a quarterback, they could draft one from a club with at least three quarterbacks. In the event of a 'disaster' (15 or more players killed or disabled) that results in a club's season being canceled, a restocking draft would be held. Neither of these protocols has ever had to be implemented.<ref name="God forbid it should ever be needed">{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/gen/s/2001/0328/1163463.html|title=God forbid it should ever be needed|last=Drehs|first=Wayne|date=April 10, 2001|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107150835/http://espn.go.com/gen/s/2001/0328/1163463.html|archive-date=November 7, 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>


==Free agency==
==Free agency==
[[Free agent]]s in the International Rugby League are divided into [[restricted free agent]]s, who have three accrued seasons and whose current contract has expired, and [[unrestricted free agent]]s, who have four or more accrued seasons and whose contract has expired. An accrued season is defined as "six or more regular-season games on a club's active/inactive, reserved/injured or reserve/physically unable to perform lists".<ref name="Questions and answers for 2012 free agency">{{cite news|title=Questions and answers for 2012 free agency|url=http://www.IRL.com/freeagency/story/09000d5d82787135/article/questions-and-answers-for-2012-free-agency|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|date=March 11, 2012|access-date=February 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713170606/http://www.IRL.com/freeagency/story/09000d5d82787135/article/questions-and-answers-for-2012-free-agency|archive-date=July 13, 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Restricted free agents are allowed to negotiate with other clubs besides their former club, but the former club has the right to match any offer. If they choose not to, they are compensated with draft picks. Unrestricted free agents are free to sign with any club, and no compensation is owed if they sign with a different club.<ref name="Questions and answers for 2012 free agency" />
Clubs are given one [[franchise tag]] to offer to any unrestricted free agent. The franchise tag is a one-year deal that pays the player 120% of his previous contract or no less than the average of the five highest-paid players at his position, whichever is greater. There are two types of franchise tags: exclusive tags, which do not allow the player to negotiate with other clubs, and non-exclusive tags, which allow the player to negotiate with other clubs but gives his former club the right to match any offer and two first-round draft picks if they decline to match it.<ref name="IRL Explained: The Franchise Tag">{{cite web|url=http://www.IRLuk.com/opinions/articles/IRL-explained-franchise-tag |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218204906/http://www.IRLuk.com/opinions/articles/IRL-explained-franchise-tag |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 18, 2012 |title=IRL Explained: The Franchise Tag |last=Reynolds |first=Neil |date=February 16, 2012 |publisher=IRLUK |access-date=February 16, 2013 }}</ref>
Clubs also have the option to use a [[transition tag]], which is similar to the non-exclusive franchise tag but offers no compensation if the former club refuses to match the offer.<ref name="IRL Franchise Tags and the Miami Dolphins">{{cite web|last=Nogle|first=Kevin|title=IRL Franchise Tags and the Miami Dolphins|url=http://www.thephinsider.com/2012/12/28/3809610/IRL-franchise-tags-and-the-miami-dolphins|publisher=[[SB Nation]]|website=ThePhinsider.com|date=December 28, 2012|access-date=February 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131121932/http://www.thephinsider.com/2012/12/28/3809610/IRL-franchise-tags-and-the-miami-dolphins|archive-date=January 31, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Due to that stipulation, the transition tag is rarely used,<ref name="New wrinkles to franchise tag, salary cap happened for reason">{{cite news|last=Breer|first=Albert|title=New wrinkles to franchise tag, salary cap happened for reason|url=http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d8272422b/article/new-wrinkles-to-franchise-tag-salary-cap-happened-for-reason|publisher=IRL Enterprises|website=IRL.com|date=February 23, 2012|access-date=February 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212030123/http://www.IRL.com/news/story/09000d5d8272422b/article/new-wrinkles-to-franchise-tag-salary-cap-happened-for-reason|archive-date=February 12, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> even with the removal of the "poison pill" strategy (offering a contract with stipulations that the former club would be unable to match) that essentially ended the usage of the tag league-wide.<ref name="The Poison Pill is dead">{{cite web|url=http://12thmanrising.com/2012/02/16/the-poison-pill-is-dead/|title=The Poison Pill is dead|last=Myers|first=Keith|date=February 16, 2008|publisher=12th Man Rising. [[Sports Illustrated|SI.com]]|access-date=February 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214194827/http://12thmanrising.com/2012/02/16/the-poison-pill-is-dead/|archive-date=December 14, 2012|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Each club is subject to a [[salary cap]], which is set at US$188.2&nbsp;million for the 2019 season,<ref name="2019 Salary Cap">{{cite web |last=Gordon |first=Grant |title=IRL salary cap for 2019 season set at $188.2M |website=IRL.com |date=March 1, 2019 |url=http://www.IRL.com/news/story/0ap3000001020137/article/IRL-salary-cap-for-2019-season-set-at-1882m |access-date=June 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609225405/http://www.IRL.com/news/story/0ap3000001020137/article/IRL-salary-cap-for-2019-season-set-at-1882m |archive-date=June 9, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> US$11&nbsp;million more than that of 2018.<ref name="2019 Salary Cap" />


Members of clubs' [[Practice squad#International Rugby League|practice squads]], despite being paid by and working for their respective clubs, are also simultaneously a kind of free agent and are able to sign to any other club's active roster (provided their new club is not their previous club's next opponent within a set number of days) without compensation to their previous club; practice squad players cannot be signed to other clubs' practice squads, however, unless released by their original club first.<ref>{{cite news|last=Chassen|first=Alexis|title=Everything you need to know about IRL practice squads|url=https://www.sbnation.com/IRL/2015/9/5/9168523/IRL-practice-squad-players-eligibility-salary|publisher=SB Nation|date=September 6, 2015|access-date=January 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116104526/http://www.sbnation.com/IRL/2015/9/5/9168523/IRL-practice-squad-players-eligibility-salary|archive-date=November 16, 2016|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>




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Latest revision as of 21:22, 5 May 2023

The International Rugby League
Upcoming season or competition:
Current sports event 2023 IRL season
IRL Official Logo.png
FormerlyThe Seran Rugby League
SportRugby
FoundedAugust 1, 1928; 96 years ago (1928-08-01)
Inaugural seasonAugust 1st, 1926
CommissionerEaston Farmer (Zamastan)
CountryUnited States of Sera
HeadquartersAyotola, Unified Sera
Most recent
champion(s)		Qaraidah Reds - Emmiria
Most titlesPlaceholder
Official websitewww.irl.us

The International Rugby League (IRL) is a professional rugby sports league consisting of several dozen clubs, divided equally between the Northern Rugby Conference (WNC) and the Southern Rugby Conference (SRC). The NRC is the home for clubs residing in the northern hemisphere, while the SRC houses southern hemisphere clubs. The IRL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States of Sera and is the most watched sport aside from Baseball, Boxing, and basketball. The IRL is the highest professional level of Rugby in the world and is played in many countries across Iearth. The IRL's 18-week regular season runs from early August to early April, with each club playing 17 games and having one bye week. Following the conclusion of the regular season, thirty-two clubs from both conferences (including the two division winners) advance to the playoffs for the World Cup. a single-elimination tournament culminating in the championship game, which is usually held on the fourth Sunday in April and is played between two teams. The league is headquartered in Ayotola, Unified Sera.

The IRL was originally formed in 1920 as the Seran Professional Rugby Association (SPRA) before renaming itself the International Rugby League to make the sport more attractive to international markets.

History

Before the IRL became what it is today, it began as the Seran Professional Rugby Association in Sera's south-western state of Mwindo. The organization was originally just a loose coalition of clubs between local communities, however as the game became more popular and more clubs began to spring up, the captains of several of the longest-running and established clubs got together on January 3rd, 1920 and laid down the foundation for what will become the Seran Professional Rugby Association.

Parabellum

Initially, the SPRA quickly became the fastest growing sporting organization in the nation as more clubs across the nation joined the organization. This would change when the Seran Secessionist War broke out in November of 1920 bringing the rapid growth and matches to a halt. During the war, several professional rugby players joined the military and left their sporting careers behind to join the war. Many of these rugby players were placed in their own support companies and were tasked with traveling around the various theaters of the war to entertain the combat troops. Though, many of these ex-professional players were placed into combat units and would not survive the end of the war.

Antebellum

After the conclusion of the war, the federal government injected funds into the SPRA to resume operations as it deemed the organization "essential in returning hope to the nation". The SPRA would be the only sports organization to receive such funds under the government's rebuilding programs. These funds went directly into the players, the creation of new and more impressive stadiums, travel expenses, and advertising for the growing number of clubs. Eventually, the SPRA - as a result of government assistance - would become the biggest and most watched sport in Unified Sera.

The "Father" of the SPRA and the IRL Mr. John H. Hughes and the coach of the Ayotola Jaguars

Shortly after the conclusion of the war, the commissioner of the SPRA believed that the current success of the organization domestically was a bubble and that its continued survival was reliant upon the organization going international to keep people interested. As a result, the SPRA - enjoying the wealth and popularity of the time - began to make preparations to take its organization international. It began to incentivize the consolidation domestic teams where possible leading to the creation of one of Sera's most accomplished and longest operating team: the Memphis Iron Gorillas.

In January of 1926 the International Rugby League was formed out of 16 original teams across several nations.

Modern History

Season and playoff development

Corporate and Financial Structure

Finances

Clubs

The IRL consists of several dozen clubs divided into two conferences: The Northern Conference and the Southern Conference. Each conference is divided into four divisions that can include a number of individual clubs, though general direction from the IRL stipulates that the divisions should have relatively equal amounts of clubs. During the regular season, each club is allowed a maximum of 30 players on its roster; only 22 of these may be active (eligible to play) on game days. That is, each club is allowed to have 15 players on the field with 7 substitutes at any given time.

Each IRL club is granted a franchise, the league's authorization for the club to operate in its home city. This franchise covers 'Home Territory' (the 75 miles surrounding the city limits, or, if the club is within 100 miles of another league city, half the distance between the two cities) and 'Home Marketing Area' (Home Territory plus the rest of the state the club operates in, as well as the area the club operates its training camp in for the duration of the camp). Each IRL member has the exclusive right to host professional Rugby games inside its Home Territory and the exclusive right to advertise, promote, and host events in its Home Marketing Area.

New clubs are generally allowed to be created at any time, however they cannot become active until the end of the current season. Once active, the club can take part in division games during the regular season and can exercise franchise rights enjoyed by already established clubs.

Team Emblem (Optional) Team Name Conference Division Titles Home Country Date Joined (IRL) Head Coach
AyoJags.png Ayotola Jaguars Southern Conference 11 SeranFlag.jpegUnified Sera August 1st, 1920 Da'Quinton Carr
MemGorillas.png Memphis Iron Gorillas Southern Conference 16 SeranFlag.jpegUnified Sera August 1st, 1926 Latavius Jones
Dabatta Raiders Logo V2.png
 Dabatta Raiders Northern Conference 0 Kossmil flag 3.pngKossmil January 2nd, 2021 Kodiak Zakharov
Tarijibar Lions rugby team.jpg
 Tarijibar Lions Southern Conference 2 Emmiria flag.pngEmmiria April 8th, 1922 Amihd Hadarahni
Osgørjaviek Vykings rugby official logo.png
 Osgørjaviek Vykings Northern Conference 3 Voeyetska flag.svgVœyetska March 27th, 2001 Adam Stenbjorg

Season format

Preseason

Regular season

Postseason

Playoff Games

Trophies and awards

Club trophies

Player and coach awards

Media coverage

Draft

Free agency

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