One of the common comments about Rugby 7s in America is that it is the way forward to bring fans into the game—simpler to understand than 15s and more fast-paced. Sevens is fan-friendly and Premier Rugby Sevens CEO Owen Scannell knows that.

This is the second part of our interview with PR7s CEO Owen Scannell as we discuss how 2023 went for the professional 7s league and what’s ahead for 2023. Part 1: A Big 2023 for Premier Rugby Sevens; What's Next for 2024?

The fact that the format means just about every game matters, as Scannell discussed in our previous interview, means fans are always invested. If you look at the games on their own, the vast majority came down to the final possession. 

“We wanted the standard to be high and balanced, and it was,” said Scannell.

This was a happy benefit of focusing on the competition first and worrying a little less about chasing fans early-on. The fans, Scannell and his staff reasoned, needed a product they can get behind.

Fans Find Loyalties

“The most rewarding aspect of 2023 was the fan engagement,” said Scannell. “We developed these teams with their own nicknames and their identity is being embraced by fans. We brought in the Pittsburgh Steeltoes and Golden State Retrievers this year and it was clear from the start that the crowd had come to see their own local teams.”

The Steeltoes had also wisely embraced the classic Pittsburgh sports color scheme (black and gold) already used by the Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins. The same could be said of the Retrievers, which is tied to the Bay Area and has a similar color scheme to the Golden State Warriors. 

Those things matter.

With 2023 being the first time Scannell was able to spend time watching PR7s action as a fan, he saw something.

“For the final in the Bay Area, the Retrievers lost the match, but the crowd was very loud. There are a lot of rugby fans looking for a team to cheer for, a team to follow. Once they find that team, they are with them forever. We chose nicknames for the teams that would mean something for the region. I think it’s gone well; we wanted to create a unique identity for the teams and the league, and yes, we took some risks, but the names weren’t come up with on a whim.”

Note the Loonies gear ... including socks! Photos Premier Rugby Sevens

If they had just been teams named after ferocious creatures, how different would that be from any other league? So instead, PR7s came up with nicknames and color schemes that resonated with an area. What other sport has a team called the Headliners? Or the Loonies?

To reset, the eight franchises in PR7s are the Pittsburgh Steeltoes, Southern Headliners, the New York Locals, and the Texas Team in the Eastern Conference and the Rocky Mountain Experts, Golden State Retrievers, SoCal Loggerheads, and Northern Loonies in the Western Conference.

“The fans have now taken the lead on this,” Scannell said. “They have taken the moniker of the team and made it their own. It created unique branding for us, but now we see these teams are able to tell their stories.”

And now you see fans in their team’s gear (not to mention in The Team’s gear in Texas). They bring signs. They know players. 

“For me putting on the fan’s hat for the first time, I was on the edge of my seat, I was on my feet watching these games,” Scannell said. “It was easy to become a fan and I think that bodes well.”