The USA v New Zealand test match looks set to be a massive financial windfall for USA Rugby.

tickets sales have topped 40,000 and are expected to go above 50,000 before kickoff November 1 at Soldier Field in Chicago. This game was a bit of a risk for USA Rugby, but it appears, at present, to have paid off with easily the biggest paying crowd at an American rugby event.

With tickets starting at $30, it’s like that USA Rugby will gross at least $2 million (although that is blatant speculation).

However, there’s a dark cloud to the silver lining. With 2015 being a Men’s 15s Rugby World Cup year, there will be no tour from a Tier I nation in June. Since USA Rugby has been averaging close to 20,000 at these games the past three years (all in Houston), that’s a significant payday lost in a year when expenses are up. So USA Rugby will have to think long and hard about how to apportion profits from the All Blacks test match.

“In 2015 costs will go up and revenue will probably be reduced,” USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville told Goff Rugby Report.

Interestingly, major nations have been petitioning the IRB for financial compensation from the Rugby World Cup because they don’t get to host major tours in a RWC year. USA Rugby is looking to do the same thing, and haven’t been shown the door yet.

“The good news is, we are talking to the IRB about it,” said Melville.