MLR Weekly: Players Rep Nick Civetta re Accord With Owners. News/Opinion from Fitzpatrick & Ray

OXFORD, ENGLAND – Major League Rugby is now just four weeks from the start of #MLR2024. Teams are under the gun to finalize rosters, prep venues and settle into season 7. With an agreement between owners and players re unionizing, and two new teams, things are looking good. In this MLR Weekly, player’s rep Nick Civetta (former USA Rugby and MLR star) gives the players’ stance on the aforementioned agreement, the significance of Anthem Carolina in re to USA Rugby, and the collapse of Toronto and New York. He also addresses the rumors concerning his lacing up the boots again in San Diego.

Also included this week are John Fitzpatrick of Rugby Morning with news and rumors, and Bryan Ray of Americas Rugby News with a rant about recent MLR transactions.

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Next on mlr weekly retired Major League rugby and USA Rugby star turned player rep Nick chaveta Brian Ray of America’s rugby news and John Fitzpatrick of rugby morning yeah rugby wrap-ups mlr weekly brought to you by sheii auto stores it’s easy at sheii the pig and whistle New

York City the world’s best rugby p and lean and limber stretching your way to a healthier [Applause] lifestyle hello and welcome to mlr weekly as presented by rugby rep up Matt McCarthy New York City thank you for joining us once again we have a great show we have Nick chaveta the former Major League rugby and USA Rugby star now helping rep the players union he’s

Waiting in the wings we also have Brian Ray of America’s rugby news with a rant but before we get to any of that we have our recurring segment rugby morning’s coffee break with John Fitzpatrick from the nation’s capital John how are you what do you got for us hey Matt how are

You doing today I really do want to know how are you doing wonderful thanks for asking that’s great to here hey you want to talk about Major League rugby yeah I’d love to perfect hey how about this labor peace in Major League rugby right mlr and United States rugby Players

Association they announced the signing of a voluntary recognition agreement which is basically just a fancy way to say that usrp is officially recognized as the representative for mlr players Matt you’re an extra on the movie Junior with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny deito so you know all about about labor

Pains is this is this a big Deal oh I was the stunt baby ironically you mentioned labor pains I see what you’re doing there uh it is a big deal and this uh period of day taant that we can look forward to was orchestrated in part a large part by Our Guest waiting

In the Green Room Mr Nick Cheta former Major League rugby player and USA rugby player now working on the board of usraa which we may name rename arpa American rugby Players Association Next will you be breaking some chabata with Cheta hey mlr has new balls that’s right raing rugby they

Announced a partnership with Gilbert rugby balls and get this it’s going to include a tracking device courtesy of sports tech company sportable excuse me I’m not being paid for this by the way but it’s include some type of tracking device it’s going to give realtime insights on speed and distance and

Meters gained and all that stuff but man I got to ask you what stat do you want tracked well you know the thing is with all the technology and and and every everybody know where you are all the time and and and and Google listening in

And and and then you know uh apple and all of it you know they know exactly what’s going on do you want somebody tracking your balls next yes I do man I got to say this this seems like this seems like a jump ahead of the NFL the

NFL is still using a a you know ball in chain and all that stuff mly rugby putting some tech in their balls I love it hey man I don’t know if you saw this but World rugby they shared fixtures for the Pacific 4 Series again that’s the

USA Women’s Eagles taking on Canada New Zealand and Australia the us is going to host Canada on April 27th location TBD but if you go back a couple episodes when you were talking with the owner of rfcl I get the impression that that match might be hosted in Los Angeles

Double header what do you think of that I think it would be great and that was Pete sickle who was on this program a couple of three weeks ago and uh yeah they’re forward thinking they’re they’re collectively thinking and it’s a good thing ironically the Canadians are going

To be hosting their Pacific po game in New Finland next man that’s really all I got I just want to know are they going to play the national anthem ahead of the anthem games or would the anthem have a new Anthem ahead of the national anthem Yes actually Matt I’ve got one more

Question I noticed something you didn’t yell next yeah I was criticized uh for annoying people by yelling next all the time and it made this one person really angry and that was Steve Lewis and Steve complained to me that I can’t about my yelling next so here I am a Kinder

Softer Matt McCarthy with my nexts next next segment all right on that note I want to thank John Fitzpatrick of rugby morning John you’ve been great again let’s go to a commercial break before we break in Nick Cheta next digs Like A demented mole there need a great price on a new vehicle

Sheii makes it easy easy price shows you our lowest prices on the mid-atlantic’s largest selection find your best price online or at any of our 31 Dealerships you need your cleats you need them tomorrow if you order today by 3:00 p.m. New York time or noon La time they can have them to you tomorrow young old male female if you’re playing on Turf if you’re playing on grass if you’re playing in the rain you’re

Playing in the heat they’ve got you covered rugby now.com go there [Applause] now and we’re back with the artist that for formerly known as Nick Ceta now Nick Cheta calling in from England Nick welcome back to mlr weekly uh thanks for having me Mt good to good to be back on mlr weekly and the uh the reason you’re here ladies and gentlemen it’s a

Breaking story Nick is renouncing retirement to announce that he’s joining the San Diego Legion a because he wants to be re reunited with his tall Pals Greg Peterson and Charlie u b because he’s absolutely sick of the weather in England C because San Diego plays on grass and D because he’s absolutely sick

Of the weather in [Laughter] England God that would that would be uh oh that’s I wouldn’t say I I don’t dream about that but you know it’s uh certainly not on the cards all right so anyway the one of the reasons that you’re on here is because we’ve had a uh

An olive branch an agreement of sorts between the players and the owners in Major League rugby and not that I’m going to take full credit for this but I’m taking full credit for this off this show and in the pubs but in the meantime walk us through the the

Agreement and and treat us like you’re talking you’re talking to the guy on the street or the girl on the street the outcome of a number of years work from the players to to build um the support to to drive a um a campaign for Organization for the Players Association

To file for an election to demonstrate to the league that the will of the players would be heard um and culminated in um a last minute agreement with the league that voluntarily recognizes the player Association and for go the labor election that was scheduled to happen in

In a couple weeks right so um fundamentally we are at the stage now where we are the official bargaining partner of of mlr players um we are desperately looking forward to the next step as an organization Right Moving from an organizing phase where we’ve garnered the support of the players um

And moving into you know bargaining phase right where we organize ourselves and and and craft a collective bargain agreement and come to the table with the league and and approach trying to find common ground in in a collective bargaining right which is completely different animal to um to the organiz

Organization phase of a union so um fundamentally you know our legal status as players has already changed um we are a unionized player race we are we when I say we I mean mlr players I’m not one of them but as a leader of the organization

Um you know we are in a position now to make full use of the rights afforded to us under the National Labor Relations act you know we can negotiate for the terms and conditions of our employment okay so in terms of what you guys were looking for this is a good

Thing yeah I mean this is the fundamental step you know fundamental next step in the organization right now we’re in a position where you know we can look more internally and not focus on organizing and not focus on our on our on our counterparty stakeholder the

League we need to focus on ourselves um and come to agreement amongst ourselves what it is we want to get out of a bargaining agreement right so it’s it’s that it’s fundamentally taking the next step as an organization to that point where the focus has changed and it’s

It’s focused on the future which is great so let me get to this though because you played for rugby New York right and in essence we both worked for them in different capacities I was I was a I was the play-by-play guy you were a player yeah this is an

Impossible question to answer but I’ll ask it anyway if the agreement came out prior to Toronto announcing they were going out do you think it would have had an impact on those two teams staying in the league that’s a tough question I don’t think so I mean fundamentally guy wanted out of

New York right he thought he had buyers the buyers weren’t real right they didn’t want to put the money down when it came to it right that’s the story I’ve heard from from multiple people confirmed multiple times difficult right the Toronto situation is completely different the guy passed away Bill web

Passed away which is a great loss to to Canadian rugby and a lot of stuff was tied up in Probate they couldn’t get it out right it’s complicated situation they couldn’t find investors rugby Canada couldn’t step in potentially like it’s it’s it’s trick in no way can you attribute this to some existential

Crisis about Labor peace or a lack of Labor peace you know you look at well there is a way I mean it’s you can’t say there’s no way I mean listen you look at I mean these these investors are Savvy investors right are they not these guys investing in rugby United States the

Entire us Sports Market is unionized and has a Players Association this is the cost of doing business if there is even a cost associated with it it is the cost of doing business that this is part of the landscape that you enter into so if this Spooks you you’re probably not even

In the business to begin with and just to be clear I am not pinning the timing on the players I’m just asking the question and you know being here in New York on the ground what I would say is watching everything involved I would say that that potential investor was not

Completely uh imaginary he was real and I think he got spooked by by Toronto pulling out potentially yeah no yeah Toronto pulling out I mean that’s I think by Toronto pulling out that could that could spook an investor the Spectre of a Players Association that’s not

Going to Spook him master I think it’s a ridiculous premise okay all right well you know we could we can agree to disagree that’s okay by me I mean you know that’s that’s your prerogative to believe that I start calling your names killing investment in

The mlr you know I I see I see a rich landscape of of of owners of mlr teams who are willing to commit to the long-term success of rugby in the United States right that’s how I see the mlr developing and I’m confirmation of that from the owners that that’s that’s that

They’re invested for the long term well absolutely you talk to every single one of them individually yeah they’re they’re all’re all spend money sorry some some of them yes but some of them not right well but they are putting their money where their mouth is they’re spending it

Yeah some of them have and some of them have have decided that they they are done with it that it was an experiment that did not line up with their future investment strategy you mean the New York ownership were perhaps is that perhaps well because in Atlanta you had

The same situation as you had in Toronto the owner passed away unfortunately great great rugby guy Great American rugby guy it’s you know I guess you know I keep saying I kid around with the owners that I speak to um regularly and I say uh how’s the heart you know because the

Model is is with you know right now in this embryonic stage and it’s still embryonic it’s year seven you got the Reliance on you know some franchises one individual right and that’s not the ideal model we’re not the NFL I mean it’s okay with if you’re Jerry Jones

Right it’s a different animal but you know we’re seeing we’re seeing the uh the issues that happen when that’s the case but at the same time we’re in year seven we now have some Accord if you will with the players and the owners uh with the idea that they’re going to

Build on that everybody’s going to build on that so I’m feeling pretty good about this season despite the fact that we lost two teams we got two teams so you’re the perfect guy to to address this because you have been an eagle and you have played in this mlr setup do you

Think the anthem should just be devoted to developing USA players for the Eagle pool and do you think that Scott Lawrence should run the anthem or be in charge of the Eagles I mean isn’t that that’s what they’re that’s the anthem is involved in the development of American

Yeah but they they announced like uh this earlier this week that there’s going to be International slots on the team and I thought that that was the reality that they had to have anyway yeah but you know and you’re going to get people you know slamming the fist on

The T and I’m like no you don’t have to slam I don’t know I wouldn’t I wouldn’t really worry too much about that I think they’ll probably approach it in a smart way and have experienced guys who can contribute for the right reasons to the growth of Americans on the team I think

The mission of that team is is probably slightly different to the mission of you know another mlr team right and that’ll be part of the culture of the team as well so the the foreign players that they bring in will be involved in creating that culture so without a doubt

To be careful consideration into to who the guys are who are in that environment um and you know I think Scott is is involved with the anthem as well as involved with the Eagles right I think you you need to create as you see in in any successful sports program a pathway

From you know just using rugby as an example under 17s under 20s under 23s if there is such a thing to the club teams to the inter the national team um you need to create a coherent pathway right so there needs to be processes in place that guys start to understand from a

Young age when they’re on the anthem wherever they may be what what it requires to be an international rugby player and what it means to be an eagle um and this is part of fleshing out that mission I’m sure right is is is is creating these opportunities for guys to

Be in that environment he’s not going to be able to do both but would you like to see Scott in charge of the anthem or in charge of the Eagles I don’t I don’t really have an opinion I I think you’ll have a hand in both it’ll be hopefully

The leader of the Eagles you know going forward and involved in the anthem you know the man the man is a machine and I look forward to seeing you know the work he can do for USA Rugby uh Nick once again thank you sir for coming on yeah

No problem all right buddy on that note uh let’s take a brief break and come back with Brian Ray of America’s rugby news after this I wouldn’t like to be at the bottom of that if you’re in New York City and want to watch some great rugby

Have some great food and some great times go to the world’s best rugby Pub the pig and whis on West 36th Street this is the rugby odds where an unlikely funded panel of a word Smith a WWE legend a rugby star and a super model scour the globe seeking Best Bets and bad behavior are you not entertained [Applause] [Applause] and we’re back with Mr Brian Ray of America’s rugby news who is fing on Bunker Hill in his free Jack’s attire Brian welcome back to mlr weekly great to be here it’s a little bit chilly where I am but thankfully I have this mlr Champion New England free Jacks

Jacket to keep me warm that’s your cold voice that’s that’s what I’ve got horrible that is ridiculous for a guy that’s just be just you’re always cold you’re in Nova Scotia so just be yourself yeah I suppose all right so you know we were talking off camera and uh I we were

Reflecting on some of the the stuff going on in the internet uh on X or formerly known as Twitter and you were you were specifically getting your your uh Gander up or I don’t know what is that expression anyway you know what I’m

Trying to say yeah I I just I I saw the trade that uh Anthem made with San Diego which was terribly worded when they when it was announced by the way so it’s a loan deal they get James River as a second from San Diego uh so you you

You’re angry on behalf of garans everywhere because of the poor word wording yeah that’s just one aspect of Communications in general in mlr suck but that’s topic for another day uh no what what really annoyed me was that San Diego is getting an extra import slot

For the 2024 season as a result of this oneyear loan of their player going to Anthem to get much needed game time I just think this is a a ridiculous decision by mlr to allow Anthem to do that uh to to trade some of their uh import cards now to clarify for people

Who don’t understand at the beginning of every season each team gets 10 import cards they can use field 10 internation forign players right foreign players it’s not importing cheese it’s or wine it’s to get an overseas player right okay so 10 overseas players who aren’t domestic eligible within their 23 and

They can trade with other teams if they want to if they only want to field you know nine of them they could trade a card to someone else this is the system that mlr has they last year they brought in this thing unb announced to me but I just was informed this that

There’s a maximum now of 12 you know you can trade for two extra cards like New England last year for example had 12 they could use 12 and they’re 23 so that’s how the the card system works and you know Anthem coming in late I think

We all assumed them being you know the whole point of them coming in was to promote these young American players would kind of assume that it was you know pointless and kind of backwards if they get the same international cards to be able to trade to other teams thereby

Taking away a spot of an American player on another team The Anthem traded a foreign spot to San Diego and got an American back in return Isn’t that exactly what the team is supposed to be doing uh sort of but it’s not entirely accurate because let’s clarify this

James Rivers is not an American he’s English he played for Hong Kong at 20s he’s not us eligible until next season so he wasn’t going to get a whole lot of playing time in San Diego so they have wisely now as you say the whole point of

Anthem was to give these kind of guys because he is going to be us eligible at the end of this year so he’s working his way towards Eagles eligibility he’s on their radar so great instead of him riding the pine for most of the year he

Goes a project player right he he he’ll get playing time that part is good I have no issues with the loan deal I think that’s fantastic what I have an issue with is Anthem taking one of their they’re allowed the mlr has given them the ability to to trade four of their

Their import they’re foreign cards sorry so we don’t International slots four of their International slots to other teams so I I have an issue with San Diego now being able to field an extra player because of this arrangement they’ve had you’re taking away player you’re taking

Away a match day 23 spot from an American player by doing that like I don’t see how this is you know this seems to me completely backwards why would you allow Anthem to do that and why would Anthem fundamentally want to be doing that when the very point of

Them coming into the league is to promote American players getting more playing time but let me give you an example where I have a real issue with this let’s take uh Old Glory okay we don’t know who’s getting these other cards yet so this is an assumption I

Don’t know that Old Glory is getting a card and whatever but if Old Glory got a card who is going to miss out on playing time they’re going to be able to play you know fundo gatas and Martin vodka both of their their International hookers instead of COI Koy nelligan or

Maybe John Rizzo misses out for for Perry Humphrey’s coming on the bench or maybe Colin gross misses out on playing time if you look at Houston instead of having to choose between AJ alimu and Davey kutzer Within their limit now they can have both and Max Schumacher this

Number two overall pick in the draft is losing game time why are we doing this why are we allowing Anthem to trade these things you could say yes they’re the same Scott Lawrence was on this program a week ago saying hey they want they wanted us to be sure that we have

The same salary cap and operated the same as other teams you know but let’s just face the truth here this is not the same as the other 11 teams this team is backed by World rugby and the other major league rugby owners and effectively operated by USA Rugby their

Number one point of them coming into existence is to play American rugby players it’s not to win the mlr championship that’s a secondary benefit for them can we not be honest about that I mean yes they want to be competitive but that’s the truth that’s the truth that’s that’s that’s been abundantly

Clear or made abundantly clear I’m not so sure you’re saying USA Rugby is running the show but it’s really World rugby that ultimately calls the shots because they’re the majority owners okay but but we’re getting into semantics here we’re getting into the weeds they’re operated differently from the other they are a

Different team by the nature of that of the whole thing the whole concept here is different from the other 11 teams number two the league is allowing them to trade they’re giving in these four International slots and they’re making an exception for this one team saying

Well you know these guys are only going to hire a handful of of foreign players anyways just to make sure they’re a little bit competitive so we’re going to allow them to trade four of these International slots but by doing that you’re taking away four American players

In the match 23 for every one of those slots they trade on American player is losing time on another team I just fundamentally think this is a m mistake this is a bad decision either you don’t let them do this or Anthem as an organization should say what are we

Doing why are we taking game time away from an American player on another team when we want American players to play so you’re saying it’s not taking away the jobs from the anthem it’s taking the jobs away on other teams exactly it’s exactly it’s fantastic that Rivers is

Going to Anthem like you said that’s exactly what this whole program was meant to do a guy like Logan Widner who’s coming in from from uh Old Glory to play with them awesome great wonderful that’s what we want but we don’t want on the other side these four

And might say hey it’s only four cards whatever but that’s four American players who could be getting game time on other teams who are now losing time because they’re allowing them to trade these these International foreign player spots so okay my my argument is the either shouldn’t be allowed to do this

Or Anthem should just say we’re not going to do this because it’s it’s backwards to what we’re trying to achieve so what should they do with their International the four International slots nothing nothing all nothing at all why why listen look look at this deal with rivers look at this deal with

Rivers why does San Diego need to get an international player spot return rivers from isn’t going to play for San Diego it’s a good deal for San Diego because he goes to Anthem for a year probably a starter or at least in the 23 most days

Gets a season of good game time returns to San Diego a season player and US eligible next season that’s a good deal for San Diego Anthem gets exactly what they want they want a young promising Eagles Prospect to come and play for them it’s a good deal for both teams

Throw some cash in there I don’t see why you need the international slot in the first place it’s when I look at this deal it’s heavily slanted towards San Diego and it doesn’t need to be all right well I would say that they should use the four International SL slots for

Some maybe aging veteran players that have had good careers overseas to be sprinkled in amongst these young players yeah but they’ve already got they’ve got 10 of them they’re allowed to trade four uh they still got you know if they trade the four they still got six slots they

Can still hire six forign players my opinion hire the five or six forign guys and don’t trade the cards just keep the other four there’s nothing obligating you to hire or you know sign up and hey guys there going to be player coaches at practice or something or there but I I

Just fundamentally disagree with Anthem being able to ship those foreign player spots to other team I think it’s absolutely crazy okay fair enough and you know we’re basically out of time but I just wanted to point out that you look absolutely great in free Jack’s attire and ladies and gentlemen he’s wearing

The free Jack’s attire because they gave it to him you hear that mlr teams you want Bri Brian Ray in your kit you you don’t want him to have to pay for it that was my big contribution to this this segment other than looking like an absolute idiot

On that note we are out of time I want to thank Mr Brian Ray of America’s rugby news and the New England free Jacks and John Fitzpatrick of rugby morning and Mr Nick chaveta he formerly of USA Rugby and Major League rugby now repping the players union and thank you for tuning

In please check out our other shows including the critically acclaimed the rugby odds the College rugby wrapup hit that subscribe button on YouTube check us out on Tik Tok and YouTube shorts and and please join our American Red Cross Blood Donor team