Are Americans warming up to rugby? Why it may be the sport's time to shine

[stewev]

Do you think the recent medical evidence re cumulative brain trauma and the consequent law suits will prompt parents to encourage their kids to try alternate football games?
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Yes, but that is different from forcing a kid to play a sport because of the potential professional contract size.
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[shasta]

Yes, but that is different from forcing a kid to play a sport because of the potential professional contract ]

Yeah. I didn't mean it that way. Just thinking that maybe high schools and universities could consider more programs for less dangerous alternatives - particularly Rugby , because of the medical findings.
The NFL will eventually have to be pro-active and find ways to mitigate the damage too, I suppose.
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[stewev]

Yeah. I didn't mean it that way. Just thinking that maybe high schools and universities could consider more programs for less dangerous alternatives - particularly Rugby , because of the medical findings.
The NFL will eventually have to be pro-active and find ways to mitigate the damage too, I suppose.
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I agree the NFL and to a lesser extent NCAA must drive the necessary reforms of football.

Anyway this is getting quite off topic. I believe that the US is a potential sleeping giant in rugby, but as I stated the article in the op is wearing rose colored glasses.
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[LarryNJ]

Yeah I was never forced to play any sport growing up. In fact I had to beg to be allowed to play football, and even then I wasn't allowed to until high school.

Clearly there are parents who will force their kids into sports because of contract size, but to claim that the entire US is like that isn't accurate.

Rugby culture needs to be built from the ground up. I think it should ally with football at lower levels. Play in the spring to footballs fall.
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That is a great idea, don't compete against each other. Use the similarities to encourage kids to play rugby in the spring.