IN NEW ZEALAND, the All Blacks players are basically given godlike status among the public. However, in America… they walk the streets unnoticed, only attract a measly three journalists to their press conferences and aren’t featured in any of the major media outlets.
The All Blacks play the US Eagles in Chicago’s Soldier Field this Saturday and while the game is being shown live on NBC, one of America’s marquee stations, and is apparently sold out, there wasn’t much interest in the American media.
A New Zealand website reports that a paltry figure of three journalists showed up for the All Blacks first media opportunity and that none were from national publications.
At least the lack of interest meant the players could act like proper tourists.
It’s not that surprising that rugby isn’t getting much coverage because Americans are really entrenched in their love of their own sports – it took football a REALLY long time to get any traction whatsoever.
How long do you think it will be ’til one of the All Blacks gets stopped going into a club and they play the Ron Burgundy, ‘I’m kind of a big deal; people know me’ card?
