Major League Rugby, a new rugby union competition that is set to launch in the United States next year, has entered into a partnership with sports apparel and footwear company XBlades.
The multi-year deal names the Australian company as the official on-field apparel partner of the league, which begins its inaugural season in April.
As part of the deal, XBlades will provide apparel for all seven MLR teams and match officials. Apparel will include high-performance training gear and bladed sole rugby boots.
XBlades will provide custom-designed home and away jerseys that will be available for sale to fans direct through the teams. Jersey sales are expected to a key driver of revenue for both the teams and XBlades as the league launches and grows.
“As a company, XBlades’ focus is on being athlete-led and product-driven,” XBlades chief executive Leighton Richards said. “During all steps of the design process we’ve sat down with each team and extensively collaborated to ensure the uniforms are tailored to meet each team’s unique needs, both on and off the field.
“We're excited to expand the company's international portfolio, and with this new MLR partnership, XBlades now has a presence in eight countries worldwide, and we can’t wait to see teams in the US. suit up in our XBlades apparel. We specialise in creating innovative, custom designed footwear for sports like rugby and we hope to collaborate on this in the future.”
MLR will launch with teams in Austin, Glendale, Houston, New Orleans, San Diego, Seattle and Salt Lake City.