California Legion Rugby

What California Legion Rugby does

California Legion Rugby is a privately held professional rugby franchise operating as California Rugby Group, LLC, headquartered in El Segundo, California. Founded in 2025, the club is the only professional rugby team in California and competes in Major League Rugby, with a statewide home match footprint spanning five venues across Southern and Northern California (San Diego, Irvine, Los Angeles at Wallis Annenberg Stadium, Moraga at St Mary's, and Sacramento). The organization consolidates the legacy of prior California MLR franchises, including the San Diego Legion and Rugby FC Los Angeles, into a single statewide brand positioned ahead of the LA28 Olympics.

The club generates revenue through four primary streams: match ticket sales (single match, season packages, and family pricing under $80 for four); the Club 24 annual membership subscription offering priority ticketing, playoff access, merchandise discounts, and exclusive events; merchandise and lifestyle apparel sold through a Shopify storefront under the 'Worn in California' collection; and sponsorship revenue from major partners including Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute and Bondi Beer, supplemented by league-level partners such as ESPN (broadcast), Gilbert (balls), Macron Rugby (kit), and CMTS Travel. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the legion.rugby website, supplemented by ESPN+ streaming and ESPN2 broadcast coverage and on-site match-day sales across the five venues.

The customer base is consumer-facing, targeting California rugby enthusiasts, families seeking affordable sports entertainment, and the collegiate and youth rugby ecosystem. Community development programs including the Legion Community Foundation, Rugby Heroes recognition initiative, and Club and College Rugby support create a vertical player pipeline, evidenced by six Legion players selected for the 2026 USA Eagles Nations Cup roster. The franchise is led by CEO Adam Freier and Head Coach Steve Hoiles, with assistant coaches Dave Clancy and Dave Dennis. Technology infrastructure is built on standard commercial platforms (Shopify, Flicket, Globant) with no disclosed proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, or API products.

Name

California Legion Rugby

Legal name

California Rugby Group, LLC

Website

https://legion.rugby

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

California Legion Rugby is a privately held professional rugby franchise competing in Major League Rugby as California's only professional rugby team. It operates a statewide home match schedule across five California venues and generates revenue through ticketing, the Club 24 membership, merchandise, and sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports Entertainment

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121), Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Rugby (Union & League) Leagues (MPAKAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE), Fan Apparel & Wearables Retail (Licensed) (CRAMAOAE), Sports Collectibles, Fan Gear & Licensed Merchandise Retail (CRAMABAO)

Keywords

• Professional rugby team
• Rugby ticketing services
• Team merchandise sales
• Rugby membership programs
• Sports entertainment

Headquarters

HQ city

El Segundo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from single match tickets, season tickets, and ticket bundles across five California venues. The club offers various seating packages and premium options.
2. Club 24 Membership: Annual membership program offering priority access to benefits, tickets, events, playoff access, merchandise discounts, and exclusive member experiences.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise store (Legion Rugby Shop) selling lifestyle wear and team merchandise through Shopify platform.
4. Sponsorship: Partnership revenue from major partners (Cedars-Sinai, Bondi Beer), Legion partners (Midway, Sharp), and broadcast partners (ESPN). Includes branding, hospitality, and activation opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

California Legion Rugby operates as California's only professional rugby team in Major League Rugby, providing professional rugby entertainment across five California venues. The organization sells single match tickets, season ticket packages, and Club 24 annual memberships directly to fans, complemented by team-branded merchandise through a Shopify online store, sponsorship activation packages, and community programs connecting collegiate and youth rugby pathways to professional competition.

Product overview

California Legion Rugby is a single unified professional rugby product—a professional sports team competing in Major League Rugby. The offering centers on the team's competitive season, supported by several interconnected service modules: match ticketing (individual and season packages), Club 24 membership program for exclusive benefits, the Legion Team Shop for merchandise, broadcast coverage via ESPN networks, championship travel packages, community programs including the Rugby Heroes recognition initiative, and an internship program. The core product is the MLR team itself, with all other offerings serving as supplementary revenue and engagement streams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• California Legion Rugby Team California's only professional rugby team competing in Major League Rugby, representing the entire state under one unified banner and providing professional rugby entertainment across five California venues.
• Season Tickets Season ticket packages providing priority access to all home matches, playoff access, parking passes, and exclusive member benefits for the 2026 MLR season.
• Match Tickets Individual match access tickets with various seat types and package options for single game attendance at home matches, priced affordably for families (under $80 for a family of four).
• Club 24 Membership Annual membership program offering priority access to benefits, tickets, and events; includes annual $24 gift or gift voucher, 10% merchandise discount, bundle discounts, playoff access, parking pass, and invitations to member-only experiences with players and coaches.
• Legion Team Shop E-commerce store offering California Legion branded lifestyle wear and merchandise, featuring the 'Worn in California' collection capturing the diversity and energy of the state. Club 24 members receive 10% discount on merchandise.
• Broadcast Coverage Live match broadcasting through ESPN networks including ESPN2, ESPN+, with coverage extending to Canada, UK/Ireland, New Zealand, and other international markets. No local California broadcasters - all matches streamed nationally through ESPN.
• Championship Travel Packages Official travel packages offered through CMTS Travel for championship events, including accommodations, ticket bundles, and fan experiences for fans attending championship matches.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached MLR Championship Final in inaugural season (2026)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered major, legion, core and mlr.

• Cedars-SinaimajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor partner and presenter of the Rugby Heroes award program, recognizing local rugby heroes at home games. Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute partners with the club for community recognition and healthcare alignment.
• Bondi BeermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor partner providing branded beer products at matches and events.
• MidwaylegionGTM or Marketing PartnerCar rental partner for Legion, providing transportation services for the club.
• SharplegionGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology partner providing document systems and business solutions for the club.
• ESPNcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational broadcast partner for MLR, streaming all matches on ESPN+ and broadcasting selected games on ESPN2. Part of league-wide media rights partnership.
• GilbertmlrTechnology or IntegrationOfficial ball supplier for Major League Rugby, providing game balls for all matches.
• CMTS TravelmlrGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial travel partner for MLR, providing travel packages for championship weekend and away match travel for fans.
• FlicketmlrTechnology or IntegrationOfficial ticketing and event management platform for Major League Rugby.
• GlobantmlrTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing digital and software services for the league.
• Macron RugbymlrGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial kit and apparel supplier for MLR teams.
• LooseHeadzmlrGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation partner supporting rugby development and mental health initiatives across the league.
• OnrisemlrGTM or Marketing PartnerPerformance and wellness partner for MLR, supporting player health and recovery.
• VitacostmlrGTM or Marketing PartnerHealth and wellness product partner for Major League Rugby.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NOLA Gold: MLR franchise based in New Orleans; comparable professional rugby team operations including matchday, merchandise, and sponsorship revenue.
• Old Glory DC: MLR franchise based in Washington, D.C.; directly comparable as another U.S. professional rugby team with the same league-driven broadcast and sponsorship structure.
• Houston SaberCats: Long-standing MLR franchise and direct league peer; operates the same professional rugby team business model (matchday revenue, sponsorships, merchandise, memberships) in the same league.
• Seattle Seawolves: MLR franchise that California Legion defeated 43-34 in the 2026 semifinal; a direct league peer with comparable ticketing, membership, and merchandise revenue model operating in another major U.S. metro.
• New England Free Jacks: MLR franchise that has been among the league's competitive leaders; directly comparable as another U.S. professional rugby team with similar ticketing, sponsorship, and merchandise revenue streams.
• Chicago Hounds: Major League Rugby franchise that defeated California Legion in the 2026 MLR Championship Final; competes in the same league with the same operational model (tickets, memberships, merchandise, sponsorships) and is the league's top team.
• Dallas Jackals: MLR franchise in Texas; same professional rugby business model with comparable GTM motion around matchday ticketing, sponsorships, and merchandise.
• Austin Gilgronis: MLR franchise in Austin, Texas; comparable professional rugby team operations, ticketing structure, and league-wide partnership ecosystem.
• Miami Sharks: Recent MLR expansion franchise in Miami; comparable as another newer MLR team building out professional rugby operations in a major U.S. market.
• Utah Warriors: MLR franchise based in Salt Lake City; same league peer with comparable professional rugby operations, ticketing, and sponsorship model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LegionMLR
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Legion.Rugby
• Facebookfacebook.com/sandiegolegion
• Instagraminstagram.com/Legion.Rugby
• TikToktiktok.com/@Legion.Rugby
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/legionrugby

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California Legion Rugby