Major League Rugby Enters Championship Weekend Following Landmark First Season of Partnership with OS Studios
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As the 2026 Major League Rugby season reaches Championship Weekend, it marks more than the culmination of a thrilling playoff race. It also concludes the first season of a new partnership between Major League Rugby and OS Studios, focused on helping grow the league’s audience, deepen fan engagement, and create new ways for supporters to connect with professional rugby across North America.
From Opening Weekend through the playoffs, our teams have worked together to build new fan experiences, develop innovative content initiatives, and support the continued evolution of one of North America’s fastest-growing professional sports leagues.
Photo Credit – Brock Marlborough
A Shared Vision for the Future of Rugby
Major League Rugby continues to establish itself as the premier professional rugby competition in North America.
With increasing attendance, growing digital audiences, expanding media coverage, and the long-term momentum created by upcoming Rugby World Cups in the United States, the sport is entering a pivotal period of growth.
Recognizing that opportunity, MLR and OS Studios partnered ahead of the 2026 season to help accelerate fan engagement efforts and develop new ways to connect supporters with the league, its clubs, players, and stories.
Throughout the season, the focus has been on creating experiences that extend beyond matchday and building stronger connections between fans and the sport they love.
Photo Credit – Brock Marlborough
Innovation On and Off the Field
Modern sports fans expect more than a live game.
They want behind-the-scenes access, compelling storytelling, social-first content, interactive experiences, and meaningful opportunities to engage with leagues and teams year-round.
Throughout the season, OS Studios has worked alongside MLR to explore new approaches to:
- Sports fan engagement
- Rugby content strategy
- Digital community building
- Live event experiences
- Audience development
- Social media activation
- Matchday storytelling
- Sports marketing innovation
- Rugby audience growth
- Digital fan experiences
The objective has remained simple: make it easier for existing fans to engage more deeply with the league while introducing professional rugby to new audiences across North America.
Photo Credit – Brock Marlborough
Playoff Rugby Provides the Perfect Showcase
The MLR Playoffs have demonstrated exactly why rugby’s future in North America is so promising.
The intensity, physicality, athleticism and unpredictability of knockout rugby create premium moments for fans, broadcasters, sponsors and partners alike.
This weekend’s Championship Weekend represents the culmination of months of competition and highlights the continued progress of the league both on and off the field.
For sports properties looking to grow in today’s media landscape, the ability to create compelling live experiences while also engaging audiences across digital platforms has never been more important.
That intersection of sport, content, community and technology remains at the heart of the work being done across the league.
Photo Credit – Brock Marlborough
Building the Next Generation of Sports Fans
One of the most exciting aspects of this first season together has been the opportunity to help lay foundations for the future.The continued growth of rugby in North America will be driven not only by what happens on the field, but by the experiences built around it—from live events and content creation to community engagement and digital innovation.As leagues compete for attention in an increasingly crowded sports landscape, creating memorable fan experiences has become as important as the competition itself.That philosophy underpins OS Studios’ approach across traditional sports, esports and entertainment properties around the world.Looking AheadAs Major League Rugby crowns its 2026 champion, the league enters its next chapter with significant momentum.We’re incredibly proud to have partnered with the MLR team throughout our first season together and grateful for the collaboration from league leadership, clubs, players and fans across North America.Most importantly, we’re excited about what’s ahead.Congratulations to everyone involved in making the 2026 season such a success, and best of luck to the teams competing for the MLR Shield.