Argentine-Backed Miami Sharks' Collapse Exposes Deep Instability in US Rugby League

The abrupt dissolution of the Miami Sharks, a rugby franchise heavily backed by Argentine entrepreneurs, has cast a spotlight on the persistent instability and organizational challenges within Major League Rugby (MLR) in the United States. Nearly a year after the project's end, Tomás Casares, a player with experience in the league, offers an insider's perspective on a venture marked by ambition, disorganization, and a league structure that remains fragile.

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For me, it remains unstable... There is no certainty.

"For me, it remains unstable... There is no certainty," Casares warns, referring to a landscape that is preparing to host the 2031 Rugby World Cup. He describes a league that, despite some progress, struggles to consolidate. "About six teams folded last year, six franchises," he notes, a process that reduced the competition to just six participants. While this consolidation improved the sporting level, Casares believes it exposed a persistent structural weakness. "I think this year is the most competitive, and that's because the franchises have shrunk, but in terms of stability, there is no certainty in the league," he insists.

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About six teams folded last year, six franchises.

From the Miami Sharks' leadership, the focus is on the broader context of the competition rather than the franchise's specific performance. Milagros Cubelli, the team's CEO during its final phase, argues that the problem extended beyond Miami. "We became the team with the most sponsor sales, merchandising, and the best financials in the league," she states. However, she explains that "signs of decline" began to appear, such as falling television rights revenue and the disappearance of other teams. "Uncertainty about the league's long-term sustainability and projection began to emerge," she summarizes.

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I think this year is the most competitive, and that's because the franchises have shrunk, but in terms of stability, there is no certainty in the league.

The Miami Sharks, established in 2023 with a distinct Argentine identity across its operations, generated immediate expectations. Casares, who joined from the beginning, recalled a project focused on building a South American culture from the outset, led by Argentine coach José Cochi Pellicena. "I think if the project had continued, it would have turned out very well," he adds. The team's investor group included prominent figures like Marcos Galperín, founder of Mercado Libre, alongside Alejandro MacFarlane and Ronaldo Strazzolini. The Argentine influence extended beyond organization to the coaching staff and the playing squad.

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We became the team with the most sponsor sales, merchandising, and the best financials in the league.