*By Amanda Weston* Rugby is the globe's [second most popular sport](https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/10/america-rugbys-last-frontier/408982/). And after the San Francisco Giants hosted the World Cup Sevens in their stadium last weekend, rugby might [take hold](https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/16/sport/rise-of-american-rugby-ebner-serevi-wooching/index.html) in the U.S. At the very least, the sport has a new advocate in Stephen Revetria, senior vice president of the Giants. "To have this opportunity to bid on it, to get it here in our ballpark, it's pretty special," he told Cheddar on Tuesday. Revetria didn't take the operation lightly. He says the research took several yearsーand required serious travel. "Over the last three years we traveled the world, learned more about rugby, and were able to get the pitch, get the entertainment right, and really build the excitement and enthusiasm through everything we've been working on for the last few years. The work, it seems, has paid off: The tournament at the Giant's AT&T park marked the largest rugby event in U.S. history. World Rugby Chief executive Brett Gosper told the Independent on Wednesday he wants the sport to [fully enter](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/international/rugby-world-cup-united-states-us-bid-2027-2031-brett-gosper-chief-executive-a8462301.html) the American market. Gosper said he welcomes a "magnificent" bid from the U.S. as the process to award the 2027 World Cup looms. World Rugby [ranks](https://www.worldrugby.org/rankings/mru?lang=en) the U.S. men's team 15th, out of 105 countries. The women's team ranks fifth out of 53. As for the future of the AT&T park, Revetria said a new village with shops and restaurants is on the horizon. "It's been a great collaboration with the city, World Rugby, and the Giants." For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/rugby-world-cup-sevens-finds-home-in-san-francisco)

Share:
More In Sports
UFC Will Remain Strong in a World Without Cable, Says Its President
Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White says the mixed martial arts league's five-year deal with ESPN puts it in a position to go the distance despite declining linear television trends. "Everything is going digital. Cord cutting is real. It's happening and we see it in all aspects of the business, whether it's pay-per-view or television," White said in an interview with Cheddar Thursday.
Ex-NFL Star Ricky Williams Says New Football League Will Update Old-School Ownership Structure
A group of former NFL stars is launching an alternative professional football league for the offseason that will give players and fans a financial stake in their team's success. “We looked for markets where there was not a professional team, but a big enough market to support a team,” Ricky Williams, former two-time All American and one of the founders, told Cheddar in an interview on Tuesday.
Immortals CEO Noah Whinston, Counter Logic Gaming COO Nick Allen, and the Smash Ultimate Showdown - Cheddar Sports 12/7/18
We cover the Game Awards from the red carpet, Smash Ultimate releases, Black Ops 4's first tournament starts in Vegas, and Zane takes on the rest of the Cheddar Sports team in a Smash Ultimate 1v3 showdown. Featuring IMT, MIBR, and LA Valiant CEO Noah Whinston, CLG COO Nick Allen, and interviews with Dominique 'SonicFox' McLean, Imane 'Pokimane' Anys, Lia 'SSSniperWolf' Shelesh, and OWL commissioner Nate Nanzer.
Load More