SEATTLE SEAWOLVES AND JAPAN’S URAYASU D-ROCKS FORM TEAM PARTNERSHIP

December 5, 2023 (SEATTLE, WA): The Seattle Seawolves today announced a partnership agreement with the Urayasu D-Rocks.

Urayasu D-Rocks, commonly known as the D-Rocks, or the Shining Arcs, are owned by NTT Communications and is part of Japan’s Rugby League One competition, currently in Division 2. NTT Communications RFC was founded in 1976. They won promotion to the expanded Top League of 14 teams at the end of the 2009–10 season. In July 2022, following the establishment of a new rugby business and sports company by parent company NTT, the Shining Arcs formally rebranded to the Urayasu D-Rocks. The new company, NTT Sports X, was established at the end of the 2022 season.

The Urayasu D-Rocks and the Seattle Seawolves will collaborate on a number of initiatives central to the operations of a professional rugby franchise. Areas of joint efforts will include: achieve sustainable team management, strengthen each other’s rugby program and exchange insights on professional rugby business operations.

• Collaborating on player development
• Exchanging approaches to use of data for player performance
• Identifying best practices for team operations and management
• Developing programs for increased community based engagement
• Sharing concepts around sports + entertainment initiatives

“The Seattle Seawolves are excited to partner with the Urayasu D-Rocks. The opportunity to connect the rugby community in the Puget Sound with the passionate rugby fan-base in Japan is evidence that Rugby is a premier global sport. Rugby is unique because of its connection to community and the open access it provides. We will share our approaches to coaching, training, and player evaluation; assessing data related to player activity; developing best practices for team operations, including the stadium experience; and delivering projects that enhance rugby opportunities at the community levels. We even hope to see the D-Rocks in Seattle for a match in the not-too-distant future,“ said Tom Barden, President and Chief Operating Officer, Seattle Seawolves.

“We are building a great relationship with the Seattle Seawolves through player transfers and coach-to-coach communications. There are many exciting areas to our collaboration including sharing in player development and strengthening opportunities in sports entertainment in the United States with Japanese companies based in Seattle,” Urayasu D-Rocks Hirofumi Uchiyama, General Director

“As we approach the 2031 Rugby World Cup, nurturing this relationship can yield mutual benefits. Seattle can position itself not just as a rugby epicenter, but also as a prime contender for hosting World Cup matches, showcasing the city’s passion for the game on a global stage,” said Andrew Durutalo, Seattle Seawolves.

About the Seattle Seawolves
A founding member of Major League Rugby (MLR), the Seattle Seawolves organization strives to develop, cultivate, and expand the sport of rugby in the US while empowering family, tradition, respect, and a spirit of inclusion both on and off the pitch. Community outreach is a key pillar of the Seawolves philosophy, and the organization strives to continually help to enrich and give back to the greater Seattle and Pacific Northwest areas.

The Seattle Seawolves are the only champion in MLR history to claim back-to-back championships in 2018 and 2019. The Seawolves are the second team in US sports history to win the first two championships in their respective league and the only back-to-back champions in Seattle’s professional sports history. For the most up-to-date Seattle Seawolves news, follow us on social @Seawolvesrugby.