Lodi will be hosting the Bay Breakers of the Women’s Elite Rugby League (WER) at the Grape Bowl. The Grape Bowl is a turf field usually used for Football and Soccer the capacity is 3,576.
WER is the first professional women’s rugby league in the United States
“WER is led by a diverse team of veterans of the U.S. rugby market, experienced sports business professionals and media experts. WER President Dr. Jessica Hammond-Graf is currently an assistant professor in the sport management and athletic leadership programs at Vermont State University at Castleton. As a former international rugby player and NCAA athletic director, she is one of a handful of dedicated women that have spearheaded the efforts to launch this league,” said a press release from WER on April 10, 2024 regarding the launch of the league.
The WER features teams from Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York, Bay Area California and Twin Cities. 2025 will be the inaugural season for WER.
The Breaker’s first game is in Glendale, Colo., against the Denver Onyx on March 29, at 1:00 p.m. Mountain Time. The Breaker’s first home game will be on April 5, at 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time. If you are unable to see a game in person all WER games will be broadcast globally on DAZN.
“DAZN’s unrivalled[sic] scale, global footprint, and significant women’s sport audience is uniquely positioned to help build an engaged fanbase for Women’s Elite Rugby, with both DAZN and the league committed to growing the product through collaborative marketing efforts,” said a press release from WER on March 20.
This is the first non-baseball sports team that the City of Lodi has had.
