Major League Rugby’s newest expansion team has a name, as the Chicago Hounds will take the field for the first time in 2023.
The Hounds unveiled their logo and color scheme during a press conference Thursday. The newly-formed team will play its first game on Feb. 18. Their first home game will be played at SeatGeek Stadium on March 4, 2023.
According to officials, the team’s colors will be green and sky blue.
“We are thrilled to add the Chicago Hounds to Major League Rugby for the 2023 season,” league Commissioner George Killebrew said. “Chicago is one of the best sports towns in North America, and we couldn’t be happier to be part of the competitive landscape.”
Major League Rugby is the top-level league for the sport in North America. The league was founded in 2018 with seven teams, and played with 13 clubs last season. The Austin Gilgronis and the LA Giltinis were both contracted after the 2022 season, and the league will proceed with 12 teams this year.
The Chicago club will play their home games at SeatGeek Stadium, located in Bridgeview. The stadium currently is the home of the NWSL’s Chicago Red Stars, and is the former home of Chicago Fire FC.
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The Hounds will be coached by former professional rugby player Sam Harris, who was previously the head coach of the defunct Austin Gilgronis in MLR.
The Hounds will join the league’s western conference for the 2023 season. Each team in MLR plays a total of 16 games, 10 of which are home-and-home contests against conference rivals. The remaining six games are split evenly between home and away fixtures against members of the other conference.
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Currently, the Hounds are in the west with the Dallas Jackals, Houston SaberCats, San Diego Legion, Seattle Seawolves and the Utah Warriors.
Here is the Hounds’ full list of fixtures for the upcoming season:
Feb. 18: at Old Glory DC 1 p.m.
March 4: vs. Utah Warriors 7 p.m.
March 11: vs. Toronto Arrows 7 p.m.
March 18: vs. Dallas Jackals 7 p.m.
March 25: vs. Seattle Seawolves 7 p.m.
April 1: vs. Houston SaberCats 7 p.m.
April 8: at New England Free Jacks 2 p.m.
April 16: at San Diego Legion 3 p.m.
April 22: vs. NOLA Gold 7 p.m.
May 6: at Rugby ATL 5 p.m.
May 13: vs. Rugby New York 7 p.m.
May 20: at Seattle Seawolves 9:30 p.m.
May 27: at Houston SaberCats 7 p.m.
June 3: vs. San Diego Legion 7 p.m.
June 10: at Utah Warriors 7 p.m.
