Delaware Valley Mantarays
Encyclopedia
The Delaware Valley Mantarays were a semi-professional
rugby league football team based in the Delaware Valley
area of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
. The team played for seven seasons in the American National Rugby League
(AMNRL), the United States' major competition, from 2000–2006. At the conclusion of the 2006 season
they merged with another AMNRL team in the Philadelphia area, the Philadelphia Fight
.
The team was organized in 2000 and joined the AMNRL the following season. Originally known as the Media Mantarays, they were initially based in the Philadelphia suburb of Media, Pennsylvania
. In 2004 they relocated to nearby Ridley Park, Pennsylvania
, adopting the name Delaware Valley Mantarays. After the 2006 season the Mantarays and the Philadelphia Fight announced the two clubs would merge in order to build a more competitive team for the future.
(AMNRL) the following year, replacing the Pennsylvania Raiders, another Philadelphia-based team that did not make the transition from the United States Rugby League.
The team was based in the suburb of Media, Pennsylvania
, and had an affiliation with the Media Rugby Football Club, a local rugby union
club. Like the other clubs, in 2001 they started a team partnership with a club from Australia
's National Rugby League
(NRL), in this case the Parramatta Eels
. With their members drawn from Media RFC, the team found some success on the field. In 2001 they played for the AMNRL championship, ultimately losing to the Glen Mills Bulls; this would be the club's only championship game. For the 2004 season they relocated to nearby Ridley Park
to play at Catania Park, and changed their name to the Delaware Valley Mantarays after the Delaware Valley
, the area surrounding Philadelphia. After the conclusion of the 2006 season
, the Mantarays and the Philadelphia Fight
announced they would be merging to establish a more competitive club the following year.
season in 2000 the club adopted the colors of Media Rugby Football Club (white, gold and blue) but the uniforms were predominately white and similar in style to the National Rugby League
side the Parramatta Eels, with whom the club had an affiliate partnership.
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
rugby league football team based in the Delaware Valley
Delaware Valley
The Delaware Valley is a term used to refer to the valley where the Delaware River flows, along with the surrounding communities. This includes the metropolitan area centered on the city of Philadelphia. Such educational institutions as Delaware Valley Regional High School in Alexandria Township...
area of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The team played for seven seasons in the American National Rugby League
American National Rugby League
The American National Rugby League is a rugby league football competition for semi-professional clubs in the United States. It is the country's first domestic rugby league competition...
(AMNRL), the United States' major competition, from 2000–2006. At the conclusion of the 2006 season
2006 AMNRL season
The 2006 American National Rugby League season was the ninth annual American National Rugby League season, and the 26th since the first season of semi-professional rugby league began in North America. The season began on May 17, 2006 with a match between defending premiers Glen Mills Bulls and the...
they merged with another AMNRL team in the Philadelphia area, the Philadelphia Fight
Philadelphia Fight
The Philadelphia Fight are a semi-professional rugby league team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. They are the current champions of the USA Rugby League. They play their home games at A. A...
.
The team was organized in 2000 and joined the AMNRL the following season. Originally known as the Media Mantarays, they were initially based in the Philadelphia suburb of Media, Pennsylvania
Media, Pennsylvania
The borough of Media is the county seat of Delaware County, Pennsylvania and is located west of Philadelphia. Media was incorporated in 1850 at the same time that it was named the county seat. The population was 5,533 at the 2000 census. Its school district is the Rose Tree Media School District...
. In 2004 they relocated to nearby Ridley Park, Pennsylvania
Ridley Park, Pennsylvania
Ridley Park is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,196 at the 2000 census. Ridley Park is the home of Boeing Helicopters.-Native American:...
, adopting the name Delaware Valley Mantarays. After the 2006 season the Mantarays and the Philadelphia Fight announced the two clubs would merge in order to build a more competitive team for the future.
History
The team, then known as the Media Mantarays, was organized in 2000. They started play in the newly organized American National Rugby LeagueAmerican National Rugby League
The American National Rugby League is a rugby league football competition for semi-professional clubs in the United States. It is the country's first domestic rugby league competition...
(AMNRL) the following year, replacing the Pennsylvania Raiders, another Philadelphia-based team that did not make the transition from the United States Rugby League.
The team was based in the suburb of Media, Pennsylvania
Media, Pennsylvania
The borough of Media is the county seat of Delaware County, Pennsylvania and is located west of Philadelphia. Media was incorporated in 1850 at the same time that it was named the county seat. The population was 5,533 at the 2000 census. Its school district is the Rose Tree Media School District...
, and had an affiliation with the Media Rugby Football Club, a local rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club. Like the other clubs, in 2001 they started a team partnership with a club from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
(NRL), in this case the Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
. With their members drawn from Media RFC, the team found some success on the field. In 2001 they played for the AMNRL championship, ultimately losing to the Glen Mills Bulls; this would be the club's only championship game. For the 2004 season they relocated to nearby Ridley Park
Ridley Park, Pennsylvania
Ridley Park is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,196 at the 2000 census. Ridley Park is the home of Boeing Helicopters.-Native American:...
to play at Catania Park, and changed their name to the Delaware Valley Mantarays after the Delaware Valley
Delaware Valley
The Delaware Valley is a term used to refer to the valley where the Delaware River flows, along with the surrounding communities. This includes the metropolitan area centered on the city of Philadelphia. Such educational institutions as Delaware Valley Regional High School in Alexandria Township...
, the area surrounding Philadelphia. After the conclusion of the 2006 season
2006 AMNRL season
The 2006 American National Rugby League season was the ninth annual American National Rugby League season, and the 26th since the first season of semi-professional rugby league began in North America. The season began on May 17, 2006 with a match between defending premiers Glen Mills Bulls and the...
, the Mantarays and the Philadelphia Fight
Philadelphia Fight
The Philadelphia Fight are a semi-professional rugby league team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. They are the current champions of the USA Rugby League. They play their home games at A. A...
announced they would be merging to establish a more competitive club the following year.
Uniform and colors
For their 2000 American National Rugby LeagueAmerican National Rugby League
The American National Rugby League is a rugby league football competition for semi-professional clubs in the United States. It is the country's first domestic rugby league competition...
season in 2000 the club adopted the colors of Media Rugby Football Club (white, gold and blue) but the uniforms were predominately white and similar in style to the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
side the Parramatta Eels, with whom the club had an affiliate partnership.