Owen Scannell is the Founder and CEO of Premier Rugby Sevens (PR7s), the highest level of professional rugby sevens as sanctioned by USA Rugby. The league has eight franchises, each with a women’s and men’s team, and plays a traveling circuit across the US. PR7s is the first women’s professional rugby league in North America.

Since its inception in 2021, PR7s has pioneered an innovative and comprehensive approach to equity in sport. On top of equal pay, the league has created a platform that prioritizes female and male athletes completely equitably, including marketing exposure, broadcast window features, and logistics and facilities. Women’s teams compete for the Kathy Flores Cup as well as the United Championship which combines their results with their corresponding male team.

In 2023, Premier Rugby Sevens achieved record-breaking commercial and audience growth, positioning itself as the fastest-growing professional rugby organization in the world. The 2023 PR7s season consisted of 40 internationally broadcasted matches across five major U.S. markets, featuring over 200 men’s and women’s athletes. The league has been broadcast on FS1, CBS Sports Network, and globally on TSN and DAZN.

At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, rugby sevens captured the imagination and hearts of sports fans worldwide. Premier Rugby Sevens featured over 40 Olympians representing 11 teams at the Paris Games. PR7s athletes formed part of four out of the six medal-winning teams, including 12 from the Bronze Medal-winning U.S. Women’s squad and 21 medalists overall.

Prior to founding PR7s, Scannell’s career included experience in men’s professional 15-a-side rugby and investment banking. Scannell holds an MBA from The Tuck School of Business and a BA from Dartmouth College.