p.Tah
John Thornett (49)
Currently Rugby in this country is funded by the SANZAR broadcast deal, ticket sales, sponsorships, merchandise sales and benefactors. From a financial perspective we are well behind the NRL and AFL because of their billion dollar broadcast deals. We may not ever gain a broadcast deal that will put us on a equal footing with them. Without a substantial increase in income, rugby will fall further behind in grassroots development compared to Australian Rules and Rugby League.
What are ways we can increase the sport's income?
1. Get the Wallabies to play more tests -I think they're playing too many as it is.
2. Increase the length of the super rugby season - no thanks
3. Put up the costs of sponsorship - hard to do when we're not on top of the world
4. Ask for government funding - we need to employ better lobbyists
5. Start a domestic Sevens comp to appeal to a broader audience - most revenue will probably go into funding the competition
Not all people in Rugby are wealthy (far from it), but Rugby is certainly a sport for the high end of town. How can we better tap into this? Why aren't the well heeled putting more into the game? Could it be that they don't have time to look at investing the money in the game, know where to put it or they don't trust those in the Rugby associations to use it effectively?
Perhaps a Rugby Trust Fund could be established. The fund is not part of the ARU and is privately maintained. As the 'keeper of the Code' the ARU (or the State bodies) must attempt to provide funding to all levels of the game, but when there is a short fall, the ARU provides a business case as to why it can't fund the initiative (for example employ a new development officer in a growth region) and why that initiate is required. Based on the proposal the Rugby Trust Fund may or may not provide funding to help. One caveat for providing funding may be that the organisation requesting the funding must undertake a similar governance review to what the Arbib review proposed. That may bring the State Unions, Clubs, School Associations etc. into the 21st Century.
Would benefactors be willing to put money into the fund?
Would Joe Average want to put a few dollars in?
Could a development levy of $1 (for example) be added to every ticket sale in the country. That could bring in about $60,000 a week during the Super Rugby Season.
Could the fund be set up as a charity? A charity dedicated to providing health and fitness to Australians through exercise. Would the donations be tax deductable?
So all we need are a bright spark who could set up such a funding structure and dedicated individuals to bring money into the fund.
What do you think? Is this a reasonable proposal? Perhaps it won't fly but rather than look at why it won't work, let's look at ways it can or can you suggest other ways to bring new money into the game. The future of the game is reliant on creative thinking.
What are ways we can increase the sport's income?
1. Get the Wallabies to play more tests -I think they're playing too many as it is.
2. Increase the length of the super rugby season - no thanks
3. Put up the costs of sponsorship - hard to do when we're not on top of the world
4. Ask for government funding - we need to employ better lobbyists
5. Start a domestic Sevens comp to appeal to a broader audience - most revenue will probably go into funding the competition
Not all people in Rugby are wealthy (far from it), but Rugby is certainly a sport for the high end of town. How can we better tap into this? Why aren't the well heeled putting more into the game? Could it be that they don't have time to look at investing the money in the game, know where to put it or they don't trust those in the Rugby associations to use it effectively?
Perhaps a Rugby Trust Fund could be established. The fund is not part of the ARU and is privately maintained. As the 'keeper of the Code' the ARU (or the State bodies) must attempt to provide funding to all levels of the game, but when there is a short fall, the ARU provides a business case as to why it can't fund the initiative (for example employ a new development officer in a growth region) and why that initiate is required. Based on the proposal the Rugby Trust Fund may or may not provide funding to help. One caveat for providing funding may be that the organisation requesting the funding must undertake a similar governance review to what the Arbib review proposed. That may bring the State Unions, Clubs, School Associations etc. into the 21st Century.
Would benefactors be willing to put money into the fund?
Would Joe Average want to put a few dollars in?
Could a development levy of $1 (for example) be added to every ticket sale in the country. That could bring in about $60,000 a week during the Super Rugby Season.
Could the fund be set up as a charity? A charity dedicated to providing health and fitness to Australians through exercise. Would the donations be tax deductable?
So all we need are a bright spark who could set up such a funding structure and dedicated individuals to bring money into the fund.
What do you think? Is this a reasonable proposal? Perhaps it won't fly but rather than look at why it won't work, let's look at ways it can or can you suggest other ways to bring new money into the game. The future of the game is reliant on creative thinking.
