Where to for Super Rugby?

[Slim 293]

For all the stats and history you just need ask one question; does it pay the bills? 13 years without being able to even break-even is a tough argument to counter when money is the key issue, especially with all that success and impressive stats still not getting the Brumbies over the line financially.

I thought it was only six years?

 

[Strewthcobber]

When last did the ARU listen to the mob?

They listen to the broadcasters. That's it.

When did we last have a mob?

 

[louie]

Brumbies also have 10 locals in their squad, plus the head coach, and numerous players in other teams local and overseas....

But probably just as important is that over the years they've taken many players from elsewhere and turned them into test players... they've always run a good program.

To get rid of one of our more successful pathways would be madness.

This right here is worth more then $$$$

 

[gel]

^^^^

That's actually 2nd order dollars.

That's a concept beyond Australian business people.

 

[Ulrich]

How's that going for you in the Currie Cup?

From afar it reads as another kind of chaos and compromise leading inevitably to two tiers in QUALITY with the haves and have nots. Dictated by the system not the talent at each of the regions. Unless politics steps in as it inevitably did for EP.

This muchly replicates the same downside in Eng football where the money and power is very much settled into the obvious teams. Some residual power in the same handful of clubs that bounce up and (inevitably) down to the next tier.

It's still better than getting flogged week in and week out or dare I say having no competition at all.

 

[mst]

I thought it was only six years?

Kennedy said the Brumbies had been on track to turn a profit for the first time in 14 years, however they incurred "one-off, abnormal items" on the balance sheet relating to legal costs and a payout to former chief executive Michael Jones.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/b...s-at-agm-20170208-gu825f.html?deviceType=text

 

[Ulrich]

I personally would not mind if SA could join Europe somehow which will leave you guys with a much easier competition to manage between yourselves, NZ, Asia and perhaps Argentina.

I doubt Europe will ever go for that though.

The Saffer teams could perhaps have some games against Kiwi and Aussie teams from time to time as friendlies just to see where we're at.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

It's still better than getting flogged week in and week out or dare I say having no competition at all.

We do have a competition. It's just a very recent development.

 

[No4918]

I will eat my hat if the Brumbies are cut. Too much history and too successful. One of the major talking points is lack of success from the teams to be cut.

 

[Highlander35]

I will eat my hat if the Brumbies are cut. Too much history and too successful. One of the major talking points is lack of success from the teams to be cut.

Obtain a small leather hat with minimal dye.

 

[mudskipper]

For all the stats and history you just need ask one question; does it pay the bills? 13 years without being able to even break-even is a tough argument to counter when money is the key issue, especially with all that success and impressive stats still not getting the Brumbies over the line financially.

Brumbies have always navigated their way financially...and got results for years... I think looking past all The Reds & Tahs talk... The Brumbies are the Australuan Rugby success story... The ARU can see the Brumbies are needed

 

[Joe King]

Right. Broadcasters will just love that.

I guess a trans-tasman comp has been said to be financially viable by the broadcasters in the past (according to many media outlets a few years ago when it was proposed). And it's a really good fit time-zone wise.

But you may be right. Having a SA/Arg/whoever else conference may prove to be a bit unwieldy.

 

[mudskipper]

Sadly I think the Force will go... Mainly to save the Rebels... Pity..,
Relocating teams from loyal heartland like the brumbies just wont work... Its not a movable brand, its a province a provincial indentity... Its not like relicating a company HQ...

 

[Quick Hands]

How could the ARU possibly agree to cutting the BRUMBIES.


Notable players

• Owen Finegan - Waverley College & Randwick
• Patricio Noriega - Argentina, then Waratahs, then Stade Francais
• David Giffin - Sunnybank Brisbane
• George Gregan - Local Canberra boy
• Julian Huxley - Kings School Sydney, Gordon & Sydney Uni
• Stephen Larkham - Local Canberra boy
• Jeremy Paul - Born in NZ but Brumbies product
• Joe Roff - local Canberra boy
• David Pocock - Anglican Church Grammar Brisbane, Force
• George Smith - Manly junior
• Matt Giteau - local Canberra boy
• Stirling Mortlock - Kings School Sydney and Gordon
• Bill Young - St Joseph's College HH
• Clyde Rathbone - seriously??? South African
• Adam Ashley-Cooper - NSW Central Coast
• Christian Lealiifano - born in NZ and played juniors & school rugby in Melbourne

Not many born and bred Canberra locals there.

 

[Quick Hands]

I guess a trans-tasman comp has been said to be financially viable by the broadcasters in the past (according to many media outlets a few years ago when it was proposed). And it's a really good fit time-zone wise.

But you may be right. Having a SA/Arg/whoever else conference may prove to be a bit unwieldy.

An 11 team competition involving the 5 NZ and 5 Aust teams plus the Sunwolves would be just as viable as the current schemozzle.

The big problem with it is the stated desire of NZ teams to play against SA teams (Even though the S 18 concept actually reduced these from the S 15 structure)

5 Aussie teams, Japan and Pacific Islands?

The SA wish list is dysfunctional - less local derbies and less travel ffs

 

[Joe King]

If a team was to be cut, I would have thought it would be the Rebels, with the Brumbies to then play half their games in Melbourne to try and save some of that market and potentially source from it in the future.

While it would hurt a lot, it's probably the least painful path.

So maybe it's the best of all the horrible scenarios.

 

[mudskipper]

Not many born and bred Canberra locals there.

It not about high school post codes... How childish... Its professional sport... Pffft

 

[mst]

If a team was to be cut, I would have thought it would be the Rebels, with the Brumbies to then play half their games in Melbourne to try and save some of that market and potentially source from it in the future.

While it would hurt a lot, it's probably the least painful path.

So maybe it's the best of all the horrible scenarios.

The Brumbies have a small supporter base (6000-8000 members at best) and a fickle local supporter base. Take away any "home" games and the supporter base will drop in Canberra. I would envisage that only a small amount of the ex-Rebel rusted-on would jump on the Brumbies bandwagon and the casual supporter numbers would also be low.

It's twice as hard to market an out of state team which the Brumbies would be in Melbourne, and in Canberra it would have a reduced footprint.

So doing the maths, the Rebels would be extinct, and the Brumbies split between two locations would die a fairly quick death in about 2 seasons I would predict.

So the flow on would be 2 less NRC teams and a return the neglectful past for the regions from the ACT southward, as they will again be devoid of any real rugby resources.

Oh, it would hurt a whole lot!

If the ARU cut a team, the reality is a market will have to die to save the rest. There is no magic double dipping going to work.

 

[Slim 293]

This is all going swimmingly.........

 

[The torpedo]

Bit of conclusion jumping here - the article doesn't even mention the brumbies - it just says 'an Australian team'