Where to for Super Rugby?

[Rugbynutter39]

Interestingly I thought we had lost Fiji but perhaps all part of the behind the scenes deals ie you help us secure funding we will play in your (super rugby Au competition). Given Fiji Drua part of nrc which RA helped get world rugby funding for I expect Fiji put the pressure on for RA to help push Govt funding.

So we would have to expect Fiji in super rugby Au next year and likely playing a few home games in western Sydney to help with the commercials.

 

[Adam84]

Probably, but it the usual step up for new deals, about 32 mill a year, they were paying about 20 mill. Rugby went from 32 mill a year to 80 mill, so guessing that is what new deals are worth.
Like in Aus they got competition for sports nowadays from Spark,and they lost cricket and NBL last year, so imagine they bidding pretty hard for main sports.
To be honest I actually interested to see how much is Super rugby etc in deals, as it seems that maybe Fiji and MP (Moana Pasifika) will get a cut of negotiated deals.

How many Super Rugby games are FTA in NZ?
$160million is a massive investment in NZRU direct competitor.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Because this isn't about sporting participation, this is about regional diplomacy.

Sporting Diplomacy is just one of a number of different ways to influence the region and an area Australia has a competitive advantage over countries like China, absolutely medical and education programs are the other areas to influence and this shouldn't be at the expense of those programs.

China are spending $hundreds of millions in pacific countries to secure influence over these countries, Australia cant compete financially with China but it can leverage other mechanisms. $1million spent on a Fijian Super Rugby team wins more influence over the population then China spending $200million on a new port upgrade.

And I'd argue the same thing with PNG and Rugby League.

It's very much a hearts and minds investment. Which can be significantly more powerful than infrastructure spends. I find the funding for Fijiana involvement in SuperW to be very interesting. This seems like a govt. backed play to essentially secure Fiji as part of our structures. Which I have to wonder was something RA may have been waiting for to be rubber stamped before they look to ratify at the very least the Drua for next season knowing that this pretty much locks them in with us.

Hopefully, next season with this we can see Super Rugby Au and Super W run side by side with the same schedule.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

It's very much a hearts and minds investment. Which can be significantly more powerful than infrastructure spends. I find the funding for Fijiana involvement in SuperW to be very interesting. This seems like a govt. backed play to essentially secure Fiji as part of our structures. Which I have to wonder was something RA may have been waiting for to be rubber stamped before they look to ratify at the very least the Drua for next season knowing that this pretty much locks them in with us.

Hopefully, next season with this we can see Super Rugby Au and Super W run side by side with the same schedule.

Maybe gets more people watching by having after Super Rugby Au and TT as I would struggle to watch as much super rugby w if was on same time as super rugby au

 

[Adam84]

It's very much a hearts and minds investment. Which can be significantly more powerful than infrastructure spends. I find the funding for Fijiana involvement in SuperW to be very interesting. This seems like a govt. backed play to essentially secure Fiji as part of our structures. Which I have to wonder was something RA may have been waiting for to be rubber stamped before they look to ratify at the very least the Drua for next season knowing that this pretty much locks them in with us.

Hopefully, next season with this we can see Super Rugby Au and Super W run side by side with the same schedule.

It would be commercial in confidence, but it would be interesting to see what terms and conditions they put on the funding. I can’t imagine they would want the Drua playing in a NZ conference if the funding is intending to build additional Fiji-Aus relations

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Maybe gets more people watching by having after Super Rugby Au and TT as I would struggle to watch as much super rugby w if was on same time as super rugby au

Super W games could essentially be played a curtain raisers before the Super Rugby Au games. Certainly wouldn't hurt viewership in my opinion.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

It would be commercial in confidence, but it would be interesting to see what terms and conditions they put on the funding. I can’t imagine they would want the Drua playing in a NZ conference if the funding is intending to build additional Fiji-Aus relations

Yeah, I suspect this comes with pretty clear conditions on where the Drua will be competing. Would be a fairly be f'up if they provided this funding with stipulating such a condition.

 

[Dan54]

How many Super Rugby games are FTA in NZ?
$160million is a massive investment in NZRU direct competitor.

No super games, think one Bunnings cup and Womens rugby will be. I agree $160 mill is a lot to go to competitor, bot they were on $100 mill for last 5 years. It never good, but it's a fact of life that NRL has always been fairly populer on Sky etc, regardless of what you imagine in Aus it has a fairly strong following since early 90s.

 

[Adam84]

No super games, think one Bunnings cup and Womens rugby will be. I agree $160 mill is a lot to go to competitor, bot they were on $100 mill for last 5 years. It never good, but it's a fact of life that NRL has always been fairly populer on Sky etc, regardless of what you imagine in Aus it has a fairly strong following since early 90s.

Went from $90million to $160million reportedly.
It’s the addition of FTA that would concern me especially as NZ doesn’t have any Super Rugby on FTA. They probably could have taken more money if they kept it completely PayTV, but seems to me they’re really trying to grow the NZ market.

 

[Dan54]

Yep they trying, first State of Origin was on FTA apparently, haven't talked to anyone who watched, but a couple of nephews no doubt did as they watch a bit of league, though I only think usually Warriors.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Hmm yes the nrl on FTA for nz is real concern. I think nzru way underthink the threat league may have which is why imperative they work with others (RA and other relevant Asia pacific union bodies) to grow the game).

 

[Dan54]

Hmm yes the nrl on FTA for nz is real concern. I think nzru way underthink the threat league may have which is why imperative they work with others (RA and other relevant Asia pacific union bodies) to grow the game).

Hence the work with MP (Moana Pasifika) and Drua to get them in Super?

 

[sunnyboys]

Gregor Paul in the NZ Herald with more advice for Australia. Complete with Roman adages! Pointing out that it doesn't matter "who wins or losses per se, but what is learnt along the way"!

But oh we have learnt Gregor! we've learnt that mismatched competitions result in small crowds and dwindling tv audiences, followed by reducing revenue streams!

Dont read it if you have blood pressure issues.

 

[hoggy]

Gregor Paul in the NZ Herald with more advice for Australia. Complete with Roman adages! Pointing out that it doesn't matter "who wins or losses per se, but what is learnt along the way"!

But oh we have learnt Gregor! we've learnt that mismatched competitions result in small crowds and dwindling tv audiences, followed by reducing revenue streams!

Dont read it if you have blood pressure issues.

Behind a pay wall, but yeah your right the headline and leading paragraph say enough. Surely it is time to put some distance in this relationship.

 

[kiap]

why would we fund foreign sports when the funding could be better utilised in Australia

It's great value for the positive influence it generates. We need strong ties in the Pacific.

It is not the only support needed but - as soft power bang for the buck - it's an absolute winner.

On the other hand, as a Rugby fan this is good for the game.

Yep

 

[hoggy]

Whether we do our own domestic and champions league with Japan and nz (more likely I think day by day) we need to get better collaboration between RA and NzRu to strengthen the footprint and our game from the threat of league (and to lesser extent other footy codes of a-league and afl). This is the downside of the continue failed competitions and disfunction in communication and collaboration between nzru and RA. This disfunction and inability to work at bigger picture level to address this threat by RA and nzru continues to gift an own goal to rival footy codes and their growth and expansion plans.

Seriously nZru and RA need together to way better combat this threat as both nz and oz are not immune to this threat.

I now what your saying. But I would argue that we need a level of separation to get our own house in order. It is this forever shackled to eachothers ankle that has the code especially in Australia just incapable of adjusting or meeting the challenges required for the game here to flourish.

This whole domestic competition angle is not some anti NZ crusade, its just that at some stage the game here in Autralia has got to learn to stand up on its own two feet.

As you say this constant white-anting and dysfuntion is just slowly kiling the game here. So how long does the next format go for another year or two, and then another change, fans have lost interest in something that doesn't seem to mean anything.

The Sydeny Swans have arguably eaten into 15/20% of Waratahs supporter base over the last 10 years through presenting a package that rugby union has not even been capable of entering the ring with, were shackled to a structure that has just handed them those supporters on a plate.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I now what your saying. But I would argue that we need a level of separation to get our own house in order. It is this forever shackled to eachothers ankle that has the code especially in Australia just incapable of adjusting or meeting the challenges required for the game here to flourish.

This whole domestic competition angle is not some anti NZ crusade, its just that at some stage the game here in Autralia has got to learn to stand up on its own two feet.

As you say this constant white-anting and dysfuntion is just slowly kiling the game here. So how long does the next format go for another year or two, and then another change, fans have lost interest in something that doesn't seem to mean anything.

The Sydeny Swans have arguably eaten into 15/20% of Waratahs supporter base over the last 10 years through presenting a package that rugby union has not even been capable of entering the ring with, were shackled to a structure that has just handed them those supporters on a plate.

Yeh I agree with sentiment and aligned hence domestic competition more focus on our side but also collaboration in other areas to thwart threat of league eg conference style playoffs and champions league etc. I think focusing on our own domestic competitions and collaborating more on champions league and other stuff will help address tensions and goal alignment issues better. But I agree with your thoughts.

And also agree this continued white anting and disfunction between nzru and RA that plays out only hurting our game. They both need to draw a line in the sand and let go of precious baggage but still prepared to being areas of compromise to the table for things to align on (ie conference style play offs / champions league etc).

 

[Tomikin]

Gregor Paul in the NZ Herald with more advice for Australia. Complete with Roman adages! Pointing out that it doesn't matter "who wins or losses per se, but what is learnt along the way"!

But oh we have learnt Gregor! we've learnt that mismatched competitions result in small crowds and dwindling tv audiences, followed by reducing revenue streams!

Dont read it if you have blood pressure issues.

Im sure he wouldnt be saying that if NZ where the whipping boys year in year out.. que kiwi to tell me 'No we would just get better' ... Like we havnt tried for 20 odd fucking years.

 

[Bullrush]

But there lies the problem - we as sports fans / customers are looking at the pro competition as to whether we engage with - and not the other product which is the international test product. And there lies the conflict as I am looking at the pro product which competes with nrl, a-league, afl and not the frigging international product. This is the problem as the pro competition super rugby product is being hijacked for another product which has no relavance on whether as sports fan I engage with the super rugby product. This is why rugby is still very amateur commercially as FFS if we had somebody independent running a super rugby product looking at the commercial interests of this product alone I would guarantee based on similar models run in other sporting codes worldwide it would be a way more successful then current, past and planed super rugby products us supposed customers have to endure.

I have had a gutful of my interest in pro rugby being hijacked by nzru who want to create a super rugby product designed for a different national test product. if ever a independant body gets appointed to design and run a super rugby product we may have a chance of moving rugby forward in Asia pacific. Otherwise we are well and truly fucked as latest installement of nzru super rugby bullshit has shown us.

Just get out of the way nzru and let an independent organisation design and run this without bullshit agendas of the nzru’s and RA may have (I am less harsh on RA as at least recently stated looking at independent Afl style commission to replace RA). And anybody who knows me here would have seen 18 months ago was way more critical of RA then NZRU. NZRU are definitely the obstacle for creating a successful super rugby product as they won’t focus just on what is required for that due to wanting to design this product for the separate outside international product.

I call bullshit on most of the shit you're saying here.

You're basically pissed off at NZRU because they have ensured that NZ rugby- whether it's Super Rugby or the ABs - is some of the best rugby in the world. NZRU had NOTHING to do with the demise of rugby in Australia. They just kept getting better and better at producing great rugby players and coaches and now Australia struggles to compete on the field.

NZRU may now be in a position where purely due to our small country size, the remoteness of our location and the absolute dominance they have displayed for the last 10 years where we have to work with Australia to help them become competitive again but your anger is bullshit.

It's your own rubbish results and lack of competitiveness that has killed Super Rugby.

 

[Tomikin]

I call bullshit on most of the shit you're saying here.

You're basically pissed off at NZRU because they have ensured that NZ rugby- whether it's Super Rugby or the ABs - is some of the best rugby in the world. NZRU had NOTHING to do with the demise of rugby in Australia. They just kept getting better and better at producing great rugby players and coaches and now Australia struggles to compete on the field.

NZRU may now be in a position where purely due to our small country size, the remoteness of our location and the absolute dominance they have displayed for the last 10 years where we have to work with Australia to help them become competitive again but your anger is bullshit.

It's your own rubbish results and lack of competitiveness that has killed Super Rugby.

Cool we are shit, your not, that's our fault not yours.. Cool story.. let's see how dominant and sustainable you are alone.