Germany in hunt for ABs

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/artic...jectid=10607900

The All Blacks have a firm offer to play a Bledisloe Cup test in Hong Kong next year and are also being courted by the German Rugby Union to play in Hamburg.

Other proposals are also on the table, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi having touted their interest to host the All Blacks and Miami a potential venue for a clash with Argentina.

It is the Hong Kong proposition that is likely to be pursued most vigorously in the immediate future, as the venue proved highly lucrative for the New Zealand Rugby Union last year.

The All Black defeat of the Wallabies in Hong Kong is believed to have seen both sides split close to about $6 million.

NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said that both New Zealand and Australia have strategic aims in Asia and, having already played in Hong Kong, there is a major attraction in returning.

Tokyo, just a week after hosting its first Bledisloe test, is also believed to be determined to bring both sides back, either next year or in 2012.

Tew said the match in Tokyo achieved all its commercial aims but was not as lucrative as the 2008 test in Hong Kong.

However, the merchandising activity in Japan was through the roof, with adidas reporting a revenue jump of 20 million yen ($305,000) over the weekend.

They had based their expectation on the 4 million yen ($61,000) they made when Italian football giants AC Milan recently played in Tokyo.

"We have a firm offer from Hong Kong," said Tew. "It is highly possible we could go back there next year."

The NZRU's strategic aim is to grow the All Black brand in untapped Asian markets.

"I don't think it's beyond the realms of possibility that we could be playing a test in mainland China in the next five years," said Tew.

The union has studied how the NFL and NBA have grown the popularity of their sports by playing outside the US.

The NFL played a championship game in London this year and will do so again. The NBA allowed China free broadcast rights 10 years ago to expose their sport to the market.

Such thinking is also in play in rugby circles. Sanzar executives are looking at means to have more footage of their games made available to digital media outlets to help grow Super 15 and Tri Nations in non-traditional rugby countries.

Playing a test in Germany would be a mechanism to expose the All Blacks to a non-rugby nation. Tew said he has talked to German officials.

"I think it would be stretching to say we have a firm offer. But those venues with vision can see the value in having the All Blacks play."

Rugby has a growing profile in Germany and the country has excellent stadia, having hosted the football World Cup in 2006.

Tew said the NZRU has a long-term vision to play tests at neutral tests as long as they don't place excessive demands on the players and stretch the All Blacks to the point they can't sustain their winning legacy.

A test in Miami against the Pumas is thought to be a strong possibility after the World Cup, as is a test against England in Dubai[/b]

No doubt this will lead to a lot of "money grabbing whores" replies but I think it's great for the sport. If New Zealand and Australia playing in Hong Kong, Tokyo or mainland China helps increase interest in the game in Eastern Asia in the run up to the 2019 World Cup, it can open up the door to untold riches to the iRB. The same goes for opening up potentially massive markets like Germany and the USA.

The last two Bledisloe Cup games in Hong Kong and Japan seem to have been quite successful both in terms of the ARU and NZRU's bank balances and gaining a foothold in emerging rugby territories. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement. Perhaps the Sanzar nations would be better off concentrating on truly establishing rugby in that area (and helping bring Argentina into the fold) rather than spreading their wings too far. Not that I'd complain if they helped break the German market but I think that could be better achieved by the established European nations through entry of German teams into the Amlin Cup, more tests (or more realistically A games) against the Germany national team and the possible staging of a Heineken Cup final in one of Germany's rugby strongholds like Hannover.

 

[Melhor Time]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (snoopy snoopy dog dog @ Nov 13 2009, 03:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

No doubt this will lead to a lot of "money grabbing whores" replies but I think it's great for the sport. If New Zealand and Australia playing in Hong Kong, Tokyo or mainland China helps increase interest in the game in Eastern Asia in the run up to the 2019 World Cup, it can open up the door to untold riches to the iRB. The same goes for opening up potentially massive markets like Germany and the USA.

The last two Bledisloe Cup games in Hong Kong and Japan seem to have been quite successful both in terms of the ARU and NZRU's bank balances and gaining a foothold in emerging rugby territories. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement. Perhaps the Sanzar nations would be better off concentrating on truly establishing rugby in that area (and helping bring Argentina into the fold) rather than spreading their wings too far. Not that I'd complain if they helped break the German market but I think that could be better achieved by the established European nations through entry of German teams into the Amlin Cup, more tests (or more realistically A games) against the Germany national team and the possible staging of a Heineken Cup final in one of Germany's rugby strongholds like Hannover.[/b]

I think it may well happen. Hannover, Germany has successfully hosted the European Rugby Sevens in recent years. They got over 30,000 there last year and the vast majority were indeed Germans. Coaches and management of both Australia and New Zealand would also prefer to play the Bledisloe in Europe, if possible, because it will be the tour before the World Cup. They will want to restict travelling as much as they possibly can.

Hamburg hosting the match is indeed news. I would think that should Germany host the game it would go to Hannover as it ahs proven it can draw crowds for Sevens contests. Denver, CO, USA has been put back as a host but will host, maybe in 2012.

Fiji vs Argentina was almost signed for this year in Qatar (near Dubai) in case you are interested.

 

[alexrugby]

ABs to play against Germany? the team which entered FIRA AER Nations Cup schedule this season?

That will be tha shame for IRB and NZRU and for all the High ranked nations as they look from above over the smaller nations

MOney can do the miracles

 

[Nickdnz]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LeksoRugby @ Nov 14 2009, 08:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

ABs to play against Germany? the team which entered FIRA AER Nations Cup schedule this season?

That will be tha shame for IRB and NZRU and for all the High ranked nations as they look from above over the smaller nations

MOney can do the miracles [/b]

Ab's not to play against Germany, AB's to play in Germany. They will play possibly a test against Australia in Germany.


I'm not against AB's developing other nations however I would be annoyed if too many of our games go to other countries and home matches become less frequent. It does seem like the AB's would be sh*ting on their fans at home if too many games are given in neutral countries.

 

[fcukernaut]

Miami would be an epic failure because there is no way they'd fill the 60,000+ Dolphins stadium. Anything in the US needs to be scaled back to a capacity of around 30,000. Find that venue and you have a chance at the game. If they try for a 60,000 venue and get 40,000 fans it will look like an epic failure. It's as much the perception in the US as it is finacial success.

 

[alexrugby]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nickdnz @ Nov 14 2009, 02:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LeksoRugby @ Nov 14 2009, 08:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ABs to play against Germany? the team which entered FIRA AER Nations Cup schedule this season?

That will be tha shame for IRB and NZRU and for all the High ranked nations as they look from above over the smaller nations

MOney can do the miracles [/b]

Ab's not to play against Germany, AB's to play in Germany. They will play possibly a test against Australia in Germany.


I'm not against AB's developing other nations however I would be annoyed if too many of our games go to other countries and home matches become less frequent. It does seem like the AB's would be sh*ting on their fans at home if too many games are given in neutral countries.
[/b][/quote]

Agree and understood everything

That all the world of Business and money making

But this has some advantage also_ popularization of rugby, the thing IRB never actually was worried about

 

[William18]

It makes sense from an All Black perspective. Personally, I think there are too many international test matches, especially involving the All Blacks. These only devalue the brand. However, these games are a great way of spreading rugby around the world. More importantly though they generate a lot of money. Hopefully this money can then be redistributed amongst the grass roots and keeps NZ strong.

 

[bates]

Would be cool if they play in Germany.
Nice weekend out for me.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (William18 @ Nov 15 2009, 03:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

It makes sense from an All Black perspective. Personally, I think there are too many international test matches, especially involving the All Blacks. These only devalue the brand. However, these games are a great way of spreading rugby around the world. More importantly though they generate a lot of money. Hopefully this money can then be redistributed amongst the grass roots and keeps NZ strong.[/b]

You've hit on a good point. I don't see how it's good for rugby when New Zealand meet Australia 4 times and South Africa 3 times in every calender year. I was reading a couple of days ago that Matt Giteau of the Wallabies has played roughly half of his 70+ caps against just two countries! Soon the public will grow very bored of that. Perhaps they (the Tri Nations) are better off cutting down on the amount of games versus each other (to one home, one away and possibly one in a new territory) and playing a more diverse yearly schedule involving Argentina and the Pacific Islands for example.

 

[Prestwick]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (fcukernaut @ Nov 14 2009, 02:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Miami would be an epic failure because there is no way they'd fill the 60,000+ Dolphins stadium. Anything in the US needs to be scaled back to a capacity of around 30,000. Find that venue and you have a chance at the game. If they try for a 60,000 venue and get 40,000 fans it will look like an epic failure. It's as much the perception in the US as it is finacial success.[/b]

Thats true, there aren't even that many British Expats in Florida these days. At one point, Brits were forecast to outnumber Hispanics by 2025 or something silly because of the huge amount of retired Brits taking advantage of the cheap house prices!

As for game, if New Zealand and Australia insist on doing this then it'd make better sense to take the game to Germany. For a start they'll only have to take a bus or a train to France, Italy or the UK rather than take a 12 hour flight if they were coming from Hong Kong or Tokyo..

 

[William18]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (snoopy snoopy dog dog @ Nov 16 2009, 01:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (William18 @ Nov 15 2009, 03:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It makes sense from an All Black perspective. Personally, I think there are too many international test matches, especially involving the All Blacks. These only devalue the brand. However, these games are a great way of spreading rugby around the world. More importantly though they generate a lot of money. Hopefully this money can then be redistributed amongst the grass roots and keeps NZ strong.[/b]

You've hit on a good point. I don't see how it's good for rugby when New Zealand meet Australia 4 times and South Africa 3 times in every calender year. I was reading a couple of days ago that Matt Giteau of the Wallabies has played roughly half of his 70+ caps against just two countries! Soon the public will grow very bored of that. Perhaps they (the Tri Nations) are better off cutting down on the amount of games versus each other (to one home, one away and possibly one in a new territory) and playing a more diverse yearly schedule involving Argentina and the Pacific Islands for example.
[/b][/quote]
Yeah, 4 times a year is way over the top. People are already bored of it, test against Australia and South Africa don't stop the country anymore and they are nothing special. This is why we need Argentina in the 4 nations, they will at least add some diversity.

 

[wjd23104]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (snoopy snoopy dog dog @ Nov 16 2009, 01:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (William18 @ Nov 15 2009, 03:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It makes sense from an All Black perspective. Personally, I think there are too many international test matches, especially involving the All Blacks. These only devalue the brand. However, these games are a great way of spreading rugby around the world. More importantly though they generate a lot of money. Hopefully this money can then be redistributed amongst the grass roots and keeps NZ strong.[/b]

You've hit on a good point. I don't see how it's good for rugby when New Zealand meet Australia 4 times and South Africa 3 times in every calender year. I was reading a couple of days ago that Matt Giteau of the Wallabies has played roughly half of his 70+ caps against just two countries! Soon the public will grow very bored of that. Perhaps they (the Tri Nations) are better off cutting down on the amount of games versus each other (to one home, one away and possibly one in a new territory) and playing a more diverse yearly schedule involving Argentina and the Pacific Islands for example.
[/b][/quote]
Its great for NZ rugby we get to beat the Aussies 4 times in a year and its gives the NZRU 4 games a year to underline why they stayed with Henry and Co. The 4th game brings in a new audience.