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Spectators lose interest in Super Rugby
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<blockquote data-quote="Bruce_ma gooshvili" data-source="post: 806766" data-attributes="member: 74121"><p>As someone new to Super Rugby it's a shame that the format change isn't working, albeit the report focusses on SA and raises other issues that could be contributing to a decline in spectators. I think it could work (but then I'm an NFL fan) but there are a few issues caused by the weakness of the expansion teams in recent years (with only the Rebels currently ahead of any established team in their conference if my rough knowledge of Super Rugby history is correct). There could be issues with the Lions being No.1 seed and also could the Oz conference steal a wildcard from NZ in the next fortnight (if so, I'd argue that isn't on merit).</p><p></p><p>The whole point of the change was probably to make current expansion more affordable (in terms of travel) and to make future expansion more straightforward and less disruptive (two new teams could just slot into the African conferences) but they need to put some kind of measures in place to help out expansion teams. For example, stumping up cash so that they can attract a top coach on a long term contract (so they can't do a runner like Hammet has done on the Sunwolves, which probably guarantees they'll make no progress next season).</p><p></p><p>I think its highly likely the competition will move to two divisions given the feedback options in the fan consultation exercise, but I don't think that's necessarily a good thing unless the relegation / promotion playoffs involve several teams from both the top and bottom divisions (to prevent it becoming a closed shop). For example, bottom four in Div 1 against top four of Div 2 with seedings that don't massively favour Div 1. The Cheetahs, Rebels and Jaguares are showing some signs of life and hopefully next season if they become more competitive the conference system will work a bit better but if there is still this huge gulf between established clubs and newer ones then I think the call to change the system will become deafening.</p><p></p><p>It's a bit of a catch 22 though. Super Rugby seems to be losing loads of players to the English & French leagues, presumably because they can pay more. So Super Rugby needs more TV money (e.g. Japan and to a lesser extent Argentina) to compete on salaries and retain top SA (and possibly Oz?) talent. If you went back to a smaller league with less territories and still let players playing in Europe also play in the national side then you'd probably see an even quicker dilution / loss of talent.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Bruce_ma gooshvili, post: 806766, member: 74121"] As someone new to Super Rugby it's a shame that the format change isn't working, albeit the report focusses on SA and raises other issues that could be contributing to a decline in spectators. I think it could work (but then I'm an NFL fan) but there are a few issues caused by the weakness of the expansion teams in recent years (with only the Rebels currently ahead of any established team in their conference if my rough knowledge of Super Rugby history is correct). There could be issues with the Lions being No.1 seed and also could the Oz conference steal a wildcard from NZ in the next fortnight (if so, I'd argue that isn't on merit). The whole point of the change was probably to make current expansion more affordable (in terms of travel) and to make future expansion more straightforward and less disruptive (two new teams could just slot into the African conferences) but they need to put some kind of measures in place to help out expansion teams. For example, stumping up cash so that they can attract a top coach on a long term contract (so they can't do a runner like Hammet has done on the Sunwolves, which probably guarantees they'll make no progress next season). I think its highly likely the competition will move to two divisions given the feedback options in the fan consultation exercise, but I don't think that's necessarily a good thing unless the relegation / promotion playoffs involve several teams from both the top and bottom divisions (to prevent it becoming a closed shop). For example, bottom four in Div 1 against top four of Div 2 with seedings that don't massively favour Div 1. The Cheetahs, Rebels and Jaguares are showing some signs of life and hopefully next season if they become more competitive the conference system will work a bit better but if there is still this huge gulf between established clubs and newer ones then I think the call to change the system will become deafening. It's a bit of a catch 22 though. Super Rugby seems to be losing loads of players to the English & French leagues, presumably because they can pay more. So Super Rugby needs more TV money (e.g. Japan and to a lesser extent Argentina) to compete on salaries and retain top SA (and possibly Oz?) talent. If you went back to a smaller league with less territories and still let players playing in Europe also play in the national side then you'd probably see an even quicker dilution / loss of talent. [/QUOTE]
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