A potential nightmare scenario...

I see in the paper that Canterbury and the Crusaders between them plan to announce a huge loss of over a million dollars this season. I also note their crowds are down over 30% on last year, a trend repeated across all the Super unions.

These five super unions are the same ones who have railroaded the change in the ANZC from 14 to 10 teams, and these same five unions clearly - if their on field performances are to be any guide - see the ANZC as an annoying diversion that simply threatens their entrenched status.

These same five unions will contribute half the teams to the new ANZC.

On the other hand, the ANZC has been a roaring success this year with crowds and TV audiences up a giddying 50% and general agreement that the competition has captured the public imagination and the standard is well up on previous years - with, once again, the exception of the Super unions where crowds are DOWN on last year.

In the Super unions the audience is clearly over-exposed to to much rugby and has switched off.

So here is my nightmare scenario for the NZRFU:

Come February no one turns up for Super games. The Super unions play in half empty, half built stadiums and no one is much interested. I think that given the publics interest in the ANZC this is clear possibility, and the NZRFU won't be able to say they weren't warned because the 2009 Super 14 was poorly atttended.

Then, come ANZC time the vibrancy of this year falls flat as the five Super unions - i.e. at least half the games in any one round - are played in empty staduims with no atmosphere.

In other words, BOTH of their competitions could fucked in 2010...

Maybe the hook that is a world cup in 2011 might see a groundswell of support begin again for the game? I'll reserve my decision on that until after the end of year tour.

The low crowds here can be attributed to the new stand being built, with a whole side open, it let the Southerly rip round the top... not the best during a Canterbury winter.

Hence why people would rather watch at home than be stuck in minus 2 conditions.... crowds would of improved greatly with day games, but "sky" does not want them, so you can put a bit of blame on the NZRFU and News Limited here, for just lining their pockets and not thinking of the Unions where games are being played.

When Auckland was winning titles, there was no problem with ratings

So... it's quite obvious

Heh. So Auckland should just start miraculously winning everything again?



gc.