Wallaby Man
Nev Cottrell (35)
The game as a whole other than France and Ireland isn’t in a good condition.
The international component is competitive and still doing well, but domestically it’s a shambles in almost every country. The URC just had healthy finals crowds but regular season outside of Ireland is shocking. Contrary to what many think the game isn’t doing as well as many think in Japan, it’s just cashed up corporate teams buying players. The World Series 7 is the worst condition it’s been in a long time. New comps like MLR haven’t done anything to expand the game in their own markets and aren’t on the strongest footing several years in.
The marketing and the messaging around the game in my mind is the massive issue. There is a lot of negativity surrounding the game especially by conversations facilitated by World Rugby and the Unions. They have lost control of rhetoric that other contact sports are managing to avoid.
I still don’t believe France is in as great a spot as many like to think, there is a lot of money spent with the TV deal and stadium sizes not what I’d expect them to be for the money spent. The tv deal is considerably less than the NRL and crowds similar size, yet they are spending more, it just doesn’t add up. 30% of their tv deal goes to ProD2 as well. It’s essentially a rich man’s play thing. Might be an interesting 5yrs ahead and potentially a re-set required and a burning of some traditional thought processes that are going to have to be forgone.
I actually think Australia are in a better position than a few years ago (not in a good position either), but we are generally at the forefront of the pressures that other countries experience later because we have greater pressures that exasperate them earlier. Conservatism is dead in sport, it’s why rugby is struggling with the messaging and embracing what works in other sports. It’s why Hamish pisses off so many, but he’s getting results.
The international component is competitive and still doing well, but domestically it’s a shambles in almost every country. The URC just had healthy finals crowds but regular season outside of Ireland is shocking. Contrary to what many think the game isn’t doing as well as many think in Japan, it’s just cashed up corporate teams buying players. The World Series 7 is the worst condition it’s been in a long time. New comps like MLR haven’t done anything to expand the game in their own markets and aren’t on the strongest footing several years in.
The marketing and the messaging around the game in my mind is the massive issue. There is a lot of negativity surrounding the game especially by conversations facilitated by World Rugby and the Unions. They have lost control of rhetoric that other contact sports are managing to avoid.
I still don’t believe France is in as great a spot as many like to think, there is a lot of money spent with the TV deal and stadium sizes not what I’d expect them to be for the money spent. The tv deal is considerably less than the NRL and crowds similar size, yet they are spending more, it just doesn’t add up. 30% of their tv deal goes to ProD2 as well. It’s essentially a rich man’s play thing. Might be an interesting 5yrs ahead and potentially a re-set required and a burning of some traditional thought processes that are going to have to be forgone.
I actually think Australia are in a better position than a few years ago (not in a good position either), but we are generally at the forefront of the pressures that other countries experience later because we have greater pressures that exasperate them earlier. Conservatism is dead in sport, it’s why rugby is struggling with the messaging and embracing what works in other sports. It’s why Hamish pisses off so many, but he’s getting results.
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