Australia is an interesting sports market, and to some extent it either represents our Individualism and wanting to stand up for Australia or maybe as some say the chip on the shoulder.
Our three major sporting codes.
AFL, Australia is always the best in the world
NRL, Australia is mostly the best in the world
Cricket, Australia is often the best in the world.
All other codes can work it out, but the four biggest world team sporting codes. None have achieved long term professional success, all have shown small periods of we are getting on top of things.
Soccer
Basketball
Baseball
Rugby
Of the above four codes, soccer, basketball & rugby have well established structures and systems in place.
Aside from cricket, Australians look to local domestic competitions and unlike most other nations Australians have developed a liking for repetitive teams playing in repetitive competitions and feed the fact we are watching the worlds best. In many ways similar to the US.
How Super Rugby navigates this is critical over the current broadcast deal where the 9 / Fairfax / Stan / Radio group want us to grow.
As many have posted recently our admins have largely wasted one off windfalls. The suggestion that PE funding could go the same way.
PE can come in a number of forms, I think PE is coming, my hope is we do not panic as we did we News first offered the Tri Nation & Super Rugby deals. Australian rugby essentially sold itself to the wants of a Subscription TV company when the broadcaster often had a big say in the team numbers and fixture draw.
You all know the system of PE I want, i.e. privately owned teams in a privately run competition with that competition established by the governing body. for this post ignore my further desire is it be based on US franchise systems of which the best is the MSL.
We need PE, the decision is therefore what is the best form and best structure for the PE.
