The Foxtel situation is why I have always believed it’ll end up a trans-Tasman competition. Our own broadcasters are receiving a raw deal, yes they don’t put in as much to the coffers as the SA sector does but that’s because they receive product at times that can be commercialized. Infact it almost makes no commercial sense why SA is capable of providing this commercial superiority over Australia. There is the argument they have most viewers, but in the real world numbers aren’t everything, it’s the commercial value of your clientele, of which Australia has significantly more wealth to go around, it’s why beer is cheaper in SA than Aus, not because it more popular there it’s just that the general person has less wealth to purchase the product so it’s made cheaper to buy. With the money that Europe contributes to Super Rugby, there is only finite resources for that as well, so if we break away from Super Rugby and their broadcasters want to put their money towards either the Currie Cup or a Trans-Tasman you can beat your bottom line they will engage the Trans-Tasman over the Currie Cup, it doesn’t clash with their own product, it’s on at a very friendly breakfast time slot which is where they are already most of their Super Rugby engagement. Fans in the UK watch super rugby when they get up then flick it over to their own competitions later.
The NRC as much as it’s a great product for Rugby Australia, provides Foxtel with near on no commercial benefit, the NPC in NZ is offering little commercial benefit to sky, despite the sentimental value and tradition it offers. It might not happen in the short term, but it just makes sense to develop something that engages not only our fans but our partners commercially. They need the ability to control their own investment, the NRL just had a magic weekend, they have ANZAC day clashes, Women in League, indigenous round etc. constant celebrations of their game. Imagine if we could free up a weekend and play the first bledisloe clash on Anzac Day, community round where we have enough fixtures to take a game to the bush, etc.
The good thing about market forces, it generally dictates some common sense after a while. Rugby needs more simplicity in its offerings.