Sorry RH, that was what I thought I was saying.
However, I dont think we're going to get what we want.
Yes, sorry dru, I just wanted to emphasise agreement and again draw out the essentials.
And the latest New Black amongst some of the GAGR mods here is that 'pro rugby in Australia is likely dead and buried and intrinsically unsustainable as it has been for 20 or years', and I just think that's wildly over-pessimistic bunkum and not supported by a close examination of the core facts of the economic structure and lousy management quality of pro rugby today.
FFS _even in 2019_ we could get crowds of say 30,000+ to Wallabies matches. Say just 4 home Tests like that @ average gross ticket prices of $65 and we have gross income of c. $8,000,000 pa. Add to that Test sponsorship $s and Super gate income and its local sponsorship and you have a very material annual income line _before_ any allowance is made for media income!
And that's when the pro versions of Aust rugby are in the toilet like never before.
The problems of the pro code are all eminently fixable:
- wildly excessive cost and headcount base
- terrible general management and governance model (just look at results FFS)
- insufficient depth of quality pro coaching
- crazy money-hunting adherence to woefully broken Super Rugby and all its baggage
- inappropriate remuneration system for players (eg zero incentive to win, etc)