^^^^^
Dru
The combination of the pandemic, Trump, Johnson, China, and the increasing hard right the Murdoch press world wide is pushing, when added to together has me far less interested in rugby issues today.
However reading these pages makes me feel many are still in the dark, almost in a dream land.
Your logic is spot on. Its interesting all the "Johnny Come Lately s ", who used to support, existing structures, are now experts on how to run a new competition.
The core business and sporting essentials have not changed.
Its simple we need to develop a Local National Domestic Competition, and if we wanta get that right we bring all the stakeholders along. To get all the stakeholders on one page signing the same song and working together, is aside from complex given various self interests and ego's, Its also timing consuming.
You can't only have 5 teams, you need at least 8, but then only for a short time you need 10 teams at least.
I like the new guy in charge, my fear is he will chase the short term dollar fix. Hopefully he can bring enough folk with him .
Its impossible to develop any business that's in trouble with huge competition in a falling market without all key stakeholders both involved as part of the process, but equally a model that suits the environment you are in.
Just on the falling market aspect, sport or people prepared to watch sport on a regular basic is falling and has been for a number of years. The net has given people far more options. E-Games, Youtube, various streaming avenues for non related sports actives is growing.
Dru, into this falling market, consider in Australia we have 139 professional sporting teams [listed below] many relatively new:-
AFL men’s 18
AFL women’s 14
Rugby League 16
Rugby League Women’s 10
Super Rugby 5
Netball 8
Basketball men’s 9
Basketball women’s 9
Football 12
Cricket Shield teams 7
Big Bash Men’s 8
Big Bash Women’s 8
OD state teams 7
Super V8’s [see note] 8
Total 139
As I said, posted, yelled, screamed, for two decades now, long term we need a "National Domestic Competition" and we need everyone in rugby behind it.
All the above sports are chasing broadcast agreements, sponsorships etc, so so so so much has changed over the past two decades. What was will not survive the future.
AnyWho, keep up the logic hopefully people will one day understand.