@ half
China, Trump and Johnson are contributing to your rugby enjoyment malaise? Fark me, man. Just let the rugby be an out on the world shite.
I am befuddled by those issues too, but damned if I’ll let it interrupt the rugby.
One thing on the domestic comp issue. COVID has forced a situation where it is as good a time as any to move forward. I do think though we will devolve back to a TT. Not at all what I think is ideal but I think it will happen. Still a chance that it will be domestic thence TT. Personally I would split Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies into two teams each under the same admin and coaching groups. Then recombine them + a Force/Rebels team for the TT.
Well a bloke can dream fluff if he wants, eh?
Mate for me its always been about expansion and new voices at the table.
Central Coast, Newcastle, second Brisbane team, Western Sydney team, plus maybe a sorta Northern Beaches / Northern District team, kinda Eastwood, North Sydney, Gordon, Manly & The Rats forming a team as well.
Thats 10 teams.
The key is involving all the stakeholders who will drive the ratings, in a shrinking and more competitive market.
I would be prepared to play out of smaller and way more affordable stadiums.
Broadcast via youtube, if you want a model for this the NSW Football Federation do an amazing job, also Bar TV .
Get a match of the day on a major broadcaster.
Most won't agree I am use to that. But thats how to do it long term to both grow and expand, chasing short term cash injections to maintain existing structures and to do so means bending over and taking it. Resulting in the pigs at the trough get to stay longer but the game suffers and declines in the street.
Its the street not the bank that decides over the long term and many many many in rugby over decades don't understand its the street you need to get right to get more from the bank. Its not the bank gives and the street needs to accept and comply, many in the street walk away.
On the world events kinda agree but the incoherent squabbling on ideas only a few months back they opposed does not infuse me, when world events as they are today .