Peters concedes cash is king
4 Aug 2011
Sanzar CEO Greg Peters admits that the decision to stage an extended Super Rugby competition and hold the Tri-Nations in a World Cup year was based on money rather than what was best for the players.
Many medical experts have questioned the decision to have a four-month regional competition and then an intense international competition like the Tri-Nations back to back. The decision makes even less sense when the respective Sanzar nations are preparing their teams to peak at the World Cup in September.
Peters is currently touring the three countries in an attempt to get some feedback on the new Super Rugby format. He suggested that while player fatigue is a burning issue, rugby is a business and he has to worry about the bottom line.
‘We hear the concern about player welfare and it is of huge importance,’ Peters said at a media gathering in Johannesburg. ‘But without the money from the Tri-Nations this year, because there are no June in-bound Tests in a World Cup year, the Sanzar unions would have suffered significant losses.
‘The economic reality is that Super Rugby also drives revenue into the three countries and to their franchises, and is an important business model for them too. It’s the scheduling and the time of our southern hemisphere season that makes it difficult. The question is where we should position these competitions.’
Australia doesn’t have the player depth of New Zealand or South Africa, a fact that was reflected by the performances of the Australian franchises in the recent Super Rugby competition. While the Reds won the tournament and the Waratahs were in the top six, the three remaining franchises finished in the bottom five. Many have asked if the Reds would have topped the log had they not had the luxury of playing weak teams like the Melbourne Rebels and Western Force twice.
Peters, however, denied that the conference system favoured Australia.
‘Super Rugby is a joint venture between three partners working together for the strength of that competition. That has happened and, although there’s no doubt the new format suits the Australian market – 21 weeks being similar to the ARL (Rugby League) and AFL (Australian Rules football) – South Africa and New Zealand derive enough benefit from it as well,’ Peters said.
The Sanzar CEO added that the format would be in place for the next five years, but suggested that there could be smaller adjustments made in the near future.
‘There may be some small changes, but the fundamental goal of Sanzar is securing financial success and growing crowds and fan appeal. I’d say the new format gets an A+ in Australia and a pass mark in the other two countries.’
52 Comments
4 Aug 2011, 21:08 pm
Mo money Mo problems
4 Aug 2011, 21:12 pm
“I’d say the new format gets an A+ in Australia and a pass mark in the other two countries.” No mate, we don’t like it at all, epic fail! Too many games, the comp is watered down and will be even more laborious next year when the super 15 takes a breather! Money hungry dragon!
4 Aug 2011, 21:13 pm
Talk is cheap, but money buys the whiskey
4 Aug 2011, 21:14 pm
@ Mustard(Mustard), you beat me! Hehe! Where’s the dragon mate?
4 Aug 2011, 21:14 pm
A good paymaster never wants workmen
4 Aug 2011, 21:16 pm
More seems to be less at the moment. Ultimately what the fans want see is quality not quantity. Surely a financial model can be structured around that.
Also at the end of the day SA rugby’s biggest asset are its players. If the players welfare are not looked after their careers will be shortened substantially and a special players reaching a 100 odd test will be the exception rather than the norm.
Player management in this environment we are currently in is vital and unfortunately that is not SA strong suit.
We are always hearing about the depth in SA but its not the no. of players that are important its the quality of that depth and how they managed.
4 Aug 2011, 21:17 pm
@RugbyGuru_0_(RugbyGuru_0_)-2: It is a political correct “passmark” from the two others
Aussies scrwd us during the S15 negotiations.
4 Aug 2011, 21:17 pm
@RugbyGuru_0_(RugbyGuru_0_)-4: Hehehe Sorry. Dragonssssss!!!!!!!
4 Aug 2011, 21:21 pm
Mr Peters can spin it how he wants but the fact is this new deal is geared to favour the Australians with no domestic competition.
I have no problem helping others out growing the game of union…..BUT not at the expense of the beloved Currie Cup….one of the oldest union competitions in the world.
4 Aug 2011, 21:23 pm
How stupid and greedy, long term, rugby will suffer as the quality gets worse because of fatigue and injuries and then revenue will go down as people start losing interest because the quality of the game has become vodacom cup level, then the ars8s havce to start from scratch building it up again.
4 Aug 2011, 21:24 pm
@ JL1, I can’t believe how the administrators can ffuck up super rugga like this! We all know it use to get a bit stale in the middle of super 14 but now the whole format is unfair! @ Mustard, your dragon is too late, might be pregnant! Hehe reading this article made me depressed, its all about the money, its all about the …. I don’t think its funny… Hahaha guru over and out!
4 Aug 2011, 23:28 pm
Mr Peters…..your ego is getting in the way of reality. Either that or you are in way over your head. Stop trying to justify a tournament that is failing its consumers.
4 Aug 2011, 23:32 pm
I’d like to know what criteria are applied to determine teams to avoid each year. In old format all was clear – team you play this year at home, you’ll play away and you play every team, all is plain and clear. Crusaders did not play neither Lions, nor Rebels (incidentally both weakest teams in respective conferences), what are chances to play any of them next year?
5 Aug 2011, 04:14 am
@Nils(Nils)-13:
Not sure but whichever way you look at it not something that can be planned in advance, who knows which will be the poor teams every year…ok, ok I know, outside of the Lions!
I think if you skip a team in 1 year you definately play them next time around or for as long as the cycle takes to complete itself.
On another point, people bemoaning the death of the CC, when last did the Boks play a full CC season and where would SA rugby have been without the ZANZAR $$? Sentiment is great but something/someone needs to pay the bills…
5 Aug 2011, 04:34 am
48% increased Australian Foxsports revenue this year thanks to Victoria finally getting their team (and the Reds winning) means MORE MONEY for RSA in equal proportions with the rest to buy better players… some Japies are just tooooooo thick to comprehend that with 5 teams each and the growing exponentially in Aus… it’s mutual benefit.
5 Aug 2011, 06:21 am
@ bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz), you obviously don’t have any idea how things work in SA? Go play with a kangaroo
5 Aug 2011, 06:29 am
@RugbyGuru_0_(RugbyGuru_0_)-16:
Hmmmm… grow a pair pal… now we’ve all seen how poor RSA’s depth is when our B side got SMASHED (yes extremely poorly coached too)…
More money in RSA’s coffers = the best coaches money can buy = 30 plus increased strength Super squads = huge knock-on effect on the test side’s depth…
But stick to your juggley-wuggly, poor handling, poor coached, touch-rugby style Currie Cup that earns fokal… it’s entertaining!
5 Aug 2011, 06:38 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-17: your condescending,arrogant manner of engaging with others is seriously character revealing.
5 Aug 2011, 06:43 am
@ bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz), currie cup that earns fokol? Mate, the CC has been around for more than 100 years, its by far the toughest and oldest domestic comp in the world! The CC was the is the platform were players measure themself against fellow safa’s for the boks jersey and also creates dept for teams. you wouldn’t know because aus don’t have domestic comp, the one you had lasted one year and cost you millions in revenue lost.
5 Aug 2011, 06:52 am
SA have good structure in place, from craven week, U\19 and U\21 domestic comp, varsity comp, vodacom cup, CC threw to super 15 then Boks. And if for some reason players don’t get the above opportunity then they can play in our club league
5 Aug 2011, 07:05 am
@Bryce – no problem with Victoria getting a team and so happy that oz viewership is up. Howevere the fact remains that Super Rugby used to be the most exciting rugby competition in the world and the envy of Europe. That is no longer the case, and eventually if your product loses quality, you’re going to get less money from it eventually – even if it takes a few years for that effect to be felt.
On the player burnout issue, I can’t believe that Peters is trying to convince us that the SANZAR nations desperately needed the finances of the tri-nations when they’re all getting a nice world cup cheque soon. Some transparency please – how much does each nation earn from usual June inbound tours, the tri-nations and the world cup? My guess is that 2011 is a nice little windfall year and he’s blowing smoke out of his @ss to hide the greed.
In conclusion, I think the best long term solution has to be a Super Rugby format that again excites the rugby world and sets the benchmark for quality. This years yawn-fest is not it! Secondly the SANZAR bosses need to get creative and realise that playing hundreds of games can’t be the only way to up revenue. Show some entrepreneurial spirit and find a better solution. Finally, we saffas probably need to face the fact that the time has come for our tope 20 or so boks to be withdrawn from the currie cup each year. The competition may be a hundred years old, but a century ago guys weren’t starting their season in feb, ending in november and flying all over the world multiple times a year. I am more interested in watchin the exciting new talent come through than watching old bodies being taped together before the sharks take on the mighty leopards.
5 Aug 2011, 07:21 am
@grant10(grant10)-18:
Grant10… in light of your denigrating professional players and posters with 1000′s upon 1000′s of repetitive insulting posts beyond the point of adnauseum and this from a grown man… can you smell the irony of your post?
That’s rhetorical!
@RugbyGuru_0_(RugbyGuru_0_)-19:
Guru I understand the CC’s briliant history I have followed it for 30 yrs since I played in the ‘Luckies’ league in KZN many moons ago… but I see it for what it has become in the modern era…
A stepping stone for Super Rugby… however the quality is average albeit entertaining…the sommer-fling-the-ball-or-kick-possession-away-run-it-from-all-across-the-paddock-with-infinite-handling-errors-intercepts-unforced-turnovers etc etc 7′s style touch rugby that was the Sharks v Cheetahs game last week adds ZERO to a country whose test rugby is on the wain…
Super Rugby is where the increasing money, competition and benchmark coaches/players in WORLD RUGBY are at the moment… game evolution comes from this comp… it’s no coincidence SANZAR are 1,2,3 in the world ranked test teams…
And before you get too sentimental again… RSA rugby at all levels is on a downward spiral whether you like it or not… structures or not…
Super Rugby is where it’s at… and every day another Aussie watches the game on Foxsports it’s coin in EVERYONES pocket at SANZAR…
As an aside mate… don’t comment on Australian Rugby if you have never seen the junior schools structures here… extremely organised, well administered and zero political meddling… and the same with the club leagues feeding the premier club league…
If you’ve never been to a game here then you really don’t know what you’re talking about… it’s CC level… just this last weekend in the grudge match it was littered with Wallabies and Super Rugby players…
But hey… I can only attempt to educate you guys… use it don’t use it…
5 Aug 2011, 07:25 am
Now if NZ could only start contributing considering they take equal share in the profits yet add an extremely minor contribution to Super Foxsports money compared to SA##AR… it’s pathetic!
5 Aug 2011, 07:35 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-22: Difference is I know I am a wally….
You think you a clever d ick…..
all the time you a real wally.
Daddy issues, I have no doubt….at all.
This from a wally….
Look in the mirror sometime….not too late to change…..temper down the condescension and the arrogance….you will be amazed at the results and you may just get the love and warmth your daddy never gave you…
outta here
5 Aug 2011, 07:42 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-23:
how can they? its a small country with a small economy. thats never going to change.
5 Aug 2011, 07:52 am
@grant10(grant10)-24:
You’re going to have to do a damn sight better than that to register little man… keep all the Daddy talk for after dark and under the sheets with JustBuggery.
@we have it on good authority that on september 11, a legend will rise…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-25
By turning on their televisions quite simply… rugby is dying in NZ much like cricket in the Windies began to in the late 90′s…
NZ is a rugby nation… RSA is a soccer nation… AUS is an AFL nation… population aside their viewing stat contributions should be comparable… they are not… yet they receive exactly the same piece of pie…
I’d be making far more noise about that than at J’ON for growing the game and revenue in Aus…
How about that GOLD RUN boys… I’ve been saying it on here for years GOT GOLD YET?
5 Aug 2011, 08:00 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-26: I really do feel for you….all the hate and bitterness you carry….the constant need to laud it over others….the arrogance so hugely apparent it manifests itself in utter contempt for others …..
Surely you realise that this is not normal?
surely you were not born this way?
5 Aug 2011, 08:00 am
@grant10(grant10)-24: so whats your excuse then toss er?
boyfriend issues?
5 Aug 2011, 08:04 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-26: avg saffa s15 viewership 562 000, avg kiwi viewership 78,000.
they dont go to the games and they dont watch them on tv it seems?
i read yesterday that a poll conducted in nz showed only one third of kiwis were looking forward to the rwc and 29% were c ompletely apathetic?
wtf?
5 Aug 2011, 08:04 am
One question not related , I see its the Castle Trinations ? I’ve been away for a while and somehow missed that ? What happend to Vodacom/Vodafone Trinations ?
5 Aug 2011, 08:11 am
@sparticus(sparticus)-30: i think they are quite pleased actually (vodacom).
plenty of red faced fans after our thumping by the kiwis last week.
5 Aug 2011, 08:16 am
Somebody should point out to Keo that his match schedule, under Tri Nations, for the NZvAussie match isn’t 8.00am on the 5th, which is today, but tomorrow. It’s been driving me mad looking for it on the TV.
5 Aug 2011, 08:22 am
@David(David)-32:
I think you need to take keo with a pinch of salt.
5 Aug 2011, 08:25 am
@Gunther is an agent for white capital(gunther)-33: And pepper and most important vinegar !! LOL
5 Aug 2011, 08:31 am
@sparticus(sparticus)-34:
Sounds fishy to me.
But ja I certainly wouldn’t rely on baldy for tv schedules or punditry.
5 Aug 2011, 08:40 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-26:
no, your running your numbers wrong. as rangerman points out viewerships stats show that less nz’ers watch rugby as a total number, however, even if they did it would still be less than the numbers sa or oz generates. sa probably has a rugby supporting percentage of the population which is easily two or three times the size of the entire population of nz, and thats after factoring out football.
yes, it would be great if the number went up but it would not contribute significant growth compared to the numbers sa does. australia is indeed a potontial growth market for rugby viewership/revenue numbers. and these two countries will always generate a greater revenue source than nz simply because of their size.
perhaps rugby also competes with league, football, cricket and/or other sports to some extent in nz as well? i dont know. out of 4.5 million people when factoring out the niumber of children too young, elderly people and women (who usually follow sports less than men) and so on, then what would one be left with as a number of potential rugby watching people i wonder? i bet it would be a much smaller number to oz and sa’s comparatively.
5 Aug 2011, 08:40 am
@Gunther is an agent for white capital(gunther)-33:
Dunno, he looks more like a cheesy sauce type a guy…with a hint of garlic!
5 Aug 2011, 08:54 am
As I’ver said before, I believe the rugby season should start with domestic competitions such as the Currie Cup… Those games can double up as the regional conference derbies… the top place five sides in SA and all the teams in Aus and NZ will then take those points into the Super Rugby competition which reverts back to the home and away format of old with a only two semi final and a final…
and the the TRi (Four) Nations…
It would cut down on the amount of rugby played by the players and the season would build nicely as it progresses from domestic to franchise to international rugby and it would ensure that current form would be the basis of selection all the way through…
5 Aug 2011, 08:59 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-29:
thats because they’ve gone completely beffok in their koppe waiting for the elusive world cup win. they’re like a nation of performance anxiety suffering men with no way to get a hard on anymore for the love of their lives because they’re sshit scared of not performing adequately.
5 Aug 2011, 09:41 am
Mr Peters, if you read this, we HATE the new format.
I actually find I’m LESS bothered about rugby now which means that I’m LESS inclined to watch the games. There’s just too much.
A little while ago… the S12… I used to watch EVERY game…
LESS is MORE.
Thank you.
5 Aug 2011, 10:06 am
Think most of us don’t liket his new format of 15 at all. Should revert to the old one. Every team should just play each other once. Teams finishing top 4 should only be rewarded with a semi and the last two a final.
Have always said I don’t agree with us playing 3Nations in a world cup year. Also if we HAVE to keep this new daft format of the S15 then in a wc year there should be no home and away games in our conferences. That will cut down the rugby played for the players.
5 Aug 2011, 10:07 am
@ufo(ufo)-38: Howzit ufo,
Hope you keeping well buddy.
Good post. Makes plenty sense bud.
5 Aug 2011, 10:10 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-29:
Yep mate… like the Windies in the late 90′s… youngsters interested in other sports (horrible trend towards Seppo sports basketball in NZ on the rise)… ironically league has been on the rise in NZ due to the Warriors in Aus (and Aus marketing to the huge NZ population here which has had a knock-on effect…
@we have it on good authority that on september 11, a legend will rise…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-36:
It’s all about subscription TV when it comes to the pooled Super Foxsports money shared equally (read unfairly) amongst Aus/RSA/NZ… from the home to the local that pays for it… gate attendances are not shared between SANZAR (fortunately) and play very little part anyway… it’s ALL ABOUT THE FOXSPORTS MONEY…
Aus is on the up-trend (and it’s steep), RSA has always been on a steady trend… NZ are currently in a Bear trend… yet some castigate J’ON and co for getting their own 5th side AN INCREASING REVENUE for everyone…
NZ need a kick up the arse.. or they need to take a pay cut and RSA and Aus can get their deserved share… albeit for the moment as NZ are so damn good… we’ll carry them… but only for so long!
5 Aug 2011, 10:18 am
@ufo(ufo)-38:
Boot the VC into touch… amalgamate the Varsity Cup and Club Rugby (into maybe two divisions) and eliminate the farce that they are really ‘studying’ (FFS if Earl and Jody Rose actually had the brains to do a chemistry degree they’d be dangerous)… the use the CC to feed the S15… and hey presto!
And PLEASE… ensure the ‘Emerging Boks’ are exactly that and not window dressing… and let them play REAL opposition (like PAC Cup)… and bring back REAL dirt-tracker teams with and REAL ‘A’ team… all of the above governed within the same structures/game-plan and on the same page as the test side…
It’s really not rocket science!
5 Aug 2011, 10:39 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-43:
Bryce, you have a point about increasing revenue via the Oz market. However I think you miss the point that many fans just don’t care about that. What does the increase in revenue get SA that it never had before? A longer, not as interesting S15? More burned out players? More cash for development? The last is obviously important, but just how much are we talking about? Fans are not by any means long sighted, they view the product in front of them today and development isn’t exactly on the average fans mind. That’s reality.
5 Aug 2011, 11:32 am
Money at any cost and bugger whats in the interest of players, the game and the general public. At that, most of the benefit goes to Aus while SA and NZ just gets pulled along. Is there any real benefit in being in SANZAR?
5 Aug 2011, 11:37 am
@Number15(Number15)-45:
I hear what you’re saying mate… however… I’ve loved this S15… this final and more to the point semi’s were the most advanced rugby I’ve seen in a long time… and according to viewing stats Australia and RSA agree…
5 Aug 2011, 12:17 pm
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-47:
Well, perhaps because you’re in Oz you can relate more to the new product. I understand that. Do you mean the viewing stats are up on average per game in SA (I’m leaving Oz out of the equation)? That would be quite interesting based on the sentiment I see displayed from the majority of fans. Could be the interest in seeing the new format, local derbies, etc. I think next year will be telling.
5 Aug 2011, 17:00 pm
I personally loved the S15.. If you look at the injuries and player fatigue ect ect . Do those things not go hand in hand with a squad rotation system? Bakkies is hurt , then someone else gets a chance. Bakkies has played 2 games , now give flip a chance.
The management stuff up the comp is fine as is. Playing home and away games, was fantastic! More crowds to see their hero’s play the locals and foreign teams. Bad player management meant that players got tired and had to be rested eventually , had there been a better system in place and had the chance been used to blood younger players it would have been a different story.
I am waiting for the article to surface that blames the boks bad performance in this years tri-nations on the longer S15 . Had they not been playing S15 , they would have been playing tri-nations games . IF there was no tri-nations that would ahve been used as a reason for lack of form, the usual lack of game time ect ect . Point these fingers at SARU. Look at the Ozzies and All blacks, I dont recall Quade Cooper missing any or many S15 games because of injury or because he felt fatigued . He was properly managed, plain and simple.
No their are guys like bakkies who is past his best , yet he still plays. Why? Is flip not good enough ? How about Victor? There is a long list of players who should have been rested and managed better. Their franchises stuffed up. Those same people who are unhappy about it are the same people who forced the guys to play . The picked the players to play the S15 games , they cant complain now after the same players are stuffed.
It is obvious that there is little or no plan between the unions and SARU when it comes to RWC and the S15 and the Tri-nations. If there was , it was piss poor and pathetic. P Divot has know all the time which guys he was going to pick for the RWC , we all know it, we all know who the fringe players are as well. It was the perfect time to blood young talent and rest the old plonkers. Instead and true to form they did the opposite. Think I am talking kak ? Have a look at the wallaby team and the all black team, how many star players are injured vs that of the boks? How strong are they vs the walk on B team? How many games did the same guys in those teams miss in the S15 ?
This is what happens when clowns run the circus, and the ring master is the biggest clown of them all, well in his mind at least .
6 Aug 2011, 05:36 am
@Drlector(Drlector)-49:
Hit the nail on the head…
6 Aug 2011, 05:44 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-50:
More Fxsports revenue as explained above will enable larger squads blooding more players to international level… however it cannot increase brain-power and strategy amoungst coaches when it comes to rotation/conditioning… only the smartest teams utilizing the increased revenue and spending will prevail in this S15 competition…
27 Sep 2011, 09:45 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-17:
Come on Bryce. You are just not objective. I admire O’Neill for negotiating what is good for Aus. Its our fault for not sending a professional businessman to negotiate.
The structure – Its not good for us and I dont think its good for NZ. The S15 is 21 weeks long (assuming zero breaks).
Our Currie Cup is important for development and thrives when our stars are available for at least half of the Currie Cup (pref more).
NZ rugby lovers, generally, feel as I do.
I understand why Australia, with zero domestic tournament like the format.
Because its good for Aus and because its good for SANZAR profits does not mean its good for SA or NZ rugby
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.