Super rugby broadcast deal may refloat the lost ARC

[James]

I would have thought that, within Australia, flying the day before for an afternoon game and an evening flight would have been the way to go. The only regret would be that there would be no time for the players to socialise, which I would have thought was the sort of "community building" exercise that the competition should encourage.

Maybe we can take the community building to a whole new level and instead of hotels get players to stay over at each other's houses. That way if we lose we can poison their Weetbix in the morning.

The ARU would cop too much flak if Perth wasn't included in some kind of competition. I know feelings toward JO'N are a bit mixed but to be fair to the guy for a lot of the criticism we have given him he has got a lot of stuff right. I mean he put the Saffas in their place when they were demanding this that and the other. He's raising the money in ARU coffers and is looking at reviving the ARC which we all hated him for dumping.

Another big thing I remember being a cost was the ground hire. I think it was only us and the ACT who drew crowds big enough to warrant the stadiums we were in. The Sydney and Brisbane teams booked out venues that cost a lot of money and were largely unnecessary. Smaller club grounds (which watching on ABCHD look pretty good) would have been sufficient for the task.

[beige]

Another big thing I remember being a cost was the ground hire. I think it was only us and the ACT who drew crowds big enough to warrant the stadiums we were in. The Sydney and Brisbane teams booked out venues that cost a lot of money and were largely unnecessary. Smaller club grounds (which watching on ABCHD look pretty good) would have been sufficient for the task.

That's a good point.

[Working Class]

I agree with the Private Equity concept being applied to a future ARC comp. The only issue with it will be once the teams start producing the talent the ARC sides may be very reluctant to release them to the Super15 level. Which could have a possible benefit. Our own national comp where the Wallabies are selected from.

And yeah most of the ARC sides played in far too many big stadiums. Maybe in the future. But at the beginning smaller more intimate grounds would work.

[mudskipper]

It would be nice to see the ARC back in some form... The ARU need to look at the accounts again... The Canberra Vikings meet all their costs with out a problem...

[AndyS]

I agree with the Private Equity concept being applied to a future ARC comp. The only issue with it will be once the teams start producing the talent the ARC sides may be very reluctant to release them to the Super15 level. Which could have a possible benefit. Our own national comp where the Wallabies are selected from.

But only a problem if they can earn as much playing domestic rugby as they can playing Super and international rugby. Australian rugby would be in well fit shape if that were the case!

My only concern with private equity would be that the ARC teams would sit between the Super teams (owned by the State bodies) and the grass roots (also managed by the State bodies). There would have to be some clever thinking there to ensure that money generated at ARC level it is not at the expense of the amateur game. One of the keys would be to look at where the ARC concept could wind up in time, rather than just taking a short term, expedient view of saving some money now. It is how the NH wound up with a club v country problem, after all...

[Working Class]

And it could happen. I'm sure many force fans would get behind a Perth ARC side. As would many others for their respective teams. The Comp wasn't promoted well in its last life in the East. There was an expectation that the masses would just flock to it. If got up and going it will take at the very least 5 years for it to really hit it's straps if promoted right. And a good decade before it could be a realistic professional league of a standard for us to go it alone. But it is a necessity.

Rugby in Australia has 4 other football codes to compete with. And for the moment at least were the number 4 code. Considering this we punch well above our weight. Australian Rugby has done reasonably well under the Super Series but if we can get a strong world class local league up and running we will rise to a whole other level.

[slomo]

what ever it takes (with in reason) the ARC can only be good for australian rugby as a whole......

[James]

I wonder where this ARC comp would fit in though. I mean we are now having the Super rugby competition with a few more weeks and a bit of a break in the Pre-3Ns tests. I suppose there is September/October/November though.

[beige]

what ever it takes (with in reason)

I'm gonna have to start using that one myself!

Well I assume they'll want to be able to identify some potential tourists with it, so you would rule November out. Super 15 would finish early August, so you rule out anything before that. Which leaves mid August through to late October. Throw in the fact that the Sydney and Brisbane comps finish in late September, and that either means a shortened tournament in October that avoids clashing with them or a full length tournament that runs over the top of them. I foresee a big stink in the second case.