Poised for Super rugby status, but do we care?

[travelling_gerry]

STATHI PAXINOS

October 20, 2009 - 11:02PM
Has rugby missed the boat in Melbourne.
SANZAR, the body representing the rugby union governing bodies in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, will meet today to determine where Super rugby's 15th team will be based when the competition is expanded in 2011.
It has come down to a choice between Melbourne - which lost out to Perth last time around - and Port Elizabeth in South Africa.
But where is the buzz, the hoopla, the excitement? Compared to five years ago when the Australian Rugby Union's snub of Melbourne gave birth to the Western Force, the apparent difference in interest levels cannot be more marked.
The ARU had an ideal opportunity to gain a footprint in Australia's most lucrative sporting market in 2004, but opted to put the country's fourth team in Perth. Melbourne had been the frontrunner then, as it is now, but the general belief is that the ARU, riding high on the success of the 2003 World Cup in Australia, ran scared from a head-on clash with the AFL.
Rugby is now in a far weaker position - both on and off the field. Of Australia's four football codes, it is struggling the most. Crowd numbers and ratings are down, and the Wallabies have been in decline for several years.
The remarkable success in recent years of both the Melbourne Storm and Melbourne Victory is also likely to further dilute the public's interest in rugby.
However, despite that, Melbourne should - if common sense prevails - be awarded the 15th team.
Back in 2004, the buzz around Melbourne's chance of finally securing a quality rugby team was intense - newspapers, television and radio outlets were awash with information, its promise was the element that convinced the Victorian Government to invest in the new rectangular stadium that is now nearing completion on Swan Street - and the outrage at the snub was genuine. This time around, it appears as though the concept has barely registered on the city's psyche, except for the diehard expats from rugby heartland areas.
Part of the reason has to be the way this selection process has been applied. It has bordered on shambolic, as the ARU attempted to bring together rival parties that were competing to run the ship. The Victorian Rugby Union made mistakes in the lead-up to the 2004 decision but on the whole ran a well co-ordinated bid. This time around its energies have been diverted from the main goal as it became embroiled in a struggle for power.
From the beginning the VRU claimed it was being sidelined in favour of Sydney interests, not least the ARU itself, and allegedly refused to work with its rival VicSuper15 consortium. The ARU has since appointed an independent adviser to sort out the mess and devise a suitable ownership structure and the erstwhile competing interests have kissed, made up and formed one consortium that is now angling to be part of any new team.
But still there is no guarantee that a decision will come out of the SANZAR meeting today. There is speculation that South Africa will hold firm to its desire for a Port Elizabeth team, and that the stalemate will force the process into arbitration.
All this has taken away from any sense of excitement about the process. So with the future of Super rugby to be decided -hopefully - today, only time will tell if anyone cares any more?

Source: The Age

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/spor...1021-h73n.html

[TOCC]

different context really, back when the Force entered, Australia had already been accepted as getting a extra team so it was only a formality of choosing which australian team, this time round the bidding process has been in reverse.

[GIGS20]

OK if the buzz has died after 5 years of waiting I'd say the right decision was made. I'm sure if Perth missed out the first time around, there'd be ten times the hype after seeing a Melbourne team in the compf for five years.

Maybe Perth was the right decision after all!

[Burgs]

They are just sulky sore losers still getting over the last humbling

[GIGS20]

I'd suggest there's a better than even chance of another humbling, as monumentally stupid as a South African team playing in the Australian conference would be it might just be a better option than a whingey, poorly supported, team of expats playing in a town which couldn't give a pinch of goat shit about them

[beige]

You're right, it would be monumentally stupid

[GIGS20]

which, Port Elizabeth or Melbourne?

In fact, the whole idea's monumentally stupid, give another team to Canturbury, they seem to have enough quality rugby players!

[Burgs]

I'd suggest there's a better than even chance of another humbling, as monumentally stupid as a South African team playing in the Australian conference would be it might just be a better option than a whingey, poorly supported, team of expats playing in a town which couldn't give a pinch of goat shit about them

Actually it would nearly be worth going without a fifth team to see them boned again come to think of it

[TOCC]

well a bloke i know has said that Victoria have been confirmed as thee new team, but i havent seen any media releases..

I found it interesting the speculation that the RSA could write a check so that the ARU and NZRU vote for the new team in RSA. Now this got me wondering, say the check was for $20million, would it be worth to accept the check and in turn fund a APC comp.

[Darren]

Get a revived APC and bone the Victorians get thee behind me Satan!

[AndyS]

well a bloke i know has said that Victoria have been confirmed as thee new team, but i havent seen any media releases..

I found it interesting the speculation that the RSA could write a check so that the ARU and NZRU vote for the new team in RSA. Now this got me wondering, say the check was for $20million, would it be worth to accept the check and in turn fund a APC comp.

I hope you are right about Victoria - it would be an uncharacteristic but welcome display of good sense from Sanzar. I have to admit I also wondered what would happen if the cheque book came out, if not from the SA gov then SARU/CC revenues. NZ doesn't really have an investment either way and would go for the money (maybe to underwrite the ANZ cup?), and our lot are nothing if not bottom-liners. There would almost be an attraction to the idea of getting the money and doing an ARC to give the private equity model and the Melbourne, West Sydney and Gold Coast teams a test run before putting two of them into an expansion to S18 (projected for 2013...only two years).

[shasta]

what would happen if the cheque book came out, if not from the SA gov then SARU/CC revenues. .

Does the Currie Cup turn a profit?

[AndyS]

As I understand it, the Currie Cup, Vodacom Cup (and June Tests?) are now all separate from the Super Rugby broadcasting deal. SARU sold the 2011-15 rights for those to SuperSport for R700m.

[shasta]

Fox Sports are reporting that agreement wasn't reached and the decision will be arbitrated. Does that mean common sense will win out?

The apathy can build for a bit longer.

[travelling_gerry]

Qantas Wallabies SUPER 15 - Just been advised that the Executive Committee has decided that the 15th Super Rugby Team decision will go to Arbitration. Following discussion it was clear that the Executive Committee would not reach the required unanimity with the ARU e...xpressing its support for Melbourne and SA Rugby expressing its support for the Southern Kings.