NPC 2023
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I like the idea of it being a spring tournament. Running through from now until say mid-November.
It would give the players some down time between club footy and the NPC. There needs to be some financial aspect to it for the players, otherwise you'd wave them goodbye. These guys won't play play for free anymore with the options they have elsewhere.
We need to stop the roll through of one competition into another.
If the unions and provincial news outlets don't invest into promoting the competition. Does NZR need to subsidise some marketing/comms staff to be based around the country focusing on provincial footy. A couple in the South Island and five in the NI. Create a streamlined approach to driving up interest.
While the Unions are their own entities, how does NZR manage their longevity, if we maintain 14 teams. What is a realistic amount to remunerate someone for three months work?
What about a yearly schedule of
Super Rugby 20 weeks plus play offs from March
Super Rugby U20s (following feedback from our failed U20s) six week competition during Super season
Internationals during a super rugby break
NPC three weeks after a nationally aligned club season give or take a week.
The big piece of work is around understanding the financial approach of the 14 unions and what they can manage.
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I can see this as a reasonable middle ground.
You do realise this is what I have been suggesting? In this thread and in others for a few years
Ok sorry 😀 the problem I have is that Northland rugby was almost ruined by Super Rugby. If there is to be a regional team that includes Northland ( eg. With North Harbour ) that regional identity and connection needs to be maintained. How could we ensure that?
Southland joins with Otago, Manawatu with Wellington, Taranaki ?, Counties and Waikato, Hawkes Bay and BOP, ….
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@SouthernMann I think something else to consider, why do all games need to be on at different times? I do think scheduling has played its part in people not going along.
Friday night and Saturday night are likely primetime, but more day games will surely get more bums on seats:
1 x Friday games, 7pm k/k
2 x Saturday 2.30pm k/o
2 x 5.00pm k/o
1 x 7.00pm k/o
1 x Sunday 2.30pm k/o -
I can see this as a reasonable middle ground.
You do realise this is what I have been suggesting? In this thread and in others for a few years
Ok sorry 😀 the problem I have is that Northland rugby was almost ruined by Super Rugby. If there is to be a regional team that includes Northland ( eg. With North Harbour ) that regional identity and connection needs to be maintained. How could we ensure that?
Southland joins with Otago, Manawatu with Wellington, Taranaki ?, Counties and Waikato, Hawkes Bay and BOP, ….
there really feels like simple things they could have done to help....alternate jerseys in a second unions colours, ditching the franchise monikers so go with the "Otago Southland Rugby Union" with a logo of the southland "S" inside the Otago "O"....actually try and connect with that history
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Ok sorry 😀 the problem I have is that Northland rugby was almost ruined by Super Rugby. If there is to be a regional team that includes Northland ( eg. With North Harbour ) that regional identity and connection needs to be maintained. How could we ensure that?
Southland joins with Otago, Manawatu with Wellington, Taranaki ?, Counties and Waikato, Hawkes Bay and BOP, ….
North Auckland with a cambridge blue jersey splitting it games between Okara and Albany. North Harbour branding is weak. A consolidated competition would mean more home matches so Whangarei would have a similar number of games but at this new pro level
Other areas? Yes it get complicated.
Basically I think that both competitions are broken and the NPC is almost in terminal decline.
14 teams is too many, 5 teams is too few
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The big piece of work is around understanding the financial approach of the 14 unions and what they can manage.
Only 2 teams financially came through in the black after the 2022 season Northland and Auckland
Northland did a ton of work in and around ,self sustainabilty and player budget and work for life programmeAuckland whilst pushing a few boundaries in and around the Salary cap , has some very strong sponsors that ensure they remain sustainble in this climate
NZ Rugby does audit the accounts of the provincial unions at the the end of the year but its fair to say theres some very creative accounting going on
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Maybe this is not politically correct but is the issue that we are stretching fans and dollars and resources too far with Npc level and development squads for both men and women. There are far more committed players to keep satisfied now. Fans only going to spend so much.
I think we need to reinvest into the grassroots to make it work and that money needs to trickle down from the top tier. -
@Steven-Harris i think the idea is that the unions get very little support from NZR, so if we were taking about a new comp that had the same backing as the current super and NPC combined things would have to be more rosie
currently all the advertising/marketing money and time is split (unevenly) between two different comps
Mrs Womble and I have been together for 18 years, she still has to be reminded which comp is running at which time of year etc...we dont make it easy for the casual fan to get engaged and hand over their money
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Sorry I haven't really engaged in the above arguments and suggestions but what about this North/South concept they mooted last year?
North pool: Northland, Harbour, Auckland, Counties, BOP, Waikato and Taranaki
South Pool: Hawkes Bay, Manawatu, Wellington, Ta$man, Canterbury, Otago, Southland.
Obviously raises the concern of how to fit the Ranfurly Shield in, but I'm sure there'll be some solutions. If it's solely a financial scenario from NZRU then that would cut alot of costs and shorten the season a bit which is obviously their wish.
Finals structures could cross over somehow maybe??
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@Kiwiwomble got to be better than flying from Dunedin to Whangarei though right?
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@Kiwiwomble got to be better than flying from Dunedin to Whangarei though right?
There would be no difference between connecting between Dunedin - Napier and Dunedin to Whangarei
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@Kiwiwomble I think if you add it up it would save the goblins at NZRU something in the grand scheme of things..surely
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sure, 6 of the 7 norther teams are all drivable so they they get a benefit....but that would create more "haves" and "have nots"
@J77 i think it make a tiny contribution to problem #12 (made up number on a made up list for effect) so barely worth the effort to talking about
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@Stargazer they are more often thatn not.
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Sorry I haven't really engaged in the above arguments and suggestions but what about this North/South concept they mooted last year?
North pool: Northland, Harbour, Auckland, Counties, BOP, Waikato and Taranaki
South Pool: Hawkes Bay, Manawatu, Wellington, Ta$man, Canterbury, Otago, Southland.
Obviously raises the concern of how to fit the Ranfurly Shield in, but I'm sure there'll be some solutions. If it's solely a financial scenario from NZRU then that would cut alot of costs and shorten the season a bit which is obviously their wish.
Finals structures could cross over somehow maybe??
That's the most awful suggestion thus far. First of all, that would lock provinces in one and the same pool every year. That would get boring. Second, existing rivalries and inter-provincial trophies played for would disappear.
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@Kiwiwomble point taken, but to me a tiny contribution is something anyway. I, like many others just want to see this competition stay afloat somehow..
And yes, I'm going to be bias and want to see my team remain, because everyime these convos pop up we are mentioned as one of the first on the chopping block alongside Manawatu and Southland..
