A complicated format and South African teams’ struggles have been given as reasons for declining TV and crowd figures for Super Rugby.
Rapport last week reported that SuperSport’s South African viewership of Super Rugby games dramatically decreased in 2016.
“Obviously the declining figures are worrying. But you have to take into account the amount of rugby that is now being broadcast and the way in which consumers use digital content,” SANZAAR CEO Andy Marinos told the latest edition of Rapport.
“The performance of South African teams at the moment plays a role in that. Successful teams and high-quality matches drive attendance and TV audiences.”
Up until Round 9 of this year’s competition, viewership figures decreased by 3.8 million viewers compared to the same stage four years ago.
Attendance figures at stadiums are also decreasing, with only Newlands - which boasts an average of 26 992 fans per game - able to fill more than a half-full stadium.
Ellis Park, the home venue of the table-topping Lions, only has an average of 19 808 (32%) fans per game, while Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (15%, 6 914 fans per game), Free State Stadium (17%, 7 780), Loftus Versfeld (35%, 17 921) and Kings Park (45%, 23 591) are all struggling to put bums on seats.
According to the Afrikaans newspaper, SANZAAR has asked consulting firm Accenture to do a strategic review of the two-group, four-conference Super Rugby format and provide a solution to improve matters."
“The Pacific Islands is a region that can be incorporated if SANZAAR wants to expand the tournament,” said Marinos. “The current structure presents challenges. The goal is to have the best possible format that caters for all the expectations of the various role players.
Furthermore, SA Rugby is expected to ask for more local derbies and for all of its teams to play against New Zealand sides. Under the current format, the South African teams in the Africa Conference 1 play Australian and not New Zealand sides."
Problem identification
There are two problems within the present scenario, namely -
* the format of the competition with some teams not up to standard required and the public not interested in games; and
* the present economic climate that make seats unaffordable for many supporters
People do not want to spend hard-earned money to watch substandard teams - even when they play stronger visiting teams.
So lets accept the poor sub-standard teams this year were the Sunwolves and the Kings. The latter franchise is just not up to standard and is for all intents and purpose bankrupt and even if they wish to do so unable to contract decent players.
The Sunwolves has the potential to develop further and so is the Jaguares team. I would say that having 6 SA franchises is just one too many and the ida to get the Kings involved is a financial disaster - especially for SARU.
Solution proposed
My own suggestion raised a number of times on this site is as follows bears in mind the need to continue xploring better options to make the series more competitive :-
I do not think a trip to BA and back will affect the Lions - and if they win - they will have the Sharks at home to content with in the quarterfinals - not too difficult a game.
Mozart has been going on about the SA sides being sub-par - but a more worrying aspect of Super Rugby is the Aussie teams. Bad news for Super Rugby that lot.
I think the present system is not acceptable and wrote elsewhere that there need to be a drastic change to the system. Have three conferences comprised as follows:-
New Zealand Conference:
Blues, Chiefs, Crusaders, Highlanders, Hurricanes, Pacific Islanders
Australian Conference:
Brumbies, Force, Rebels, Reds, Sunwolves, Waratahs
South Africa Conference:
Bulls, Cheetahs, Jaguares, Lions, Sharks, Stormers
Let the six teams play each other in the first five rounds to qualify for –
* The Cup Tournament – the top 4 teams in each conference
* The Plate tournament – the 2 teams not qualifying in each conference
The Cup Tournament
The top 12 teams then have to qualify for the play-off rounds by playing each other (ie 11 games each
The Plate Tournament
The six teams must play home and away games internally to qualify for the play-off games.
That would ultimately lead to a system where stronger teams have to play each other without honeymoon games against weaker teams – giving a distorted picture of their real strength in the competition.
