NZRU needs to get real

In the build up to the one off test with Italy in Christchurch this Saturday there has been a great deal of discussion over the perceived “poor” ticket sales for the game, with NZRU CEO Steve Tew going so far as to claim that this threatens Christchurch’s test status for the future.

But this sort of sabre rattling from NZRU headquarters is actually extremely unhelpful as there are a number of very good reasons why Christchurch fans are staying away in their droves. Firstly there’s the reconstruction of AMI Stadium which currently has a half built stand on one side of the ground. Throughout the Super 14 and even during the summer’s cricket matches there has been a lack of atmosphere in the ground, largely because one side is completely open.

But the most compelling argument heard from most people is the quality of the opposition. Why should the rugby public pay full price for a game between the world’s number 1 ranked team and a team ranked number 12? And all the while the NZRU are exporting our biggest rivalry, with Australia, to exotic locations like Hong Kong, Tokyo and Denver.

Christchurch can lay claim to being poorly treated by the NZRU, having not hosted a Tri-Nations game since 2007 when the Springboks played here and have missed out on Bledisloe Cup games since 2006. Instead we have been served a sub standard England team with a side of Italy and we’re supposed to be grateful for this according to the NZRU’s verbal slap down.

Tew is known for having excellent business sense but in what business do you blame your customers when they are no longer interested in your product? Can you imagine the meetings? “Our customers not longer find our product interesting, entertaining or compelling which is clearly all their fault.”

Quite frankly the arrogance coming out of the NZRU is one of the factors which is turning off the New Zealand rugby public and it’s something that needs to be addressed. Take a look at the recent survey of rugby fans and perhaps listen to what they have to say.

The rugby public are turned off by the constant turnover of players, the recent inept performances and these rubbish incoming tests in June with substandard opponents. Quite frankly, rugby in New Zealand is in need of a serious overhaul and right now the people at the NZRU are not the people to do it.

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The NZRU needs to get real by Hamish McBrearty, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.