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'Makes perfect sense': Kiwi columnist's radical merger solution to save union, league from COVID-19 financial crisis
A New Zealand sports columnist has proposed a radical solution to imminent financial crisis that looms over both rugby union and rugby league due to the global coronavirus pandemic.
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The sporting world has come to a standstill in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, and some codes are beginning to feel the subsequent financial pinch.
In rugby union, New Zealand Rugby and Rugby Australia are facing significant financial losses of over $200m this year, while England’s Rugby Football Union is expected to lose up to $100m in revenue over the next 18 months.
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Governing bodies worldwide are preparing to enforce pay cuts, with England head coach Eddie Jones already accepted a 25 percent wage drop from his reported $1.5m-per-year deal with the RFU.
It’s a similarly stark situation in rugby league, where players in the NRL are anticipating a mammoth 87 percent pay cut while the Australasian competition remains in lockdown.
The NRL isn’t likely to recommence until June at the earliest, and a news.com.au report indicated that the competition is expected to lose $13m for every round not played.
Such a dire predicament has led prominent New Zealand Herald sportswriter Dylan Cleaver to question whether it is worth the two codes joining forces to create a single rugby code in order to combat the financial pressure that COVID-19 has unleashed.
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Writing in his Any Given Monday (Thursday edition) column, Cleaver argued that while there are obvious obstacles that would restrict a cross-code merger, union and league may need each other in order to survive the aftermath of coronavirus.
“The world faces months without professional sport and possibly years of spectator-less sport,” Cleaver wrote.
https://twitter.com/RugbyPass/status/1243349998365896705
“A Guardian article headlined “Enough of this epic delusion: coronavirus makes sport in front of fans a long way off”, quoted a pandemic expert who believed that even if professional sports leagues returned, stadia would remain empty for “months and months – and perhaps even next year and beyond”.
“That is going to bite hard.
“There is no guarantee broadcasting rights will return to the levels they are now, and clubs without the revenue lifeline of ticket and concession sales could go to the wall.
“Take the NRL. There was a reason the best league competition in the world continued its “delusion” long after it was sensible – it couldn’t afford not to. It has a rainy day fund suitable for a light drizzle, but if it looks outside right now it’ll see it is pouring. In Australia, they are already talking about which clubs will fall over first.
“The only reason rugby is in better shape is because its international game remains strong, the World Cup is a cash machine and a bunch of sugar daddies in France and England are prepared to run rugby clubs as loss leaders.
“In the south, and Australia in particular, Super Rugby is close to a basket case.
“For financial reasons alone, having all the talent playing a single code makes perfect sense.”
Cleaver went on to suggest that while both sports would benefit from an altered style of gameplay, but ultimately predicted that a compromise between the two codes will never come to fruition, although if it were to happen, now would be the time to discuss it.
From a purely playing perspective, a merger between union and league into one single code would yield a massive influx of talent from both directions.
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With the likes of Cameron Smith, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Latrell Mitchell doing battle with Maro Itoje, Beauden Barrett and Faf de Klerk, it would be difficult for broadcasters and sponsors to not pay offer top dollar for such an enticing clash of stars.
Such a move would also alleviate worries of players looking to hop between codes, with both league and union fans concerned at the prospect of losing Kalyn Ponga and Ardie Savea to the opposite sport in recent times.
However, it are those financial incentives which will drive the rugby world – both union and league – in the coming months once COVID-19 dissipates, and few concepts could demand as much corporate money or ticket sales as a permanent cross-code merger.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments