The Complete Super 12 and Super 14 Rugby online resource…
SUPER 14- Discussion - Expansion!
The Super 12/ Super 14 competition is one of the world's more unique sporting competitions with teams spread over half the globe playing in a weekly league style competition.
But its markets are small and economically weak when considered against the global markets of the USA and Europe.
Our obvious market is the Asia/ Pacific area, however even when considering this market one needs to be careful and ensure we reach out into directions that will provide, firstly, strong financial gain.
The Super 14 must expand for financial reasons, not for purist reasons.
Step 1 - The first stage, Super 12, ran for 10 years from 1996 - 2005. The second stage, Super 14 will run from 2006 - 2010. We should now be ensuring that in stage three we reach out for financial reasons and build strength in our TV product.
I believe stage three, from 2011 - 2015 should see the competition expand to 16 teams, with a Pacific team based in Hawaii, and a team from Japan. Both the Pacific and Japan based teams would focus their playing strength on local, regional and non SANZAR international areas.
Step 2 - At the same time I believe it is critical that the SANZAR region become one common recruiting area.
Whilst there are some who see this as being negative to national aspirations,I believe this is taking a limited view. There may also be significant benefits to domestic rugby if there is a common recruiting policy. It would give more domestic players in New Zealand, for example, opportunities for development, it would give those who are feeling a little jaded in their careers the opportunity to explore new options within SANZAR rather than having to run off to Europe.
Step 3 - Super Rugby as a TV product.
We need to look at the worlds most successful football product, the NFL, and learn from it.
** For many years I have been advocating that we formalise the "injury break/ stoppages" so that they can become official advertising breaks.
Every time there is a stoppage the clock should stop for a predetermined minimum time and TV goes off for a break.
Every time there is a score there should be a minimum period for advertising.
The idea of the advertising break with two minutes to go has great merit and increases value.
** Of course, it also goes without saying that teams should have identifiable names. "The Blues" is a nonsense - all teams must have a city or region in their name to increase marketability.
ET's SUPER RUGBY EXPANSION MODEL
2011 - 2015
add two new teams, a Pacific team based in Hawaii and a Japanese team based in Tokyo.
Super Rugby split into two conferences, East and West.
Each team plays the others in its conference twice in a season, once at home and once away for a total of 14 rounds.
Western Conference - Bulls (SA),Lions(SA), Cheetahs(SA), Force(Aus),Crusaders(NZ), Highlanders(NZ),NSW (AUS), Qld (AUS).
Eastern Conference - Stormers (SA), Sharks (SA), Blues (NZ), Chiefs (NZ), Hurricanes (NZ), ACT (Aus), Japan, Hawaii.
2016 - 2020
add four new teams, another Japanese team, 1 team in Australia based in Melbourne,1 team in Hong Kong and a team on the US West Coast.
Super Rugby split into two divisions within each conference conferences.
Each team plays the others in its division twice in a season (total of 8 games), and one game against the teams in the other division for a total of 13 rounds.
Western Conference -
Div A - Bulls (SA),Cheetahs(SA), Crusaders(NZ), NSW (AUS),Hong Kong
Div B - Lions(SA), Force(Aus), Highlanders(NZ),Qld (AUS), Japan 2
Eastern Conference -
Div A - Stormers (SA),Blues (NZ), Hurricanes (NZ), Japan 1, Los Angeles (USA)
Div B - Sharks (SA) ,Chiefs (NZ), ACT (Aus), Hawaii, Melbourne (Aus)
