The Lions tour to South Africa proved that the South African rugby supporting public is on a diet of force fed Foie Gras.
Recent history suggests that administrators lost track of the fact that the duck that used to lay the golden eggs, is about to die from liver failure. This diet of sky high ticket prices, expensive supporters gear and common place test matches, has only one conclusion.
With respect to the mid-week games, what was meant to be an appetizer for the main course lacked a few critical ingredients - the Springbok players. SA rugby essentially held a knife to the throat of the supporters saying; if you want to see the Boks you have to pay R1 140! There is just too much rugby to justify these prices, despite the fact the Lions come around only once a decade!
While other sports have also increased the amount of matches played, some have tried and succeeded to make it more interesting for the fans. Cricket, for instance, continually re invents itself. The monetary attractions that cricket (through the IPL) now hold for upcoming players, does not bode well for the future of rugby in South Africa.
Essentially, cricket still give the fans what they want. Rugby has gone a different route. By merely reducing the number of players to seven guarantees more tries, but at the same time it robs the supporters of the critical ingredients they love about the game.
Rugby purists (most fans are) like the physicality of the 15 man game. The battles at scrum and line out time, the hard hits and the structured backline play contribute to a spectacle that the 7's game can not match.
There is a lot that can be done to ensure that fans fill seats and rugby administrators maintain their current annual revenues.
1. Install fixed cameras on the try and touch line.
2. Go the AFL route. Allow for more referrals, referees and better half time entertainment. This will make the game longer, add value to ticket prices, and create more advertising space. This in turn means bigger broadcasting rights revenue. Bigger revenues = better salaries for players = young players get interested in the game.
3. Reduce the number of games. The "losses" will be offset by the bigger TV revenues.
4. Most stadiums can accommodate an additional two metres in width. Why change the rules to try and ensure more tries, rather give the players a bit more space.
5. Do what top companies do and retain your talent.
It is not too late to wake up.
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