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Thread: Financial squeeze goes on Hurricanes

  1. #1
    Champion Contributor no.8's Avatar
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    Financial squeeze goes on Hurricanes

    The Hurricanes are feeling the pinch off the field with season tickets plummeting and match-day attendances down.

    Franchise chief executive Greg Peters admitted the budget was stretched but he was confident the Hurricanes would still make a profit.

    "It won't be as much as we were hoping for. Our budgets are still a stretch, but they are achievable provide we play well and momentum and interest grows as the competition develops."

    It didn't happen for the Hurricanes last year with fans deserting them in their thousands as the clock ran down on a season blighted by the World Cup conditioning programme.

    The 15,500 who watched the Hurricanes beat the Cheetahs last April was the worst crowd in eight years and the smallest rugby crowd at Westpac Stadium.

    It was also only the fourth time the Hurricanes had played in front of fewer than 20,000 in Wellington, and the first time they slumped that low since 1999.

    A week later the Hurricanes again played in front of fewer than 20,000 against the Highlanders. They averaged only 20,013 for the year.

    Things are looking just as bleak this year. More than 20,000 tickets were sold for last week's game against the Reds, but at least 3000 of those people didn't bother to turn up.

    The Hurricanes said after the match 17,500 were at the ground, but it was impossible to provide an accurate figure as the turnstile counters broke down. Peter admitted yesterday "the 17,500 might be a little bit on the up-side."

    It's a long way from the team's halcyon days of the early 2000s when a star-studded backline saw fans flocking through the gates, despite limited success on the field.

    They averaged 27,520 in 2000 – the first year at Westpac Stadium – 28,023 a year later and 27,196 in 2002. In those days the franchise had 16,000 season tickets, but those sales have plummeted to about 11,000 last year and only 9264 this year.

    "The feedback we are getting is some people are saying there is too much rugby and some people are saying they are over rugby, which is a legacy of the All Blacks' World Cup campaign," Peters said.

    He confirmed people were questioning the value for money of a season ticket but defended the product which included tests against Ireland and South Africa, six Super 14 games and five Air New Zealand Cup matches.

    "We know that we have the most members in the country. We are ahead of all the other franchises who are down comparable amounts percentage-wise."

    Peters said the provincial unions' two-day meeting next month, which has been touted as a crisis summit, would not produce immediate solutions to rugby's problems.

    "But there should be a collective buy-in to the issues facing the game and the process for addressing those issues. There should be an idea of where would like to see rugby in 10-15 years and how we will get there."

    The meeting, which will include every provincial union, Super 14 franchise chairmen and the New Zealand Rugby Union, was called in the wake of last year's disastrous season which saw crowds and television audiences fall off dramatically.

    Many unions are struggling financially and there is disquiet about the composition of the Air New Zealand Cup and the sustainability of running two professional competitions. Otago and Canterbury have confirmed losses of $1.5 million and $428,000, Bay of Plenty are $759,000 in the red, while Counties, Auckland, Taranaki, Manawatu and Hawke's Bay have made small profits.

    Peters said Wellington's profit would be "six figures.

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    Veteran Contributor frontrow's Avatar
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    I hope they realise Graham Henry and the NZRU has some responsibility in this mess with his efforts prior to, and through the world cup...And he still has his job...Questions need to be answered...

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    Champion KenyaQuin's Avatar
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    I agree with you Frontrow. The NZ public are not only rugby-fatigued but also, it would appear, are a little disenchanted with the way they were treated last year. The NZRU has what looks to be a tough challenge ahead in trying to win back public support and trust following last year's cockup.

    I'm no Kiwi but as an AB supporter and one who closely follows the performance of the Kiwi S14 sides, I had no interest last year (except for the Force, ofcourse) and I'm still pretty disappointed with the NZRU's support of Henry's "Conditioning Programme" gimmick.

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    Champion Contributor no.8's Avatar
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    I agree with KQ and FR!

    I think the NZRFU should look at regionalising the NPC competition in North Island/South Island which would go a long way to cutting costs.

    Perhaps their 4 bigger provinces (Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago) would benefit from a trans-Tasman (ARC type) competition - 7/8 rounds with the top 2 in a grand final shoot out.

    The inter-country exposure introduces a whole different array of potential sponsors and marketing opportunities!

    This new smaller competition for New Zealand would be helpful to their financial situation and fans rugby overload. This will also give desperately needed competition for Australian teams.

    Win! Win! Win!

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