The Bledisloe Cup (the most famous trophy in Rugby outside of the Webb Ellis Cup). I had been reading an article on the declining television audience in Australia for the game since 2006, when I came across this;
http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-news/rugby-losing-shine-in-australia-3068434
Rugby losing shine in Australia
Published: Monday October 12, 2009
Rugby is suffering from declining crowds, ratings and interest in the crowded Australian sports market, local media reported on Monday, citing market research commissioned by the game's administrators.
Crowds for test matches had fallen from 617,555 in 2006 to 386,287 this year, or more than 37 percent, while attendances at Super 14 matches had dropped from 115,317 to 75,393 in the same period, the Australian newspaper said, citing the report commissioned by the Australian Rugby Union.
"Watching rugby is one of the easier engagement activities, yet we've been losing eyeballs for tests since 2006 and for the first time Super rugby in 2009," the paper quoted an excerpt of the report as saying.
Rugby competes with Australian rules, rugby league and soccer for hearts and wallets in the country's saturated sports market, and was losing out in most measures.
The research, tracking the game's 'brand health' for the March-June quarter, said rugby was the least entertaining, innovative, grass roots-orientated and social of the four codes and cricket.
"Rugby's brand equity (brand image statements) is diluted by both soccer and cricket with no one attribute being owned by rugby," the report said.
Passionates turning away
"Bluntly put, consumers are not passionate about rugby. They favour AFL and NRL, which tend to be more tribal. Disconcertingly, even our passionates are turning away.
"So overall, rugby has the poorest health, but the main areas of disadvantage are in passion and salience (advertising recall) versus other sports."
Awareness of rugby union advertising had declined 13 percent among sports enthusiasts over the past three years, while rugby union membership had fallen 14 per cent from 32,837 to 28,027 over the past year. Participation dropped two per cent from 193,382 in 2006 to 183,810 in 2008, it said.
I hadn't googled for a single source prior to this morning. All my previous comments on this subject were based on simple observation (the apathy toward the game in Australia during last years Lions tour was really the wake up call for me), empty seats, lack of build up/advertising, the crowd that show up are quiet and look disinterested...so to see these market research "trolls" validate everything I have stated...I take no satisfaction.
I love(d) the Bledisloe Cup...for me it was one of the unmissables of the sporting year. Rugby's box office game. To see what it has become is a shame. They took it to Hong Kong (which to my complete ignorance due to the dying publicity here I wasn't even aware) to play an extra game in an attempt to make some much needed income..but abandoned the location after lack of interest. The decline in Australia effects its appeal outside.
This gets back to the original point of the thread (which Sige started btw)...the game has changed, become bogged down with low risk forward play and more bulked up brutes, less open running Rugby, flair dead...and its my belief that this change has impacted most in Australia because they see the contrast with Rugby league where attacking running is king. They see the growing contrast between the two codes up close; Union has nosedived while League's ratings are goin through the roof. I'm becoming more and more aware of the NRL due to this. Union is my code though, it's what I was brought up in (so there's a bias) and i much prefer rucks...which is why change is needed to get back to the best aspects of what Union had..an emphasis on open, attacking running Rugby. France wont get back to beng France with the current set up. The SH is the power base of Rugby Union, it is not under the radar of other sports there...but with that not now being the case in Australia the sports governing body is losing one of the pillars of the game and doing nothing about it.
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