"LIV Rugby"?
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I'd heard so little about Rugby360 in recent weeks that I'd forgotten it was a thing.
Anyway there's a new article on it:
R360 and the Fight for Rugby’s Soul • The Rugby Post
Forget the traditions. Forget the history. Forget the dusty club ties. Something new is coming for rugby, backed by money so big it bends reality. It’s called R360, and it’s a direct challenge to the old order, a global franchise circuit built on disruption, high salaries, and cold, hard finance....
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Reads like the Labour Party is behind it
Drips with desperation
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I been trying to work out what NZ players would be going. I can see s few who are at end of career in Japan.
Suspect maybe Ethan Blackadder, as it seemed strange he signed for one more season when not wanted for ABs, perhaps he finishes at end of Super. Can see perhaps the likes of David Havili, Angus Ta'avoa and the olk cashing in (I was surprised Ta'avoa hung around for another super season), the likes of Ennor etc , but genuinely not sure who is signed with NZR really anyway. Are the oldtimers like Rettallick and A Smith going to go around again, and of course let's not forget Nonu!!
Doen't matter who etc, I very seriously doubt I will ever watch a game. -
I really don't get how this is still around. Who is going to watch this? Who would care about this? Does anyone on the Fern think this is a good idea?
No one who in NZ who seriously wants to be an AB is going to join.
This isn't like the Superleague in the 90s, that was based on established clubs (and new clubs in established regions) whereas this appears to the harlem globe trotters of rugby. It's not like T20 where players can just go for a short competition in the country with biggest fanbase in the sport.
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So there are reports that 10 NRL players have signed up to Rugby360 including the likes of Zac Lomax and Ryan Papenhuyzen.
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@booboo said in "LIV Rugby"?:
@sparky said in "LIV Rugby"?:
Rumours that quite a few of the World Cup winning England women's squad have signed up for Rugby 360.
Not sure that's going to convince me to fork out for the product.
Maybe in isolation, but don't forget you get to combine that with league players learning how to play rugby.
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The Players Unions have told players to seek legal advice before signing Rugby 360 contracts.
It's a polite way of telling Mike Tindall that he and his Rugby 360 mates are fucking clowns.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c0m43d30rjko
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Mike Tindall's really bad day just got even worse.
England, Ireland, France, New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, Italy and South Africa will ban from their national squad anyone involved in Rugby 360.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c0m43d30rjko
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@sparky said in "LIV Rugby"?:
Mike Tindall's really bad day just got even worse.
England, Ireland, France, New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, Italy and South Africa will ban from their national squad anyone involved in Rugby 360.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c0m43d30rjko
Tindall has a better chance of converting NRL and league players at this rate.
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@Canes4life said in "LIV Rugby"?:
@sparky said in "LIV Rugby"?:
Mike Tindall's really bad day just got even worse.
England, Ireland, France, New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, Italy and South Africa will ban from their national squad anyone involved in Rugby 360.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c0m43d30rjko
Tindall has a better chance of converting NRL and league players at this rate.
Why not just make a hybrid of rugby league anyway? Easier game to understand for an international audience and those that sign up to watch / go are not likely to be hardcore rugbyheads anyway. Redefine the game for a different audience.
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lol rumours online suggest Ardie was offered 12 million to join this league.
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The R360 statement is straight from the LIV Golf handbook. Player welfare! Grow the game! Players will definitely be free to play internationally! We're additive to the global ecosystem!
What they don't tell you is that a release to play internationally will cost you your salary, so players will obviously be incentivized not to go. Likewise missing a round for a training camp, or to rehab an injury acquired while playing internationally.
With LIV Golf you could make the case that it was actually helping golf by taking world class players beyond the USA and playing tournaments in Australia, Japan, Singapore etc. And there was definitely a view that the PGA Tour had eaten the global game and was ripe for disruption.
But rugby? Every market has a pretty decent competition. Players are well compensated. Fans are attached to teams and local players.
I just can't see where they intend to hold the R360 tournaments, who they expect to attend but more broadly how they can get people to care. LIV Golf has succeeded in creating a fun on-the-ground experience but failed woefully in creating any real care or meaning beyond the event gates.
I expect R360 to be the same, except maybe without the at-the-ground vibe. Because every market already has pretty good rugby people can attend on a weekly basis. So what is it actually delivering, other than big oil/blood money paychecks to players?
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@barbarian said in "LIV Rugby"?:
So what is it actually delivering, other than big oil/blood money paychecks to players?
if you're a player, do you care?
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@nzzp said in "LIV Rugby"?:
're a player, do you care?
cash in for 3 years, then care about the atrocities!
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@nzzp said in "LIV Rugby"?:
@barbarian said in "LIV Rugby"?:
So what is it actually delivering, other than big oil/blood money paychecks to players?
if you're a player, do you care?
No of course not. I'm not suggesting they should. I'm talking about what it delivers to rugby more broadly. The value proposition is clearly there for the players. Just everyone else who seems to come out of this worse off. Except maybe the thriving rugby community of King Abdullah Economic City.
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I think R360 are looking at the Cricket model for Rugby foootball, rather than something like soccer football, with its mega domestic leagues.
In Rugby, the international game is more dominant commercially than the domestic game, and that is not going to change anytime soon.
And that is the Cricket model.They see an opportunity at the domestic level of the Rugby game.
And they are probably right.
Most domestic rugby comps in the world are of little consequence right now, relatively.I think they want to create the IPL cricket type scenario in rugby.
When the IPL goes into action, the rest of the cricket world stops.
And when the IPL finishes, the cricket world goes back to normal.If this particular proposal doesn't get up, and the domestic Rugby game continues to go nowhere, there will be another proposal trying it on somewhere down the line.
Just depends whether some people think there is a gap in the Rugby market or not.
