The Sunwolves’ entry into Super Rugby is unlikely to grow the game around Asia, according to the sport’s new rights owner in the region who believes showcasing more local action online will have a greater impact.
The Tokyo-based franchise, who will also play matches in Singapore, begun the Southern Hemisphere competition with a 26-13 home defeat by South Africa’s Lions on Saturday after a tumultuous pre-season trying to assemble a team.
The expansion into Asia is expected to increase the revenues of tournament organisers SANZAAR but New Zealander Tim Martin, who has scooped up the rights to show Super Rugby matches in 23 Asian countries, wondered what else a Japanese entrant brought.
“I don’t think the Sunwolves will do a huge amount for Asian rugby,” he told Reuters in an interview in Singapore this week after securing the rights deal.
“I think they will do a lot for Japanese rugby but they won’t do a lot for Malaysian rugby. I don’t see how those dots join.”
Martin, a former advertising executive, made waves when his Coliseum Sports Media snapped up the rights to show English Premier League soccer matches in New Zealand using his online platform in 2013.
He took a bold leap then for a fledgling start-up – albeit backed by a US-based billionaire – but believed Japan would have been better off taking a conservative approach to growing the game after the World Cup win over South Africa last year.
“Why leap into Super Rugby, which is the hardest, most competitive rugby competition in the world?
“The Sunwolves could be a disaster, I hope not and I don’t think they will be but they could. Nobody wants to watch a team get whipped.”
As well as showing the Sunwolves and Super Rugby around Asian countries, he also bagged Rugby Championship matches, European internationals and domestic action from England, France, South Africa and New Zealand among others.
He admitted the $14.99 a month subscription could prove too costly outside the expat heavy markets of Hong Kong and Singapore and did not expect many people in Myanmar or Bangladesh to subscribe and watch the English league final.
But he said his online model meant no increased cost for running matches in multiple countries and opened doors to the inquisitive few in Bhutan and beyond.
He believed adding local rugby to his portfolio would help attract audiences and showcase a pathway to the elite, adding he also planned to make some All Black internationals free to view.
“I think we have to make rugby bigger in Malaysia and Singapore and Korea and I think that’s about getting younger people in to it and access to more content and all that stuff,” he said.
With rugby’s inclusion in the Olympics this year, the sport is tipped for big growth in playing numbers.
Martin said the number of Asian unions had doubled to 32 in the last 10 years and that there were 400,000 registered players in Asia – outside of Japan.
“I reckon rugby in the region can become a significant thing. It’s right on the cusp.”
Reuters
lao hu
Guest
Realistically only a handful of places in Asia could support a pro franchise outside Japann, in no particular order they are HK, Singapore Dubai and South Korea.
Lostintokyo
Guest
Fairly Rucked. I hope you are right. 10,000 would be fantastic.
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
I just can't see how it will not. For instance when young women/girls around the world see the likes of Ellia Green running around with the ball I'm sure many will be encouraged to give the game a try.
Fairly Rucked
Roar Rookie
I disagree, I think it will promote the game here in Singapore.... Yes yes I know I am in Singapore and I want to go to some games so maybe a little biased in my opinion, and me going is not "increasing" the popularity as I was already a fan, but..... The stadium will not be empty. Definitely not full either but it is a 55,00 seat stadium so that would be asking a bit much. When I looked 3 weeks ago there were heaps of tickets available on the 1/2 way line. Now it shifted to the 22 line and the more people I talk to the more are saying they are interested in going. I think a good result would be 10,000. We will see if that is achievable. Add in the Super Rugby to the International 7's that will come to Singapore for the 1st time in April I think the exposure in Singapore will definitely increase. From a very low base ok, so remember that.
Lostintokyo
Guest
Yep they got 25,000 and sold out. No tickets available on the day. I wonder how many more wanted to go but couldn't? Next up is the Rebels on March 19. Got my ticket early. Look forward to seeing how the Rebels backline operates and how the Sunwolves cope as we go deeper into the tournament. Wolf howls being practised.
Bakkies
Guest
Well capacity is 27,000 and it was full.
Bakkies
Guest
Being able to travel directly from Jo'burg. Pretoria is close enough but still requires an extra journey.
Lostintokyo
Guest
Good article written yesterday and a good job you are doing in Malaysia DaniE.
DaniE
Roar Guru
There's quite a growing and passionate community in Malaysia. The cost of the rugby channel on pay TV here is I think on par with what he's charging. Unfortunately economically people are tightening their belts with a depressed currency and introduced taxes. But there is quite a middle class and a future for rugby growth here. Hopefully security-wise, things will settle down...
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
Something I haven't seen reported anywhere is the size of the crowd at the Sunwolves opener. Anyone got any idea how many people they pulled in? Watching the highlights of the match on TV it looked to me like they had one of the highest attendances of the round, possibly even a sell-out.
NaBUru38
Guest
There are dozens of Olympic sports tha remain unpopulst. I doubt that Olympic sevens will increase popularity of the sports. The point of becoming Olympic is to get funds from national Olympic committees, especially to push the sport in public schools.
DaniE
Roar Guru
It's called RugbyPass. Definitely legal. Affordable depends on your level of pocket money! ;) But not bad I think.
Lostintokyo
Guest
The rules will but the competitions won't.
ClarkeG
Guest
Why can't it look like the historical game we love?
ClarkeG
Guest
It's now a tri nations. The bottom team plays off against the winner of the next division to determine the 3rd team for the following year.
Drew
Guest
Just asking for a friend... What is this platform? Is using a VPN and the platform a viable semi-legal, cheaper way to watch Super Rugby?
Lostintokyo
Guest
Agree Bakkies. It won't help build interest in Singapore either. Singapore's entry was to appease the African franchises complaining of travel distances. Ironically the only South African team that will travel to Japan (SA conference) this season is the Lions. And going by the after game speeches, they very much enjoyed the experience. Good ambassadors.
Bakkies
Guest
The Sunwolves playing in an empty stadium in Singapore won't help with maintaining the interest in Japan.
Lostintokyo
Guest
The driving force of rugby's growth in Asian will be at the grassroots level, not Super Rugby or even national level contests. That will come when the grassroots deliver the market base. The sevens in Rio will be huge in spreading curiosity, from which World Rugby must capitalise at grassroots. And it appears there may be systems in place to allow this to happen. The world needs and wants an alternative football code to soccer. A strong number two option to play and watch. Rugby is the prime contender for this. If in time it grabs 10% of the world football players and fans it will be massive. It won't look like the historical game we love, but time and progress stops for no one. Bring it on!
Chamilla
Guest
There is an Asian 5 nations -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.