‘Finatics’ to help rugby grow
The Tasman Mako are not afraid of a challenge or doing things differently.
The Nelson-Marlborough side has belied its status as the youngest and one of the smallest rugby unions by winning two premierships and featuring in six of the last eight national provincial championship finals. Now it is intent on making waves off the pitch, too.
The Tasman Rugby Union yesterday launched a new Mako fan ‘‘ownership’’ scheme, to raise money to help develop grassroots rugby in the region.
Sky rugby commentator Tony Johnson, who grew up in Havelock and describes himself as an ‘‘unconditional believer’’ in Tasman rugby since its inception, hosted the launch at the Nelson Provincial Museum.
The ‘‘finatics’’ scheme aims to draw on the Mako’s status as a fan favourite – even for supporters of other teams.
It also plays on the Finz Up sign Mako players make after scoring a try, even when playing for their Super rugby or national teams.
The new scheme does not involve match tickets.
Those who buy in will get a uniquely numbered certificate of ‘‘ownership’’ – not in a financial sense, but as a figurative stake in the continued development of community rugby in the top of the south.
For an annual payment of $55 a year for five years, or a $250 lump sum, ‘‘finatics’’ will also get access to Mako apparel discounts and exclusive online content, including coach and player interviews, in-game chats and behindthe-scenes events designed to get members ‘‘inside the shark cage’’. Other benefits will be added as the scheme develops.
At the launch, Johnson presented the first finatic certificate to long-time supporter, sponsor and one of the pioneers of Tasman rugby, Murray Sturgeon.
Tasman chief executive Lyndon Bray said Tasman had become known as innovators.
‘‘The beautiful part about it (the membership scheme) is it allows us to connect with people who really believe in the Mako, not only as a team but the power of the brand,’’ he said. ‘‘I think there are many people around the country who say ‘I support Wellington or Auckland but my second-favourite team is the Mako’.’’
Bray said the Finz Up ethos added to the Mako drawing power for players and fans. It was more than just a try celebration but a sign of pride and belonging to the Mako whānau. That was also demonstrated by the number of former players who had stayed with the team as coaches.
Les Edwards, the union’s commercial and marketing manager, came up with the idea for the scheme. He had been looking at ways the union could support club and junior rugby if the current trust funding model was altered.
Edwards looked at membership models in other codes, and was struck by the Green Bay Packers American football franchise that is owned by the public through shares in a non-profit organisation.
While that model would not be possible in New Zealand, it gave him the idea of creating a figurative ownership for fans, particularly as the Mako had supporters around the country and the world.
‘‘The Mako are hugely popular locally, regionally and internationally,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s really driven by the players, the way they enjoy each other’s company, the way they interact with the community and the way they play.’’
Edwards said the aim was to get 10,000 supporters into the scheme over five years.
‘‘This concept is a first for New Zealand provincial rugby, tapping into the magic of the Mako brand with a unique non-ticketed ‘ownership’ model to raise funding to develop community rugby.
‘‘Across the country, community rugby is really suffering and part of that is a lack of resource. The more we can generate for it, the better off it will be.’’