Expansion high on Martin’s to-do list
The ambitious Pro14 architect looks to make it global event
Pro14 will morph into a 16-team league sooner rather than later if the league’s ambitious chief executive Martin Anayi has his way.
If one believes talk in the corridors of rugby power, economic powerhouses America and Germany will be the latest countries to join the Pro14 party.
Whether by design or chance, the biggest interest shown by overseas investors in getting a slice of the Southern Kings pie have had their roots in America and Germany.
First in line was American Douglas Schoninger, and then German-based Hans-Peter Wild visited Port Elizabeth for talks with EP president Andre Rademan.
Nothing came of Schoninger’s trip to South Africa and there has been no firm update on the situation regarding Wild’s visit to Port Elizabeth. Rugby chiefs are specially keen to grow the game in America, and the Boks head to Washington to play Wales in a one-off Test on June 2.
The sides will meet at the 46 000-seater RFK Stadium, which was previously home to the Washington Redskins and, until last year, Major League Soccer team DC United.
The introduction of the Southern Kings and Cheetahs last year brought a new perspective to Pro14 where expansion has become the name of the game.
Anayi wants his league to match their English and French counterparts in terms of TV revenue.
Anayi is open to the involvement of a team based in the potentially lucrative US and German markets.
Spain and Canada are other countries whose names have been mentioned in expansion speculation.
Rugby strategist Tony McKeever says expansion is the only way to go for Pro14.
“This is race for proper internationalism and the most powerful and economies and multinationals are based in Germany and the US,” said McKeever.
“Pro14 can catapult the English Premiership with the inclusion and Germany. There would be great support for rugby in the American cities of New York and Boston, where they are many Irish expats.”
The fundamental difference with the rival Pro14, French and English leagues lies in the ownership of the teams involved.
The Pro14 is run by unions, not clubs, who see the league as a pathway to international rugby,
By splitting Pro14 into two conferences of seven, the organisers have kept the door open to further expansion.
“The inclusion of the Kings and Cheetahs is not the end of our expansion, just the beginning,” said Anayi.
“We had the option of contracting [which would have meant cutting the two Italian sides who have struggled to make an impact since joining the league in 2010] but that was never a real one because we wanted to grow.
“We know there are pitfalls from the example of Super Rugby, which is going from 18 back to 15, but looking at it from various points of view, if it stacks up you go for it.
“South Africa ticked all the boxes, which is why it happened so quickly.
“It was the right thing to do and we are excited because it is not for one or two years but six.
“The first question of any newcomers is will they come with a competitive team? That is vitally important.
“If a team is not going to be competitive and works against player welfare, it does not matter how much money it brings in.
“As far as the United States is concerned, the union there needs to be a willing and active participant in any move, along with World Rugby who are looking to increase the number of elite teams and increase the value of the international game.
“The game relies on a successful World Cup every four years and more need to be in a position to win it. As a tournament, we can play a central part in the plan to expand the game in the right way and with the right resources.
“It puts us in a unique position. You could easily go in and produce a USA team with a blitz of imports, but that is where the strategy comes in.
“A team needs roots and benefits for the union in question as well as World Rugby. It needs to be more domestic.
“You would find it hard to make it work if the team was full of foreign imports. Germany is very interesting, along with Spain and Canada. Toronto is the fourth largest city in North America.”
From a Kings perspective, it is worth recalling a meeting between Stade Francais owner Wild and Rademan last month.
With Germany being mentioned as a strong candidate in any enlarged league, Wild’s connections to that country are significant.
In October 2007, Wild was instrumental in the formation of the Wild Rugby Academy, an institution aimed at developing the sport of rugby union in Germany.
Before last night’s game against the Dragons kicked off, the Kings has lost 16 consecutive matches.
Hardly the sort of impact Anayi wanted from the newcomers!
The inclusion of the Kings and Cheetahs is not the end of our expansion, just the beginning