Answers to this Pro12 predicament lie within
Is the world going mad or are the Pro12 administrators really considering sending players to the United States, South Africa or Canada to try to attract more TV revenue? The power brokers sitting around the boardroom table may think it’s a good idea, but what about considering the players, coaches and, more importantly, the fans?
Breaking new ground always sounds a good idea, but once you get down to the nitty-gritty it can often be a different story. There may be a £30m per year shortfall in television income between the Pro12 and Aviva Premiership, and an even bigger gulf compared to the Top 14, but which US broadcaster is likely to introduce that kind of cash for a game that has yet to make its mark professionally in the country?
The fledgling professional game in the States is struggling commercially itself, so who would be propping up whom? This all smacks of highly-paid administrators trying to find a way of covering up their own deficiencies. Get real fellas!
We all know the on-field product in the Pro12 isn’t good enough to attract similar levels of sponsorship and TV income compared to the English competition. But that is as much to do with eyeballs as anything else. The Premiership is also a far more mature product that doesn’t keep changing season in, season out.
Instead of spending time on trying to spread the Pro12 gospel further afield the unions and clubs need to try to strengthen on the home front first. Surely there would be more money, if that is the only concern, in offering the product lock, stock and barrel to Sky or BT Sport. That might put a few traditional noses out of joint, but if cash is king then negotiate better deals than are currently in existence.
It would be far better if the new Pro12 chief executive, his board members, support team and consultants spent more time at the clubs trying to find ways of increasing the average gate by 1,000 each year. That would make a substantial difference all round and would probably lead to better sponsorship opportunities in the future.
Everyone must work harder on what they are currently doing to improve the product and what is on offer to the fans and commercial backers rather than chasing pipe dreams overseas. I played in Japan for a couple of years and the standard of the game outside of the top few teams in the top tier was nowhere near as good as in the Pro12.
And the quality of the professional game in the USA and Canada is way behind Japan.
One of the problems with the Pro12 at the moment is the fact you have to travel so much to play matches. There are few, if any, travelling supporters outside of the derby matches. What use would games played in a different continent be?
Where I will agree with the organisers is that something has to be done to improve the commercial viability of the Pro12. But they need organic growth, confidence, maturity and not merely a quick fix.
The tournament is now far more competitive that it ever has been. The gates for the derby matches are growing, but the clubs and organisers need to get the fans to fall in love with their product rather than pointing out to them time after time how it has become the poor relation in Europe – on and off the field.
It seems to me that in England and France the professional game is marching forward at pace on and off the field, without much thought to what happens on the international stage. In the four countries involved in the Pro12, the league is in danger of forever playing second-fiddle to their national teams.
There is no one solution to the difficulties being experienced by a young tournament. But stability is the key, not gimmicks. Look within, rather than to foreign fields, for a remedy and stop coveting what others have got.
“Instead of trying to spread the Pro12 gospel in America, clubs and Unions should try to strengthen on the home front first”