PLEA TO GOVT

AUCKLAND: Leading sports administrators say professional sport will be in huge trouble if the Government does not open borders in a controlled manner and allow international teams into the country.

Blues chairman Don Mackinnon, Warriors CEO Cameron George and NZ Netball Players Association executive manager Steph Bond told yesterday’s ‘‘The Future Of Auckland Sport’’ webcast the foundations of professional sports were being shaken by Covid19 and support was needed to ensure franchises survive.

Mackinnon, who is also a New Zealand Cricket board member, made it clear that a way must be found to open the country’s borders to international competition.

‘‘I don’t think people appreciate that international sport in New Zealand is on a knifeedge,’’ Mackinnon said.

‘‘If rugby, cricket and netball, in particular, can’t get international sport played in the final quarter of this year, the impact will flow right into the domestic game. We will be falling off a cliff. It is a nerveracking time.’’

Bond underlined the risk that all professional sport is facing without international competition.

‘‘We are lucky that our competition is domestic — we are not relying on international teams turning up for our domestic competition,’’ Bond said.

‘‘But from a national perspective with the Silver Ferns, absolutely we need to get teams to New Zealand. That is pivotal to the finances of Netball New Zealand.

‘‘International markets are worth over $100 million from a rugby, cricket and netball perspective. That money not coming into New Zealand and the flowon impact on jobs — not just the player salaries, but the jobs of everyone working in sport — is significant.’’

If the borders were to remain closed, George said the very future of the Warriors was put at risk.

‘‘We are having to take the longterm view that we will be based in Australia again next year unless something dramatic happens over the next couple of months,’’ he said.

‘‘That translates into commercial challenges. Obviously, our fan base is here, and our first priority is to be here and play in front of them. But the circumstances outside of our control may not allow that to happen.

‘‘That means we lose out on membership and our commercial partners start to review

their positions and so on.’’

Mackinnon said Super Rugby Aotearoa was a great competition, but it was a bandaid solution and the revamped domestic model cannot last forever.

‘‘Next year will bring more uncertainty and if there are more lockdowns the impact is huge,’’ he said.

‘‘Super Rugby in its Aotearoa bubble will survive for one more year if it is domestic. But it is not sustainable in the longterm; it is not a sustainable model commercially long term.’’

All on the panel agreed cen

tral government had a critical role to play in allowing international sport to take place.

‘‘We have to innovate with Covid and the first step in that for the big sports is getting international teams to New Zealand,’’ Bond said.

‘‘That will set up the financial long term for rugby, cricket and netball. If we can get those teams to New Zealand that will be significant.’’

George put the ball firmly in the hands of the Government to lead the way.

‘‘Anything is possible [from a competition point of view] — we all need to be creative. But until the Government looks at the border situation noone will bother.

‘‘They don’t have to reinvent anything. Just look at the NRL — there are 200 players playing every weekend and Covid hasn’t hit. It is not that hard, to be honest.

‘‘Create the bubbles, get the international teams here and control those people. And they are willing to be controlled in those environments in order to play international sport.

‘‘The AFL has just done it, moving 400 people to Queensland, the blueprint is out there, it is not that hard.’’ — The New Zealand Herald

❛ I don’t think people appreciate that international sport in New Zealand is on a knifeedge Blues chairman Don Mackinnon