Sorry, the RWC is NOT third biggest
BY SAM BUCKLEWell, somebody has to say it, and it might as well be me. No, the Rugby World Cup is NOT the third biggest sporting event in the world. It’s a myth perpetually reinforced in this country, most recently - and the catalyst for this blasphemy - on the front page of Tuesday’s Dominion Post (para 6).
It seems to be a myth partly fostered by those various organisations with a stake in the RWC (by those selling commercial rights, by those selling tickets, by those pumping for government funds and, indeed, by the government fronting up with those funds). But it's also a myth that has built its own momentum over time, to the points it's become entrenched in the public mind. And who really wants to pause, think and challenge a good news myth that makes us feel a wee bit better about ourselves?
Luckily, I'm not alone in my sacrilege. In fact I’m in esteemed company. Before Christmas I heard an interview by Mark Watson on Radio Sport. He was talking to Fairfax Media’s (think stuff.co.nz, The Press, the Dominion Post and most of regional daily newspapers) general manager for sport, Trevor McKewen. They chatted about this very misnomer.
McKewen not only felt the RWC was a long way short of top three status, but claimed any time one of his journalists drafted this national fable into a story, it was promptly dealt to with a black line through it. Obviously, not this time. Albeit, in fairness to McKewen’s editorial team, Tuesday’s offending article was not a “sports” story.
Yes, I know, how petty of a football fan to be the one to spoil the fun. I’m probably a bit insecure about the RWC’s challenge to my game - sure, I confess. But, first of all, I am no more guilty of pettiness than those who insist on labelling it the third biggest event on earth – for the sake of some marginal PR status that will make no difference at all to the success of the RWC or interest in it.
Second, this is a football blog and it’s a football tournament that should rightfully be known as the third biggest sports event on earth (and be rewarded with that same petty, marginal PR value). The European Championships are bigger than the RWC in terms of dollars and fans, and much bigger in terms of global audience. I will let others debate the place of the RWC in respect to other international sports events, but fourth, at best, is all I can allow it.
There will be those, lots of them beyond these shores, who argue the likes of the Superbowl, NBA playoffs, Champions League, Premiership are all bigger than the RWC. It’s awfully difficult to compare leagues and one-off matches with a tournament like the RWC. The Champions League obviously has enormous commercial value, but is it really an event? The final, like the Superbowl, might be – and although it would be worth vast sums commercially, it would not deliver anywhere near the tourism opportunities of a tournament like the RWC or European Championships.
And it may well be the case that the RWC is bigger than the Cricket World Cup or the Winter Olympics. So please don’t get me wrong, the RWC is still a very big event, one of the biggest in the world.
But let’s just leave it at that. That’s plenty big enough.
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The RWC may not be the biggest sports event but at least its an interesting game that Kiwi's enjoy. Unlike they drab round ball game you have been brainwashed into enjoying!!
Seth, the Euro's have an audience of 4 billion, just in Asia. Cricket is a minor sport, much like rugby.
The Yorkshire Professional Darts Pub League had an audience of 1.8.
What about wrestling, like WrestleMania?! That's sports ... sports entertainment is what it's dubbed by the Americans. BUT more people tuned into the last WrestlMania than the SuperBowl!!
Fair call Seth. I suppose Tevor McKewen was my substitute for evidence, albeit not an entirely satisfactory substitute I accept.
Im happy to agree there’s no overwhelming evidence either way. Its indisputable the Fifa World Cup and Olympics are the two biggest events, but after that its murky, so im happy if everybody just drops the unnecessary claim to third spot. They are all very big and that should be big enough without the spin.
Seth, I'm sorry but I don't think you understand the reach that football has. The "Euro's" (sic) are watched across Asia, Oceania, Africa and the Americas. The reach is vast.
seth #1 did you read the article? "The European Championships are bigger than the RWC in terms of dollars and fans, and much bigger in terms of global audience" there is no time or space in a blog like this to put exact numbers but the argument has been justified. I would agree that the cricket world cup and now the T20 IPL would be up there too.
The point of this argument is that the twat who said the RWC was the 3rd biggest event in the world was wrong, and because rugby is so dear to new zealanders they believed it
Sam's right - someone has to remind the readership that the much-touted status of the RWC is a myth. The blog doesn't mention other world sports that are hugely more popular, e.g. motor racing. The claims about the size of the RWC are misleading and, if they're used to encourage unjustified support for the tournament, then that's not trivial - it's unethical.
But beside all that (and admitting I occasionally become annoyed at having to put up with rugby's apparent insecurity about its place in the world of sport) I think the football community and the sports media in this country won't "grow up" until we are able to have a conversation about football without ever giving any reference at all to rugby. Football is the world game - the "national" sport of Planet Earth - there's no need to feel insecure about that, Sam.
In NZ, football has to stop comparing itself with rugby - it doesn't need the sanction or blessing of the rugby public. Rugby's a good wee minority sport and can happily co-exist along with the world game, as it does in the UK.
The rugby world cup final only attracted around 23 million viewers wordlwide, not the billions as reported by the New Zealand media.
It was the fourth most watched sport event THAT WEEK.
It is far from being the thrid biggest sporting event in the world, yes we like the game in New Zealand, but 98% of the world doesnt know it exists.
wow. there are so many things to say in contest to this blog, but i won't bother because you've just demonstrated why lots of people in this country don't like football.
rugby doesn't care about it's position in relation to other sports. it's values are so different to football that there is no comparison. There is no anxiety in rugby, just good hard fun that tests every aspect of an athlete. rugby union is the true gentleman's game, free from hype and hollywoods.
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Sorry, but this is a poor blog. Just because you say the Euro's are "much" bigger, that makes it much bigger? That makes your claims just as pathetic as anyone claiming the RWC is the third biggest.
If you had compared some hard cold figures I might've believed you. And outside of Europe, not much of Asia, Africa or the America's would even be bothered in the Euro's, so I highly doubt your claims.
The cricket World Cup has an audience of 1.8 billion individual fans in Asia alone.