Crusaders board should be frugal

OPINION: If ever the Crusaders board had 297,000 reasons to be frugal, then this is the year to seal the piggy bank with duct tape and bury it under the floorboards.

Or so we would have thought. Instead the board are contemplating sending chief executive Hamish Riach and chairman Murray Ellis to Australia and South Africa for the Crusaders matches against Western Force, Stormers and Bulls in late April and early May.

This is despite the Crusaders recording a $297,000 loss last year, resulting in no dividends for the seven provincial unions in their region. On top of this the Canterbury union, which relies on this pay-out to bolster their books and made several back office staff redundant last year, is expected to announce a loss of around $800,000 at next month's annual meeting.

Although it is not unusual for franchises to send their bosses on tour, one has to wonder whether the Crusaders board believes they are in the privileged position to send Riach and Ellis on this trip to "network" with offshore administrators.

When contacted by The Press, Riach maintained no decision had been made, saying it depended how the "financials" panned out earlier in the season.

The board must be careful. It risks a public relations blunder – especially at a time when the Crusaders are urging their fans to return to the revamped AMI Stadium.

Season ticket sales for Crusaders and Canterbury matches have doubled since the launch of the campaign, rising from 1200 to around 2500. And "climbing" apparently, to those in the know. Filling the revamped AMI Stadium, which now has a capacity of 39,000, still seems a distant prospect. A major marketing push for new season ticket holders began on Monday, part of the appeal being that those buying them before February 8 will be eligible for preferential booking rights for next year's World Cup.

Speaking of World Cups, it will be fascinating what impact football's global tournament and the All Whites participation will have on the oval-ball code this winter. Apart from the brigade that have drained too many fizzy drinks, few expect New Zealand to advance past pool play. But this is no reason for the NZRU administrators to sneer and wait for the football storm to pass.

Many rugbyheads will avidly watch the All Whites' progress in the Republic. So will many mums who play an important role in helping their kids pick their sport. Rugby has always been top-dog in this country and has played a part in many New Zealanders' lives.

In turn, the code has traded massive media coverage and public support for close scrutiny and criticism. And rightly so. This is something football here largely avoids and last year their sport hit the jackpot by beating Bahrain in Wellington to qualify for the World Cup; their victory was greeted with widespread joy.

NZRU cannot afford to sit on their hands and take rugby fans' for granted this year.

Interest in the Crusaders' pre-season match against the Blues in Motueka on February 4 has already been strong, with around 5000 tickets sold. The Tasman union hopes to sell around 12,000.

- © Fairfax NZ News