1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,547 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,747 Speaker 1: from News Talks EDB. 3 00:00:12,667 --> 00:00:15,387 Speaker 2: Super Rugby Pacific now less than a week away. 4 00:00:15,627 --> 00:00:18,947 Speaker 3: Blues look to regather, they kick it, they kick it backwards. 5 00:00:19,067 --> 00:00:21,747 Speaker 3: It's gonna go open the line. Blue hates love to 6 00:00:21,867 --> 00:00:26,387 Speaker 3: hear these words again. The Blues US Super Rugby champions 7 00:00:26,427 --> 00:00:30,427 Speaker 3: for the first time in twenty one years. Day demolish 8 00:00:30,507 --> 00:00:33,267 Speaker 3: the change. Send to the final forty one ten. 9 00:00:33,627 --> 00:00:35,467 Speaker 2: Yeah that was last year. Can the Blues go back 10 00:00:35,467 --> 00:00:36,627 Speaker 2: to back? I guess we can have a more of 11 00:00:36,627 --> 00:00:40,187 Speaker 2: a chat about that. Tomorrow. Opening game is Friday Nights, 12 00:00:40,187 --> 00:00:42,987 Speaker 2: so less than a week away. The Crusaders up against 13 00:00:42,987 --> 00:00:47,347 Speaker 2: the Hurricanes in christ Church. Super Rugby CEO Jack Mesley 14 00:00:47,507 --> 00:00:49,747 Speaker 2: is with us on Weekend Sport. Jack, thanks for joining 15 00:00:49,827 --> 00:00:52,507 Speaker 2: us one week out from the start of Super Rugby 16 00:00:52,547 --> 00:00:56,467 Speaker 2: Pacific for twenty twenty five, your first season as CEO 17 00:00:56,627 --> 00:00:59,187 Speaker 2: was about to begin. How are you feeling about six 18 00:00:59,267 --> 00:01:00,387 Speaker 2: days out from the new season. 19 00:01:01,827 --> 00:01:05,347 Speaker 4: I'm well, firstly, very excited. I can't wait for it 20 00:01:05,387 --> 00:01:08,427 Speaker 4: to kick off, really keen to see it in operation 21 00:01:08,947 --> 00:01:11,827 Speaker 4: and work through a week to week cycle. 22 00:01:11,987 --> 00:01:12,947 Speaker 5: It's been a great off. 23 00:01:12,827 --> 00:01:15,907 Speaker 4: Season and I think we've achieved a lot to set 24 00:01:15,947 --> 00:01:17,547 Speaker 4: twenty twenty five up for success. 25 00:01:17,707 --> 00:01:19,667 Speaker 2: All right, let's talk about a couple of your initiatives. 26 00:01:19,667 --> 00:01:24,027 Speaker 2: Fantasy Super Rugby Pacific has been launched. How much engagement 27 00:01:24,467 --> 00:01:26,107 Speaker 2: are you hoping to achieve through this? 28 00:01:27,507 --> 00:01:29,987 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean I think, you know, we think it's 29 00:01:30,027 --> 00:01:33,987 Speaker 4: an essential tool and we're hoping for a lot of engagement. 30 00:01:33,987 --> 00:01:37,707 Speaker 4: I think we've had some really great responses to our 31 00:01:37,747 --> 00:01:40,267 Speaker 4: expressions of interest which we've been capturing over the little 32 00:01:40,627 --> 00:01:44,147 Speaker 4: the last few weeks and then going live today. I 33 00:01:44,187 --> 00:01:48,987 Speaker 4: haven't seen the latest numbers, but you know, we're expecting 34 00:01:49,227 --> 00:01:51,107 Speaker 4: a huge number of people to get engaged with it. 35 00:01:51,627 --> 00:01:54,307 Speaker 2: How big a body of work has this been? 36 00:01:56,067 --> 00:02:00,187 Speaker 5: Yeah, listen, it is a big lift. 37 00:02:01,067 --> 00:02:03,347 Speaker 4: And I threw it at the team pretty late, so 38 00:02:04,267 --> 00:02:07,027 Speaker 4: I have been a little apologetic about theness in which 39 00:02:07,027 --> 00:02:09,987 Speaker 4: it's arrived to fans, and that was probably, you know, 40 00:02:10,107 --> 00:02:13,347 Speaker 4: due to us making the call late. And it's been 41 00:02:13,347 --> 00:02:17,467 Speaker 4: a great, a great combined effort. You know, players involved, 42 00:02:18,507 --> 00:02:23,387 Speaker 4: you know, the unions involved, and clearly our teams working centrally. 43 00:02:23,587 --> 00:02:26,627 Speaker 4: But you know, so it's great to see it live. 44 00:02:26,907 --> 00:02:29,867 Speaker 4: As you and I've been chatting off there it's up 45 00:02:29,907 --> 00:02:33,347 Speaker 4: and I've been having a really good play with it 46 00:02:33,427 --> 00:02:35,707 Speaker 4: today and I'm you know, I'm having a lot of fun. 47 00:02:35,827 --> 00:02:38,587 Speaker 2: Yeah, I have been to slapping players in and out 48 00:02:38,627 --> 00:02:42,307 Speaker 2: trying to find the best combination. Are you developing an 49 00:02:42,387 --> 00:02:44,347 Speaker 2: app for Fantasy Super Rugby? 50 00:02:45,387 --> 00:02:47,427 Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean this is our this is our play 51 00:02:47,467 --> 00:02:47,947 Speaker 5: this year. 52 00:02:48,387 --> 00:02:51,787 Speaker 4: It doesn't have an app. But gamification more broadly is 53 00:02:51,827 --> 00:02:54,147 Speaker 4: going to continue to be an important thing for the 54 00:02:54,187 --> 00:02:58,267 Speaker 4: competition and and things like apps and you know, features 55 00:02:58,307 --> 00:03:02,307 Speaker 4: and benefits that people are already talking about that they 56 00:03:02,307 --> 00:03:05,027 Speaker 4: would like to see in the competition and in the 57 00:03:05,067 --> 00:03:07,867 Speaker 4: fantasy game. Look at all of those things into the 58 00:03:07,867 --> 00:03:11,067 Speaker 4: future and look to see how we can just find 59 00:03:11,107 --> 00:03:15,187 Speaker 4: more ways and those ways becoming easier for fans to engage. 60 00:03:15,307 --> 00:03:17,387 Speaker 2: And just before we move on, was it always something 61 00:03:17,427 --> 00:03:20,027 Speaker 2: that was front of mind for you, Jack when you 62 00:03:20,107 --> 00:03:22,107 Speaker 2: came and you said you obviously threw it at your 63 00:03:22,107 --> 00:03:23,987 Speaker 2: team a bit late, but was it something you were 64 00:03:24,027 --> 00:03:26,467 Speaker 2: always quite keen to have and play for twenty twenty five? 65 00:03:27,747 --> 00:03:31,747 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think pretty early on we uncovered a few 66 00:03:31,747 --> 00:03:35,587 Speaker 4: things that we really wanted to focus on. Gamification appeal 67 00:03:35,627 --> 00:03:38,227 Speaker 4: to a younger audience was one of the really key ones. 68 00:03:38,627 --> 00:03:40,947 Speaker 4: And the other one is we're really keen for fans 69 00:03:41,027 --> 00:03:46,947 Speaker 4: to get more involved and learn more about the other 70 00:03:47,027 --> 00:03:50,507 Speaker 4: teams in the competition. We're eleven team competition. We've got 71 00:03:50,507 --> 00:03:53,707 Speaker 4: clubs from all around the Pacific, and we want a 72 00:03:53,747 --> 00:03:56,267 Speaker 4: Crusaders to fan to know more about some of the 73 00:03:56,307 --> 00:03:58,547 Speaker 4: great players that are playing for the Reds, for example, 74 00:03:59,147 --> 00:04:02,347 Speaker 4: so that when the Reds come down to Christchurch to play, 75 00:04:03,307 --> 00:04:06,507 Speaker 4: those fans are ready to engage with another match. So 76 00:04:07,187 --> 00:04:09,787 Speaker 4: you know, part of this is all about just giving 77 00:04:09,787 --> 00:04:12,067 Speaker 4: people more things to have fun with and play with 78 00:04:12,147 --> 00:04:15,267 Speaker 4: and talk to their mates about. Beneath that, there's a 79 00:04:15,267 --> 00:04:18,747 Speaker 4: little bit of strategy about how we're increasing the knowledge 80 00:04:18,787 --> 00:04:22,747 Speaker 4: and appeal of the other clubs that exist within the competition. 81 00:04:23,027 --> 00:04:27,547 Speaker 2: All right, So let's look a bit wider now, your KPIs, 82 00:04:27,587 --> 00:04:29,067 Speaker 2: if we can call them that. I always hate using 83 00:04:29,067 --> 00:04:31,587 Speaker 2: those phrase like that in a sporting sense, but you 84 00:04:31,587 --> 00:04:33,387 Speaker 2: know what I mean. How much of the success of 85 00:04:33,427 --> 00:04:36,387 Speaker 2: your role is going to be judged on attendance at 86 00:04:36,387 --> 00:04:38,347 Speaker 2: games and viewers tuning in. 87 00:04:39,267 --> 00:04:46,947 Speaker 4: Yeah, absolutely they will be My KPIs attendance, audience, digital 88 00:04:46,987 --> 00:04:50,227 Speaker 4: engagement as well becoming more and more and more important. 89 00:04:50,707 --> 00:04:53,867 Speaker 4: And then you know longer lead time goals is that 90 00:04:54,067 --> 00:04:58,787 Speaker 4: those sort of metrics then drive commercial outcomes, So then 91 00:04:58,907 --> 00:05:02,347 Speaker 4: dollars dollars comes into it on a sort of longer 92 00:05:02,427 --> 00:05:05,267 Speaker 4: lead time basis. So that's how I will be judged 93 00:05:05,267 --> 00:05:09,467 Speaker 4: by by the board and ultimately, you know, that's what 94 00:05:09,507 --> 00:05:12,467 Speaker 4: we want success to be for the competition. And you know, 95 00:05:12,547 --> 00:05:14,907 Speaker 4: twenty twenty four was a great year. We saw all 96 00:05:14,947 --> 00:05:18,827 Speaker 4: of those measures go green on the traffic light system, 97 00:05:19,227 --> 00:05:21,987 Speaker 4: and so we're coming off last year with some momentum 98 00:05:22,067 --> 00:05:24,267 Speaker 4: and we really want to really want to keep that going. 99 00:05:24,467 --> 00:05:28,027 Speaker 2: When you talk about engagement with fans and with casual 100 00:05:28,227 --> 00:05:31,227 Speaker 2: observers as well, we've seen the past week the power 101 00:05:31,227 --> 00:05:33,707 Speaker 2: of off field or in this case, off court narratives 102 00:05:33,707 --> 00:05:37,067 Speaker 2: within the NBA and the trade which aired the entire 103 00:05:37,147 --> 00:05:41,307 Speaker 2: world talking how do you establish similar narratives and similar 104 00:05:41,307 --> 00:05:42,827 Speaker 2: interest inside super rugby. 105 00:05:44,307 --> 00:05:47,227 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's been a powerful time, hasn't it. As we've 106 00:05:47,227 --> 00:05:51,027 Speaker 4: seen some of the biggest leagues in the world round 107 00:05:51,027 --> 00:05:52,627 Speaker 4: out their transfer windows. 108 00:05:53,667 --> 00:05:55,187 Speaker 5: Yeah. I mean we saw it. 109 00:05:55,147 --> 00:05:57,747 Speaker 4: In our off season to a lesser degree, right, we 110 00:05:58,227 --> 00:06:01,627 Speaker 4: saw the attention that player movement, be that Arty's move 111 00:06:01,787 --> 00:06:07,307 Speaker 4: or even James O'Connor's move fueled interests. You know, our 112 00:06:07,347 --> 00:06:10,147 Speaker 4: focus right now is to make sure that we have 113 00:06:10,307 --> 00:06:13,907 Speaker 4: those rhythms going for our nineteen weeks, and then what 114 00:06:13,947 --> 00:06:17,067 Speaker 4: we need to do is extend the conversation outside those 115 00:06:17,147 --> 00:06:20,547 Speaker 4: outside those sort of nineteen weeks of regular season. There 116 00:06:20,587 --> 00:06:23,227 Speaker 4: is so much that happens in Super rugby outside the 117 00:06:23,347 --> 00:06:27,387 Speaker 4: nineteen week season, but you wouldn't know about it, you know, 118 00:06:27,507 --> 00:06:31,787 Speaker 4: So how the Crusaders fill their roster, how they are 119 00:06:31,787 --> 00:06:34,867 Speaker 4: looking at MPC and bringing people are All of those 120 00:06:34,907 --> 00:06:38,867 Speaker 4: things exist in our competition, but largely are not told. 121 00:06:39,347 --> 00:06:42,107 Speaker 4: So in the first instance, we need to make sure 122 00:06:42,547 --> 00:06:45,827 Speaker 4: we're doing a better job of that before we look at, well, 123 00:06:45,907 --> 00:06:50,587 Speaker 4: what other things that require more fundamental change, you know, 124 00:06:51,027 --> 00:06:54,507 Speaker 4: like what we see in other codes overseas. You know, 125 00:06:54,867 --> 00:06:56,587 Speaker 4: we need to really make sure that we're making the 126 00:06:56,627 --> 00:06:58,507 Speaker 4: most of what we've got first, because those things are 127 00:06:59,107 --> 00:07:02,987 Speaker 4: are difficult and involved time and a lot of alignment 128 00:07:03,027 --> 00:07:04,027 Speaker 4: between a lot of parties. 129 00:07:04,147 --> 00:07:06,067 Speaker 2: Yeah, Andy, but I still would like to talk about them. 130 00:07:06,107 --> 00:07:08,667 Speaker 2: Would you like to see greater freedom, for example, of 131 00:07:08,747 --> 00:07:13,387 Speaker 2: player movement across the different countries involved in Super Rugby? 132 00:07:14,467 --> 00:07:17,227 Speaker 4: Well, I mean people can do that now right now. 133 00:07:17,467 --> 00:07:20,067 Speaker 4: The difficulty is that that then comes with national team 134 00:07:20,107 --> 00:07:25,667 Speaker 4: eligibility questions. So yeah, I would like to see more movement, 135 00:07:26,427 --> 00:07:30,267 Speaker 4: but to get that change and to ensure that eligibility 136 00:07:30,267 --> 00:07:31,867 Speaker 4: comes with that, there's. 137 00:07:31,707 --> 00:07:34,907 Speaker 5: A whole lot involved in that. We're really lucky that we. 138 00:07:35,667 --> 00:07:40,627 Speaker 4: Involved in the international sport and our competition spans five 139 00:07:40,667 --> 00:07:45,067 Speaker 4: different countries. That makes some of the complexities to push 140 00:07:45,107 --> 00:07:50,187 Speaker 4: into what you're describing a lot more difficult. But with 141 00:07:50,347 --> 00:07:52,587 Speaker 4: that comes to benefits, the fact that we are an 142 00:07:52,627 --> 00:07:55,667 Speaker 4: international sport. We want our national teams to do well 143 00:07:56,147 --> 00:07:58,627 Speaker 4: and we're an international competition which creates a lot of 144 00:07:58,627 --> 00:07:59,467 Speaker 4: benefits as well. 145 00:07:59,547 --> 00:08:01,587 Speaker 2: Do you think you have the ability to drive their change? 146 00:08:01,587 --> 00:08:02,987 Speaker 2: It seems so obvious. I know a lot of our 147 00:08:03,027 --> 00:08:05,147 Speaker 2: listeners will be on the phone straight after they've been 148 00:08:05,147 --> 00:08:07,667 Speaker 2: listening to you, Jack saying, you know, why shouldn't will 149 00:08:07,747 --> 00:08:10,427 Speaker 2: Jordan play for the Reds and still be eligible for 150 00:08:10,467 --> 00:08:12,587 Speaker 2: the All Blacks. Do you believe you have the ability 151 00:08:12,987 --> 00:08:15,507 Speaker 2: to drive that change with New Zealand rugby and Rugby Australia. 152 00:08:17,347 --> 00:08:21,387 Speaker 4: Well, ultimately, if you're talking about governance, no, I don't 153 00:08:21,387 --> 00:08:26,067 Speaker 4: have the ability to make that decision. Clearly, as the sharehold. 154 00:08:26,187 --> 00:08:28,747 Speaker 4: The owners of the competition, being New Zealand Rugby and 155 00:08:28,827 --> 00:08:32,947 Speaker 4: Rugby Australia, would need to make that competition. What I 156 00:08:32,987 --> 00:08:34,787 Speaker 4: can say is from a competition point of view, we 157 00:08:34,827 --> 00:08:36,787 Speaker 4: will put all of those things on the table and 158 00:08:36,827 --> 00:08:39,907 Speaker 4: look at the pros and commons and benefits of those 159 00:08:39,947 --> 00:08:43,307 Speaker 4: things and then recommend that to our owners for them 160 00:08:43,347 --> 00:08:46,867 Speaker 4: to then assess, and their assessment will come more broadly. 161 00:08:46,907 --> 00:08:48,747 Speaker 5: My focus is the competition. 162 00:08:49,667 --> 00:08:52,907 Speaker 4: The unions obviously have to look at that broadly and 163 00:08:53,067 --> 00:08:57,627 Speaker 4: consider the recommendations that we put forward at a competition level. 164 00:08:57,987 --> 00:09:00,147 Speaker 4: You know, in view of the whole Rugby pyramids that 165 00:09:00,187 --> 00:09:02,587 Speaker 4: they are managing, so you know, they've got to do 166 00:09:02,627 --> 00:09:04,667 Speaker 4: the right thing for community game. They have to do 167 00:09:04,747 --> 00:09:08,947 Speaker 4: the right thing for Team in Black, and collectively we're 168 00:09:08,947 --> 00:09:10,787 Speaker 4: trying to do the right thing for the competition. 169 00:09:11,267 --> 00:09:13,667 Speaker 2: We're down to eleven teams this year. Would you ideally 170 00:09:13,747 --> 00:09:16,027 Speaker 2: like to get back to twelve for twenty twenty six? 171 00:09:17,827 --> 00:09:21,387 Speaker 4: Yeah, there's lots of benefits you know in having an 172 00:09:21,427 --> 00:09:24,867 Speaker 4: even number of teams. Clearly it brings some efficiency to 173 00:09:24,907 --> 00:09:28,587 Speaker 4: the drawer and things like that. I don't think we've seen, 174 00:09:28,707 --> 00:09:31,787 Speaker 4: you know, how good this eleven team structure can be, 175 00:09:31,867 --> 00:09:35,267 Speaker 4: so we'll be looking at it throughout the year. I 176 00:09:35,307 --> 00:09:39,467 Speaker 4: don't think there is an obvious, an obvious solution that 177 00:09:39,627 --> 00:09:46,667 Speaker 4: is within grasp for a twelve team right now. But 178 00:09:46,867 --> 00:09:49,667 Speaker 4: having said that, you know, we're very lucky that we 179 00:09:49,787 --> 00:09:53,747 Speaker 4: do have, you know, some longer term opportunities that we're 180 00:09:53,747 --> 00:09:54,747 Speaker 4: going to look at as well. 181 00:09:55,187 --> 00:09:57,227 Speaker 2: And I know twenty twenty five is your focus, but 182 00:09:58,107 --> 00:10:01,627 Speaker 2: have you thought short in fact more medium term mid 183 00:10:01,707 --> 00:10:05,507 Speaker 2: range for example, what's your five year vision for Super Rugby. 184 00:10:06,947 --> 00:10:09,907 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, we're not probably going that far out 185 00:10:10,107 --> 00:10:14,107 Speaker 4: just yet. You know, our intention and our sort of 186 00:10:14,307 --> 00:10:17,667 Speaker 4: you know, three years sort of arizon is making sure 187 00:10:17,707 --> 00:10:20,987 Speaker 4: that our competition is the best rugby competition in the world, 188 00:10:21,307 --> 00:10:23,427 Speaker 4: and we're going to do that by making sure we've 189 00:10:23,427 --> 00:10:26,347 Speaker 4: got the most compelling product on the field, that we're 190 00:10:26,427 --> 00:10:30,307 Speaker 4: really strengthening our fan engagement offering for fans, and that 191 00:10:30,347 --> 00:10:33,667 Speaker 4: we're driving commercial value back back into our back into 192 00:10:33,667 --> 00:10:36,507 Speaker 4: our competition so that we can invest in it and 193 00:10:36,587 --> 00:10:40,347 Speaker 4: make those first two kind of things work. In terms 194 00:10:40,427 --> 00:10:44,107 Speaker 4: of competition design, we don't have a firm view on 195 00:10:45,587 --> 00:10:48,427 Speaker 4: those things yet. In terms of you know, let's say 196 00:10:48,467 --> 00:10:51,467 Speaker 4: in twenty twenty eight. We want the competition to look 197 00:10:51,547 --> 00:10:54,667 Speaker 4: like X, Y and Z. We're setting ourselves up to 198 00:10:54,707 --> 00:10:58,147 Speaker 4: make sure that we have a view of expansion into 199 00:10:58,187 --> 00:11:00,347 Speaker 4: the future, but we also want to be ready for 200 00:11:00,387 --> 00:11:03,347 Speaker 4: any opportunities that might come our way, and so we 201 00:11:03,387 --> 00:11:05,987 Speaker 4: need to sort of remain agile and open to opportunities. 202 00:11:06,027 --> 00:11:08,427 Speaker 2: Is all right? Well, we're just about at the start 203 00:11:08,427 --> 00:11:10,467 Speaker 2: line for twenty twenty five, Jack, exciting time for you 204 00:11:10,507 --> 00:11:12,747 Speaker 2: and your organization and for the teams and fans of 205 00:11:12,787 --> 00:11:15,907 Speaker 2: Super Rugby Pacific as well. Appreciate you having a chat 206 00:11:15,947 --> 00:11:17,267 Speaker 2: to us. I know need to go back and work 207 00:11:17,307 --> 00:11:19,467 Speaker 2: out how to get Ardie Savia Hoskins, a Tutu n 208 00:11:19,507 --> 00:11:22,907 Speaker 2: Peter Larkeye into my fantasy team. 209 00:11:23,467 --> 00:11:25,347 Speaker 5: Well, I wish you'd a best of luck with that. 210 00:11:25,427 --> 00:11:27,187 Speaker 4: I was actually, you know, I was just trying to 211 00:11:27,427 --> 00:11:28,347 Speaker 4: go through the hookers. 212 00:11:28,387 --> 00:11:31,027 Speaker 5: My goodness is and good hooker. Is there any advice 213 00:11:31,067 --> 00:11:33,107 Speaker 5: for me on on hookers? 214 00:11:33,107 --> 00:11:33,307 Speaker 4: Well? 215 00:11:33,347 --> 00:11:36,547 Speaker 2: I would have some. Maybe we should take this offline 216 00:11:36,587 --> 00:11:38,987 Speaker 2: so that the advice doesn't go far and wide, although 217 00:11:39,067 --> 00:11:40,707 Speaker 2: that might be a good thing. Jack, great to chat. 218 00:11:40,707 --> 00:11:43,107 Speaker 2: Thanks for taking the time, Thanks very much. 219 00:11:43,187 --> 00:11:44,627 Speaker 5: Talk to you soon, yep, talk soon. 220 00:11:44,787 --> 00:11:48,827 Speaker 2: Jack, Thanks indeed, Jack Measley, CEO of Super Rugby Pacific. 221 00:11:49,387 --> 00:11:52,587 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live 222 00:11:52,707 --> 00:11:55,987 Speaker 1: to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow 223 00:11:56,027 --> 00:11:57,627 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio