1 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: Which Wednesday. 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 2: Good that Mike Mitchell's here because we've got the weather 3 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,400 Speaker 2: of course in Hoggs Bay and the Wairoa state of emergency, 4 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:10,119 Speaker 2: so we'll get the update from him because that's his 5 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 2: particular sphere of influence among others. Meantime, big week for 6 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 2: the New Zealand Rugby Union as Monday night they announced 7 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 2: the all black squad of course for the year. Then 8 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 2: yesterday we get the books. It's a loss of nine 9 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 2: million or thereabouts, second loss in a row, not as 10 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:24,240 Speaker 2: bad as last years. Last year's was forty seven billion. 11 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 2: The bosses, Mike Robinson is with us Morning Morning Night 12 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 2: is next year black or you can't say that? 13 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: Looks really good to say that, Mike. But we're working 14 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 1: really hard on our model. I think we've said for 15 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: some time now that the way it's developed over the 16 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: last twenty twenty five years means we've got a really 17 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: high sex cost space and we're working really hard for 18 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,880 Speaker 1: stakeholders to try and you know, alter that a little bit. 19 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:50,480 Speaker 1: And last year was certainly a tough years. It relates 20 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:52,479 Speaker 1: to World Cup. We lose significant amount of revenue on 21 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: broadcasting in next day revenue, so overall, even though it's 22 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: always disappointing to be in a lost position. When you 23 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: compare ourselves around the world and the things we are 24 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: able to invest in the game, we don't feel too bad. 25 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 2: What gets you out of it cuts or increase revenue 26 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 2: or mixture you're. 27 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: Both probably a mixture of both and a bit of 28 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: a tweak of the model. As we say much, you know, 29 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:17,199 Speaker 1: there's no matter where we look across the game, there's 30 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 1: always great reasons for investment, so be it in in 31 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 1: our competitions, be it into the community game. We're obviously 32 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:26,480 Speaker 1: starting off on a new journey as it relates to 33 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:31,479 Speaker 1: ingesting and commercial growth of the organization and player bates 34 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,679 Speaker 1: really create really key that we keep that fantastic talent 35 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: we have. So all of those things are really important 36 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: investment areas. But we have to look probably at a 37 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: combination things are around costs, some better efficiencies, and then 38 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:45,399 Speaker 1: growth of revenue. 39 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 2: See how do you get growth of revenue? Is the 40 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 2: growth of revenue. One of the things that fascinates me 41 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 2: at the moment. It seems globally sport is on fire. 42 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 2: If you look at some of the sports in America, 43 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 2: there is money to burn on sport. Why aren't we 44 00:01:57,320 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 2: reaping those rewards? 45 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: Well, we're just starting offron't with. I think we've done 46 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: a really good job over the last couple of years. 47 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 1: Revenue across the game now in New Zealand is probably 48 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 1: around three hundred and fifty million dollar mark. New Zealand 49 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 1: Rugby constitutes a more than seventy million dollars of that, 50 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 1: and we think we can grow that over time. But 51 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: we had a relatively small fan base here. We've been 52 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 1: really clear that we've got to, throughout the we did 53 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: in the last few years, that we've got to connect 54 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,679 Speaker 1: more with our international fan base, and so that just 55 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 1: takes time. We've got to establish the competitions and the 56 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: fixtures that connect with those parts of the world and 57 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 1: emerging markets and bigger population bases. And we've also got to, 58 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:44,119 Speaker 1: you know, work really hard at building the content play 59 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 1: that we have going on too and getting that into 60 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:47,839 Speaker 1: different parts of the world. So all of those things 61 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:49,959 Speaker 1: will take time. But we firmly believe, as you say, 62 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,799 Speaker 1: there's real value in live sport and sport in general, 63 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 1: and we're looking forward to sort of wording towards it. 64 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 2: Because the conversion is the key, isn't it. Because I know, 65 00:02:57,440 --> 00:02:59,400 Speaker 2: for example, you've got more players, that's a good sign 66 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 2: for the game, got more audience. You put those super 67 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 2: rugby figures out, so more people are watching. All of 68 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 2: that's excellent, but unless you can convert, it means nothing exactly. 69 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 1: Yeah, you're right, and we we've got really great people 70 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: working on that at the moment. Trace sent and he 71 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 1: had a commercials just come into that role. So he's 72 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: building a team working on that and that is the key. 73 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: That is the key play here. But that'll take time, 74 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: you know, and the scheme of things we've only been 75 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: going a very very short amount of time. We still 76 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,079 Speaker 1: believe very much in this project long term, but it 77 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 1: just will take a bit of patience. 78 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 2: Okay, a couple of weeks ago we had the shambels 79 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 2: around the vote. Has that been sort and will it 80 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 2: play up to some degree at the AGM in the 81 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 2: sense we're expecting a resignation or two. 82 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: I'm pretty clear I'm not. It's not for me to 83 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: be talking about the questions on the on the governance 84 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 1: of you and what's going to happen has related to 85 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: governments at the AGM or all around behind the scenes, 86 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 1: but it's definitely you know we all acknowledged it wasn't 87 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: and isn't great for the game. We as you've just said, 88 00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: we see some of amzing things happening that we're acting 89 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: be involved and right from the community level right through 90 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 1: the professional and international level. Look at these test matches 91 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: and they need and sold out last weekend, and Auckham 92 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: sold out, Auca sold out in a couple weeks time, 93 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: with more seats coming on sale. So San Diego's I 94 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 1: think all but sold out. So look, the game has 95 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 1: necessarily got challenges, we recognize that, but there's hell a 96 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: lot of great stuff hppening too. 97 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 2: All Right, good to hear at Mark Robinson, who's the CEO. 98 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 2: For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 99 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:29,799 Speaker 2: news talks. It'd be from six am weekdays, or follow 100 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.