1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,640 Speaker 1: Now the resignation from New Zider Rugby of CEO Marc 2 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 1: Robinson I got made public yesterday. Of course he'll see 3 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: out the year then he's off to Australia. So the 4 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: six Robinson years, what did we get? Mike Robinson is 5 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 1: with us. Very good morning to you. 6 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 2: Boding Mike. 7 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,239 Speaker 1: Was there a moment or has it sort of been 8 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: building to this? 9 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:22,920 Speaker 2: I think, as I said yesterday, with the family being 10 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 2: based in Australia now for the last few months, probably 11 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 2: in the last one or two months, certainly turned my 12 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 2: mind to thinking about dealing with them more. And then 13 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 2: that combined with when I look ahead at the role, 14 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 2: these next six months are really critical for the role 15 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 2: on the international stage and domestically, we have the opportunity 16 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 2: to reset our financial model here in New Zealand we've 17 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 2: talked a lot about over the last few years, and 18 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 2: then we're heavily involved in the establishment of the international 19 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 2: calendars and competition. So I'd love to think that by 20 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 2: the end of the year those two thinks that signed off, 21 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 2: and I just feel that the culmination of those things, 22 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 2: two things together might means it's time to move. 23 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, how did your family end up in Australia. I 24 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 1: don't want to get to a person. I'm just interested, 25 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 1: that's all, because it's been a thing. It's been a 26 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:11,120 Speaker 1: theme in this country, hasn't it. People moving offshore? 27 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 2: It does seem to be. Yeah, well look, you know, 28 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 2: my eldest went off to university there not long ago, 29 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 2: and then my second ended up. Then then our youngest 30 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:25,680 Speaker 2: and my wife have ended up there. I don't want 31 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 2: to get into too much details, so so essentially, yeah, 32 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 2: it's a combination really of education and opportunities and lifestyle. 33 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:38,559 Speaker 2: I suppose as it relates to my kids and wife 34 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 2: and seeing them. You know, I'm only seeing them every 35 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 2: four to five weeks at the moment. That's suboptimal in 36 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:47,320 Speaker 2: terms of, you know, how we want to live our 37 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 2: family life. So you know, I'm looking forward to being 38 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 2: with them full time from sort of January Februy onwards. 39 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: Have you got a plan? 40 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 2: No, Look, I'm really I really focused on what the 41 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 2: next six months has for us, and it's an incredible 42 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 2: opportunity for the game here and internationally. I dare say, 43 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 2: you know, when the time gets closer to the end 44 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 2: of the year, I might open my mind a bit 45 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:12,800 Speaker 2: more to it. Yeah, they sent me in the last 46 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 2: twenty four hours. Been overwhelmed by the messages that have 47 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 2: come in, you know, internationally and from different parts of 48 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 2: the world, and you know that some of those may 49 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 2: lead to things or not, but the I'm not too 50 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 2: worried about that. 51 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 1: That's nice. So we've talked twice, I figured in the 52 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: last month. Once was on sponsorship and once was on 53 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 1: you guys losing money. What's that tell us about our 54 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: time under you? 55 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:45,640 Speaker 2: I think a desire to acknowledge that the game needed 56 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 2: change and to work really hard towards implementing that change. 57 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:55,639 Speaker 2: And the change was centered largely on the game modernizing 58 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 2: and being more focused on the fans, more focused on 59 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 2: participants as relates to community, and trying to rapidly adapt 60 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 2: the sport while keeping one foot I guess in the 61 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 2: legacy and history of the game and the things that 62 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 2: we all love about our sport that have made it 63 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 2: so special here, but acknowledging we simply have to evolve 64 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:19,920 Speaker 2: as a modern sporting organization and code for that matter. 65 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 2: And look, some of that stuff's gone, you know really well, Mike, 66 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 2: and I'm tread to be proud about it. Some of 67 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 2: it certainly had challenges in terms of working through those 68 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 2: processes because we were looking to change so rapidly. And 69 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 2: I think the other thing I'd probably add to that 70 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 2: was the COVID time I affected yesterday with people. I'm 71 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 2: just so incredibly proud as I look back and think 72 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 2: about how we got through that as probably one of 73 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 2: the most lockdown countries in the world where sport and 74 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 2: entertainment was affected massively, and we've come through that with 75 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 2: really impressive revenue growth. We've invested in all levels of 76 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 2: the game. We've led the world in a number of 77 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 2: different areas as it relates to player welfare and brain 78 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 2: and concussion research. We've led conversations on international calendars, and 79 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 2: we've seen, you know, right through to the community game. 80 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 2: We've started to see the progress of participation numbers coming 81 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 2: right up, and we've led there as well as it 82 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 2: relates to four match trials the need to really be 83 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 2: progressive in that space too. So, you know, all of 84 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:24,840 Speaker 2: those things I'm incredibly proud of, and you know, I 85 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 2: just want to make sure I stay focused on this 86 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 2: next six months because hopefully I can look back then 87 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 2: with a couple of other big projects ticked off. 88 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 1: There's two ways of looking at the COVID period. One, 89 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: you dealt with what you were, you know, handed, and 90 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:38,479 Speaker 1: you handled it. You would argue, well, the other way 91 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: to look at it, did it have to be as 92 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 1: restrictive as it was and therefore were you hobbled more 93 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:44,839 Speaker 1: than you needed to be? 94 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 2: You mean by the restrictions that were put in place. Yeah, 95 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 2: well that's you know, I think there were a debate 96 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 2: about that for a long long time. We certainly worked 97 00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 2: with the government as much as we could through that 98 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 2: time to get you know, as much rugby played and 99 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 2: as much movement of our people into environments where they 100 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 2: could play. And you know, it's well documented to are 101 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 2: reasons why that didn't happen sometimes, but I think we 102 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 2: worked the best we possibly could with the hand we 103 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:15,479 Speaker 2: were dealt. 104 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,720 Speaker 1: The Kirk comments the other day about participation being the 105 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 1: really big issue for your sport as you right, is. 106 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 2: Look at a foundational level in terms of the future 107 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 2: of the game. You know, the more people you've got 108 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:33,599 Speaker 2: coming in the base of the game and the pipeline 109 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 2: at the bottom, the more people you've got engaged in 110 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:39,159 Speaker 2: the sport as potential future athletes and fans of the game. 111 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:43,040 Speaker 2: So yes, it's an absolutely critical level. The more the 112 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 2: more people we have actively thinking about the game and 113 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 2: connected to the better. So it's certainly a key plank 114 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 2: of our strategy. When we look at our strategy is 115 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 2: really three key parts. One is the area that David 116 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 2: talked about in terms of the base of the pyramid 117 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:00,719 Speaker 2: of the game too, is winning on the inter national stage. 118 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 2: It drives so much value. In Three is how we 119 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 2: with fantastically in overseas because that drives the value and 120 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:08,479 Speaker 2: the revenue growth that we're starting to see at the moment. 121 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 1: I've got Crusaders Chiefs in the final, with the Crusaders 122 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 1: to win, that about right. 123 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 2: You would? I mean, I don't like to show my 124 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 2: briss too often, and these settings might but I look, 125 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 2: I think it could go either way, and I'll sit 126 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 2: on the fence again on this one. But I you know, 127 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 2: I wouldn't be surprised to see any number of finals 128 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 2: mession as It's been an awesome competition, hasn't it. And 129 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 2: I think that's another thing where we're proud of we've led, 130 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,920 Speaker 2: you know, the change of the product, you know, internationally, 131 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 2: and we're starting to see that in the last couple 132 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:39,599 Speaker 2: of years of super specially this year, and we're really 133 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 2: proud of what the entertainment fact of the sport looks 134 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 2: like at the moment. 135 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 1: Good stuff, all right, we'll go well and we'll talk 136 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: before you leave, I'm sure. Mark Robinson, the outgoing New 137 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 1: Zealand Rugby CEO. 138 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 2: For more from The Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 139 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,679 Speaker 2: news talks they'd be from six am weekdays, or follow 140 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.