Wait goes on for nervous Super franchises as SANZAAR take proposed changes back to broadcasters

AUSTRALIA’S under-threat franchises will stay in limbo for a bit longer after SANZAAR sought approval from broadcasters before pushing the change button.

Aussie franchises will have to wait another week before a decision is known.

AUSTRALIA’S under-threat franchises will stay in limbo for another week after SANZAAR resolved to change Super Rugby next year but now need approval from broadcasters to push the button.

Two days of meetings in London involving bosses from all member unions ended with a resolution to change the unpopular structure of Super Rugby but with no concrete information about what the competition will look like in 2018 and beyond.

With the cone of silence descended, there was no detail for nervous clubs as to whether Australia would cut one of five teams as part of a contracted competition or the 18 team model would simply be reworked.

A SANZAAR statement said further information would be provided in “coming days” after national unions take the proposed changes back to their boards and broadcasters to get a final tick.

The final say with rest largely with major broadcasters, including FoxSports in Australia, SkySports in New Zealand and SuperSport in South Africa. The ARU receive $285m for their share the current broadcast rights deal to Super Rugby and Rugby Championship, which expires in 2020.

Aussie franchises will have to wait another week before a decision is known.

If broadcasters aren’t prepared to pay as much, SANZAAR would likely cycle through their proposed options until they got a thumbs up from the TV fraternity.

“Following two days of robust discussion there are a number of tournament considerations that now require further discussion and consultation. This includes final consultation within the National Unions and discussion with key stakeholders that would allow the adoption of changes proposed by the strategic plan,” SANZAAR CEO Andy Marinos said in a statement.

“SANZAAR will make a formal statement on the future of the organisation, Super Rugby and the tournament format in the coming days once these further meetings have been concluded.”

The wording of SANZAAR’s statement, no doubt carefully constructed, may give some clues away and potentially even ease the nerves of the Force, Rebels and Brumbies; the clubs under threat if an Aussie team is cut.

The expectation of a resolution in “coming days” points to no agreement was reached to cut teams, which would have required three franchises to be cut for the ARU to get on board. Along with one Aussie casualty, that would have required South Africa to drop two teams, or an expansion franchise like Japan be ditched.

Code-hopper Curtis Rona’s time with the Force could be short-lived.

A recent report in the Australian newspaper indicated FoxSports would not be prepared to pay the same amount of money for broadcast rights if there were fewer Australian teams.

Even if such a position about a future model with fewer teams could be shifted, it seems unlikely that meetings and negotiations involving Marinos, the national unions and up to five major broadcast partners could be “concluded” in a matter of days.

That time frame indicates a move towards a less complex re-structure of Super Rugby involving 18 teams, potentially by re-ordering the competition from four conferences into three conferences of six teams each.

Marinos’ statement also included the intriguing news that further statements would be made on the “on the future of the organisation”, pointing towards a shake-up of SANZAAR.

It is highly unlikely that SANZAAR — which began as a joint venture between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in 1995 and added Argentina in 2015 — will be blown up.

What may be more likely is that after years of Super Rugby clubs calling for more say in the running of the competition, as opposed to just the national unions, a Super Rugby commission could be formed.

This would allow for the franchises to have a direct say in the competition, around the same table. Currently the clubs have to voice their concerns and issues through the national unions, who then speak on their behalf at the SANZAAR board table.

Originally published as Wait goes on for nervous Super franchises as SANZAAR take proposed changes back to broadcasters