Rugby: Offshore ties Super idea to boost coffers

Kieran Read's Crusaders play there tomorrow. Photo / Getty Images

Sanzar is insisting the Crusaders game in London is a one-off but future offshore ventures are likely to become part of the landscape in the coming years.

For the Crusaders, tomorrow's match at Twickenham fulfils a long-held aim of playing a game in new territory. In previous years they have played warm-up games in Melbourne and in 2008 they would have played the Stormers at Twickenham.

The game was approved, only for Stormers coach Rassie Erasmus to then decide he didn't want to concede home advantage.

As Super Rugby's most successful team crammed with global superstars, the Crusaders have been aware of their potential to sell out venues in foreign lands.

While they don't want to become globetrotters or deny their own fans from seeing them, the notion of playing one high-revenue game a season in a neutral venue is one they would consider.

The current Super Rugby broadcast deal expires in 2015 and it is probable that the new one will factor in the possibility of some teams playing occasional games in neutral venues outside of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.

Individual franchises are also likely to make provision for such a scenario in their new sponsorship deals and future season ticket sales.

Although the clash with the Sharks has been forced to London through tragic and exceptional circumstances, it does allude to how future seasons could be structured.

The Crusaders won't reveal the commercial arrangements behind the Twickenham clash but it is clear they were confident they have done well.

They will now play the rest of their home games in Timaru and Nelson - where they do well to break even - as well as Napier and Wellington.

The game in Wellington has been agreed, as the Hurricanes were significantly compromised by the cancellation of the round two clash.

In future years, when AMI Stadium is up and running again, the Crusaders could play the bulk of their campaign there, possibly one game offshore and another in a smaller regional venue.

That desire to play in new markets is driven by the need for more money. While the franchises are now allowed to contract players directly, they are still reliant on the best coming to terms with the New Zealand Rugby Union first.

The likes of Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Sonny Bill Williams, Owen Franks, Kieran Read and Israel Dagg still receive the bulk of their salary from the national body. If any of these players fail to agree terms with the NZRU, then the Crusaders lose them and are effectively powerless to step in with an extra financial incentive.

As an example of how much money can be made from playing offshore, the Crusaders are predicting they could sell 55,000 tickets for tomorrow's game, with prices ranging between £30 ($62) and £50 ($104).

Close to $5 million could be raised in ticket revenue, with the Crusaders then having to pay for stadium costs, travel, accommodation and some sort of compensation to the Sharks for agreeing to play in London.

Sponsors Tui are also pledging a $5000 bonus per try until the end of the Super Rugby season.

There should be a significant profit left and their financial worries eased. Sanzar boss Greg Peters says it will be some time yet before he can see another offshore game being approved.

"The competition that has been sold to broadcasters, sponsors and fans is played across three territories, so to change the venue was a major decision and not one that can be taken lightly," said Peters.

"Playing a game at 5am is not desirable for broadcasters and advertising revenue and it has only been able to happen because of the exceptional and tragic circumstances and the support from Sky."

The more immediate focus for Sanzar is a regular clash between the Super Rugby and Heineken Cup winners - a concept so far too hard to achieve because of scheduling clashes.