Silver Lake buying a stake in the ABs?
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This is an excellent letter. We should all be appalled by the idea that we sell NZ Rugby for capital. From what I have read Silver Lake will do nothing that someone else couldn’t do - well put in the letter. They are nothing special. Just a company selling a marketing idea and taking a permanent click of the ticket. Who exactly is taking the risk here?
I am reminded of all the infrastructure deals that groups like Macquarie set up. All that happened was the public paid more for these services, operating companies made money, and the risks remained with Governments and Councils.
Greed is not good. This just smacks of greed.
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465 mill into NZ rugby opens up a huge amount of opportunities and Silver Lake will undoubtedly look to raise the awareness of the All Blacks in the USA. Both are fantastic opportunities to help keep players local as well as upgrade a lot of the infrastructure which has been left behind.
BUT.
US Venture capital firms are slave driving, ruthless as fuck, money before everything else arseholes. IT won't be long before the AB's are 20 tests a year, and everybody is driven into the ground with literally zero regard / respect for anything NZ culture based, unless there is a buck in it.
I don't know if there is a better way though, but beware the poisoned chalice.
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@majorrage said in Silver Lake buying a stake in the ABs?:
465 mill into NZ rugby opens up a huge amount of opportunities and Silver Lake will undoubtedly look to raise the awareness of the All Blacks in the USA. Both are fantastic opportunities to help keep players local as well as upgrade a lot of the infrastructure which has been left behind.
BUT.
US Venture capital firms are slave driving, ruthless as fuck, money before everything else arseholes. IT won't be long before the AB's are 20 tests a year, and everybody is driven into the ground with literally zero regard / respect for anything NZ culture based, unless there is a buck in it.
I don't know if there is a better way though, but beware the poisoned chalice.
And it's not even a company like Adidas who at least have history in the sport. The Robinson era has been one misstep after another
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I've the feeling that NZR is using media tactics to get everyone behind the Silver Lake deal.
It threatens provincial unions with huge bills if they don't agree with changing the format of the Mitre 10 Cup.
They use it in discussions about a women's SR competition.
Now, apparently, Robertson staying in NZ hinges on that deal. What have they told him?I smell dirty politics ....
What about alternatives to the Silverlake deal? Have they thought of any or is this the only horse they're betting on? -
@stargazer There's media tactics on both sides.
You've got this players letter suddenly coming out the press in the last week despite the fact it was sent in late January.
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@kiwimurph said in Silver Lake buying a stake in the ABs?:
@stargazer There's media tactics on both sides.
You've got this players letter suddenly coming out the press in the last week despite the fact it was sent in late January.
that shit was nasty.
Players don't need to be in the media doing that. I am downright concerned about venture capital getting a stake in the ABs.
If it goes well, you get a Ports of Tauranga situation - good discipline, build markets, get expertise and contacts we just don't have. Overall really beneficial.
If it goes poorly, you screw the game, and you can't easily come back from it.
the consequence of going poorly worries me. You bet big with that stuff, and I'm not sure it's a good bet. Staying indepednet and self determining is really important I reckon
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Hard to fathom the protests of All Blacks who are happily bankrupting their governing body
What’s not in dispute is that NZR cannot continue to pay its mammoth player wage bill and that alternative revenue streams are required.
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@booboo said in Silver Lake buying a stake in the ABs?:
Hard to fathom the protests of All Blacks who are happily bankrupting their governing body
What’s not in dispute is that NZR cannot continue to pay its mammoth player wage bill and that alternative revenue streams are required.
Well that is a completely unhelpful take.
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@kirwan said in Silver Lake buying a stake in the ABs?:
@booboo said in Silver Lake buying a stake in the ABs?:
Hard to fathom the protests of All Blacks who are happily bankrupting their governing body
What’s not in dispute is that NZR cannot continue to pay its mammoth player wage bill and that alternative revenue streams are required.
Well that is a completely unhelpful take.
Is Hamish Bidwell a pseudonym for Mark Robinson?
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I am ok with the players letter. Did Management check with stakeholders prior to making the deal public? Doesn't sound like it. There might be urgency to do something but there is no emergency. Stop the drama and threats and start talking. Mark Robinson got it wrong with Super Rugby and he has got this process wrong again.
Ex Rugby players like Kirwan who have made money out of the professional game have added nothing to the conversation. No detail no facts just some opinions.
Wayne Smith was at least balanced last night.
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That is an awful and imbalanced article. Is it an attempt at sarcasm? The Players have every right to be wary with their futures at stake. A financier will always want to take back more than they invest eventually so the devil is in the detail of the power of that 15% share
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NZR has to raise the money somehow. Unlike the RFU it isn't going to get a big government bail out. Crowd sizes and gates are going to be smaller than in Wales and Ireland post-COVID, let alone countries like England and France with a bigger population. The grassroots need the investment. The top coaches and players will continue to demand big fees for their services. A return to amateurism is not a choice.
So the options are:
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Take the Silver Lake money, but recognise they will be less interested in player welfare and the traditions of NZ Rugby than other stakeholders.
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Don't take the money and watch the ABs and NZ Rugby competitions slowly decline to mediocrity.
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Find other ways to raise the needed capital e. g. Naming rights, bonds etc.
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@stargazer said in Silver Lake buying a stake in the ABs?:
I've the feeling that NZR is using media tactics to get everyone behind the Silver Lake deal.
It threatens provincial unions with huge bills if they don't agree with changing the format of the Mitre 10 Cup.
They use it in discussions about a women's SR competition.
Now, apparently, Robertson staying in NZ hinges on that deal. What have they told him?I smell dirty politics ....
What about alternatives to the Silverlake deal? Have they thought of any or is this the only horse they're betting on?If Razor ends up coaching the England, the main person to blame will be the muppet who appointed Foster to coach the ABs instead of him.
That would be Mark Robinson.
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@sparky said in Silver Lake buying a stake in the ABs?:
@stargazer said in Silver Lake buying a stake in the ABs?:
I've the feeling that NZR is using media tactics to get everyone behind the Silver Lake deal.
It threatens provincial unions with huge bills if they don't agree with changing the format of the Mitre 10 Cup.
They use it in discussions about a women's SR competition.
Now, apparently, Robertson staying in NZ hinges on that deal. What have they told him?I smell dirty politics ....
What about alternatives to the Silverlake deal? Have they thought of any or is this the only horse they're betting on?the main person to blame would be Mark Robinson.
FIFY
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@booboo said in Silver Lake buying a stake in the ABs?:
Hard to fathom the protests of All Blacks who are happily bankrupting their governing body
What’s not in dispute is that NZR cannot continue to pay its mammoth player wage bill and that alternative revenue streams are required.
Bad take. Of course, the players should expect there to be due diligence done and discussion with all key stake holders before a deal with such massive implications for NZ Rugby is signed off.
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@sparky said in Silver Lake buying a stake in the ABs?:
@booboo said in Silver Lake buying a stake in the ABs?:
Hard to fathom the protests of All Blacks who are happily bankrupting their governing body
What’s not in dispute is that NZR cannot continue to pay its mammoth player wage bill and that alternative revenue streams are required.
Bad take. Of course, the players should expect there to be due diligence done and discussion with all key stake holders before a deal with such massive implications for NZ Rugby is signed off.
And has there been?
Or is NZR just doing this randomly?
Players are just negotiating how much they can get from it.
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@booboo I think the players letter is really clear. It questions whether selling a stake is the only way to safeguard the game - and it offers alternatives. The media haven’t even talked about the contents of the letter. David Kirk has had a hand in it and given his roles in business you would think they would at least take that seriously. Instead they just start having a crack at the players and write articles full of impending doom. The media today is full off individuals offering their opinions without adding information to the debate.
With regard to NZRU Management, they can have no deal without the approval of the Unions and the players. They should have managed this better - arrogant is the word. Just after the Aussies told them to stick their Super competition as well. NZRU Management have a had history of trying to throw Unions under the bus with their short term decision making. But the Board has always had a wider perspective and a feeling for how well our structures have served us. I think these discussions should have happened in-house.
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@booboo Wouldn't you? All the leading NZ players could be earning more playing for Toulon or Bristol Bears so should be commended for their loyalty. I've no problem with some of the Silver Lake money if the deal goes ahead going toward paying leading players closer to market rate for their services.
