All Blacks secure clean sweep over France
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NZ Herald
10 hours ago
- NZ Herald
NZ Rugby faces tough search for CEO to lead both pro and amateur sides
They will need knowledge of media rights negotiations, an understanding of digital content and its pathway to monetisation, and they will have to be capable of managing relationships with some of the world's largest consumer brands. But this is only part of the job, not all of it. There's another side entirely, which is presiding over the community game – selling rugby to the masses. That's an ambassadorial job – running a never-ending PR campaign to promote the holistic benefits of playing rugby: the resilience it breeds, the networks it forges, the joy it brings. It's also, though, a political tightrope that constantly must be walked, managing provincial unions and other stakeholders to ensure there is harmony in the ecosystem. Departing New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson. Photo / Photosport It's a job that requires someone to be as comfortable in gumboots on a muddy sideline as they are in leather loafers around the board table. The search will likely begin in a few weeks, once a global recruitment agency has been approved to conduct it, and NZR chair David Kirk has given prospective candidates clear guidance that this is a job that will straddle both the professional and amateur worlds of rugby. 'There will be a lot of people who would love to run a global sporting brand – the All Blacks' global sporting brand,' he says. 'But they are not coming just to do that. It is way more than that because you have the community element to it. 'They are coming to run New Zealand community rugby. People with only a professional sporting background coming thinking they are running a professional sport will not be appropriate.' Kirk is cognitive that, arguably, he's one of the few people who has the relevant experience across the variety of disciplines the job will entail, but laughed off any suggestion that as the chair of the board, he's in the wrong role. He's not at the right stage in his life to be a full-time executive – so if not him, is there anyone with a similar breadth of experience that presents as an obvious candidate? There are a few who have potential – people who tick a few but not all the boxes. Former All Black Conrad Smith has a deep understanding of the high-performance landscape, having won two World Cups and working for the International Rugby Players' Association, while he also volunteers as a grassroots referee in Taranaki. As a qualified lawyer, he's bright, engaging and worldly, but he doesn't have experience in the corporate world managing or leading a complex organisation. New Zealand All Blacks centre Conrad Smith in action at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Photo / Brett Phibbs Former ACC chief executive Scott Pickering was on the shortlist to take the NZR job back in 2019 but lost out to incumbent Mark Robinson. He's an experienced director/executive, but isn't steeped in community rugby, although he is currently on the board of Bowls New Zealand. One New Zealand chief executive Jason Paris has the corporate experience – he was also the chief executive of TV3 – but while he's a self-declared passionate sports and rugby follower, there's a question mark about how attuned he'd be to what is really going on at the community level. Former Sky chief executive Martin Stewart negotiated the current broadcast deal for the pay TV broadcaster and has worked in executive roles for the Football Association in England. But would he want to return to living in New Zealand having left the country in early 2021? And the issue of living in New Zealand, and knowing the country's relationship with rugby and the All Blacks is a critical part of the consideration. The All Blacks are a global sporting brand with a uniquely Kiwi ethos, and the 'gosh, I was just lucky out there' understated charm of Beauden Barrett is a million miles away from the trash-talking, hype-it-up narratives and characters that dominate American sports and indeed football. A non-Kiwi may battle to get their head around the All Blacks culture and hiring a New Zealander who has been working overseas is fraught with challenges, as evidenced by the fact Craig Fenton, who had been in Europe for 20 years, only lasted 11 months in his role as head of New Zealand Rugby Commercial. It is, therefore, going to be an incredibly difficult role to fill, which is why Kirk says that it may be that the board takes a broader view, and that it might look at balancing the impending appointments of the chief executive, chief commercial officer and chief financial officer, This could ensure the executive team has all the required skill-sets and experiences, rather than trying to find a unicorn. 'We will probably go to one search consultant for all three roles, but the CEO will be the leading search,' he says. 'But we will also run the CFO and CCO a bit behind because ideally we will have identified the CEO and they will be in a situation where they will be able to take part in the process for the appointment of the CFO and CCO. 'We are looking to balance the requirements across the three roles and it may not be possible to find one person who can do it all. 'There are not many people who have had that broad experience that is just a fact so we have to make sure we have a balanced senior leadership team that can meet all requirements.' Gregor Paul is one of New Zealand's most respected rugby writers and columnists. He has won multiple awards for journalism and written several books about sport.
NZ Herald
20 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Media Insider: TVNZ set to scoop World Cup rights in major new pay TV move; MetService trials app charges for ad-free weather forecasts
State-owned TVNZ has maintained it will always be an ad-funded, free-to-air network first and foremost. But having the capability to bid for sports rights - and charge audiences - is a critical new component in its business model and strategic intentions. In a week when TVNZ has learned its two biggest local competitors are becoming one - with Sky buying Three (TV3) for $1 - TVNZ is expected to use the World Cup to showcase its credentials as a reinvigorated sports broadcaster. TVNZ said last night it was not in a position to comment but several well-placed sources believe the state broadcaster has won the rights following a highly competitive battle with Sky. The men's football World Cup is the biggest sporting event on the planet - even ahead of the Olympics - with billions tuning in every four years. According to Fifa, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar drew five billion fans across all media - the total reach of the France-Argentina final alone was a record 1.42 billion viewers. Argentina celebrates winning the World Cup, after beating France in the final in Qatar in 2022. Photo / AFP Sky held the World Cup rights in 2022, with some free-to-air coverage on Prime and Stuff. Next year's tournament, in the US, Canada and Mexico, features an expanded competition with 48 teams, including - for the third time in the tournament's history - the All Whites. Anyone who thought that Sky's fire-sale purchase of TV3 this week would create a broadcasting monster capable of blowing TVNZ and other rivals out of the water - especially when it comes to sporting and entertainment rights - has not factored in the digital investment which allows media firms to expand their own business models. TVNZ is investing up to $100 million over the next five years as it transforms into a digital-first business, with massive new revenue and audience targets. The new technology means TVNZ would be able to package up a major sporting event, offering - for example - a certain number of games for free, with others requiring a subscription. In the case of the World Cup, it might consider offering some or all of the All Whites matches live and free - along with the final and some other major games - but broadcasting the bulk of the tournament behind a paywall. As Sky becomes a more rounded broadcaster with access to well-established linear channels and - in ThreeNow - a broadcast video on demand (BVOD) platform, so too is TVNZ now encroaching into Sky's subscription TV space. Apart from several years when the ultimately doomed Spark Sport was operating, Sky has enjoyed a virtual monopoly on major New Zealand sports rights for more than three decades. And while TVNZ appears to have the rights for the World Cup - with possibly the Olympics to follow - it may well want to target season-round major codes in the longer term. It has benefitted from having domestic cricket rights after Spark Sport's sudden closure, but Sky has won back those rights after next summer. Special events certainly give broadcasters a short-term boost, but greater value is likely to be in long-term rights to the likes of rugby, league and cricket - full seasons keep subscribers engaged for months, and paying good money to follow their teams each week. Sky right now is on the cusp of securing rights for All Blacks and other top-level rugby such as Super Rugby, although NZR and Sky are still haggling over price. At the moment, the new rugby deal is for another five years, with Three (TV3) now looking more probable as the free-to-air platform, following Sky's announcement this week that it was buying the channel from Warner Bros Discovery. Olympics rights TVNZ chief executive Jodi O'Donnell. TVNZ is also believed to be a frontrunner to secure rights to the Olympics in 2027 - it's in a battle with Sky for those rights, too. In June, TVNZ chief executive Jodi O'Donnell indicated that the state broadcaster was bidding for the rights to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 – New Zealand is one of the territories for which rights have yet to be confirmed. In Australia, Nine has the rights to the 2028 Games as well as the Brisbane Olympics in 2032, and it is possible the International Olympic Committee (IOC) could be packaging up the rights for both sets of Games for a New Zealand broadcaster. TVNZ last held the Olympics rights in 2008, for the Beijing Games. More than 2.6 million Kiwis watched the Games in their opening weekend that year. Since then, Sky has had the rights for the 2012 London Games, 2016 Rio Games, 2020 Tokyo Games (TVNZ had secondary free-to-air rights) and 2024 Paris Games. Sky TV's 12 channels of coverage for the Olympic Games in London in 2012. Sky said last year that a total of 2.82 million people – 57% of New Zealand's population – watched the Paris Olympic Games. 'If you look at something like the Olympic Games, for example, the ability for that to be brought to New Zealanders so they can watch it free but the ability for us to compete for those rights means that we need to find some different revenue options as well,' O'Donnell said, of TVNZ's pending new technology. 'That might be an option that you'd think about – an Olympics Pass, for example.' Asked directly if TVNZ was bidding for the Olympics, O'Donnell said: 'There's quite a few sports rights in the market at the moment. We haven't been shy about our ambitions around that. We put our best foot forward. 'I don't have anything to share with lots of sporting rights available in the market at the moment.' Sky chief executive Sophie Moloney and Warner Bros. Discovery Australia and New Zealand managing director Michael Brooks at this week's press conference, following the announcement that Sky was buying Three for $1. Photo / Cameron Pitney Sky confirmed in June it was also vying for the Olympics rights. 'All our content partnerships need to make financial sense for Sky, both in their own right and as part of the overall mix of sport that we bring to our customers, and we are having constructive discussions on that basis,' said a spokeswoman at the time. 'We think it's healthy to have choice in the local media ecosystem, particularly as sports codes need broadcast partners from grassroots right through to high-performance competitions. 'Most of the headline-making sport in New Zealand and a high-performing range of entertainment content is on Sky.' MetService also enters subscription market Another state-owned commercial business, the MetService, has started charging audiences for weather forecasts as part of a new trial. The MetService has given customers the option of a $1.99 monthly fee or a $22.99 annual fee should they want an advertising-free experience on the app. The trial has raised eyebrows in some quarters, and on social media, about how a publicly owned weather forecaster could be charging the public for weather forecasts. The MetService is set up as a state-owned enterprise and commercial business. 'We launched the ad-free version of the MetService Weather app in early July as an outcome of customer feedback requesting the option to remove ads,' said a spokeswoman. 'The opportunity to sign up will be available for about one month or until we have the maximum number of participants for the trial, whichever comes first. 'For those who subscribe during the trial period, we've committed to keep the ad-free version of the app available for a minimum of one year. 'Input from subscribers will help us understand if there is enough interest to support an ongoing ad-free or premium service. The trial is ongoing, and we will be reviewing the results once it concludes.' She said the MetService was a state-owned enterprise that operated like a commercial business, returning profits to the Government. 'While key warnings and some forecasts are funded by the Ministry of Transport, most of what you see on our website and apps is paid for through advertising revenue which allows us to offer more forecast locations, data and features. 'We aim to keep ads balanced and user-friendly; however, we know they can sometimes get in the way, that's why we are exploring the viability of an ad-free option.' Stuff print site for sale Stuff's 35-year-old newspaper printing plant in Wellington faces an uncertain future with news that the owner of the site is selling up. Bayleys is advertising the land and buildings at 35 Bouverie St, Petone - the publishing company leases the site from Stuff's former owner, Australian media firm Nine Entertainment. The plant prints The Post and a range of Stuff's other North Island-based newspapers. Stuff also has a print plant in Christchurch. Stuff leases the printing site in Petone from Nine Entertainment. Photo / Bayleys 'Home to the same use for over 30 years, time is almost up for the current tenant, so now is the time to review this site's future alternate uses,' says the Bayleys advertisement. It says current lease arrangements expire no later than May 31, 2028, 'but with a right for the owner to require vacant possession in May/June 2027″. The site is owned by former Stuff owner Nine Entertainment, under the company name Mi9 NZ. 'Sites of this size in such a prime location are few and far between,' says the Bayleys ad. 'This one provides a great opportunity for developers, owner occupiers, and investors alike and gives you time to formulate plans for the property's future and receive a healthy return in the interim.' None of that sounds too promising for any future printing ambitions at the location. Stuff Masthead Publishing managing director Joanna Norris. Photo / RNZ However, Stuff masthead publishing managing director Joanna Norris said last night that the company had been prepared for the sale. 'We (Stuff Ltd) have a current lease for the land and buildings which house our Petone print plant. 'This runs to mid-2027, with a right of renewal option. The site remained in the ownership of Nine Entertainment Co. when Stuff owner and publisher Sinead Boucher bought Stuff back into New Zealand ownership in 2020. 'Nine has now given us notice that it will look to sell the land and began marketing last week. It is a great site, with an excellent tenant. 'Stuff Ltd has known and prepared for this eventuality. If the site is sold, we will work with our new landlord and most likely see out our current lease and renewal with further options in scope. 'This has no impact on our operation or publications.' Staff Masthead Publishing is the division responsible for all of the company's newspapers and digital subscription services, such as The Post and The Press paywalled websites. Earlier this year, it was revealed NZME had been in discussions to buy those assets, but talks were halted as NZME's board changes unfolded. Boucher has said she has no intention to return to the negotiation table, but after this week's seismic changes in the New Zealand media landscape - with Sky buying Three - it would not be a surprise if the parties do start talking again. The full Media Insider column returns next week. Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand's most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME. Watch Media Insider - The Podcast on YouTube, or listen to it on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Lienert-Brown re-signs
All Blacks midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown has extended his contract with New Zealand Rugby, the Chiefs and Waikato through to the end of 2028. Lienert-Brown, whose existing contract ran to the end of 2026, said his passion for the teams and communities he represents meant it was an easy decision to continue to play his rugby in New Zealand for a further two seasons. He has 86 test caps for the All Blacks and has played 126 games for the Chiefs and 22 for Waikato. Lienert-Brown will activate an existing sabbatical clause in his contract next season to join fellow All Black Ardie Savea at the Kobe Steelers in Japan League One. The pair will return to New Zealand at the end of the Japanese season and be available for the All Blacks. — APL
