September 14, 2024 • 12 mins
Super Rugby is going through a few changes.
Most notable is the alterations to its finals format, with all six teams who qualify for the post-season featuring in the quarter-finals – the three winners and highest-seeded loser making up the draw.
CEO Jack Mesley joined Jason Pine to discuss the changes to the competition.
He told Piney that they think the new format is going to create great interest at the back end of the season, and then deliver some really compelling rugby cup final series.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
SO changes coming to Super Pacific in twenty twenty five.
The competition will have eleven teams. Next year that following
the demise of the Melbourne Rebels, there'll be a six
team playoff format, more afternoon games, there'll be an extra round,
and the competition will start earlier one week earlier in fact,
on the fourteenth of February. Every side will play fourteen games,
(00:36):
seven at home and seven away with a couple of
buys and rivalries will be heavily featured. Every team will
play four other teams twice and the six remaining teams once,
and there'll be a focus on those local derbies. Once
we get to the finals, the top six will play
in the finals and they'll all play in Week one.
(00:58):
It'll be one v six, two v five and three
v four hosted by the highest ranked side. The winners
and the highest ranked loser will advance through to the
semi finals and then on to the Grand Finals. So
but to unpack, we're joined by Super Rugby Pacific CEO
(01:18):
Jack Mesley. Jack, thanks for your toime. How did you
land on this season format and in particular the format
for the finals.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Yeah, well, thank you very much for having me. I'm
very excited to be talking about our new format. Clearly,
eleven teams. We needed a format for eleven teams, and
we found that pretty easily. I mean, we want as
many great fixtures in the regular season as possible, so
to have the seven home, seven away, but to ensure
(01:48):
that those local derbies are taking precedents to the teams
that do play each other twice was a relatively easy decision.
We know fans want to see those matchups and we
want to give it to the fans, so that was
relatively straightforward. I think the exciting announcement really is the
new format series. I mean, we've heard feedback for quite
(02:08):
some time that eight teams in the finals of a
final series of a twelve team competition mightn't be the
best way to go. So we did quite a lot
of work looking at all the models and we'd come
up with the sixteen competition in the final series, which
we think is going to create great interest at the
back end of the season and then really deliver some
(02:29):
compelling rugby come final series.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
All right, let's talk through the final series. Then, once
you landed on six teams, did you consider a buy
straight into the semis for the top two, leaving three
v six, four v five for the right to play
them in the semi finals.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
We did, absolutely. We looked at that model along with others.
You know, what we hear from fans is that our
season is so short and with two buys already in
the fixture, we wanted to make sure we had a
final series that not only pitted the best teams against
each other, but also to ensure that we had a
final series that had as many matches in the final series.
(03:07):
So what we've come up with we think delivers three
really great weekends of rugby that maximizes the number of
games and make sure that our amazing athletes are playing
as much football in front of as many fans in
as many different locations as we can throughout the Pacific.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
So the lucky loser scenario, Jeck, just just give us
the reasons behind landing on that. Was it really so
that you would have three weekends or finals rugby and
six finals matches across those three weekends.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Yeah, So our thought process there and was to firstly
decide the number of teams going through, and we thought
six teams out of an eleven team comp is the
right is the right number to make sure we're rewarding
the excellent finishes through the regular season. And then it
was about, well, what are the different finals formats from there,
(04:02):
and so in going to our first week of one
B sixes you outlined earlier in your intro, that's going
to give us some great, some great Week one matches.
And then we did have to find the right way
to deliver our semifinals. So the winners of those three
matches obviously go through, and then the lucky loser, if
(04:22):
you like, the highest ranked loser of those first week
finals will join in the semi finals. So we think
it's quite a novel way to ensure we get the
great the great matches, the great matchups, and ensure that
those teams are rewarded for where they finish in the
regular season. And it's really important now that if you
(04:43):
not just where you finish, if you finish one or two,
actually if you finish three or four. Now becomes really
important in your ranking to make sure that should you
lose in that first week of finals, that you are
potentially positioned in the best place to sneak through to
the semi finals as that lucky loser.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
You'll need to be careful with your structure, won't you
in the week one of the finals, because, for example,
of three v Four was the last game, both of
those teams might know they were through of one and
two had already won.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Yeah, but I think that provides for some really interesting
fixturing structuring, as you say, to make sure that we
try to work that out so that the games are
laddering into each other and building interest and intrigue as
we go through those final series. For sure.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Just before we move on from the finals, Jeck, did
you consider a top four just the top four?
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Yeah, we did, But again, our season is so short
and we want as much great rugby as we can play,
and that's what we're hearing from fans want to see
more good games of Super Rugby Pacific, and we know
the finals content is what really drives that interest. So
we looked at a whole lot of different options and
looked at other competitions from around the world and took
(05:57):
on board all the feedback that we had from fans
at other stakeholders, and we're really excited about where we've ended.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Up three Sunday afternoon fixtures. I see fans do like
afternoon forty. I'm sure you've picked up on that. Will
there be some Saturday afternoon games as well?
Speaker 3 (06:12):
There will be, yeah, and there's some really exciting matches
in those Saturday afternoon fixtures as well. So yeah, we're
super excited about that. You know, our primetime spots are
still in the evening and we'll have a lot of
the big derbies, but you'll see some really good fixturing
throughout Saturday. Are those and those Sundays. I'm a big
(06:35):
believer in them, and I hope that you know, we
get great numbers in stadiums and throughout our great broadcast
partners across the Pacific to ensure that those are working
for everyone, because I'd certainly like to see more of them.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Every professional sport has to deal with the balance a strike,
striking the balance between being fan centric, as you've outlined
you want to be, and of course having a broadcaster who,
if they had their way, would have everything at night.
I'm sure was it a challenging balance to strike?
Speaker 3 (07:05):
No, not really. You know, our great partners are broadcasters
at Sky and Zen and stand over in Australia and
you know they want to see full stadiums as well,
so you know that balance has been relatively easy to strike.
You know, we'll continue to monitor and you know we're
blessed these days to have lots of data at our
(07:27):
fingertips to make informed decisions with our partners, so we'll
continue to do that. But they're you know, they've been
fantastic and as they are for the for the support
for the code. So no, I think it's been relatively straightforward.
And you know what we've got to do is make
sure that everyone knows when the fixtures are on and
get our marketing and visibility right so we get make
(07:48):
sure that all rugby fans throughout throughout the Pacific are
getting in the stadiums and turning on their TVs to
get behind Seber Rugby Pacific.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
How much consultation did you have with the clubs individually
and their coaches, who look, if we talked about derby
matches over in New Zealand, over here in New Zealand,
I'm sure it's the same in Australia. Those matches are brutal, man,
they just really take a physical toll on players were
the coaches concerned that that that, you know, or did
they raise any concerns about the number of derbies or
(08:18):
were they keen to embrace the fact that they are
the most exciting matches to watch and to play in.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
I think I think most of them are extremely competitive
and want to play against the best team, so you know,
they want as much as much great football as they can, right.
I think you're right in terms of how do you
how does that take a toll? You know, the new
format with eleven teams provides two buys throughout the season,
(08:45):
so I think that's going to make sure that our
athlete rugby well being. Our athletes are in prime shape
and are making sure that they are set up for
the for all matches, but you know, making sure that
they've got got their bodies right for those big derbies,
you know, whether that be in Australia or in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Will there be ap around in twenty twenty.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Five, We're going to I'll save that in a couple
of days when we release the fixture, if that's all right, Jason,
but happy to talk more about it then all right.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
So I mean let's say there's not is it let's
say there's not. Hypothetically, is it an idea that you're
keen to explore, you know, in future seasons, even if
we don't have it in twenty five.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Yeah, absolutely absolutely. I think right now, as you know,
I'm relatively new to the role, I want to explore
all opportunities and get as much new initiatives or old
initiatives on the table to review and work through which
ones we want to pursue, to get that balance right
and to make sure we're listening to fans. We're listening
(09:52):
to our coaches and our players, and work and our
broadcast partners to work out where we go from here.
But right now, the focus is on getting the fixture
out for twenty five and yeah, really excited that we
can bring this new finals format to fans, and we're
excited about releasing the fixture in a couple of days time.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Is it your goal to have twelve teams again as
soon as possible?
Speaker 3 (10:16):
I'm not sure yet, if I'm honest, again, We're going
to take some time to review it. The focus has
been to get twenty five live, and I'll work with
the board, the unions and the clubs players associations to
work through what twenty six and beyond looks like. But
you know, I think we've got eleven great teams ready,
(10:37):
getting ready for a great season in twenty five, and
we've got a little bit of time now to look
into the future. But at the moment, we're eleven great teams,
these team playing seven home, seven away and an exciting
new final series with the top six.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Yeah, content wise though, would give you another game every weekend,
wouldn't that?
Speaker 3 (10:56):
It would absolutely? Yep?
Speaker 2 (10:58):
What's your vision Jack for Super Rugby Pacific? If we
look a bit broader, we zoom out a little bit,
what's your vision for this competition?
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Well, our board have have clearly articulated what the purpose
of Super Rugby Pacific is and that's to ignite the
flame for generations to love the game. And under that
sits our vision, which we're still working to define, but
it will be something around just making sure that our
competition is the best rugby competition in the world at
(11:27):
the club level, and that that would be through a
couple of lenses. It'll be you know, making sure that
we remain the competition that has the best athletes with
the best rugby, making sure that we have the best
fan engagement and making sure commercially that we are we
are stacked up and doing well.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
So your KPIs, crowd numbers, broadcast numbers, revenue, all of
the above.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Well, the first two definitely the revenue. The revenue pile
largely sits with the clubs and the unions as that
relates to the various sponsorship right. But yeah, my job
is to grow the competition so that our partners in
the ecosystem can grow their revenue.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Look forward to seeing the draw coming out the next
couple of days, Jack, It's a format that I know
I have our listeners talking and looking forward to what
lies ahead in twenty twenty five. Really appreciate you taking
the time for a chat.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Oh, no problem at all anytime, and thanks very much
for your interesting said rage.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
No, thanks for your time this afternoon, Jack, Jack Measley,
CEO of super Right Pacific, first chance we've had the chat,
chance to chat to him on Weekend Sport.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk st B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
SO changes coming to Super Pacific in twenty twenty five.
The competition will have eleven teams. Next year that following
the demise of the Melbourne Rebels, there'll be a six
team playoff format, more afternoon games, there'll be an extra round,
and the competition will start earlier one week earlier in fact,
on the fourteenth of February. Every side will play fourteen games,
(00:36):
seven at home and seven away with a couple of
buys and rivalries will be heavily featured. Every team will
play four other teams twice and the six remaining teams once,
and there'll be a focus on those local derbies. Once
we get to the finals, the top six will play
in the finals and they'll all play in Week one.
(00:58):
It'll be one v six, two v five and three
v four hosted by the highest ranked side. The winners
and the highest ranked loser will advance through to the
semi finals and then on to the Grand Finals. So
but to unpack, we're joined by Super Rugby Pacific CEO
(01:18):
Jack Mesley. Jack, thanks for your toime. How did you
land on this season format and in particular the format
for the finals.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Yeah, well, thank you very much for having me. I'm
very excited to be talking about our new format. Clearly,
eleven teams. We needed a format for eleven teams, and
we found that pretty easily. I mean, we want as
many great fixtures in the regular season as possible, so
to have the seven home, seven away, but to ensure
(01:48):
that those local derbies are taking precedents to the teams
that do play each other twice was a relatively easy decision.
We know fans want to see those matchups and we
want to give it to the fans, so that was
relatively straightforward. I think the exciting announcement really is the
new format series. I mean, we've heard feedback for quite
(02:08):
some time that eight teams in the finals of a
final series of a twelve team competition mightn't be the
best way to go. So we did quite a lot
of work looking at all the models and we'd come
up with the sixteen competition in the final series, which
we think is going to create great interest at the
back end of the season and then really deliver some
(02:29):
compelling rugby come final series.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
All right, let's talk through the final series. Then, once
you landed on six teams, did you consider a buy
straight into the semis for the top two, leaving three
v six, four v five for the right to play
them in the semi finals.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
We did, absolutely. We looked at that model along with others.
You know, what we hear from fans is that our
season is so short and with two buys already in
the fixture, we wanted to make sure we had a
final series that not only pitted the best teams against
each other, but also to ensure that we had a
final series that had as many matches in the final series.
(03:07):
So what we've come up with we think delivers three
really great weekends of rugby that maximizes the number of
games and make sure that our amazing athletes are playing
as much football in front of as many fans in
as many different locations as we can throughout the Pacific.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
So the lucky loser scenario, Jeck, just just give us
the reasons behind landing on that. Was it really so
that you would have three weekends or finals rugby and
six finals matches across those three weekends.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Yeah, So our thought process there and was to firstly
decide the number of teams going through, and we thought
six teams out of an eleven team comp is the
right is the right number to make sure we're rewarding
the excellent finishes through the regular season. And then it
was about, well, what are the different finals formats from there,
(04:02):
and so in going to our first week of one
B sixes you outlined earlier in your intro, that's going
to give us some great, some great Week one matches.
And then we did have to find the right way
to deliver our semifinals. So the winners of those three
matches obviously go through, and then the lucky loser, if
(04:22):
you like, the highest ranked loser of those first week
finals will join in the semi finals. So we think
it's quite a novel way to ensure we get the
great the great matches, the great matchups, and ensure that
those teams are rewarded for where they finish in the
regular season. And it's really important now that if you
(04:43):
not just where you finish, if you finish one or two,
actually if you finish three or four. Now becomes really
important in your ranking to make sure that should you
lose in that first week of finals, that you are
potentially positioned in the best place to sneak through to
the semi finals as that lucky loser.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
You'll need to be careful with your structure, won't you
in the week one of the finals, because, for example,
of three v Four was the last game, both of
those teams might know they were through of one and
two had already won.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Yeah, but I think that provides for some really interesting
fixturing structuring, as you say, to make sure that we
try to work that out so that the games are
laddering into each other and building interest and intrigue as
we go through those final series. For sure.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Just before we move on from the finals, Jeck, did
you consider a top four just the top four?
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Yeah, we did, But again, our season is so short
and we want as much great rugby as we can play,
and that's what we're hearing from fans want to see
more good games of Super Rugby Pacific, and we know
the finals content is what really drives that interest. So
we looked at a whole lot of different options and
looked at other competitions from around the world and took
(05:57):
on board all the feedback that we had from fans
at other stakeholders, and we're really excited about where we've ended.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Up three Sunday afternoon fixtures. I see fans do like
afternoon forty. I'm sure you've picked up on that. Will
there be some Saturday afternoon games as well?
Speaker 3 (06:12):
There will be, yeah, and there's some really exciting matches
in those Saturday afternoon fixtures as well. So yeah, we're
super excited about that. You know, our primetime spots are
still in the evening and we'll have a lot of
the big derbies, but you'll see some really good fixturing
throughout Saturday. Are those and those Sundays. I'm a big
(06:35):
believer in them, and I hope that you know, we
get great numbers in stadiums and throughout our great broadcast
partners across the Pacific to ensure that those are working
for everyone, because I'd certainly like to see more of them.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Every professional sport has to deal with the balance a strike,
striking the balance between being fan centric, as you've outlined
you want to be, and of course having a broadcaster who,
if they had their way, would have everything at night.
I'm sure was it a challenging balance to strike?
Speaker 3 (07:05):
No, not really. You know, our great partners are broadcasters
at Sky and Zen and stand over in Australia and
you know they want to see full stadiums as well,
so you know that balance has been relatively easy to strike.
You know, we'll continue to monitor and you know we're
blessed these days to have lots of data at our
(07:27):
fingertips to make informed decisions with our partners, so we'll
continue to do that. But they're you know, they've been
fantastic and as they are for the for the support
for the code. So no, I think it's been relatively straightforward.
And you know what we've got to do is make
sure that everyone knows when the fixtures are on and
get our marketing and visibility right so we get make
(07:48):
sure that all rugby fans throughout throughout the Pacific are
getting in the stadiums and turning on their TVs to
get behind Seber Rugby Pacific.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
How much consultation did you have with the clubs individually
and their coaches, who look, if we talked about derby
matches over in New Zealand, over here in New Zealand,
I'm sure it's the same in Australia. Those matches are brutal, man,
they just really take a physical toll on players were
the coaches concerned that that that, you know, or did
they raise any concerns about the number of derbies or
(08:18):
were they keen to embrace the fact that they are
the most exciting matches to watch and to play in.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
I think I think most of them are extremely competitive
and want to play against the best team, so you know,
they want as much as much great football as they can, right.
I think you're right in terms of how do you
how does that take a toll? You know, the new
format with eleven teams provides two buys throughout the season,
(08:45):
so I think that's going to make sure that our
athlete rugby well being. Our athletes are in prime shape
and are making sure that they are set up for
the for all matches, but you know, making sure that
they've got got their bodies right for those big derbies,
you know, whether that be in Australia or in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Will there be ap around in twenty twenty.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Five, We're going to I'll save that in a couple
of days when we release the fixture, if that's all right, Jason,
but happy to talk more about it then all right.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
So I mean let's say there's not is it let's
say there's not. Hypothetically, is it an idea that you're
keen to explore, you know, in future seasons, even if
we don't have it in twenty five.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Yeah, absolutely absolutely. I think right now, as you know,
I'm relatively new to the role, I want to explore
all opportunities and get as much new initiatives or old
initiatives on the table to review and work through which
ones we want to pursue, to get that balance right
and to make sure we're listening to fans. We're listening
(09:52):
to our coaches and our players, and work and our
broadcast partners to work out where we go from here.
But right now, the focus is on getting the fixture
out for twenty five and yeah, really excited that we
can bring this new finals format to fans, and we're
excited about releasing the fixture in a couple of days time.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Is it your goal to have twelve teams again as
soon as possible?
Speaker 3 (10:16):
I'm not sure yet, if I'm honest, again, We're going
to take some time to review it. The focus has
been to get twenty five live, and I'll work with
the board, the unions and the clubs players associations to
work through what twenty six and beyond looks like. But
you know, I think we've got eleven great teams ready,
(10:37):
getting ready for a great season in twenty five, and
we've got a little bit of time now to look
into the future. But at the moment, we're eleven great teams,
these team playing seven home, seven away and an exciting
new final series with the top six.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Yeah, content wise though, would give you another game every weekend,
wouldn't that?
Speaker 3 (10:56):
It would absolutely? Yep?
Speaker 2 (10:58):
What's your vision Jack for Super Rugby Pacific? If we
look a bit broader, we zoom out a little bit,
what's your vision for this competition?
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Well, our board have have clearly articulated what the purpose
of Super Rugby Pacific is and that's to ignite the
flame for generations to love the game. And under that
sits our vision, which we're still working to define, but
it will be something around just making sure that our
competition is the best rugby competition in the world at
(11:27):
the club level, and that that would be through a
couple of lenses. It'll be you know, making sure that
we remain the competition that has the best athletes with
the best rugby, making sure that we have the best
fan engagement and making sure commercially that we are we
are stacked up and doing well.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
So your KPIs, crowd numbers, broadcast numbers, revenue, all of
the above.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Well, the first two definitely the revenue. The revenue pile
largely sits with the clubs and the unions as that
relates to the various sponsorship right. But yeah, my job
is to grow the competition so that our partners in
the ecosystem can grow their revenue.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Look forward to seeing the draw coming out the next
couple of days, Jack, It's a format that I know
I have our listeners talking and looking forward to what
lies ahead in twenty twenty five. Really appreciate you taking
the time for a chat.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Oh, no problem at all anytime, and thanks very much
for your interesting said rage.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
No, thanks for your time this afternoon, Jack, Jack Measley,
CEO of super Right Pacific, first chance we've had the chat,
chance to chat to him on Weekend Sport.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk st B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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