In 2015, the average crowd size across the competition was 19,163, making it easily the world's biggest rugby competition by average attendance. Loading In 2017, that overall average had dropped to just 14,436, a 24.67 per cent drop in attendance in just two years. In 2019, regular-season attendances for games on Kiwi soil were down another 6 per cent on the previous year, as big pockets of empty seats at stadiums make for a big eyesore and a lack of atmosphere, not to mention a loss in gate takings. In its debut year in 1996, Super Rugby had its latest start on the calendar (March 1). A quarter of a century on, the traditional winter sport is set for its earliest kickoff (January 31), clashing with a Black Caps v India Twenty20 cricket match.

New Zealand Rugby have admitted concern over the dwindling crowds, and have moved early to battle the issue for 2020, with fan feedback leading them to compromise by half an hour on kick-off times – earlier slots of 7.05pm and 4.45pm – with free kids membership options having also been introduced through the five Super franchises. But there are wider issues which also need combating, according to experts in the marketing field. Many options Rugby, and sport in general, is now up against stiff opposition in a competitive market. Dr Sandra Smith – a senior lecturer in marketing at The University of Auckland Business School's Graduate School of Management – sums it up well.

"People are just so bombarded with choices, just generally, with what to do with their spare time," she says of the modern-day fight for the punter's attention. "We're not just competing with other things in New Zealand, but now we're competing globally with what's on offer. Winning, of course, attracts more fans, but it's not the only factor. Credit:AAP "So the traditional kind of Kiwi sporting events that would draw lots of consumers are probably struggling a little bit to draw Millennials and even Gen X's, because they are very much more digitally inclined, and therefore are a lot more savvy in terms of working out what they want to watch, how they want to watch it." That, she says, now sees the likes of highlights packages and social media clips of proving a very popular option.

"They're not trending away from watching sport, but they're just wanting to watch it in their own way," Smith says. "What is changing is that we have so many different ways of consuming sport, that it's easier for people to not turn up and still enjoy and consume the event in some way." 'It's no longer just about where you sit in the stadium, it's more about what are the experiences that that ticket enables you to enjoy.' Brand strategist Korey Rubenstein Crowds at the game are still an important part, Smith says. Those who aren't turning up should be asked why they aren't, and the whole "journey" for the customer – from finding out about the event, to deciding to buy a ticket, to turning up, to how they felt afterwards, has to be looked into. "The event is not the same without the crowd. So the crowd becomes part of the event. There's a co-creation going on.

"If that's not really there it's not quite the same, it doesn't create the value-add that people are going to the game for. So it's sort of a catch-22." Yuri Seo – another senior lecturer in marketing at The University of Auckland Business School – notes leisure time is seemingly ever-decreasing, chiefly because of a blurring of work and non-work activity, and with people becoming more entrepreneurial in their careers. So there now needs to be some real incentives for people to tune in, let alone consider going, to the game. Adding value Free entry was a successful one-off tactic for the 2018 Mitre 10 Cup final between Auckland and Canterbury at Eden Park.

The 20,156 who turned up would have been about double what was otherwise expected, and was thought to be the biggest crowd in that competition in 12 years. Obviously freebies are not a realistic long-term option, but the gimmick at least showed people are still interested. Because of the saturation and sameness, no longer will just a top-of-the-table match-up or some star players be enough to entice the masses. Waratahs players warm up at Brookvale Oval. Credit:AAP As Smith alludes, there needs to be a "value-add" of turning up.

That can be being part of a great atmosphere, but it can even be in the likes of transport and parking, where ease of access may seem largely insignificant, but could actually be big factors in the decision of whether people attend. "People will weigh the cost of doing something with the benefits of it, and if the cost outweighs the benefits, then they won't do it," she says. "And that's really for the event organisers to work out the trade off, what's most important. "Some need to be worried if they don't address this." Seo notes that the match is no longer even the absolute central point of interest for many people going along.

"Yes, the game is important itself, but also it's the surroundings, and the facilities and entertainment that you do in between," he says. Technological advancements such as TV screens, different camera angles, extra social media input, audio from referees, and the likes, should be considered as crowd aides, he says. Making fans 'sticky' But getting people to take a seat in the stadium is only part of the challenge That is not the hard work all done. Organisations then need to make fans "sticky", says Korey Rubenstein – a brand strategist teaching fellow at The University of Waikato.

He believes there needs to be a big focus on engagement, and interactions that are memorable, in order to keep them coming back. One of those pull factors comes about through brand equity, with a strongly built affinity to a club an obvious attraction. The All Blacks are the clear example. "That's the national team of New Zealand, and it's so much more than wins or losses for a lot of fans," Rubenstein says. "It's about being a part of the story of the brand, it's about being part of that history. "You could spot an Apple logo from a mile away and know that it's Apple. And you probably know the tagline for Nike, and adidas, and all of these big global brands.

"Well, unless there's that type of salience in the minds of fans with the team then it's not front of mind and it's just not important, it's an afterthought. "If these other franchises aren't trying to create and foster that identity, then it's nothing more than a commodity, and it can be supplemented by any other activity, any other form of entertainment." Rubenstein - an American native, who moved to New Zealand about four years ago – notes how fans are now also being called 'guests' in some parts of the world – a take on the "hospitality mentality". Punters may require a little more imagination from organisers in terms of pre-match and half-time entertainment. Credit:Stuart Walmsey Everything about their experience needs to be quality, he says. That means from their travel to and from the venue, and everything in between, particularly the food, which has long been a major criticism due to the over-priced, low-quality items on offer.

​"It's actually an all-day affair," he says. "So fans get up, this is what's on their mind. "It's not just about the game anymore. The game is the catalyst that makes it all come to fruition, but while you're there you want this complete and holistic experience. "Food is a big deal. Entertainment and food go hand in hand, and it's something you remember. It's one of your primary needs. That doesn't mean that we want simple food, we want food that we're going to remember and we think is good value." Rewarding loyalty It's not necessarily new fans that have to be attracted, either. Just stop your semi-regular ones having an average time, to ensure they attend more than they don't.

Rubenstein says a major problem he sees is that entities aren't "segmenting the market" appropriately – a common approach applied by the likes of hotels and airlines, in rewarding those more dedicated or higher-spending folk. He points out that major US sports franchises have adopted the model, but that it's still catching on in New Zealand. "The moment that the fan, or guest, gets into the venue, they are treated with a certain class of service," Rubenstein says. And that is usually determined by the class of ticket they have. "So you're seeing this segmentation in the live sport world, where it's no longer just about where you sit in the stadium, now it's more about 'what are the experiences that that ticket enables you to enjoy'. "That could be a tour of the changing room or gym, or going behind the scenes to see them warm up or meet part of the team, or lounge access with cocktails and recliners etc.​"

Season memberships for Super Rugby are starting to involve more of this, and Rubenstein says organisations should no longer be looking to cater to the "everyman", because that "everyman" would much rather watch in the comfort of their lounge on their big TV. Instead, consumers should start to be ranked in terms of who's most loyal and who's going to provide most value, in order to retain customers, he says. And that you can't treat die-hard year-in-advance ticket buyers the same as late rocker-ups, with entities needing to know their guests. ​"Are they doing the research?," Rubenstein wonders. "It's brand strategy 101, it's understanding consumers – who they are and what their needs are – and being very very innovative in what is a very competitive market." When MLB baseball teams each play a whopping 81 regular season games a year, and NBA basketball sides even have 41, the eight for Super Rugby really looks simple in comparison.