“Our commercial numbers are hitting levels never seen before, and I would say a lot of other clubs or sporting bodies in New Zealand would love to have the crowd numbers and support we get.”
I duly wrote the story of their sky-high aims, headlined “Bigger than the All Blacks: How the Warriors aim to become the greatest brand in NZ sport”. Unfortunately, the timing wasn’t great, as the Auckland club were upset by the Titans that night, then shocked by a last-second try to the Dolphins the following week.
The reader reaction was predictable. One emailed to say that George should focus on results, not rhetoric, while others said the Warriors were “only consistent in being inconsistent” – they lost five of their last seven matches to drop out of the top four.
There were mitigating factors, as they had lost co-captain Mitch Barnett, halfback Luke Metcalf and star rookie Jacob Laban to injuries, but elimination at the hands of Penrith in week one of the finals was a bitter pill.
But it feels like George – and his staff – have had the last laugh. The Warriors are big time. Big, big time. That has been shown by the continual growth this season before the crazy scenes on Tuesday, when their Eden Park finals clash with the Knights sold out in 11 minutes. It was amazing – but even more so given the context. The match sold out after a loss – and a heartbreaking one at that.
The people’s team
The Warriors are the people’s team. They are setting records across the NRL, but it goes beyond that. They have captured the imagination like no other side this year – on and off the field – and that probably includes the All Blacks. That was illustrated in a small way by the fact that the Herald match report for the final regular season game against Manly outrated the equivalent for the All Blacks’ third test in South Africa– an unheard-of scenario.
While it might be difficult for dyed-in-the-wool rugby establishment types to accept – and the pensioners that make up a decent proportion of All Black crowds – the sports world is changing. Kiwi kids want to be Reece Walsh, Nathan Cleary, Kalyn Ponga and Leka Halasima as much as they want to be Will Jordan, Ruben Love or Damian McKenzie.
Of course, it’s crazy to imagine the Warriors will ever overtake the All Blacks or Black Caps. Particularly the former, who at World Cup time still stop the nation. But it’s not that crazy. The Warriors are in the conversation.
As George pointed out in his speech at the Warriors’ end-of-season awards on Tuesday night, “all our tickets are gone – but there are still plenty available for the Bledisloe Cup match [on October 10]”. The All Blacks have probably never sold out a match in 11 minutes – that is Adele or Taylor Swift levels. While the Warriors also had the house-full sign in Wellington and Christchurch this year.
Fastest-growing brand
But here’s the key point. The Warriors may not be the biggest brand in New Zealand sport, but they are certainly the fastest-growing one. The club was almost broken by Covid, when they had to spend three seasons based in Australia, with no fanbase, threadbare crowds and no permanent home.
Families were stretched – in some cases torn apart – and the club burned through a ton of players and three coaches (Stephen Kearney, Todd Payten and Nathan Brown). The Warriors had no ability to service sponsors and no way to attract new commercial partners. And they went into Covid after a disappointing 2019 season in which they won only nine of 24 games.
But in four years – just four years – they have become a commercial behemoth. All but one game in the past three seasons has sold out, while the match-day corporate areas are booked up a year in advance. Brands are flooding to the club, including many that have never been associated with rugby league, and the players are real, authentic and loved. The “Up the Wahs” mania from 2023 wasn’t a one-off.
On-field success is not guaranteed, but that adds to the tale, because any success means more. The NRL is one of the toughest sporting competitions in the world, a gruelling marathon with jeopardy at every turn. In contrast, Super Rugby feels stale and has lost its soul, meaning and passion, partly because of enforced standdowns for top players and partly because, as a colleague pointed out, the lineup of finals teams is obvious every year, with little uncertainty or intrigue.
The All Blacks are a different beast, who deservedly dominate the limelight. But even in that sphere there is some fatigue; how many more predictable Bledisloe Cup matches can be played, in a run of dominance over the Wallabies that dates back to 2003? Where is the satisfaction of beating up neighbours who simply don’t have the cattle, or other lightweights like Italy or Wales?
The NRL is far from perfect. It has prioritised the television audience to the detriment of the live product, and crowds have suffered. There is far too much power in the hands of one individual (Peter V’Landys), and his six-again rule, among other changes, has led to some one-sided contests where teams can’t stop their opponents’ momentum.
League can still be too predictable, with rugby, at its very best, offering more space and variety. The international game has been ignored, despite the obvious potential for growth. There are ongoing concerns about head injuries and player welfare, and a lot of Kiwi mums would be reluctant to see their precious Nathan, Hudson, George or Luca play the code.
Changing tide
But the sands are shifting. League is now more available at schools – even some of the big private ones – after being effectively banned at most until around a decade ago. It’s become more mainstream, and the NRL is investing here, along with the prospect of a South Island team in an expanded competition.
The Warriors are well placed to capitalise. Their academies are bursting with talent – and will only grow – while the pathway model is refining. After years of operating in the shadows, with Australian clubs siphoning the best talent, they are now the team that local kids want to play for; a veritable badge of honour.
To long-time followers, it brings back memories of the taglines that accompanied the team’s launch in 1995, to admittedly cheesy music.
“Do you feel the power – building by the hour?” the ditty went. “There’s a new breed rising, and no one can stop them now.”
Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.
