Roll up, roll up for Rugby ballyhoo

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34000, 14 November 1975, Page 24

Roll up, roll up for Rugby ballyhoo

Rugby in New Zealand is on the brink of a promotion boom, with a hint of ballyhoo on the side.

The promotions and public relations committee of the New' Zealand Rugby Union has sent to its affiliates an outline plan for publicising the game in 1976. It reflects the determination of the national body to present Rugby in a bright, appealing package.

“Gimmick” promotions such as a player of-the-day award, a spectator-of-the-day prize, and lucky seats are commended to provincial unions.

Extensive use of the news media is to be made, with jackpot competitions, talkback programmes, quizzes and competitions on radio, and supplements on several aspects of Rugby in news-

papers. Ideas for boosting the game on the two television channels are also being formed.

The committee considers that the Rugby season should open with a fanfare in all districts, and to this end it has mooted parades of marching girls and teams, an official opening by the mayor, and a kick-off by a local personality.

And it recommends the continuation of this style of promotion throughout the season, with more parades, the formation of cheer teams, the introduction of personality kicking competitions, and the widespread use of T-shirts, scarves, ribbons, and badges in appropriate club and provincial colours.

It also advocates the holding of “greatest player” contests and club-song competitions for supporters. Train and bus parties of

team followers to away matches would also be encouraged. The committee has made several broad suggestions on publicising the game at all levels, from the new interprovincial competition to mini-Rugby. And it seeks more detailed schemes and any fresh ideas from the provincial unions.

The outline plan encompasses nine months of the year, from January to September, and calls for a promotions seminar, to be attended by the publicity officers of all unions, in Wellington next February. There are also plans to prepare the 1977 activities as early as next September. Unions throughout the country have been urged to give early consideration to the proposals. It is evident that the national body has given top priority to brightening Rugby’s image.