Officials reject live league test telecast

Press, 13 July 1988, Page 68

Officials reject live league test telecast

By

JOHN COFFEY

New Zealand Rugby League officials yesterday rejected a request from Television New Zealand to approve live coverage of Sunday’s allimportant World Cup match between the Kiwis and Great Britain at the Addington Show Grounds.

George Rainey, the N.Z.R.L. president, was firm in his refusal after consulting with the chairman of the Canterbury Rugby League, lan Jenkins.

“I am in no position to recommend to the English Rugby League that, we allow a live telecast,” said Mr Rainey from Wellington yesterday. “They are still a long way off filling the Show Grounds, and I would not put any proposition to the British management until all the tickets were sold.

“It is vital from the Canterbury Rugby League’s point of view that the test be a financial success if Christchurch is to become a permanent test venue,” said Mr Rainey.

Although public interest has heightened dramatically since Great Britain upset Australia at Sydney last Saturday and the Kiwis created two world records in over-running Papua New Guinea at Auckland the next day, there are still thousands of standing room and a few temporary stand tickets available. Bruce Kane, a spokesman for Manchester Fiat, the ticket outlet, said sales since the week-end had been “excellent.” However, about 3200

ground entry (standing room) and a few dozen temporary seating tickets remained. Their monetary worth is about $40,000. Mr Rainey said Television New Zealand had

offered “a little extra, but nothing like enough to cover the possible loss from ticket sales” to have the match covered live. At present highlights are scheduled to be shown during the “Sunday Grandstand” programme on Sunday afternoon. Because it was always certain that the winner of Sunday’s fixture would ad-

vance to the World Cup final against Australia later this year, grandstand seats were quickly snapped up. But they amount to only 4400 in number. Even with the playing field

moved 22 metres east to centre it with the grandstands and accommodate 1000 schoolchildren at the scoreboard end, the Show Grounds capacity is limited to 10,400. A full house would produce gate receipts of about $135,000. It was not unexpected that pressure from North Island sports followers would persuade Television New Zealand to reopen negotiations. Originally, Television New Zealand offered just $15,000 for the whole

season. That was later doubled, but still fell short of N.Z.R.L. expectations. “We have talked to Television New Zealand in the past about blacking out the match area.

Whether they cannot or will not, they say it is not their policy,” said Mr Rainey. “I am sympathetic for the people away from Christchurch, but we have to live in a commercial world,” he said, adding that the 12,000 attendance at Carlaw Park for the Papua New Guinea match vindicated the N.Z.R.L.

ruling that only highlights be telecast.

Meanwhile, the assistance of the Lancaster Park groundsman, Russell Wylie, will give the Show Grounds a “Wembley” appearance for the test. Mr Wylie will take his mowers to Addington to give the distinctive Wembley-style cut to the playing surface.

It is debatable which side will feel more at home. Three Kiwis, Kevin Irp, Dean Bell and Adrian Shelford, shared in Wigan’s Challenge Cup final victory at Wembley last May. Among their club-mates that day were three British test players, Ellery Hanley, Andy Gregory, Henderson Gill and a reserve, Brian Case.