Asking ChatGPT How to Fix Australian Rugby
How many ex-Rugby players does it take to administer the Australian Rugby Union?
More apparently.
Not a great joke - but there enough jokes connected to Rugby Union right now.
For some countries playing in the World Cup - just being there and playing would be an amazing achievement and a sense of pride for the players and country. In Australia, the minimum expectation is losing closely to someone in the final, for some fans, we should win.
I am not an expert, and don’t understand Rugby Union outside the basics. I grew up in the Riverina in a town where Rugby League is king, but where it was okay to play soccer if your parents didn’t want their child to resemble a Group 9 Mr Potato Head with a reshaped nose and cauliflower ears in their wedding photo.
So like all modern day “not experts”, I went to ChatGPT and let it know that Australian Rugby was falling into irrelevance and dismay and needed saving, (because that is what the newspapers have told me), and asked if it could suggest some strategies to save it.
Much to my surprise, stealing players from Rugby League, relying on the continued migration of families from the Pacific Islands, firing one coach and replacing them with a new messiah, or replacing the old boys in the administration with a different set of old boys did not the list - although it seems that in the real world they seem to stay high on the list and be at everyone’s front of mind.
The “Dally M” awards were held recently - Dally Messenger was a famous Rugby Union player who moved across the rugby league and helped make it into the game it is in Australia today. He left Rugby Union and joined Rugby League because the administrators of Rugby Union were not listening, not doing their jobs properly and undervalued what made their sport great. Maybe more Rugby Union players will do that?
But that was 1907, maybe not a lot has changed - but that was 116 years ago and we have ChatGPT now - so let’s not stay stuck in old ways of thinking and solving problems.
Here is how ChatGPT suggested we save Australian Rugby:
1. Grassroots Development and Diversity:
Enhanced Focus: invest in community-based rugby programs with special emphasis on Women's Rugby and youth initiatives. Promote Touch Rugby and Rugby 7s in schools and local clubs as they are more accessible, require fewer resources, and have shorter playtimes.
2. Inclusive Marketing and Branding:
Enhanced Focus: develop inclusive marketing campaigns highlighting all forms of rugby - from community, to traditional state and national teams, to Women's Rugby, Touch Rugby, and Rugby 7s. Use storytelling to bring out the spirit, camaraderie, and diversity inherent across all versions of the game.
3. Community Outreach through Varied Formats:
Enhanced Focus: create communities with family-friendly events centered around Touch Rugby and Rugby 7s, being active and socially engaged. These versions, being less contact-intensive and quicker, can serve as introductory formats, especially for families, social players and casual fans.
4. Sustainable Financial Management and Market Expansion:
Enhanced Focus: diversify revenue streams by promoting not just traditional rugby but also tapping into the rapidly growing popularity of Women's Rugby, Rugby 7s, e-sports crossover events, fantasy leagues and simulations of the game.
5. Player Welfare, Retention, and Inclusivity:
Enhanced Focus: build support systems for all players—men, women, and youth. Ensure that pathways are inclusive, and there are structured progression plans for emerging formats like Rugby 7s and Women's Rugby.
6. Global Exposure through Diverse International Ties:
Enhanced Focus: increase Australia's footprint in global rugby circuits, not just in traditional formats but also in Rugby 7s tournaments, Women's Rugby championships, and e-sports leagues.
7. Technological Integration and E-sports Engagement:
Enhanced Focus: alongside harnessing technology for fan experiences and community engagement, explore the world of online crossovers for rugby with e-sports and active engagement through online social platforms. Engage the digital generation by developing or partnering with existing rugby-themed video games and simulations.
8. Transparent and Progressive Governance for All Formats:
Enhanced Focus: ensure that governance structures are inclusive, giving equal importance to all formats of the game, from local and traditional markets to emerging ones. Consider governance reforms that ensure transparency, accountability, and efficient decision-making within the organization. Create sub-committees or task forces focusing on the growth of each format.
9. Collaborative Growth with Local and Global Partners:
Enhanced Focus: partner with local and global partners not just for traditional rugby but also for formats like Rugby 7s, Touch Rugby, and Women's Rugby, thereby learning from best practices worldwide.
10. Fan-Centric Experiences Across All Formats:
Enhanced Focus: prioritize fan engagement for every format, ensuring that fans of local Rugby, traditional state and national teams, Rugby 7s, Touch Rugby, and Women's Rugby also get a high-quality engagement, both online and offline.
I’m sure some people would be able to confirm that these things are already happening, to some extent - but I’d be keen to hear from those in the know to explain in the what out of the list of these things need to be done better or deserve to be a higher priority and focus. Also, I know there are a lot of “ChatGPT” related articles, but feel free to comment on the technology also.