Rugby: Graham pledges to reconnect with fans

RE: "boring ball kicking"...  I have never said people don’t have a right to be unhappy or that there was no chance it would not be as successful I hope and believe it will be, but it is the above opinion that undermines your viewpoint for me. It shows no respect for something that others really enjoy.

I have never understood why things get so petty. I don’t come out with statements like "don’t give money to a bunch of people plucking strings"...because although I can’t play a musical instrument I appreciate how important it is to others.I guess the question is how do these things happen if it is not important to enough people to make it happen?

Those that made the decision had to work to get into a situation to have that power; maybe you should put this energy into running for office.

PS: Was there as much uproar from rugby fans when the art gallery was built? Or when the museum was done up? Or the railway Station? Im sure there was some, but I didn't see the same complaints about the water supply or the roads etc....

You say you differentiate between being constructive and destrcutve, but maybe you haven't got your head around the difference between what you (and other stadium supporters) call moaning, and simply being raw and cynically honest, especially when it involves people's money, democracy (or lack of) and a level playing field in catering for other people, rather than the same ones all the time getting most of the pie while others get a few crumbs, such is the saga with the stadium. People have a right to be wild about this for many reasons, it's not spare piggy bank change being tipped into it after all, and for something that we already have, that only used scant hours a year for boring ball kicking, and whatever people say the new one will be the same.

I did write a longer response but it seems to have gone missing.I have never said it was anyones duty to support anyone or anything, i just differentiate between being constructive and being destructive.

Moaning doesn't help anyone; it just teaches the young how to moan. I'm not sure why so many have negative opinions on thing not hurting anyone.  If people don't like something but it's not doing any damage...then forget about it.

'and so I think we have to get behind those doing the job and do what we can to help'. Why? I realise you think the ORFU/Highlanders are some kind of charity- except this crowd can't even attract much in donations. That's why they soak up public money. There is no pre ordained 'have to' about supporting the stadium. It should be a choice.

I think comparing it to the America's Cup is a little stretch, at least at the moment they are still pretending to be of a particular area/region and I agree that either we need to make them proper franchises where they can get whatever sponsorship or kit maker they want and hence can bring more money into the game. That is how you bring new money in.The only other option to make it work that I see is remove the "super" teams altogether and just have the top five teams from the npc playing super rugby like they do in football. A much smaller oganisation (only one admin instead of two) with a slightly larger squad and a stronger "brand" as the only team in their city. It would also bring rugby back to some smaller cities as once every few years BOP would get Super rugby. It all seams pretty simple to me but I don't think for a second it will happen and so I think we have to get behind those doing the job and do what we can to help.

Cyberjab, I agree encouraging kids to get off computer games and into physical exercise is positive. No disagreement there. I also don't argue with the need for those in the rugby world to reconnect with young people in a more positive way. The problem though seems to be the parlous financial situation of rugby in NZ, as outlined by Laidlaw's comment today in the ODT. Rugby will continue to decline for financial and cultural change reasons. What they have got to do has no bearing on anything meaningful for young people. Young people like variety. Just playing rugby is boring for many of them now. Let's face it. Rugby is about big money now. It is about safeguarding the elite teams- not the also rans.
The Highlanders are on life support. They will inevitably fold. The Super 14 can't survive, it seems. But be positive cyberjab. Get private money into rugby. Ratepayers and taxpayers won't mind if rich men sponsor teams and put their names to it. Good luck to them. It's all just like the America's Cup. Do they support young yachties? Kids can then get on with playing schoolboy rugby on their own- if they wish- without all the bad role modelling from the elite in the rugby world.

As much as I agree the country is growing and changing (slowly), I'm not sure how at the same time you can bemoan those that are stuck in the past (or as I regard it fighting for what they love; whether you believe they should love it is irrelevant) while commenting on their disregard of history with the Brook.

If you look at your points without having a conclusion beforehand you could just as easily decide they are trying to evolve the game to match the new world we live in.
Loyalty is not inherent; it comes generally from having a connection with something. Many have said the team has become more removed from the city itself and all the new guard are saying is they want to reinstate that connection, and that doesn't hurt anyone.

My nephew has no interest in doing things outside, only in playing video games. it was only when I realised I only got into sport when my Dad use to take me to the 'brook (and then I sold programmes. and then I played rugby) that I realised my nephew needs a connection to be interested.

Anything that gets kid interested sports (any and all sports) is good, not because it is the only thing worth doing but because when they are older they will more than often be forced to spend most of their time inside and won’t get the same opportunities.

Shame on those that put down those that try and improve the world. If you disagree, then do what you think will help - don't just sit there and moan.

"There has also been a cultural shift in NZ away from the 'rugby, racing and beer' one of years ago. We are growing up as a nation."

Nail hit right on the head there, Digger, kudos for that. Sadly some are trying to keep it alive and force it back upon us with huge detrimental effects, in a multitude of ways with the stadium.

Really.....who cares? These gentlemen just don't dig deep enough to explain the malaise. If people were 'into' the game they'd still go along rain, hail or shine to support the Highlanders. It's called loyalty. Would parents not go to support their son's rugby team on a Saturday just because it usually lost? No.

There has also been a cultural shift in NZ away from the 'rugby, racing and beer' one of years ago. There is nothing that can be done about that. Nor should there be. We are growing up as a nation.

There is also the deep resentment - not just from anti rugby people - of the greed of the rugby entertainment industry. It's all money now, and when core values are lost people drift away.

The disrespect for the iconic Carisbrook, for no good reason, shows that when you are prepared to throw history into the rubbish bin there is no solid foundation from the past to survive on.
Basically, if you feel ripped off, you don't care anymore.