Dick Muir can talk as much as he likes about rebuilding the Lions like he did with the Sharks but there is a fundamental difference; the Sharks had a strong brand and franchise.
Over the last decade, the Sharks had won trophies and consistently been able to attract thousands of fans to their stadium. The Lions have been consistently shocking for the last eight to ten years and Ellis Park has really battled to attract decent crowds to many of their fixtures.
That in turn has meant that the franchise hasn't been able to attract quality players. You only need to look at how Jaque Fourie has flourished at the Stormers to appreciate what the Lions have missed out on.
How do people like Killian and Baywatch come out every week and give it their absolute everything and have to leave the field with 50 points against their names? Their careers are only so long. Professionally they don't get the luxury of sitting back and waiting while different coaches "rebuild" their squads.
If there was enough money to entice Carlos Spencer to come and play then there was enough money to hire coaching staff with a plan!
Don't get me wrong - I have no issue with a side that goes through a slump. It happens to the best of the teams at some point in a cycle. I however have an issue when the administrators forget that it is the fans who they play for. The fans generate the sponsor and TV interest (read revenue).
It might be great for Lions administrators to entertain in their corporate boxes at Ellis Park, but they are killing the golden goose - their fan base.
You might argue that it is the TV revenue which drives these Super 14 franchises (I agree) but not so long ago when the Lions were a force in rugby they attracted decent TV viewing. Today I barely glanced at the game.
If fans aren't going to both coming out to watch the games then sponsors are also going to start asking questions about where to put their money. At the moment if you are having to weigh up sponsoring the Cheetahs - with a number of potential Boks in their lineups and a moderately successful Super 14 team and the disastrous Lions, it has to be a toss-up.
What sponsors wants to put their money behind a team that has no real big name players?
I don't have any numbers to back this up, but from a merchandising perspective I'd assume that the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers are far more successful "brands" than the Lions. At some point this has to become very apparent to sponsors.... who do you want your branch attached to?
Anyway I am having a heated debate with a Lions supporter who argues that Muir has done enough to stay and more money should just be thrown at him to resolve the problem...
... I am not so sure.
Without being too facetious does anybody want to bet that Andy Goode is busy penning a deal with Dick Muir to be their "inspirational flyhalf" for the Currie Cup and 2011 Super 15?
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