Where have all the Kiwi fans gone?

It was with some dismay that we noted the number of empty seats in this weekend's Super Rugby play-offs in New Zealand.

It was with some dismay that we noted the alarming number of empty seats in this weekend's Super Rugby play-offs in New Zealand.

Why are stadiums in New Zealand never anywhere near full while South Africa's massive stadiums are routinely packed to the rafters? Even in Australia, where Rugby Union is supposedly struggling to compete with other football codes, attendance records are being broken – as illustrated by the 48,301 fans, who packed Suncorp Stadium for the Reds' clash with the Crusaders. Back in the Republic, the Stormers are averaging over 37,000 spectators this season.

Surely I'm missing something here…isn't the Land of the Long White Cloud supposed to be rugby mad? You'd be hard-pressed to find a Kiwi who wouldn't tell you that rugby is central the national psyche and the results of the New Zealand teams certainly suggest that the standard of game is as high as ever.

Why then did only 16,100 punters turn up at Eden Park on Friday for the Blues' Super Rugby play-off with the Waratahs in a ground that can hold 50,000?

Why was Trafalgar Park – with a capacity of just 18,000 – far from full for the Crusaders' clash with Sharks? We're talking about the most successfully, most exciting team in Super Rugby history playing a side packed with Springboks in a knock-out game. Even posterboy Fred Michalak's presence should have been good to sell a few tickets to the ladies. Yet a third of the ground was empty.

To be fair, Nelson has a population of only about 60,000 but the South Island isn't exactly a giant place and most Kiwi families own an automobile. Auckland's population is well over 1,3 million so there really should have been enough bums to fill the seats in the Blues' biggest game in four years.

Am I being too harsh? Might there be mitigating circumstances I've overlooked? As I ponder this mysterious situation I've come up with a lot more questions than answers. So I hope Kiwi fans can shed some light on the matter and I invite them to go crazy in the space provided below.

Is it too cold outside?

Speak to any touring New Zealand rugby player and he'll tell you that one of the best things about visiting South Africa is that you sometimes get to play in the afternoon, which quite often means in the warm sunshine.

By the same token, anyone who has had the experience will tell that the only thing worse than having to play in freezing cold conditions is having to sit in the stands at the mercy of the wind and rain on a chilly Kiwi winter's night.

Fair enough. Suddenly the cozy shelter of a warm pub or a comfy living room doesn't sound like such a bad option.

But don't try tell that to fans in the North of England because you'll never hear the end of how they are willing to support their teams come hell, high waters or low temperatures and that “them Kiwis should harden up.”

TV is free. Are tickets too expensive?

Expensive? The cheapest tickets (for adults) for the Crusaders game were going for NZ$20 – roughly US$16, GB£10 or ZAR112 – while the really good ones were NZ$40, which still seems pretty reasonable.

As a reference, general admission to the “Festival of Brass” (New Zealand Brass Band Championships) will cost you NZ$18. Tickets to see “R&B and gospel singer Brian McKnight” range from NZ$90 to NZ$115.

You could catch Afrikaans singer Kurt Darren in Auckland from anywhere between NZ$30 and NZ$50. If you're into cricket, you could go see the Black Caps take on Pakistan in a T-20 for NZ$30.

Call me crazy, but for that kind of cash, I'd rather go see Dan Carter.

Too much of a good thing?

I'll be the first to admit that at the start of the Super Rugby season I was whinging that the new format is simply too long and the fans don't have the appetite for that much rugby. In the long run, I still believe I'll be proven right and I'll bet good money and attendance numbers will continue to dwindle in domestic competitions like the ITM Cup and Currie Cup as a result.

But while we have been fed an awful lot of rugby this year, most of it has been very, very good and the added tension of knockout games are almost always sure to provide quality entertainment.

Despite being unable to play their home games in earthquake-stricken Christchurch, the Crusaders have soldiered on at alternative venues like Nelson where the opportunity to watch top-flight rugby is a rarity. What a shame they weren't able to qualify for the semi-finals in front of a full house.

What about the World Cup?

Are New Zealanders saving their time and money for the big show later this year? Have the bright lights of the World Cup left fans apathetic to Super Rugby?

The appalling attendance figures in last season's ITM Cup suggest that the problem extends beyond just this year. For some reason or another, New Zealanders seem to prefer to watch their rugby on the box rather than in the stadium.

It's not a trend that bodes well for the upcoming global showpiece. Alarm bells have already started ringing and organisers have admitted that sales have been disappointing so far, although they have been limited to those purchasing tickets through official travel agents and hospitality providers.

The final phase of public ticket sales, open to the general public, starts on July 4. Let's hope that local fans get down to the ticket offices and fill those seats or those rugby lovers who are unable to make the long trip to New Zealand might be left with a bitter taste in their mouths.

By Ross Hastie