Things clearly did not go to plan on the field for the Steamers but there is still a positive vibe around Bay of Plenty Rugby's offices.
Chief executive Mike Rogers says he has received positive news from sponsors already, which bodes well for next year.
"We have had a couple of sponsors come to us without us approaching them who said they would re-sign and stay with the union next year," Rogers said.
"Obviously they want better results on the field but the feedback from them is that what we are doing off the field has been fantastic from their point of view. We did a lot of school and community visits and worked closely with our sponsors in that and worked with the White Ribbon and anti-bullying campaigns.
"The feedback from sponsors in what the team does off the field has been really significant from their point of view in terms of the value of their sponsorship. It is more than they expect.