KEY POINTS:
Tauranga MP Bob Clarkson has emerged as a key figure behind innovative plans to privatise the Bay of Plenty Steamers.
The millionaire businessman confirmed to the Bay of Plenty Times he was ready to inject money into the concept, which involves several other Tauranga corporate figures.
It's a move which Bay of Plenty Rugby Union acting chief executive Stuart Harvey admits his union would leap at after announcing a record $759,000 loss last week.
And it comes at a time when several leading figures - including New Zealand Rugby Players' Association chief executive Rob Nichol - have suggested franchising Super 14 and provincial unions is the only way forward for rugby.
Mr Clarkson, the National Party member for Tauranga, is no stranger to bailing out the Steamers, having enticed the Bay union to Baypark just before the heady Ranfurly Shield era in 2004.
Without revealing details, he has admitted he is involved in advanced planning to buy a slice of professional rugby in the province.
"I've been pushing it and have been talking with various rugby identities - who don't need to be named at the moment - and they all think it would be a damn good idea," Mr Clarkson said. "I started it about 12 months ago and thought it would be a great idea to run it as a business enterprise to get the thing humming."
The 69-year-old suspects this season might be too soon but the 2009 season would be an ideal time to launch privatised provincial rugby.
There are several large hurdles to overcome first, however - the NZRU would have to revise its constitution and new agreements would have to be signed to fund club rugby.
Air New Zealand Cup teams would have to be separately run, provided the competition stayed in its current parlous format.
A summit meeting for most of the game's key stakeholders has been scheduled for later this month to address serious provincial concerns - Bay's big deficit has been mirrored by Otago ($1.5 million), Northland ($350,000) and Canterbury ($428,000).
Mr Clarkson has no doubt buying the Steamers would be costly - but he's no stranger to reaching into his pocket.
"If we can win the Ranfurly Shield within four or five years the monetary investment could be repaid," he said.
"When I first came in, I was funding the Steamers to the tune of $150,000 a year - that's what I reckon I was losing on them. When they won the Shield, I was making $300,000 a year so, over a four-year period, I came out about square.
"That's what we want - we just need someone to take the highs and lows out and I've got some ideas of how I want to do it."
Mr Harvey was cautiously enthusiastic about Mr Clarkson's proposal, though the union is awaiting feedback from its national body about the financial crisis.
An NZRU sub- committee is being appointed to act in relation to Bay rugby and a statutory manager is to be appointed to take control of the union's affairs but Mr Harvey knows the Bay union needs to act to control its destiny.
"We've been looking at how to get business people involved without them having the feeling of chucking money away, because it's almost a donation at the moment," Mr Harvey said.
"If they can get some sort of ownership, that might be a start."
Mr Harvey confirmed his board had been talking to another group interested in contracting out some of the union's professional roles - such as marketing, sponsorship and ticketing - which would enable administrators to concentrate solely on running rugby.
- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES
