Many restaurants have also experienced a drop-off in weekend business, although they reported big turn-overs on Whangarei's two game nights, as reported in Friday's Northern Advocate.
Mr McCartian said he had expected movie rentals to go quiet during the rugby tournament and he bore no ill feeling towards it.
"I'm not a rugby fan but I don't hate the game either. I've watched more rugby in the last three weeks than I've watched in my life."
Video stores were not the only businesses suffering during the Rugby World Cup, Mr McCartian said.
The owner of Blockbuster Dargaville, Brent Earby, agreed.
"I think a lot of shops are hurting because of the World Cup."
Mr Earby also reported a 20 per cent drop in business.
"The weeks have been fine, it's just the weekends. It's only when the All Blacks are playing."
Karen Herring, owner of United Video in Kaitaia, agreed.
"We've all noticed it being very quiet, particularly on game nights. If the All Blacks are playing, you can guarantee it's quiet."
United Video stores throughout New Zealand had experienced a 20 per cent drop in business because of the Rugby World Cup, she said.
While most Northland video stores contacted by the Northern Advocate reported a downturn in business, some said it wasn't that bad. Flis Kirk, who works at Video Ezy in Whangarei, said the movie rental business was more determined by weather than what's on TV.
"Wet weather's good, very good," she said.
Thilde Schielein, owner of Video Mix in Paihia, said she believed parents were renting more DVD's to keep their children occupied while they watched the rugby.
She also said the Rugby World Cup had brought more tourists to the Far North and some of those tourists had visited her store.
