Saturday's Mitre 10 Cup final at Eden Park is free entry - a brave move from Auckland Rugby and an even better gesture aimed at both rewarding their dwindling but fiercely loyal fanbase and trying to attract a turnout worthy of the occasion.
But what the ARU may have (also) unwittingly signalled here is that the Mitre 10 Cup is now officially rugby's version of the Emperor's New Clothes.
The competition has long been stripped of its importance and significance, the near empty stands all season bearing clear witness to that.
And it's not a new thing. The disconnect between comp and crowds has been all too obvious for years. The once-called A-Team get less punters to home games these days than the Breakers. And in fact, many college 1st XV games regularly attract more spectators than the professional provincial side.
Perhaps the best bit about Auckland's random act of human kindness though is that it might just be exactly what NZR needs to remove its ostrich head from the sandpit and address long since raised that just won't go away.