Brumbies chairman Matthew Nobbs says private equity ownership could be on the agenda for rugby in the long-term as the game battles the COVID-19 crisis.
Brumbies CEO Phil Thomson and chairman Matthew Nobbs spoke to fans on a Facebook live forum on Wednesday night, on topics ranging from the club's viability to the impact of COVID-19 on their injured players.
Asked about the financial sustainability of the Brumbies, Nobbs said looking down the avenue of private ownership was something they needed to do.
"That (current) model to a certain extent is broken," he said.
"For us to be economically viable as an organisation we’ve got to find other buckets of income.
"I've had conversations (in the past) with Simon Pearce who is a director on the board of Manchester city which in turn own (A-League club) Melbourne city and new York soccer.
"He's a very knowledgeable guy in that space and he said, 'You've got to find other buckets.
"Whether that’s going down the road to streaming, digital or of private equity which is something as a board and an organization we’ve kicked that can around a fair bit.
"That’s a serious conversation we’ll have to have moving forward.
"When you have private equity, there’s a loss of ownership but as an organisation if we are to survive and buck the trend, that discussion on private equity and private ownership is one we must have."
Nobbs also addressed the organisation's reaction to the resignation of Raelene Castle just a week ago.
"Raelene was a great supporter certainly of the Brumbies and we wish her all the best wherever she ends up whatever endeavours she goes on to next," he said.
"She would probably admit as well, there were certain areas of the business she didn’t get over the line.
"The broadcast deal was one of them. There was some actions from certain people during her tenure that probably didn’t help her stay at that point and I think there that rugby and the way it’s been administered over a longer period of time, she inherited a lot of it but at the end of the day maybe she didn’t turn it around.
"Unfortunately she paid the price.
"In terms of the immediate future of the game and the impact of her resignation, you’ll see or have seen that there is likely to be a new chairman within the next month or two.
"Paul McLean has said he won't stay on past July 31. There's three new board members who are in their own right very successful businessmen, have a proven record in the commercial space and I think the name on everyone's lips is Peter Wiggs, who's really gone in there and is looking after the solvency of the business."
Nobbs also said that News Corp executive Hamish McLennan loomed as the man to replace McLean on the board when he stepped down, seemingly confirming some recent speculation about the former Ten heavyweight joinng the administration.
Meanwhile, Rugby Australia is still yet to submit its audited financial report to ASIC, more than a month after its annual general meeting, but is expected to finalise that process in the coming days.
All of Australia's Super Rugby players are currently on "active rest", which is a two-week period where players are still expected to train but are not expected to report for meetings or any other official commitments.
It is hoped that there will be a clearer idea of the rugby calendar once that fortnight is over with Rugby Australia's return to play committee aiming for a July return date.
Queensland and New South Wales have both pencilled in dates for the return of community rugby.
Queensland hopes rugby can return on July 1, with training to resume on June 1 while New South Wales's Shute Shield is working towards a July 25 start.
Argentina's involvement in any modified Super Rugby competition has been all but ruled out after commercial flights in, out and within the country were banned until September 1.
With SANZAAR open to the idea of playing the Rugby Championship as late as November, pending international restrictions, the Argentinian ban will hopefully be relaxed in time for some Test rugby to be played.
A standalone Australia-New Zealand Test series looks like the most likely option for resumption for the Wallabies with both countries taking positive steps in containing COVID-19.
Both countries have recently rolled back restrictions and more easing is expected in the coming weeks.
