Rugby : building a brand

by Portnoy Mon 23 Apr 2012, 10:57 am

There are a number of methods available some of which are more successful than others:

Pile it high sell it cheap. The Tesco's motto coined by it's founder Jack Cohen. The idea is to cut the individual margins to the very minimum (with some loss leaders). The idea is to create a brand loyalty but it depends on product quality. Tesco, Saisbury's, Asda, Waitrose etc. hace managed with varying degrees of success to do this.
A model being explored by Sarries and most recently, the Ospreys.
Sell the basic product and hopefully you can earn higher margins from impulse purchases from additional sales points.

Premium marketing. As exploited by Knightsbridge stores, Land Rover etc. This concept is to build and maintain a product range that is reliable and which can on reputation command premium prices. The best stores can become destination shopping sites. The essential trick is to maintain product standards.

Local specialist outlets. Here the customers must be prepared to pay a premium for a reasonable product as the danger is that the consumer may go on-line to access a superior, cheaper alternative.

Monopoly suppliers. Strictly illegal under EU competition Laws, but can go under the radar. A single supplier owns the entire local market and creates any artificial barriers to entry. But as with any market, the consumer will dictate market prices dependant on the product available.

Cartel agreements. Similar to Monopoly suppliers (above) under European competition laws, illegal , but by mutual agreement ensure that each partner maintains a share of any business on a pre-agreed basis. In it's nature barriers to entry to the market must be rigid.

by **LondonTiger** Mon 23 Apr 2012, 11:02 am

I would argue that Sarries are not PIHSIC but rather tend to do periodic Cut Price Sales in prestigious temporary locations, before reverting to overpriced fare at second rate locations.

RFU tend towards Premium Marketing at Twickenham.

Most teams probably fit under Local specialists - competing against TV rather than on-line. (Especially applicable to Rabo where the TV is free-to -air)

by Portnoy Mon 23 Apr 2012, 11:25 am

LondonTiger wrote:I would argue that Sarries are not PIHSIC but rather tend to do periodic Cut Price Sales in prestigious temporary locations, before reverting to overpriced fare at second rate locations.

I did draw the line at car boot sales LT.

by caoimhincentre Mon 23 Apr 2012, 1:13 pm

by Portnoy Mon 23 Apr 2012, 1:14 pm

caoimhincentre wrote:

by red_stag Mon 23 Apr 2012, 1:15 pm

Portnoy you have 5 methods listed but it would seem you only consider 1 of them to be relevant.

by red_stag Mon 23 Apr 2012, 1:21 pm

Anyway despite a slow start this could be a good thread.

Munster play a clever game of supply and demand.

They play the 10 biggest matches a year in Thomond Park, Limerick (26,000 seats) and the remaining matches in Musgrave Park, Cork (9,500).

Cork is much larger than Limerick but they don't follow the crowd. Instead they are smart.

Fans will travel to Limerick to watch Munster in the Heineken Cup or taking on Ospreys/Leinster in the Pro 12.

Cork has the population to draw 9,000 people in to watch Glasgow, Aironi, Dragons etc. It works well and keeps everyone keen.

by Portnoy Mon 23 Apr 2012, 1:25 pm

red_stag wrote:Portnoy you have 5 methods listed but it would seem you only consider 1 of them to be relevant.

Leinster and Munster have premium brands.

The five models ought to be treated like a Venn diagram. They are not mutually exclusive.
And more sets can be added if you so please.

And from where do you draw your conclusion?
All of these models have been successful in satisfying different markets.

by red_stag Mon 23 Apr 2012, 1:30 pm

Portnoy,

I just wasn't sure. You mentioned other methods and referred to Landrover, Knightsbridge, Sainsburys etc etc but only mentioned rugby teams using one.

I thought that was your point.

Anyway I've given an example of how Munster sell.

by PenfroPete Mon 23 Apr 2012, 1:38 pm

The point was to have a dig at the Ospreys and the London Sarries

Please give examples of the other 4 categories please

by red_stag Mon 23 Apr 2012, 1:42 pm

PenfroPete wrote:The point was to have a dig at the Ospreys and the London Sarries

Please give examples of the other 4 categories please

I know that Penfro. But Im trying at least to take thread seriously.

by Portnoy Mon 23 Apr 2012, 1:57 pm

red_stag wrote:
PenfroPete wrote:The point was to have a dig at the Ospreys and the London Sarries

Please give examples of the other 4 categories please

I know that Penfro. But Im trying at least to take thread seriously.

Pile it high sell it cheap. The Tesco's motto coined by it's founder Jack Cohen. The idea is to cut the individual margins to the very minimum (with some loss leaders). The idea is to create a brand loyalty but it depends on product quality. Tesco, Saisbury's, Asda, Waitrose etc. hace managed with varying degrees of success to do this.
A model being explored by Sarries and most recently, the Ospreys.
Sell the basic product and hopefully you can earn higher margins from impulse purchases from additional sales points.

Premium marketing. Tigers, Saints, Glaws, Quins, Leinster, Munster

Local specialist outlets. Welsh & Scottish regions, Sale, Newcastle, Connacht

Monopoly suppliers. The Provinces

Cartel agreements. The Rabo, Jeff promotion restriction and various other Broken Record

s you'd rather not hear to be replayed

As I said, it's not a mutually exclusive list.

by SecretFly Mon 23 Apr 2012, 1:59 pm

red_stag wrote:Anyway despite a slow start this could be a good thread.

Munster play a clever game of supply and demand.

They play the 10 biggest matches a year in Thomond Park, Limerick (26,000 seats) and the remaining matches in Musgrave Park, Cork (9,500).

Cork is much larger than Limerick but they don't follow the crowd. Instead they are smart.

Fans will travel to Limerick to watch Munster in the Heineken Cup or taking on Ospreys/Leinster in the Pro 12.

Cork has the population to draw 9,000 people in to watch Glasgow, Aironi, Dragons etc. It works well and keeps everyone keen.

Or at least it has up until now. The other marketting ploy that I don't think has been mentioned in Portnoy's initial comments is the most important one of all - success. Munster need a rebranding of the old brand next year to keep both Thomond and Musgrave full and happy.

by Portnoy Mon 23 Apr 2012, 2:09 pm

SecretFly wrote:

Or at least it has up until now. The other marketing ploy that I don't think has been mentioned in Portnoy's initial comments is the most important one of all - success. Munster need a rebranding of the old brand next year to keep both Thomond and Musgrave full and happy.

Success is a bit of a red herring as it comes as part and parcel of the consumer experience.

Future success cannot be built into marketing model although a continued/continuing history brings with it an increasing amount of good-will and naturally shoves it up to a place nearer the elite end. But it cannot form a fundamental part of a long term jam tomorrow business plan.

The whole ethic of regional rugby was the promise of jam tomorrow whilst ignoring the fact that what the customers actually wanted was corn flakes.

Which is why they fail to go in-store shopping in their droves.

by red_stag Mon 23 Apr 2012, 2:17 pm

Yes agree Fly.

by Sin é Mon 23 Apr 2012, 2:24 pm

The Munster 'brand' is different to almost every other rugby team as its built on glorious failure/near wins!

by SecretFly Mon 23 Apr 2012, 2:25 pm

Portnoy wrote:
SecretFly wrote:

Or at least it has up until now. The other marketing ploy that I don't think has been mentioned in Portnoy's initial comments is the most important one of all - success. Munster need a rebranding of the old brand next year to keep both Thomond and Musgrave full and happy.

Success is a bit of a red herring as it comes as part and parcel of the consumer experience.

Future success cannot be built into marketing model although a continued/continuing history brings with it an increasing amount of good-will and naturally shoves it up to a place nearer the elite end. But it cannot form a fundamental part of a long term jam tomorrow business plan.

The whole ethic of regional rugby was the promise of jam tomorrow whilst ignoring the fact that what the customers actually wanted was corn flakes.

Which is why they fail to go in-store shopping in their droves.

On the contrary... coaching to win, having the considered right coach and necessary players to win is absolutely slotted in to marketing models.

Just ask the head honcho of English league rugby - he has his league and in and of itself it is a successful brand (bums on seats, competitive rugby, happy camper supporters and sponsors.)
But he isn't happy. He wants growth. What does he want to acheive it? No, not some more fancy link up with sponsors or more lucrative TV deals - he wants leverage at negotiating tables for such deals. He wants simple European success for his clubs so that his marketting men have an easier time generating brand profits.

Domestic competition branding isn't enough for him - he sees that in order to enhance the AP brand globally there is an absolute requirement for success in Europe. Not just participation - participation isn't enough....success.

by SecretFly Mon 23 Apr 2012, 2:28 pm

Sin é wrote:The Munster 'brand' is different to almost every other rugby team as its built on glorious failure/near wins!

It was until they started winning. But the Genie is out of the bottle and glorious failures won't be celebrated in the future.

by Sin é Mon 23 Apr 2012, 2:34 pm

SecretFly wrote:
Sin é wrote:The Munster 'brand' is different to almost every other rugby team as its built on glorious failure/near wins!

It was until they started winning. But the Genie is out of the bottle and glorious failures won't be celebrated in the future.

It was never celebrated. But failure didn't put anyone off following the team. 60K turned up for the HCup final in '06 - up to that Munster hadn't won anything.

As an aside - about 2001/02 I was at a seminar on the environment (waste management that kind of stuff etc), and back then Prof Conway (I think) of UCD used Munster Rugby as a case study in how to develop a good waste management ethos. Pity I can't find the notes now, but it was really interesting as he had obviously studied how Munster Rugby (prior to their success) had acquired so many 'followers'.

by Portnoy Mon 23 Apr 2012, 2:45 pm

https://www.606v2.com/t28134-munster-are-urine-poor-and-leinster-holy-and-vice-versa#1159837

LvM that's what you need.

Now gerrorrff my land.

by Mickado Mon 23 Apr 2012, 2:48 pm

Wow, bit of an overreaction to nothing there. You were the first one to mention Leinster…

by Portnoy Mon 23 Apr 2012, 2:51 pm

I was talking about brand/image marketing.

Just because I mentioned Leinster doesn't make it product placement.
(just in case you are talking to me Mick)

by SecretFly Mon 23 Apr 2012, 2:52 pm

Sin é wrote:
SecretFly wrote:
Sin é wrote:The Munster 'brand' is different to almost every other rugby team as its built on glorious failure/near wins!

It was until they started winning. But the Genie is out of the bottle and glorious failures won't be celebrated in the future.

It was never celebrated. But failure didn't put anyone off following the team. 60K turned up for the HCup final in '06 - up to that Munster hadn't won anything.

But that's my point, Sin é - celebrating a side that was 'gloriously' putting it up to the usual 'winners' was enough to build the brand. But on becoming the winner, the brand identity changed and now glorious near wins will not receive the same brand embellishing 'enthusiasm' from fans as it did in those early years. Munster can't go back to the pre-winning drawing board - the dynamic has changed. Where once fans dreamed of success (and near wins often hinted at its arrival) now they will be demanding a 'return to success'... and won't be so vocal in their support for too many seasons of near-misses

by Mickado Mon 23 Apr 2012, 2:57 pm

Portnoy wrote:I was talking about brand/image marketing.

Just because I mentioned Leinster doesn't make it product placement.
(just in case you are talking to me Mick)

You created a thread about LvM and posted the link, then said "get off my land". Obviously a pre-emptive move to stop a LvM pishing contest, which never looked like happening.

by **Notch** Mon 23 Apr 2012, 2:59 pm

SecretFly is right there, he makes a good point. Expectations have shifted. You always remember the first time; and measure everything subsequently by it.

by Portnoy Mon 23 Apr 2012, 3:02 pm

Often the Irish will go off on tangents Mick and then come on to the main thread after the rest of us have long-since despaired and given up.

I'll try to divert off-topics to another thread.

by Sin é Mon 23 Apr 2012, 3:17 pm

Munster created a 'brand' of plucky triers, who fell short most of the time. None of us was in doubt as to the effort that was put in, and hence you have a team of Munster A, Academy team putting it up to the All Blacks.

Thats what attracts people to Munster rugby, the ethos of giving it a go.

As an aside, I read Neil Francis yesterday who seemed to find it difficult to understand how his Lunster friends were not deserting the good ship Munster.

by SecretFly Mon 23 Apr 2012, 3:18 pm

I remained firmly focused on the main thread...even if some believe it's a tangent Wink

.

I guess a tangent is in the eye of the beholder.

by Sin é Mon 23 Apr 2012, 3:27 pm

Portnoy will enjoy this, Munster rugby have an article about how a Paul O'Connell signed jersey from the other night against the scarlets fetched more than a signed Grans Slam Wales winning team in auction.

by Portnoy Mon 23 Apr 2012, 3:35 pm

Article reminder

There are a number of methods available some of which are more successful than others:

Pile it high sell it cheap. The Tesco's motto coined by it's founder Jack Cohen. The idea is to cut the individual margins to the very minimum (with some loss leaders). The idea is to create a brand loyalty but it depends on product quality. Tesco, Saisbury's, Asda, Waitrose etc. hace managed with varying degrees of success to do this.
A model being explored by Sarries and most recently, the Ospreys.
Sell the basic product and hopefully you can earn higher margins from impulse purchases from additional sales points.

Premium marketing. As exploited by Knightsbridge stores, Land Rover etc. This concept is to build and maintain a product range that is reliable and which can on reputation command premium prices. The best stores can become destination shopping sites. The essential trick is to maintain product standards.

Local specialist outlets. Here the customers must be prepared to pay a premium for a reasonable product as the danger is that the consumer may go on-line to access a superior, cheaper alternative.

Monopoly suppliers. Strictly illegal under EU competition Laws, but can go under the radar. A single supplier owns the entire local market and creates any artificial barriers to entry. But as with any market, the consumer will dictate market prices dependant on the product available.

Cartel agreements. Similar to Monopoly suppliers (above) under European competition laws, illegal , but by mutual agreement ensure that each partner maintains a share of any business on a pre-agreed basis. In it's nature barriers to entry to the market must be rigid.

With subsequent clarifiers:

The five models ought to be treated like a Venn diagram. They are not mutually exclusive.
And more sets can be added if you so please.

Try and keep it on-topic guys and not a club squabble or I will raise a suitable article (which no doubt like the last one re- Leinter/Munster will be deleted arbitrarily by a mod).

by Pete C (Kiwireddevil) Mon 23 Apr 2012, 3:38 pm

Something to add to your "local specialists" Portnoy:

Having attached yourself to a place, you build your core custom from those who associate themselves with that place, via patriotism or similar, relying on the cachet of the "live experience" to draw in custom even when customers are able to view for less via other sources.

Once assured of a core support expansion via a move into premium brand space becomes a lot easier, especially as having a premium brand image can galvanise local support (the All Blacks example - big support at home, and in widespread demand elsewhere). Beware of alienating that local support by reducing quality, as once used to such quality the local support may well seek it elsewhere (the Auckland Blues for example). Note that a move into premium brand space can also lead locals to move to more grounded alternatives (the Manchester United example - global brand, but other teams in the region draw more local support).

by **Notch** Mon 23 Apr 2012, 3:43 pm

You can't control what people have to say about a subject Portnoy. There are responses to an article that fall outside the original remit of the article and if they are more interesting people will prefer to pursue those tangents.

by red_stag Mon 23 Apr 2012, 3:46 pm

Portnoy nothing has been off topic so far.

We are giving you examples of why people support the teams that they do.

by Portnoy Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:05 pm

Kiwireddevil wrote:Something to add to your "local specialists" Portnoy:

Having attached yourself to a place, you build your core custom from those who associate themselves with that place, via patriotism or similar, relying on the cachet of the "live experience" to draw in custom even when customers are able to view for less via other sources.

Once assured of a core support expansion via a move into premium brand space becomes a lot easier, especially as having a premium brand image can galvanise local support (the All Blacks example - big support at home, and in widespread demand elsewhere). Beware of alienating that local support by reducing quality, as once used to such quality the local support may well seek it elsewhere (the Auckland Blues for example). Note that a move into premium brand space can also lead locals to move to more grounded alternatives (the Manchester United example - global brand, but other teams in the region draw more local support).

Of course the premium brand is the ultimate target, but should never be taken for granted as no reliance can be taken on previous products and service.

Some premier retailers like Comet, Woolies and MFI have gone to the wall in recent years because they either overestimated their goodwill or sacrificed their future by trying to overextend their final sustainability on past performance.

In England for example, we have Wasps struggling to survive because of a lack of current product range and unsustainable overheads (like Woolies).
Other High St brands are in enormous difficulty due to property rental problems like selling off capital assets in order to provide bridging finance (e.g. Dixons) and went to oversized and unaffordable out-of-town rented outlets like LI, Wasps and Sarries.

Do you need more analogies?

The retail market has to be balanced between financial internal prudence of the supplier and consumer demand.

by Sin é Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:18 pm

I can't see the likes of the real premium brands like toulouse & Leicester losing too much support. They have been successful for a long time (and both knocked out of the HCup that knockout stages this year). Does anyone seriously think that supporters from Toulouse might start supporting Clermont, or Leicester supporters maybe supporting Sarries?

by SecretFly Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:22 pm

So what you are saying is that rugby clubs are brands
.... and that they operate on various brand building formats
.... and you mentioned five such formats
.... and that you admitted there could be more
.... and that you admitted they are interchangeable and that all clubs will probably operate on a mish mash of most of the formats or indeed all of them?

So, what exactly are we debating on? - What format works best? What format individual clubs use? (all of them to some extent seems to be the leaning) Which format offers most success? (all of them to some extent if balanced seems to be the leaning)

I don't really know what we're meant to be discussing when keeping strictly to the branding issue and the five methods. I think my mind has just gone off-topic trying to compute the topic.

by SecretFly Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:23 pm

Sin é wrote:I can't see the likes of the real premium brands like toulouse & Leicester losing too much support. They have been successful for a long time (and both knocked out of the HCup that knockout stages this year). Does anyone seriously think that supporters from Toulouse might start supporting Clermont, or Leicester supporters maybe supporting Sarries?

Well Lunster supporters did start supporting Leinster..............................

by Pete C (Kiwireddevil) Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:25 pm

Sin é wrote:I can't see the likes of the real premium brands like toulouse & Leicester losing too much support. They have been successful for a long time (and both knocked out of the HCup that knockout stages this year). Does anyone seriously think that supporters from Toulouse might start supporting Clermont, or Leicester supporters maybe supporting Sarries?

That's more a "local" brand thing though Sin. Crossing over into a "premium" brand slot means that people in Toulouse start following say Leicester for example. That kind of "premier" cache usually manifests itself as "my second team is ..." in rugby as support for your "home" team is usually strong.

by Sin é Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:27 pm

SecretFly wrote:
Sin é wrote:I can't see the likes of the real premium brands like toulouse & Leicester losing too much support. They have been successful for a long time (and both knocked out of the HCup that knockout stages this year). Does anyone seriously think that supporters from Toulouse might start supporting Clermont, or Leicester supporters maybe supporting Sarries?

Well Lunster supporters did start supporting Leinster..............................

Not really, unless you are confusing them with event goers. According to Neil Francis yesterday, his Lunster friends are not going to Leinster matches.

by Portnoy Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:29 pm

Sin é wrote:I can't see the likes of the real premium brands like toulouse & Leicester losing too much support. They have been successful for a long time (and both knocked out of the HCup that knockout stages this year). Does anyone seriously think that supporters from Toulouse might start supporting Clermont, or Leicester supporters maybe supporting Sarries?

Brand loyalties can ebb and flow.

The Tigers for instance are fading European brand although they maintain a strong domestic product. Not quite so for Tolouse (although somewhat similar).

But if either or both slumped in their respective domestic markets to the extent that the main European one got out of reach for any number of years, then they'd likely to find that their bread and butter revenues would fail.

That's the market for you.

by asoreleftshoulder Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:31 pm

Sin é wrote:
Not really, unless you are confusing them with event goers. According to Neil Francis yesterday, his Lunster friends are not going to Leinster matches.

I don't really know how many former Lunsters have converted to following Leinster but I'd be looking for a bigger sample size than Neil Francis' friends before I made a definitive judgement one way or the other.

by Sin é Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:34 pm

Kiwireddevil wrote:
Sin é wrote:I can't see the likes of the real premium brands like toulouse & Leicester losing too much support. They have been successful for a long time (and both knocked out of the HCup that knockout stages this year). Does anyone seriously think that supporters from Toulouse might start supporting Clermont, or Leicester supporters maybe supporting Sarries?

That's more a "local" brand thing though Sin. Crossing over into a "premium" brand slot means that people in Toulouse start following say Leicester for example. That kind of "premier" cache usually manifests itself as "my second team is ..." in rugby as support for your "home" team is usually strong.

I'm not too sure about that one. 2nd teams are not gut-wrenching relationships - you like to see them win (and preferable if they are the underdog). I'd say Connacht is everyone's "2nd team" in Ireland for instance!

Just on the global brand thing (after the Munster v Ulster qf), I read a comment on the Indo site from an Ulster supporter who was a rugby coach in Germany (and had worked as a coach in France). He said that Munster was everyone of these guy's 2nd teams and everyone of them had munster jerseys and their loyalty wasn't going to change. (He was responding to comments about Munster being finished)!

by Sin é Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:36 pm

asoreleftshoulder wrote:
Sin é wrote:
Not really, unless you are confusing them with event goers. According to Neil Francis yesterday, his Lunster friends are not going to Leinster matches.

I don't really know how many former Lunsters have converted to following Leinster but I'd be looking for a bigger sample size than Neil Francis' friends before I made a definitive judgement one way or the other.

The main point about that bit of info was that Francis couldn't understand why they were not jumping onto the Leinser bandwagon!

edit: they now have an emotional attachment to Munster.

by SecretFly Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:37 pm

Sin é wrote:
SecretFly wrote:
Sin é wrote:I can't see the likes of the real premium brands like toulouse & Leicester losing too much support. They have been successful for a long time (and both knocked out of the HCup that knockout stages this year). Does anyone seriously think that supporters from Toulouse might start supporting Clermont, or Leicester supporters maybe supporting Sarries?

Well Lunster supporters did start supporting Leinster..............................

Not really, unless you are confusing them with event goers. According to Neil Francis yesterday, his Lunster friends are not going to Leinster matches.

It only surprises me that Neil Francis has friends at all yet alone Lunster ones.

Neil Francis, like all good journalists, invents most of his friends, contacts, sources, deep-throats, and the ever present over-talkative close friends of secretive souls who tell nobody their business but the over-talkative friends. Wink

Inshort, I wouldn't believe a word that came out of his mouth about his Lunster friends who refuse to go to Leinster games. They may indeed exist but Neil telling me about them is no news on a poor day of off-topic threads.

by Sin é Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:42 pm

Fly, the point I would make is that only kids under 10 would jump ship because all their friend are supporting such and such a team. not grown-ups.

by Portnoy Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:45 pm

Neil Francis. Is this the same NF (no 8) who faded into the oblivion 15 or so years ago?

Is this on-topic or should I create an article Neil Francis is a great Irish rugby reporter - Discuss?

by Portnoy Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:47 pm

Sin é wrote:Fly, the point I would make is that only kids under 10 would jump ship because all their friend are supporting such and such a team. not grown-ups.

I dunno about that. Who's Cari favouring these days?

by Sin é Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:54 pm

Portnoy wrote:
Sin é wrote:Fly, the point I would make is that only kids under 10 would jump ship because all their friend are supporting such and such a team. not grown-ups.

I dunno about that. Who's Cari favouring these days?

Cari has an emotional attachment to one player (not a team).

The great brands have built an emotional attachment to their team. That isn't subject to change even if you don't lose too much.

Look at Liverpool FC! Their glory days are well over.

by Mickado Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:56 pm

Portnoy wrote:Neil Francis. Is this the same NF (no 8) who faded into the oblivion 15 or so years ago?

Is this on-topic or should I create an article Neil Francis is a great Irish rugby reporter - Discuss?

Talk to yourself if you don't like what people are saying. It's clearly relevant to brand loyalty.

Do you just not want Irish people to comment?

by SecretFly Mon 23 Apr 2012, 4:56 pm

Sin é, only kids (emotionally childish adults) might very well jump ship...but they are still real jumpers in the grand scheme of things.

And the grand scheme of things is fashion and brand identity. Kids (emotionally childish adults) still exist, still have income, still spend income where they are happiest (for the time being!) and are therefore still a vital part of brand....em vitality.... when it comes to working out what succeeds and what fails every year in the promotion and profit world. To use Portnoy's supermarket analogies; A floating shopper holds more real potential for growth than a steady shopper...and that's why a floating shopper is always asked whether they want to become a steady shopper (coupons offers, loyalty cards etc). But as soon as the floating shopper becomes another steady shopper then the next strange floater who walks in becomes infinitely more important. Floating targets are always more alluring.

It's like the guys who turn up for International games........... They may not be part of the yearly fabric of Provincial or club rugby but they are a vital cog in the yearly profits of IRFU nonetheless. And Team International is actually branded to capture the free-floaters who shift over from football or GAA to follow rugby for a month or two every year.

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