Athlete representation in professional rugby union

Abstract

Athlete representation is a relatively new phenomenon within New Zealand. Debate surrounds the issue that rugby's move to professionalism necessarily requires players to enlist assistance to manage aspects of their lives. This study explores the industry of athlete representation in professional rugby in New Zealand by investigating the views of players, administrators, and player representatives. Experiences of the athlete representation industry from professional sports in North America provides the analytical underpinnings of the work. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were the principal research methods used. The application of the experiences of athlete representation overseas to the situation in New Zealand is considered before the research findings are discussed. The findings show players believe they do need assistance in managing various aspects of their lives. Activity within the athlete representation industry is described, addressing issues such as fee arrangements, types of service provided and required, the role of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union in the issue, the need to monitor the industry, the nature of the arrangements between the players and their representatives, and the planning involved in securing the future interests of players. The thesis concludes that more formalised attempts need to be made to monitor management of the industry with an appropriate scheme. Recommendations for administrators and policy-makers are proposed.