New Zealand Rugby

Fan Segmentation Attendance Research

Project Overview

Despite strong interest and attendance for the All Blacks, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) wanted to arrest declines in attendance at Super Rugby matches and the local ITM Cup competition. NZR engaged Gemba to provide a greater understanding of what motivates and impedes Rugby Union match attendance.

Execution

To provide NZR with the insights needed to understand the decline in attendance at Super Rugby and the ITM Cup, Gemba employed a combined quantitative and qualitative approach to build a fan segmentation model in order to profile the market and provide a deep understanding of the drivers and barriers of attending local matches.

Results

NZR gained a much better understanding of the key consumer groups in the marketplace and now has the ability to target each segment with tailored fan development strategies. Gemba’s qualitative research also uncovered richer insights into the reasons for non-attendance and the development of a better value proposition of Super Rugby and ITM Cup games to attract future attendees.

Gemba has subsequently completed follow-up research projects looking specifically at the family segment and the Auckland region.