Stormers win will drive their price up
Many might have thought Saturday’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) final could be the only chance the DHL Stormers will have of winning a major international club competition in a while, but the upshot of their 18-13 win over the Vodacom Bulls might change that.
Already before the URC decider, there was talk of potential equity partners in negotiations to be part of the future of the premier Cape team, driving up the financial value of their offers due to the way the Stormers had captivated the imagination during their extended winning run.
The American investors who were trying to get into bed with the Stormers a few years ago - and then eventually hooked up with the Sharks - offered R112 million.
That number apparently has shifted to R180 million in recent times, and the talk after the Stormers’ win in the final is that it could go closer to R200 million.
Money doesn't buy success
Of course, as the Sharks might in some ways be finding, money doesn’t automatically buy you success.
And what those at the coalface of negotiations with potential partners might have learnt from the Sharks experience is that it is important to get the right fit. If investors are going to call the shots, they also must have a feel for the game.
What John Dobson has proven with the Stormers over the past few months, with the win in the DHL Stadium final proving the cherry on the top as the franchise broke their duck at this level of competition, is that while money can’t automatically buy you success, creating the right culture certainly can.
Already before the URC decider, there was talk of potential equity partners in negotiations to be part of the future of the premier Cape team, driving up the financial value of their offers due to the way the Stormers had captivated the imagination during their extended winning run.
The American investors who were trying to get into bed with the Stormers a few years ago - and then eventually hooked up with the Sharks - offered R112 million.
That number apparently has shifted to R180 million in recent times, and the talk after the Stormers’ win in the final is that it could go closer to R200 million.
Money doesn't buy success
Of course, as the Sharks might in some ways be finding, money doesn’t automatically buy you success.
And what those at the coalface of negotiations with potential partners might have learnt from the Sharks experience is that it is important to get the right fit. If investors are going to call the shots, they also must have a feel for the game.
What John Dobson has proven with the Stormers over the past few months, with the win in the DHL Stadium final proving the cherry on the top as the franchise broke their duck at this level of competition, is that while money can’t automatically buy you success, creating the right culture certainly can.
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