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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson targeted in social media campaign to spearhead creation of Pacific Super Rugby team

October 24, 2018

A social media campaign has been launched targeted at Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to sponsor a new Pacific Island Super Rugby franchise.

Kiwi Simon Anderson has created the "Future of Super Rugby" campaign targeting the former WWE wrestler and Hollywood star in the hopes fans will tag Johnson across multiple social media channels until he sees a proposal video arguing the cause.

Anderson says the thinking behind the campaign boils down to the fact Johnson has the "mana" to not only unite the Pacific nations behind one team, but ensure a sustainable business model that will also benefit the competition.

The fact Johnson also has a background in rugby, having played it when he briefly lived in New Zealand, is a bonus.

"Super Rugby needs to expand and do so without diluting the quality of the competition," Anderson says.

"Pacific Island rugby needs to be given a platform from which it can compete. In Dwayne Johnson there is the perfect win-win. Were he to be granted a licence for a Pacific franchise, he would contribute to a very bright future for SANZAAR.

"At present, there appears to be no real strategy for how Super Rugby will expand and compete with the commercially superior European competitions. South Africa already has one foot out the door with two of its teams playing in Europe's Pro 14 competition,

"If South Africa did eventually exit completely and the European money started to drag more Southern Hemisphere players away, the future for Super Rugby, and all rugby in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific looks grim."

Anderson describes himself first and foremost as a rugby fan but also has experience to back his campaign, having worked in the professional rugby industry for several years with specific focus on market intelligence and global contracting trends.

He added while the idea seems like a ground-breaking initiative, the concept has already been executed in football with the LA Galaxy's 2007 signing of David Beckham.

Beckham joined Major League Soccer on an agreement that when he finished playing for the Galaxy, he would have the right to establish an expansion franchise - which he has since done in Miami.

"What the MLS understood, was that Beckham's involvement would be incredibly lucrative for the league, "  Anderson says. "It was exactly that. It was a huge success and a catalyst for the league's ongoing growth.

​"SANZAAR and Super Rugby should use that as a case study. They should attract a key brand that can help them expand and in Dwayne Johnson there is the perfect brand who could also champion Pacific Island rugby."

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