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important, it’s important for [the sport, it’s the public face of [the sport] in New
Zealand. (personal communication, May 26, 2008)
The NSO however was crucial to the PSF competing in the Australian competition.
The NSO had to firstly approve the PSF to compete in the PSL each year. PSF5 said
“without them we can’t compete in the competition, that’s the first thing. They endorse us
to compete in the Australian league” (personal communication, April 24, 2008). PSF6 also
mentioned the NSO “they have to OK it. Basically it’s a rubber stamp, but yes, they have to
OK it (personal communication, May 26, 2008). PSF3 also supported this, and mentioned
the NSO governance of the sport in New Zealand:
Yes, definitely. We play in the Australian…league, and yet we have governance
under, to an extent under New Zealand, [the NSO]. For example, any of our players
have to be cleared by [the NSO] to play rather than [the Australian NSO]. And also
they govern the game in New Zealand, and we need the game to be as strong as
possible, and the better the [national team] are, the more interest in the game and all
of those things. So we see them as very important and one of our key stakeholders.
(personal communication, April 16, 2008)
PSF4 also noted this governance role of the NSO: “Of course it is. Ah, it’s the
governing, of course it’s the first governing body of [the sport] in New Zealand, it’s a very
important organisation” (personal communication, April 24, 2008).
4.8 Intent
In an effort to further understand the opportunity to learn from the existence of a
relationship PSF5 stated:
[T]here’s always opportunities to learn in everything you do, but yes, I don’t think
we sit here and say what’s [the PSF] doing, let’s go and pinch that. I certainly think
that we view ourselves as in a position to work with them and perhaps help them in
some of their learnings as well. Whenever you’ve got people with experience who
have been around the world and seen different things, and the way things are done
differently around the world, I think it’s always worthwhile having conversations
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