Anybody with a sense of Johannesburg will tell you that very little building takes place in the CBD and the Lions future prospects were as frightening as an evening stroll through the centre of Hillbrow.

Ever the credit to capitalism, the Lions achieved somewhat of a revival in the 2010 Currie Cup through a wondrous concoction of inspired leadership, youthful bravado and the (real) promise of long-term investment in the brand. The rhetoric from the top has been one of storming the gates of Loftus and the somewhat lofty ambition of essentially being the biggest sporting entity in Africa since a football first bounced on the continent. Talk is cheap however (despite the best efforts of telephone networks to systematically demonstrate the contrary). What is needed is measurable progress and short-term gains in 2011. Judging by their wooden spoon finish in 2010, they certainly have every chance of doing so!

The Lions would do well to venture down the N3 (though I’d rather book a flight; the tollgate fees are horrendous) and study the successful formula of the reigning Currie Cup champions and the undisputed kings of rugby marketability… you know, the guys whose stickers sit on the boot of every second car in Johannesburg… yes, that’s them!

1.   LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Ellis Park (now Coca-Cola Park) has long been seen as the fortress of Springbok rugby. Indeed there have been numerous calls for the Lions home to become the Springboks HQ, considering the rarity of Bok defeats suffered at the ground as well as the nostalgic ambiance that a famed world cup final brings. The reality is that many a Bok victory is won through the psychological intimidation that touring teams suffer on the bus ride to the ground. For a rookie Wallaby who has grown up in the suburbs of Sydney, Ponte would resemble Mogadishu and they wouldn’t be that far off; but for all the assistance that this offers the green and gold, one must realize that the Lions faithful is forced to make this arduous journey on most weekends. Granted, the die hards will follow their team to the ends of the earth, but the key to filling a stadium is drawing in the whole family and whilst your average thirty-five year old male would have no qualms about a trip to the stadium, he may have a different view to bringing his young children to a 7pm kickoff.

Newlands is in a leafy suburb, Loftus is surrounded by an enjoyable enough setting and the outer fields of the Shark Tank are legendary for their post-match parties. What does Coca-Cola Park offer the masses after the final whistle has sounded?

The modern rugby spectator wants a day’s worth of entertainment that extends further than the 80 minutes that their ticket pays for. Lions’ fans need to be able to party until the sun comes up; in their current location they dash home to the suburbs before the sun sets.  They’re never going to fill Soccer City, so the only realistic options would be Orlando Stadium or the Wanderers Cricket Ground; both of which present varied opportunities to extend their current fan base

2.   FAIR WEATHER FANS GET YOU NOWHERE

The onset of professionalism in the game of rugby led to a juvenile attempt by all and sundry to brand their region with an American-styled ‘pick your own jungle character’ smudge to attach to the traditional name of the region. Whilst the Sharks were the Natal Sharks and Cheetahs were the Free State Cheetahs, the Lions were quick to drop their regional association and became the ‘Golden Lions’ and finally simply the Lions. Whilst this was no doubt an attempt to extend the fan base, this will almost certainly isolate your traditional home support. The strength of sport is its ability to unite tens of thousands of strangers in the belief that they are a part of something greater than themselves. This regionalist sense of belonging is what makes the English Premier League the most intriguing in the world. If one is born in the centre of Manchester, he supports Manchester City. If he calls the outlying areas home, he is no doubt a United fan. A Durbanite is born and he or she goes on to support the Sharks because the brand is so firmly entrenched in KZN culture that any conceivable alternative just seems absurd. The same can be said of WP supporters in the Cape. So whilst it is encouraging and highly admirable that the Lions wish to extend the game to the far corners of the African continent, they should never lose sight of the fact that they represent the people of Gauteng.

3.   YOU CAN’T BUY A RUGBY CULTURE

Cue the broken record somber cries from Bloemfontein about the Sharks poaching young talent, the fact of the matter is that the Sharks rarely buy an established player from another province. If not a born and bred KZN schoolboy, the vast majority of the Sharks senior ranks have come through the various local structures, most noticeably the Sharks Academy. Indeed if one looks at the Sharks lineup for the Currie Cup Final, only Willem Alberts, Jannie du Plessis and Louis Ludik were established big name professionals before signing with the Sharks. Whilst the Lions big name signings are needed for short-term advancement, they will be well served to follow the examples of the Sharks, Bulls and WP in building loyalty and passion for the brand from the bottom up. With the enviably unique advantage of powerful rugby schools being located in all parts of Gauteng; private and state schools, English and Afrikaans; player resources should never be a cause of concern.

4.   RUGBY PLAYERS LOVE THE BEACH

Considering the emerging pattern of player movement to the Stormers, Sharks and France, it’s blatantly obvious that rugby players just love the beach. It provides the perfect opportunity to showcase the fruits of their labour in the gym to an adoring female public. Let’s not forget that the infamous AJ Venter contractual dispute between the player, the Lions and the Sharks was largely decided on the fact that Durban would afford Venter the opportunity to advance his potential through beach-based fitness training. In the spirit of learning from your past errors, the Lions would do well to spend copious hours at the Valley of the Waves in Sun City. It would also be beneficial to enforce a mandatory three-prong requirement of ‘slops only’, frequently growing ones hair and to reply to all questions in the affirmative with a simple “hundreds”.

5.   WHEN STARVED OF SUCCESS, HIRE A KIWI COACH

Well it seems you’re well on your way.