Events during the Covid-19 lockdowns experienced around the sporting world have highlighted the relevance of match-day crowds, and it was New Zealand that led the way.
Respected South African rugby writer Gavin Rich wrote in his Business Day column this week that there had been a belief that crowds didn't matter as much in the television-dominated world of professional sport.
So long as television was paying big money for the right to cover sport, crowds were not an issue.
But Rich said the past few months had provided something of a case study on how rugby, especially, would look without crowds.
"And it may not be a coincidence that most of those who have been getting their rugby fix from television will tell you that the [Super Rugby] Aotearoa, the only competition that drew proper crowds at games, was the most addictive viewing.
"The debate may be a bit skewed by New Zealand rugby being the leader regarding on-field aesthetic and innovation, but comparing the Pro14 and the Aotearoa right now is like comparing apples with oranges," he said.
The competition had started at a time when the zero infection rate in New Zealand meant it was possible to have crowds for games. Teams had been able to draw off those crowds which added to the overall television experience.
"Even in the early weeks, when there were many penalties, there was high entertainment value in the Aotearoa. That was probably because for the first time in a while, a buzz was being generated by near full houses for regional rugby.
"It made every game feel like an occasion, and that helped inspire those of us who couldn't be there to watch it on television.
"Last week's North-South game in New Zealand provided some high-quality rugby, but the closed stadium 'festival' just didn't grab me in the same way as the Aotearoa games played in front of big crowds did," he said.
Rich said South African rugby had not had a lot of theatre or sense of occasion about it, apart from when a Test match was being played.
"Too many local games before the pandemic were being played in almost cavernously empty stadiums.
"Now that we have seen rugby being played in front of full stadiums (Aotearoa), partially-populated stadiums (Australia), and closed stadiums (Europe), we are better informed on what impact having proper crowds and, therefore, a sense of occasion has on the overall product," he said.
That meant rugby officials around the world had a challenge before rugby stadiums are open to the public again. They needed to find ways of making the on-day entertainment appealing enough to attract big crowds back to stadiums.
"The future of the overall rugby business depends on it," he said.