http://www.gainline.us/ USARFU chair sketches ways for NZ to grow revenue Kevin Roberts' plan to increase New Zealand's revenue has rekindled criticism that American rugby is being ignored by its chairman. 'Ideas to Stimulate New Zealand Rugby', posted last week on Roberts' blog, aims to 'help turn the accounts the same winning color as the jerseys: black'. But the All Blacks' finances are far stronger than those of the Eagles or its parent organization, led by Roberts since 2006. USARFU's debt is now around 10 percent of annual revenue. 'Where is the US version of this plan? He has never in many years offered a brief anywhere as targeted / focused as his quick blog on NZ rugby', one veteran official said in an email. Roberts did not respond to requests for comment. Last summer, Roberts was reelected chair by USARFU's congress, which represents the seven outmoded territories. Simultaneously, Rugby Magazine reviewed the union's record since its July 2006 'restructuring'. 'Four years on, Roberts continues to do work for the New Zealand RFU [sic] while doing very little to move USA Rugby forward', it observed. In a passage notable because the publication rarely criticizes volunteer officials, longtime editor Ed Hagerty wrote: We are in need of new leadership. Kevin Roberts and the board need to be thanked and relieved of their duties. The American sporting culture is different from that of Europe or New Zealand and so we need to reverse the foreign takeover that has wasted millions in [International Rugby Board] grants and run a money-losing union that, despite a bigger budget, has had to cut back on activities for various national teams. In addition to the chair, USARFU's chief executive and national team head coach are foreign born; none are naturalized citizens. During Roberts' tenure, Boulder has adopted two strategic plans, the latest setting a target of a $12 million budget in 2012, down from the $20 million goal declared in 2007. Annual turnover is currently a bit more than $8 million. The first plan envisioned professionalizing rugby in the United States as well as a vibrant national team, while the second scales back those ambitions but persists in viewing the Eagles as rugby's engine for growth. Some of Roberts' suggestions for New Zealand, such as a 'super-amped global All Blacks community' that would attract 250,000 members at $74 each, thereby generating $18.75 million, were foreshadowed in a 100-day plan announced when Roberts was first seated on USARFU's board. America's loyalty program remains all but dormant. Elsewhere, the post talks of playing more 7s at the school and club levels, in order to 'increase our Olympic Gold medal count'. The US will hope to contest for the same 7s championship. A third objective is to 'ensure every seat is sold for every test match.... [to] make it unforgivable for a stadium manager to have an unsold seat.... Test match revenue is core. NZRU must have a "no seat left behind' attitude'. America's national team remains a loss maker. Roberts is chief executive of Saatchi & Saatchi, an advertising agency that's part of Publicis Groupe, and a past director of the NZRU. Related: Eagles bonuses more evidence of USARFU cash crunch