The competition has come under the spotlight as critics claim it is too compressed, there is little spectator interest and players are not improving.
Taranaki coach Colin Cooper has complained coaching a side is more about managing recovery and getting players prepared for the next game, than actually coaching them and getting them to improve their skills.
Departing Southland halfback Jimmy Cowan has said the competition has too many games in a short time span which is impacting on the quality.
Otago coach Tony Brown said everyone knew what the competition was going to be like so it was more about being prepared for what was coming.
"What you might find is that if your team is winning more than losing then you are going to find the competition more to your liking," Brown said.
"Everything became hard when you are not winning."
Brown said the short turnarounds and condensed season brought a whole lot of things into consideration as a coach.
"It is just a mixture of everything. You've got to be well prepared before the start of the season and got to recover well after games. You've got to prepare well for every game and each game you've got to get better."
Brown said the competition was tough as any side could beat another and teams had to be well prepared in every game.
Hooker Sam Anderson-Heather said yesterday players wanted to play the game rather than train.
"You do not get that time to dwell on your mistakes. You can get out there and fix them.
Players want to play. They don't want to train all the time," he said.
Otago Rugby Football Union general manager Richard Kinley said the union had been pleased with the crowds which had attended Otago's three home games.
He said the Tuesday night fixture against North Harbour, when just over 4000 had attended, was a pleasant surprise.
About 5500 had attended the match against Tasman last Sunday.
A week-day game was always tough to sell and those who had attended the Harbour match, enjoyed the spectacle, with Otago putting 50 points on North Harbour.
He said the only challenge was if games were close together then spectators might choose one over the other.
"Someone might say they are only going to go to the game on the Sunday and not go to the Tuesday night match.
You might not have that problem if you are playing on consecutive weekends," Kinley said.
"But we have got a few things in our favour. The boys are playing reasonably well, you have still got the wow factor of the stadium and it is great rugby to watch."
Kinley was at a meeting of provincial union administrators in Wellington earlier this month and said there had been negative comment about the competition structure.
But Otago did not share those concerns.
Players spoken to said they enjoyed the short trainings, and the fact games came along more quickly, Kinley said.
Another advantage was with many players needing to work fulltime, the competition shortened to just two months was more attractive to those in full employment.
A Sky TV spokeswoman said the television company did not provide ratings.
However, she said the ratings were down on last year but did not say by how much. She felt viewing could be affected by the international matches being played at the same time.
The competition changed to its condensed form last year because it had to be finished by the start of the World Cup.
It was popular with television viewers last year so it was decided to stay with midweek fixtures this year.
