Interesting article from the Illawarra Mercury about expansion

[RL The greatest game]

EXCLUSIVE: Wigan owner turns up the heat on the NRL | Illawarra Mercury

 

[carcharias]

So what’s this billionaire want?

People to fly across the planet every second week to go a game of footy?

 

[Diesel]

Interesting he mentioned 2 French teams and two north American teams, and while Toronto and NY are a long way, most of western Europe can be covered in the time it takes to fly from the east coast to NZ or WA.

Realistically, beyond NZ and Australia, you might stretch out the NRL to include a combined PI team playing out of NZ or QLD and PNG playing out of NT/FNQ.

What happened with the exhibition games to be played in Hawaii or China? No interest or just too much effort for the clubs/NRL with little to gain?

 

[titoelcolombiano]

“I believe that club rugby league, rather than international [Test] rugby league is the future of the game,” he said.

This made me shudder

 

[ed-grimley]

It appears Toronto plays in home/away blocks so they are not constantly criss-crossing the Atlantic.

 

[some11]

The NRL is responsible for not growing the game internationally ..because they haven't expanded the comp internationally?

That's what test football is for m8. Also don't forget expanding the WCC has trivialised it by making it anything other than premiers v premiers.

 

[jim_57]

Also don't forget expanding the WCC has trivialised it by making it anything other than premiers v premiers.

Except for the main game (only game this year) that is premiers v premiers.

 

[King hit]

 

[jim_57]

The English can't really take much credit for current expansion projects over there anyway.

• Toulouse have been knocking on the door since 2005, self funded and still aren't in.
• Toronto are self funded, with crowds of 7k+ yet there are still hints they won't be allowed in.
• NY, Boston etc don't even exist yet.

The RFL have had expansion bought to them on a silver platter and could still stuff it up with self interest.

When a self funded consortium comes to the NRL from an Asian city we may have something to compare to.

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

The Super League is supposed to expand from 12 back to 14 next year. If that happens Toronto and Toulouse are likely to be promoted. Then you will start to build the game in France and Canada.

The equivalent expansion for Australia is a team from PNG and another from Fiji. I cannot see an Asian team being interested because there is no amateur rugby league competition of any significance anywhere in Asia. By contrast with Asia, PNG has a massive amateur rugby league setup, while Fiji has a massive rugby union competition that can be pillaged by rugby league.

 

[colly]

The Super League is supposed to expand from 12 back to 14 next year. If that happens Toronto and Toulouse are likely to be promoted. Then you will start to build the game in France and Canada.

The equivalent expansion for Australia is a team from PNG and another from Fiji. I cannot see an Asian team being interested because there is no amateur rugby league competition of any significance anywhere in Asia. By contrast with Asia, PNG has a massive amateur rugby league setup, while Fiji has a massive rugby union competition that can be pillaged by rugby league.

Have the two teams play at home always. Australian teams play away. So their is 16 games.
Also local culture local laws and local financing. Each team Pacific and PNG given 2.5 million each.
They can have a one rate contact ie 40k pa times 30 players = 1200k
Also a semi pro comp of 4 teams to help with pathway to main players group
No Australian style players/management at all. This keeps cost down.
Now you have a game to sell that falls outside 'our NRL contract'.

 

[muzby]

The English can't really take much credit for current expansion projects

apart from:

• Botswana
• Cameroon
• Kenya
• Egypt
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Nigeria
• Zimbabwe
• Zambia
• Sierra Leone
• South Africa
• Sudan
• Uganda
• Tanzania
• America
• Canada
• Antigua
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Honduras
• Dominca
• Grenada
• Jamaica
• Trinidad & Tobago
• India
• Ceylon
• Hong Kong
• Malaysia
• Singapore
• Ireland
• Scotland
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Fiji
• Tonga
• Nauru
• Samoa
• Soloman Islans
• Tuvalu
• Antartica

but outside of that, they haven't really focussed on expansion much at all..

 

[jim_57]

apart from:

• Botswana
• Cameroon
• Kenya
• Egypt
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Nigeria
• Zimbabwe
• Zambia
• Sierra Leone
• South Africa
• Sudan
• Uganda
• Tanzania
• America
• Canada
• Antigua
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Honduras
• Dominca
• Grenada
• Jamaica
• Trinidad & Tobago
• India
• Ceylon
• Hong Kong
• Malaysia
• Singapore
• Ireland
• Scotland
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Fiji
• Tonga
• Nauru
• Samoa
• Soloman Islans
• Tuvalu
• Antartica

but outside of that, they haven't really focussed on expansion much at all..

What have any of those places done for me?