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WARL warn Perth: Jim Beam Cup support is crucial for NRL bid

NK Arsenal

Juniors
Messages
1,844
Bill Nosworthy has a sound warning for the people of Perth, support the Reds in the Jim Beam Cup and the likelihood of NRL games increases, don't and the foundations of WA Rugby League are in jeopardy.

Nosworthy, speaking to Austadiums.com, talked about the plans for the new Jim Beam Cup and suggested that corporate support will only come when the general public legitimise the team.

"We need to gain public support before we get the corporate support...The Force have become successful, because they have had public support and this has proven attractive to the corporate market".

It’s for this reason why it’s absolutely crucial that the people of Perth support the NRL bid, particularly when Nosworthy noted that the NRL are generally hesitant of granting NRL teams. "The number one issue, even with the Gold Coast, was grass roots support, the biggest objection (for granting a license) was grass roots support".

Thus support for the Reds is crucial, South Sydney coming over will bring more exposure to League out west, which apparently are walk up attendees. "Rugby League watchers are generally match day watchers...we really do not know what the average will be".

While WARL are budgeting for crowds of 2000 they are hoping that with a bit of success they hope to gather a Perth Glory type crowd. "We are budgeting 2000, but we would hope to get to a Perth Glory type crowd".

Nosworthy believes that part of the reason of South Sydney coming to Western Australia was the desire of the AFL to move into Western Sydney and Gold Coast. "It was partly the reason...the NRL have not funded any of it to my understanding".

Accordingly Peter Bauchop who is bidding to have South Sydney play at Members Equity Stadium said that South Sydney can see the revenue potential. "They have seen our market and also Peter Holmes A Court has a general affinity to Western Australia".

The WA Reds will be a separate board and budget to the WARL, so the grass roots will not suffer and will be completely separate to the functions the WARL do in running the code in Western Australia.

However with aggressive ambitions, comes a price. Nosworthy admits that financially, the WARL are suffering. "Peter Bauchop and Allia have been terrific in listening to our concerns...what our argument would be is that the KPI's Allia and Town of Vincent have set are too high".

"It is way too high for a state organisation to pay. Minimum license fee of $6000, small commission of food and beverages...If you look at the stadium how many community events are held here? Lacrosse were going to come here, but they can not afford it, Rugby Union curtain raiser before the spirit game ran at a loss...it just needs to be affordable".

Bauchop explains that they set the costings at the lowest level of the KPI figures of 0.5% and that it loses money on holding the games which are subsidised by the hire prices that major concerts spend at Members Equity.

"We would have to play 200 games a year to get any revenue from Rugby League...we have been independently assessed by Escom as doing more for our tenants than most other stadium's in the country...and that we should be losing money on the rights we have given to them".

Bauchop advises that WARL needs a large money spinning event that will bring much needed cash to the table "What I would suggest to the WARL would be to bring an event that would be a money maker for them".

While he believes that larger government grants to emerging sports would help, Bauchop suggests that the commercial reality means that the costs would not get any cheaper anywhere else.

"You have got to take the step up to a semi professional level...the reality is you are playing at a stadium not a park".

Nosworthy said that membership is not running as fast as expected, which they claim is mainly due to the nature of League supporters, deciding on game day. Yet he noted that the dependence on the Rugby League supporters to go was integral for the viability of the sport in Western Australia and any possible NRL teams.

"It is a lot slower then what we expected, but League supporters are generally not membership based supporters... However we need to make sure we get the grass roots support, to show that we are legitimate to the corporate world".


http://www.austadiums.com/news/news.php?id=359

I agree. Public support is the most important thing at this stage.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
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65,906
TBf I think they are dreaming if they think they are going to get 7000 for amateur RL. The support fo the Reds will not be any true indication of the support for a NRL team anymore than the support for Chester Hill reflects the Canterbury Bulldogs support level. The support of the sth's games will be a much better indicator and if we don't get around the 15-20,000 mark I will be disappointed.

Disappointing that memberships are not being taken up but running on such a tight budget means they can not advertise as strongly as is needed. The Force have been so succesful because the ARU strongly supported the WARU in establishing the game in Perth. Until the NRL do similiar, the WARL are always going to be battling to make a dent in the perth sports scene.

Re Members Equity stadium, it has always been massively overpriced. One of the reasons the Force refuse to play there and why the Glory got into a financial mess. Unfortunately the MES SMC would rather have an empty stadium than it be used at a lower cost.

Good luck Reds and keep up the WAR!
 

S.S.T.I.D

Bench
Messages
3,641
I thought memberships had been going reasonably well.

And, in my opinion, 2,000 should be the very limit of expectations crowd wise at this stage.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,906
A World Cup game would have been a start but lets not go there!

I am thinking 1500-2000 would be a realisitc crowd in the first couple of seasons. I hope we don't get too hung up on the Reds crowd size as a measure of a NRL franchise vaibility. As said little money = little public awareness and there is alot of sports competition in Perth. I can alomost guarantee the Reds will be the best supported team in the JB cup and Q'land cup when they move up. Things like media improvement, corporate interest, attendances for NRL or test matches etc will be the litmus test for a NRL franchise over the next 5 years.

My only hope is that the Reds are given the support and chance they need to get established. If they fold that will be it for RL in WA for the next 20 years imo. Time for the NRL to decide if WA is important or not to the future of RL.
 

Kurt Angle

First Grade
Messages
9,650
It's a pity the situation wasn't sorted out at Joondalup for a proper rectangular ground.

I used to play for Moorebank, I know what Chester Hills ground is like.

Any number of the local WARl ground would have done, I think Joondalups is best serviced by public transport and size of the car park.

But it would have been feasible for the Reds ame to rotate and be hosted after WARL fixtures.

Big rents at ME stadium isn't going to be good.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,906
Swings and roundabouts though Kurt. Playing at WARL grounds would have seen the Reds getting around 500.

They have made a statement about the "profesionalism" of the club by playing at MES and seeing as they are aiming to be in the NRL it had to be done imo. No way they would be able to generate corproate partnerships without playing at MES. Main worry is if they are relying on crowd income it is a bit dicey. MES needs a kick up the backside to make it more available. Would like to see the State Govt buy it out and redevelop for the three rectangular codes.
 

Nuke

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
5,014
It'll happen. I bet my life on it. They simply can't have aussie rules playing in anything other than the best the state can afford ... heavens above, they just can't have that!
 
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