Who believes that RL can be the number 1 sport in the world?

[whall15]

You do realise that watching a television station doesn't affect the "ratings" unless you are part of the sample team picked for the research period?

And surely if you only watch Rugby League on that channel it therefore becomes more valuable for them because all of their other ratings are low?

 

[East Coast Tiger]

RL is already the number one sport in the world.

 

[Packy]

3. imo the game has never got close to realising its full potential. It is arguably the toughest game in the world yet we fail to market it as such for fear of scaring the mums. UFC has no such fears and look what a global phenomenon that's become!

The very large difference being most people taking up MMA are late teens or adults or at least at an age with very little parental control over them.

We need juniors from 5/6/7 and up. If we get too gory people won't allow their kids to play RL.

 

[newman]

You do realise that NRL isnt even the Number 1 game in Australia which has a piddling population of 22 million? The AFL will also give you a pretty good argument (not that I agree with them) that NRL isnt even the number 2 game here. You have to go to PNG to find a nation with it as their no 1 sport. In NZ, its miles behind Rugby U. In England, forget it.

It is absolutely unheard of in the U.S, South America, Continental Europe, Asia and Africa.

 

[Rockin Ronny]

Some facts about rugby league:
1. It is a tiny game in global terms - but is has been around for over 100 years. This is what happens when you put pocket-lining morons in charge.
2. It is now owned by a media company who wants you to sit at home and watch TV - not go to games.
3. The game sold its key asset - TV rights - for nicks and now doesn't have the dough to expand or look after the grassroots. Imbeciles.
4. The game is bringing in an indepednet commission - but retaining as CEO one of the media company executives. Duh.

No 1?
You've got to be kidding.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Um. No.

I'm happy with it being my number 1 game.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Some facts about rugby league:
1. It is a tiny game in global terms - but is has been around for over 100 years. This is what happens when you put pocket-lining morons in charge.
2. It is now owned by a media company who wants you to sit at home and watch TV - not go to games.
3. The game sold its key asset - TV rights - for nicks and now doesn't have the dough to expand or look after the grassroots. Imbeciles.
4. The game is bringing in an indepednet commission - but retaining as CEO one of the media company executives. Duh.

No 1?
You've got to be kidding.

Thats pretty much what I'd say too. On all counts.

 

[High Flyers]

Couple of points

1.the game's been around for 100 years+ not just the last 20 years like some seem to think
2.the game isn't at a all time low, that arguably happened in 1997 in Australia, 1941 in France and probably around the 1970's in England.
3. imo the game has never got close to realising its full potential. It is arguably the toughest game in the world yet we fail to market it as such for fear of scaring the mums. UFC has no such fears and look what a global phenomenon that's become!
4. Until we get serious about developing other countries and massively raising the profile of the Int game we won't realise the potential we have
5. Th next decade will see RL become the undisputed number one code in Australia (presuming the IC doesn't stuff it up!)
6. The game has always been blighted by lack of vision and quality leadership, maybe that will change, maybe not.

Thanks for the good reply; On number 3 I see in the coming years that there people will once again start to embrace the game for its raw brutatlity. People have gotten too soft these days... There needs to be a football code where people can test themselves fully.

Number 6 above is the Key for me. It seems like we have been hamstrung in this regard for a long time now. I'm aware of its resilience but the game seems to suffer from an inherent lack of confidence in its product, at least in its current form.

I personally dont need the game to be number 1 in the world or even Australia. I only really care that my team does well when you boil it all down. But I do know that to do that you need to have a successful league & network to leverage off of.

I would like the game to be seen again in the same light as it was in the 80's & 90's before the SL war. It was embraced by more than just the die hards that seem to follow the game these days.

 

[adamkungl]

If we get some decent vision from the games leaders for once we could work towards overtaking Union. Anything more is entirely ridiculous

 

[High Flyers]

Some facts about rugby league:
1. It is a tiny game in global terms - but is has been around for over 100 years. This is what happens when you put pocket-lining morons in charge.
2. It is now owned by a media company who wants you to sit at home and watch TV - not go to games.
3. The game sold its key asset - TV rights - for nicks and now doesn't have the dough to expand or look after the grassroots. Imbeciles.
4. The game is bringing in an indepednet commission - but retaining as CEO one of the media company executives. Duh.

No 1?
You've got to be kidding.

So what if 2,3,4 are all fixed? What then...? How do we achieve growth internationally?
Would you set up a league in African countries, China, India? Do you try and manage it like RU do with the Super 15 and include countries from around the region?

There are 100 days until the start of the next NRL season. In that time we should have a new commission formed & have kick started the negotiations on the next TV rights deal. Good signs that we are heading in the right direction at least.

What else do we do as supporters to further the code?

 

[Eels Dude]

So what if 2,3,4 are all fixed? What then...? How do we achieve growth internationally?
Would you set up a league in African countries, China, India? Do you try and manage it like RU do with the Super 15 and include countries from around the region?

There are 100 days until the start of the next NRL season. In that time we should have a new commission formed & have kick started the negotiations on the next TV rights deal. Good signs that we are heading in the right direction at least.

What else do we do as supporters to further the code?

All we as supporters can do is follow the game... I don't know what else you expect rugby league fans to do. Rugby League doesn't exist in places like India, China, Africa. In a perfect world where money grew on trees it could be practical to promote the game in such areas but that's completely unrealistic when you look at how small rugby league is globally and how little revenue is raised. In order for Super15 type competition you need a pre-existing international market, something RL just doesn't have so that's also completely unrealistic.

 

[Chook Norris]

If we get some decent vision from the games leaders for once we could work towards overtaking Union. Anything more is entirely ridiculous

^this. Although that itself would be a long time coming

 

[Rockin Ronny]

So what if 2,3,4 are all fixed? What then...? How do we achieve growth internationally?
Would you set up a league in African countries, China, India? Do you try and manage it like RU do with the Super 15 and include countries from around the region?

There are 100 days until the start of the next NRL season. In that time we should have a new commission formed & have kick started the negotiations on the next TV rights deal. Good signs that we are heading in the right direction at least.

What else do we do as supporters to further the code?

Nothing.

You shore up your current base by bringing in more strong teams (CC Bears, Perth) and you sort out or eliminate the weak clubs that won't survive.

You bring in competent business people to run the game and the clubs to ensure (1) TV rights are maximised and (2) club revenues are maximised - sponsorship, pad memberships/merchandise.

You look after the grassroots and grow the game sensibly in new areas once potential is established.

Day-to-day, tie in game attendance to club memberships to grow revenue BUT make gamedays more affordable.

 

[Rockin Ronny]

Oh - and kick out the Manly scum.

 

[dangerousdave]

Zero chance, Soccer, Golf and Tennis will always have it covered by a great deal.

Basketball and Cricket are above Golf and Tennis

 

[Valheru]

So the OP wants us to only watch channel 9 on FTA next year? :crazy:

 

[Valheru]

Basketball and Cricket are above Golf and Tennis

Big comment, Tennis is extremely popular in Europe, parts of North America and South America.

 

[Ozzy]

Gridiron is the undisputed #1 sport, played at both the pro and college levels, in a country of 312 million. That's roughly equal to the combined populations of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Italy, France and the entire British Isles. Again, it depends on the criteria measured here.

Rofl Football/Soccer is played in every country on every level. It sh!ts all over Gridiron in the number of players.

 

[El Diablo]

thread smells of AFL troll

it's something you'd see the nutters at Bigpoofy discuss about their game

 

[Quidgybo]

I believe the NRL has the potential to become a globally recognised major league and the dominant major competition arising from the current "Rugby" world. From that recognition it will have the opportunity to become a globally franchised competition. And then if we're very smart, very dedicated, very patient and very lucky we'll build enough mindshare to become a sport with widespread worldwide participation at all levels of the game itself.

Whether it will ever be number one in terms of players, spectators, television viewers, or money is another matter. I doubt it, but does it matter? We can still be very very big and successful without being number one.

Leigh.