Gallop pleads with Saints to move Home Final - $250k carrot

[Timmah]

9's Late news just showed tomorrow's front page of the Telegraph - it showed a picture of Hayne and Soward with the headline "FIRST FOR SPORT - $250,000 offer to move final".

I imagine an article will be up soon, but it should be interesting...

 

[adamkungl]

the merge fans will be up in arms....Doust will be licking his lips

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

The Tele is running a concerted campaign to destabilise them.

Whats behind the headline?

 

[Timmah]

I think the story is put on the Tele website around 12:45 or so...

 

[mickdo]

Too late to move it now :lol:

 

[andrew057]

Too late to move it now :lol:

Lets hope not. Money talks.

 

[Eels Dude]

The Tele is running a concerted campaign to destabilise them.

Whats behind the headline?

ANZ are probably offering them a big cash wad to move their semi there, as opposed to having it at a capacity 18k at Kogarah.

 

[Hanscholo]

Yea why not play it at a park oval instead of an 85k seat stadium. And people wonder why the best sport in the world goes nowhere.

 

[Timmah]

Too late to move it now :lol:

It said "Saints final" not tonight's R26 game.

 

[Timmah]

 

[mickdo]

It said "Saints final" not tonight's R26 game.

Ah, ok. Well that's a very different story.

 

[mickdo]

ANZ are probably offering them a big cash wad to move their semi there, as opposed to having it at a capacity 18k at Kogarah.

Taxpayers in other words. They still get subsidised to the s***house by the state government don't they?

 

[El Diablo]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26022684-5012431,00.html

NRL talks to Dragons over venue switch

Brent Read and Margie McDonald | September 04, 2009
Article from: The Australian

THE NRL has asked St George Illawarra to sacrifice its greatest reward for a season of success -- home-ground advantage in the first week of the finals.

Chief executive David Gallop yesterday confirmed talks had begun with the Dragons over the prospect of shifting next week's qualifying final from Jubilee Oval to a bigger venue, most likely the Sydney Football Stadium.

"We support the idea of the team getting the home-ground advantage unless they can be compensated," Gallop said. "We started to talk to the Dragons about that this week."

Should the Dragons agree, it would represent a significant concession. The club has lost only once at home this season -- in round six against Newcastle.

It is understood the NRL has made the move more attractive by offering St George Illawarra a substantial cut of revenue from the match.

However, any financial incentive would be balanced against what the Dragons would lose. Not only would they risk disenfranchising supporters and corporate backers, but the move would also remove a significant on-field advantage.

Gallop said a decision would be made over the weekend. "They're going to consider it, but their focus at the moment is on Friday night," he said.

"Obviously there's potential for a lot of fans to miss out (at Jubilee). There's a revenue opportunity there for both us and the club."

Jubilee Oval, which holds about 20,000 people, will be bursting at the seams tonight when the Dragons host Parramatta in their final game of the regular season.

Should the two meet again in the first week of the finals -- a possibility pending other results -- another sell-out would be on the cards.

However, if the NRL successfully convinced the Dragons to move the game to the SFS, a crowd in excess of 30,000 could be expected.

It's not unreasonable to suggest the ground could be sold out. Four years ago, the Dragons met Wests Tigers in the preliminary final at the SFS before more than 41,000 fans.

Any move is likely to be contingent on who the Dragons meet in the first week of the finals. Switching to the SFS is unlikely to be justified if the Dragons meet Newcastle, Penrith or Manly.

News of the NRL's desire to move the game came as St George Illawarra coach Wayne Bennett renewed his opposition to the McIntyre finals system, claiming it did not reward consistency throughout the season.

Under the McIntyre system, only first and second are guaranteed to survive week one of the finals.

"I think it's unfair on the top teams," Bennett, the six-time premiership-winning coach, said.

The Dragons topped the NRL ladder for the majority of the year, only slipping last weekend when their third successive loss saw them drop to second. They could go as low as third should they lose tonight and Gold Coast beat Manly tomorrow night.

"At the moment if you finish first, you play eighth and eighth could be the better team right now than two or three. There's no reward," Bennett said.

"I like one plays four; two plays three and let the others battle it out at the other end."

 

[Timmah]

NRL boss David Gallop offers $250,000 incentive to Dragons to move semi final to SFS

• Exclusive by Phil Rothfield
• From: The Daily Telegraph
• September 04, 2009 12:00AM

Wants Dragons to move semi to SFS...NRL boss David Gallop. Source: The Daily Telegraph





THE NRL has called on St George Illawarra to surrender home-ground advantage at Kogarah Oval in next weekend's first finals matches to prevent 28,000 fans from being locked out of the game.

Chief executive David Gallop phoned Dragons boss Peter Doust yesterday to offer a financial incentive of up to $250,000 to quit Kogarah and move to the Sydney Football Stadium.
It would be the first time a club has given up a home-ground advantage in semi-final football since the top four sides earned the right to play at home.
The Daily Telegraph has campaigned for the semi-final to be moved because the Dragons have denied thousands of supporters from Parramatta's blue and gold army from attending tonight's blockbuster at Kogarah Oval.
The move was intended to reward loyal red and white season ticket-holders but has caused a storm of controversy with St George Illawarra juniors holding free passes being denied access along with Eels fans.
The NRL is not prepared to allow it to happen two weeks in a row.
Gallop will have further talks with the Dragons that will likely involve coach Wayne Bennett tomorrow.
"We support St George's decision to play this Friday night game against Parramatta at Kogarah Oval," Gallop told the The Daily Telegraph.
"They are looking after their members and corporates.
"But next week is a different proposition altogether. We have had discussions with Peter Doust about moving the game.
"At this stage they are just focussing on the Eels match and that's understandable.
"But the bottom line is we want to see as many fans as possible at our semi-finals while acknowledging the homeground advantage is an important part of our finals."
Moving the game from Kogarah, which can seat 18,000, to the SFS with a 46,000-capacity would generate a $1 million gate - adding $600,000 to NRL coffers.
But St George would receive up to 40 per cent of the extra sales - or $250,000.
Dragons sources have revealed the club has not dismissed the idea of moving the game and will obviously be heavily influenced by Bennett.
The encouraging sign is that the six-time premier coach has previously moved a final in the best interests of rugby league.
Back in 2004, his Broncos side was set down to play the Cowboys at the Sydney Football Stadium in a semi-final but Bennett agreed for the match to be transferred to the Cowboys' homeground in Townsville to get a bigger crowd.
It was sold-out and the NRL threw in $200,000 to compensate the SCG Trust for losing the game.
A full-house at the Sydney Football Stadium would generate around $800,000 in gate-takings - more than double what can be earned from Kogarah Oval.


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...emi-final-to-sfs/story-e6frexnr-1225769317791

 

[El Diablo]

why not. good money and better for the fans

but what if it doesn't end up Dragons v Eels?

what if it's Dragons v Manly?

can't imagine that being a massive crowd puller

 

[Firey_Dragon]

I really hope the club doesn't buckle to this pressure and keeps the game at Kogarah. If the NRL wants take large crowds for finals, then scrap the home venue option for top teams and have games played at certain venues. The titans and storm will both have strong home ground advantages, in venues that aren't all that big... Why should we not have that opportunity?

 

[Eelementary]

Why not offer another incentive that isn't financial?

Just, for example: let's say they move the game to the SFS or whatever in week one of the finals and they lose. Now, obviously the top two can't be eliminated in week one. And they'd still get a handsome financial reward out of it. But why not add another cherry on top - say, allowing them to choose one of two opponents to play after their bye week?

It's probably a silly idea, but the general concept I am trying to get across is that I feel it would benefit the game to move these big matches to big venues - and clubs may feel it is more worthwhile if they had financial incentive as well as compensation for giving away their home ground advantage.

 

[myanonymoususername]

If I were in the Dragons shoes, I'd be asking for a bigger share of the extra $600k gate from moving the game, like $500k of it. I'd also be asking the NRL to guarantee it - so I'd get it regardless of the crowd size.

 

[STG-Dragon]

Were damned if we do and damned if we don't! But what is more important winning or cash? I say winning and looking after your fan base.

 

[bileduct]

Do what's best for the game and move it.

They've already choked anyway.