17 teams and a bye every week

[mongoose]

I

PNG has near double the population of NZ. And most of those are league followers.

you think PNG wouldn't be a financial drain? lol

 

[Perth Tiger]

I would give it 2 years before the same idiot talking heads currently talking about not enough talent will be bitching and moaning about how terrible having a bye each week is.

Although knowing the NRL they would be more likely to then cut a team rather than go to 18

 

[flippikat]

I would give it 2 years before the same idiot talking heads currently talking about not enough talent will be bitching and moaning about how terrible having a bye each week is.

Although knowing the NRL they would be more likely to then cut a team rather than go to 18

Hehehe.. you're probably not wrong.

The perverse thing is, the team that's cut would probably be the Titans (what with the combined lobbying power of Sydney clubs safeguarding them), with Brisbane 2 playing the odd token home game on the GC to keep their stadium from being a complete white elephant.

 

[flippikat]

PNG has near double the population of NZ. And most of those are league followers.

Ahh but population isn't disposable income. That's the drawback for PNG/Pacific Islands.

 

[Perth Red]

Adding 2 extra teams at the same time creates a feeding frenzy in the player market with two new teams throwing money around like sailors on shore leave and driving up contracts..Not even moneybags AFL brought in their 2 new expansion teams at once..

It makes sense to move to 17 teams first and then add the 18th team at a later time..

However, would like to see the 18th team say 2 years later...I’m hoping that this is the first step in a plan for real expansion..

difference is they actually had a strategy and plan to have two teams in for the next tv deal. Yes they staggered them but it was always the plan to have the ninth game content to sell.

 

[adamkungl]

Hehehe.. you're probably not wrong.

The perverse thing is, the team that's cut would probably be the Titans (what with the combined lobbying power of Sydney clubs safeguarding them), with Brisbane 2 playing the odd token home game on the GC to keep their stadium from being a complete white elephant.

Expand in SEQLD
Cut SEQLD team
Complain we need another team in SEQLD
Repeat in 10 years

 

[taipan]

difference is they actually had a strategy and plan to have two teams in for the next tv deal. Yes they staggered them but it was always the plan to have the ninth game content to sell.

Well their strategy so far ,with GWS and GC has cost a pretty penny, their TV ratings in their respective areas crap, and they had to put huge sums in to GWS to them them a near G/F win.Their crowds less said.
Strategies can end up being an albatross around one's neck.

 

[flippikat]

Expand in SEQLD
Cut SEQLD team
Complain we need another team in SEQLD
Repeat in 10 years

Well yeah.

With 17 teams, we're running the risk that a team could easily be cut with minimal disruption to TV schedules.

If it was 18 clubs, then the requirement for 9 games per weekend to fulfill broadcasting commitments means the NRL has zero 'wiggle room' to do something like that.

The chances are it won't be a Sydney club that falls off the top tier (as a bloc, there would be resistance from their crosstown peers)....

 

[The Great Dane]

I'm afraid I disagree with you. Maybe V'landys could have used a bit more tact but if they cant afford it then I totally agree with what he said.

They are a multi billion dollar business, it's bloody ridiculous to suggest that they can't afford it.

But lets say that we accept that they can't afford to expand outside of the eastern seaboard, then they should be cutting back on the wastage in Sydney not stunting the growth of the sport nationally.

 

[The Great Dane]

I would give it 2 years before the same idiot talking heads currently talking about not enough talent will be bitching and moaning about how terrible having a bye each week is.

Although knowing the NRL they would be more likely to then cut a team rather than go to 18

There'll be articles in the Daily Telegraph about how the weekly bye is a 'free kick' to other sports before the first season with 17 clubs even starts.

 

[Last Week]

is there? With three qnland teams already a 4th one isnt going to give much extra fta games is it? Maybe you can all look forward to Broncos every Friday night and Brisbane2 every Sunday, that’ll please everyone lol

It might be annoying to the fans, but Nine have openly come out and said that having Brisbane playing is a plus to their ratings.

A second Brisbane team will increase the likely hood of a Brisbane team in matches on F2A.

It's crap, I know, but that's what Channel 9 have indicated is their preference.

 

[Mr Angry]

Ahhh the Clayton's expansion, the expansion you have when you're not really expanding.

 

[adamkungl]

There'll be articles in the Daily Telegraph about how the weekly bye is a 'free kick' to other sports before the first season with 17 clubs even starts.

Tbh byes are neither here nor there. Who cares if you can't watch your team for 1 week. Only insane people get upset about this shit.
But it just seems like a waste to expand without the extra game/timeslot paying for it, and to go with Brisbane over a new city market.
I'm in favour of Brisbane alongside Perth, not instead of.

 

[The Great Dane]

It might be annoying to the fans, but Nine have openly come out and said that having Brisbane playing is a plus to their ratings.

A second Brisbane team will increase the likely hood of a Brisbane team in matches on F2A.

It's crap, I know, but that's what Channel 9 have indicated is their preference.

I don't believe for a second that Nine would refuse to pay for extra content if the NRL was insistent on expanding, sport is basically the only thing on TV that's ratings are remaining relatively consistent, if they don't have sport then pretty soon they won't have anything. But let's say that Nine did refuse to stump up for the extra content, I'm sure that there're plenty of other broadcasters that'd be interested.

But beside that, it's the NRL's job is to do what is best for the NRL and the sport it's self, not what is best for Nine.

 

[flippikat]

Tbh byes are neither here nor there. Who cares if you can't watch your team for 1 week. Only insane people get upset about this shit.
But it just seems like a waste to expand without the extra game/timeslot paying for it, and to go with Brisbane over a new city market.
I'm in favour of Brisbane alongside Perth, not instead of.

Precisely.

As said on this board many times, several sports leagues with less money & resources than the NRL have a team in Perth, and have made it work from a financial AND player welfare angle.

The rhetoric from V'landys is destructive and inward-looking. I have to admit, he's being honest and up front about where the NRLs priorities lie (a change from previous administrations who have praised Perth, but did little to progress expansion there, sure) - but it's still wrong when you have so many other leagues actively broadening their reach.

 

[The Great Dane]

Tbh byes are neither here nor there. Who cares if you can't watch your team for 1 week. Only insane people get upset about this shit.
But it just seems like a waste to expand without the extra game/timeslot paying for it, and to go with Brisbane over a new city market.
I'm in favour of Brisbane alongside Perth, not instead of.

You say that but remember last time there was a weekly bye, a lot of people went insane pretty quickly.

 

[The Great Dane]

Precisely.

As said on this board many times, several sports leagues with less money & resources than the NRL have a team in Perth, and have made it work from a financial AND player welfare angle.

The rhetoric from V'landys is destructive and inward-looking. I have to admit, he's being honest and up front about where the NRLs priorities lie (a change from previous administrations who have praised Perth, but did little to progress expansion there, sure) - but it's still wrong when you have so many other leagues actively broadening their reach.

There're several sports leagues with practically no money or resources that make national competitions work.

 

[adamkungl]

I don't believe for a second that Nine would refuse to pay for extra content if the NRL was insistent on expanding, sport is basically the only thing on TV that's ratings are remaining relatively consistent, if they don't have sport then pretty soon they won't have anything. But let's say that Nine did refuse to stump up for the extra content, I'm sure that there're plenty of other broadcasters that'd be interested.

But beside that, it's the NRL's job is to do what is best for the NRL and the sport it's self, not what is best for Nine.

To add to this.

Obviously existing broadcasters will talk down anything that requires them to up their bill.
Australian TV is a declining industry. They've got their niche with the current set up which is keeping them afloat.
Regardless of their public statements, they would LOVE the extra capital city and extra timeslot if it was just handed to them, but they know it will introduce more competition into the market and they'll either have to up their spend or lose it.

 

[mongoose]

I've been thinking about what is driving the NRL's decision making and I'm sure Fox and Nine are having some input but I wonder if the NRL isn't keen on Perth because they don't want to spoil state of origin? Start adding teams outside of NSW/QLD and the origin concept becomes diluted. It's already being diluted with several of our best players from NZ and UK. Origin is League's big cash cow and probably a bigger marquee event than NRL grand final. I love Origin but I wonder if the thinking from the NRL is that it's a choice: a big State of Origin series or expansion?

 

[tri_colours]

They are a multi billion dollar business, it's bloody ridiculous to suggest that they can't afford it.

But lets say that we accept that they can't afford to expand outside of the eastern seaboard, then they should be cutting back on the wastage in Sydney not stunting the growth of the sport nationally.

There a multi million dollar buiness and would like to remain that way .