Penrith in negotiations to play premiership matches in Hobart

[roofromoz]

PENRITH are looking to make a second home in Tasmania.

The Panthers are in negotiations with Tasmania's State Government about playing games for premiership points in Hobart, most likely Blundstone Arena or North Hobart Oval.

It is believed the deal would be similar to AFL premier's Hawthorn for four home games in Launceston, but without the sponsorship component, and would include growing the sport of rugby league in Tasmania.

Tourism Minister Scott Bacon confirmed a meeting with the Panthers last Thursday, where the Penrith representatives presented a proposal that would see the club play one fixture game in Tasmania in 2014 through to 2017.

``The Government has referred the proposal to Events Tasmania for an assessment against rigorous criteria around numbers and duration of stay by visitors and potential for broader community benefits,'' Mr Bacon said.

``The Government is a strong support of Events and has prioritised funding for events that occur in traditionally slower winter months and stimulate the local economy.

``We have to ensure that support for events provides a value for money investment.''

Hobart has had a small taste of NRL recently with great success.


In February 2012, North Hobart hosted a full strength practice game between the Melbourne Storm and the Brisbane Broncos that attracted about 14,000 spectators to Tasmania's spiritual home of Australian rules football.

Fox Sports

Nice. Hopefully this comes to fruition.

 

[muzby]

Would be good to grow the game in tassie..

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Great for the game. Id say play more games outside NSW, QLD, and ACT.

That crowd in 2012 was a sell out too.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Hope it comes to fruition, always like the game spread out to other states.

 

[Lockyer4President!]

Great news!

 

[joshreading]

Great!!!

All NRL teams should have secondary homes in my opinion. The day of single Location teams will start to fade especially for those teams in smaller or competitive environments.

 

[Stagger Lee]

Can't we just send the Sharks instead seeing as Perth does not want them?

 

[parraparraparra]

Looks of sharks in Tassie

 

[TeamSatan]

Grow the game in Tasmania...who cares?

Honestly Tassie is the unkempt backwater of the nation.

I thought their population was decreasing anyway.

If they do take a home game there then gus had better compensate me for that percentage of my panthers membership...a few hours at the local thai massage would be nice.

 

[Timbo]

That's good news.

Bellerive Oval is having an upgrade now for AFL, which would benefit league in regards to change rooms, broadcast facilities and corporate facilities (the ones that already exist for cricket are not oriented properly for league).

 

[Diesel]

It's good to see the NRL/Panthers get in on AFL turf and make some in roads, the trail a few years back was a success, hopefully the Panthers build on this

I'm sure they'll be a much better success during one week in Tassie than GWS can do all season in Sydney

 

[carlosthedwarf]

Fantastic news, we should be playing in every state anyway.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

If the NRL organised and compensated this properly over a 5 year period, and all 8 Sydney teams took their HOME game vs Melbourne to Hobart, it'd be a corker.

Same could be said if all 8 Sydney teams took their NZ Warriors game to Perth AND Gold Coast Titans games to Cairns (or whatever QLD regional area you wanted).

 

[mxlegend99]

Grow the game in Tasmania...who cares?

Honestly Tassie is the unkempt backwater of the nation.

I thought their population was decreasing anyway.

If they do take a home game there then gus had better compensate me for that percentage of my panthers membership...a few hours at the local thai massage would be nice.

They already priced the memberships based on 11 home games.

 

[mxlegend99]

Also... I may be biased. But how good is Gus doing? Like him or not, he is actively doing his best to make the Panthers the best they can be, and where possible trying to help the NRL as a whole.

Not every opinion of his is going to be right or popular. But the guy definitely knows his shit and has some great ideas. Not sure how he will leave the Panthers in the long run, but his motives are atleast good for the game. He does so much to try and increase the reach of the NRL, and to try and one up the AFL where we compete directly. Hopefully we can get to a point where every team takes a home game each year on the road. Increase the fanbase of the NRL, and stick it to the AFL a bit. One home game isn't a huge loss for each team, but 16 (at the moment) games being played in potential future NRL areas each year is a pretty big impact IMO. Even if we looked at just 8 areas that are future development areas and took 2 games to each. When we finally expand we can have 18 to 20 teams doing it.

 

[sharknows]

So would the admission price be per head or per person?

 

[Foreign Legion]

sounds like a winner!

 

[King Tigerman]

If the NRL organised and compensated this properly over a 5 year period, and all 8 Sydney teams took their HOME game vs Melbourne to Hobart, it'd be a corker.

Same could be said if all 8 Sydney teams took their NZ Warriors game to Perth AND Gold Coast Titans games to Cairns (or whatever QLD regional area you wanted).

SO YOU DONT WANT ANY GAMES IN SYDNEY BY THE SOUNDS OF IT

in the next few years when the big games are at homebush or moore park these games will remain at the traditiional grounds most likely in front of big crowds
also having a side play 8 away games in the 1 city would make them into the home team which is unfair

 

[Stagger Lee]

So would the admission price be per head or per person?

:lol:

Nice

 

[Perth Red]

SO YOU DONT WANT ANY GAMES IN SYDNEY BY THE SOUNDS OF IT

in the next few years when the big games are at homebush or moore park these games will remain at the traditiional grounds most likely in front of big crowds
also having a side play 8 away games in the 1 city would make them into the home team which is unfair

Me thinks you have misunderstood! Each team could take two games away and then chosen cities could see a team play 8 games effectively creating a second home without relocation

Ie in Perth
Sth's v warriors
Manly v warriors
Wests v warriors etc etc

Perth becomes warriors second home