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18th club, whose next?

Marlins

Juniors
Messages
1,399
Going by the vibe & media releases it seems an 18th team by 2028 is almost a certainty, And Perth does seem like the front runner. I do believe SQLD could definitely support another team between Ipswich/Logan/Southside. maybe give the Phins some time to build a decent fan base and carve out the Morten Bay & hopefully Sunshine Coast region first though. If the Phins can prove a ratings bonanza and find success on the field, they’re already one of the best sponsored sides, an 18th team might be introduced before the next tv deal. A 3rd Sunday game would be ideal, 1pm,3pm,5pm slots, which would favor Perth due to the time difference. It’ll come down to what broadcaster is willing to buy.
Fox would go bris3, NZ2, Perth in that order. I feel nine might be split between Perth/Bris3. If nine want an extra game on FTA it’ll be Perth. If Fox is paying for exclusive it could go anywhere. Either way expansion is happening which is a positive.
 

Pneuma

First Grade
Messages
5,475

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
6,620
Not only do you not know that, you literally can't know that. So why keep asserting it as if it were fact?!

Things can and do change rapidly, and pretending that the circumstances of today will never change is silly. The whole field could change so radically in the coming years and decades that even how we define "AFL heartlands" could be completely different.

Also GWS and the Suns were always going to be highly expensive long term investments. So saying they oversaturated Sydney and SEQ is kind of redundant, because that was kind of the point; put teams there now in the hope that the city and culture will grow into them in the coming decades.
It'll be at least another decade or so before it becomes obvious whether or not they are succeeding, and for all we know the AFL could be looking at more teams in multiple markets by then, but I'm not really interested in discussing that or GWS and the Suns any further (it's played out and boring).

What's the point in responding to a point if you're not going to address what was said or expand on yours in any meaningful way.

You're just repeating yourself and pretending that that is somehow profound and/or supports your assertions. I mean you haven't even named a single one of these 'many positives', odds are that they're par for the course or you're playing shit up to be something it isn't anyway, but still...
The Lions have not grown their attendances or TV ratings since the early 2000's, the Swans have not grown their attendances or TV ratings since the 90's and the Suns and Giants are basket cases. The game is already massive in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne, it can't really get any bigger. They have peaked.
 

Wb1234

Immortal
Messages
33,576
The Lions have not grown their attendances or TV ratings since the early 2000's, the Swans have not grown their attendances or TV ratings since the 90's and the Suns and Giants are basket cases. The game is already massive in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne, it can't really get any bigger. They have peaked.
Exactly
 

xe_kilroy

Juniors
Messages
319
I originally thought Perth would be 18th, but I've reconsidered something. I'm probably wrong, but the Dolphins entering, part of their job is to spread the game into the northern corridor, Sunshine Coast, which is one of the fastest growing areas in all of Australia. So I reckon the Dolphins are doing that because the ARLC's plan is for the Sunshine Coast to be the 18th team.

It won't be for a few years tho, who knows? 5-10 years?

But imo it would seem another QLD club is probably the smartest business decision. Keep leveling the NSW:QLD club ratio.

There's no urgency yet to expand into AFL territory even tho it would be nice to have a Perth team. Too many logistical, junior league etc problems with Perth right now to warrant an investment there.

QLD definitely deserves to keep having more NRL teams. State of Origin is all about NSW vs QLD, most of the RL comes from NSW and QLD. It's basically a no-brainer if puah comes to shove about where to expand

In an ideal world, NRL would have like 6 clubs from NSW, 6 from QLD, 2 from NZ, 1 Vic, 1 ACT, 1 WA, 1 PNG, maybe 1 SA. But things aren't conducive right now or for the foreseeable future for such a comp.

Unfortunately for WA too, it's the moat isolated region in Australia, and even in that ideal world comp, they'd still be about the only Western seaboard team with pretty much the other 17 along the Eastern seaboard.

However, as we've all said before, if every sport in Australia....basketball, soccer, cricket, netball, etc....can do a true national comp despite the logistical/travel issues, then why can't RL? So everything I said before is entirely disputable and I have no clue.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
69,520
I originally thought Perth would be 18th, but I've reconsidered something. I'm probably wrong, but the Dolphins entering, part of their job is to spread the game into the northern corridor, Sunshine Coast, which is one of the fastest growing areas in all of Australia. So I reckon the Dolphins are doing that because the ARLC's plan is for the Sunshine Coast to be the 18th team.

It won't be for a few years tho, who knows? 5-10 years?

But imo it would seem another QLD club is probably the smartest business decision. Keep leveling the NSW:QLD club ratio.

There's no urgency yet to expand into AFL territory even tho it would be nice to have a Perth team. Too many logistical, junior league etc problems with Perth right now to warrant an investment there.

QLD definitely deserves to keep having more NRL teams. State of Origin is all about NSW vs QLD, most of the RL comes from NSW and QLD. It's basically a no-brainer if puah comes to shove about where to expand

In an ideal world, NRL would have like 6 clubs from NSW, 6 from QLD, 2 from NZ, 1 Vic, 1 ACT, 1 WA, 1 PNG, maybe 1 SA. But things aren't conducive right now or for the foreseeable future for such a comp.

Unfortunately for WA too, it's the moat isolated region in Australia, and even in that ideal world comp, they'd still be about the only Western seaboard team with pretty much the other 17 along the Eastern seaboard.

However, as we've all said before, if every sport in Australia....basketball, soccer, cricket, netball, etc....can do a true national comp despite the logistical/travel issues, then why can't RL? So everything I said before is entirely disputable and I have no clue.
Its much more likely the NRL has a strange notion that one club can appeal to a number of areas at the same time. Making the Dolphins have no name, although reading the article on the Crushers I wonder if this was more a news ltd driven decision than a concept of a club being multi regional? The fact they see Dolphins as being able to appeal to the Sunshine Coast means in all likelihood they dont see Sunshine coast ever having a team of its own and are trying to kill two birds with one stone. Considering the Falcons said no thanks and the Sunshine Coast council has refused to fund more than one game there this year despite Dolphins desire to claim the area, its off to a rocky start!
 

xe_kilroy

Juniors
Messages
319
Its much more likely the NRL has a strange notion that one club can appeal to a number of areas at the same time. Making the Dolphins have no name, although reading the article on the Crushers I wonder if this was more a news ltd driven decision than a concept of a club being multi regional? The fact they see Dolphins as being able to appeal to the Sunshine Coast means in all likelihood they dont see Sunshine coast ever having a team of its own and are trying to kill two birds with one stone. Considering the Falcons said no thanks and the Sunshine Coast council has refused to fund more than one game there this year despite Dolphins desire to claim the area, its off to a rocky start!
Good point, that is a valid opposite take on the Dolphins push into SC -- multi-region team rather than clearing the path for SC.
 

Brian potter

First Grade
Messages
5,308
Don’t think the 18th team will be in south east Queensland unless either the dolphins redevelop dolphin oval to a stadium with a capacity of 20-25k or there’s a new 20k stadium built in Ipswich or Logan.
 

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