Day of Rockening
Juniors
- Messages
- 109
There's a big world out there if you choose to take a punt
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/new...-to-take-a-punt/2008/08/08/1218139082481.html
Brad Walter | August 9, 2008
THE All Blacks versus the Kangaroos, taking an Origin match to Hong Kong, and developing a hybrid rules game with the NFL are just some of the suggestions for how rugby league can improve its global pulling power and increase revenue.
"With most other sports, the epicentre of their game is international, and soccer is probably the best example of that, but with rugby league the epicentre is the competition in Australia so we need to make it more globally appealing," Manly co-owner Scott Penn says.
Penn - the CEO of Penn Sport, a sports marketing, management and entertainment company - was in Hong Kong on his way to Beijing for last night's Olympic Games opening ceremony when the Herald contacted him. He said Australia's population of 21 million meant our sporting bodies had to look offshore to dramatically boost income.
"We've got too small a population to be able to rely on income streams from our own backyard," Penn said. "I honestly believe that we have the best sporting product but what we have to do is take that spectacle to the world.
"Whether that means having closer ties to rugby union given that they have greater international appeal, I'm not sure. But it's maybe something we have to look at.
"Americans love the gladiatorial aspect of our game so maybe they would be interested in getting some sort of hybrid game going like the AFL do with Gaelic football. Perhaps we could play some no-pads games against NFL players in big stadiums in the US. I'm sure a lot of US fans would love to see that."
While some ideas seem radical, league in Britain changed from winter to summer in 1996 and has gone from strength to strength since.
Another success has been the annual Magic Weekend, during which an entire round of Super League has been played in Cardiff. Manly chief executive Grant Mayer has proposed the NRL adopt the idea and play a round in Brisbane next year - although with Viva Macau airline as one of the club's jersey sponsors, the Sea Eagles would support a Macau Magic weekend.
More crucial to boosting clubs' finances is increasing the number of members or season ticket-holders, which, when combined, equate to just eight per cent of the AFL's 570,000 members.
With 49,000 members paying an average of about $150 each, the Adelaide Crows have an income of approximately $7.2 million from season ticket sales and are guaranteed a full house every time they play at home.
In comparison, the 16 NRL teams boast a total of about 70,000 members between them. South Sydney membership manager Paul Grzanka, who was recruited from the Sydney Swans, said that presented a massive opportunity for clubs that have traditionally relied on poker machine income.
"In 1995 the Swans had about 5500 members and they've now got 27,000, so they were in a similar position to most NRL clubs," Grzanka said. "The biggest thing is to educate the supporters that membership is about being a ticketed member of the football club and that means a season ticket-holder for all home games. Leagues club membership that costs $5 or $10 is to get you cheap beer and maybe a feed on your birthday."
Brad Walter
Its great in the wider league community too, having now just identified problems, are dreaming up ways of solving them.
DOR: providing solutions since 1998, as Aussie Cull.
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/new...-to-take-a-punt/2008/08/08/1218139082481.html
Brad Walter | August 9, 2008
THE All Blacks versus the Kangaroos, taking an Origin match to Hong Kong, and developing a hybrid rules game with the NFL are just some of the suggestions for how rugby league can improve its global pulling power and increase revenue.
"With most other sports, the epicentre of their game is international, and soccer is probably the best example of that, but with rugby league the epicentre is the competition in Australia so we need to make it more globally appealing," Manly co-owner Scott Penn says.
Penn - the CEO of Penn Sport, a sports marketing, management and entertainment company - was in Hong Kong on his way to Beijing for last night's Olympic Games opening ceremony when the Herald contacted him. He said Australia's population of 21 million meant our sporting bodies had to look offshore to dramatically boost income.
"We've got too small a population to be able to rely on income streams from our own backyard," Penn said. "I honestly believe that we have the best sporting product but what we have to do is take that spectacle to the world.
"Whether that means having closer ties to rugby union given that they have greater international appeal, I'm not sure. But it's maybe something we have to look at.
"Americans love the gladiatorial aspect of our game so maybe they would be interested in getting some sort of hybrid game going like the AFL do with Gaelic football. Perhaps we could play some no-pads games against NFL players in big stadiums in the US. I'm sure a lot of US fans would love to see that."
While some ideas seem radical, league in Britain changed from winter to summer in 1996 and has gone from strength to strength since.
Another success has been the annual Magic Weekend, during which an entire round of Super League has been played in Cardiff. Manly chief executive Grant Mayer has proposed the NRL adopt the idea and play a round in Brisbane next year - although with Viva Macau airline as one of the club's jersey sponsors, the Sea Eagles would support a Macau Magic weekend.
More crucial to boosting clubs' finances is increasing the number of members or season ticket-holders, which, when combined, equate to just eight per cent of the AFL's 570,000 members.
With 49,000 members paying an average of about $150 each, the Adelaide Crows have an income of approximately $7.2 million from season ticket sales and are guaranteed a full house every time they play at home.
In comparison, the 16 NRL teams boast a total of about 70,000 members between them. South Sydney membership manager Paul Grzanka, who was recruited from the Sydney Swans, said that presented a massive opportunity for clubs that have traditionally relied on poker machine income.
"In 1995 the Swans had about 5500 members and they've now got 27,000, so they were in a similar position to most NRL clubs," Grzanka said. "The biggest thing is to educate the supporters that membership is about being a ticketed member of the football club and that means a season ticket-holder for all home games. Leagues club membership that costs $5 or $10 is to get you cheap beer and maybe a feed on your birthday."
Brad Walter
Its great in the wider league community too, having now just identified problems, are dreaming up ways of solving them.
DOR: providing solutions since 1998, as Aussie Cull.
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