Daily Telegraph Article Today - Gallop For Expansion

[imasharkie]

New Zealand television provides 1/5th of the competition's television income ($20m per year compared to $80m generated from Australia) even though NZ only provides 1/16th of the teams. It is the third biggest Rugby League market in the southern hemisphere behind NSW and Qld, and is light years ahead of the next biggest (Vic or WA). As a professional sports league with operating costs of more than $100m per year and struggling to financially match rival codes, the NRL would be stupid to ignore that market.

Leigh.

Fair enough.

 

[Loudstrat]

The other extreme is just to totally bite the bullet. Say, okay Sydney there are going to be 4 brand new clubs. New names, new logos, everything. Existing clubs all get demoted to a Sydney comp. Fans can still follow them if they wish but that is it.

That frees up the comp to move wherever they want. Extra Brisbane team, Perth, Wellington, central QLD, PNG. BANG!

Decimate a market of over 4 million so you can bring in Central Queensland - home to 15 cane farmers. Genius.

Of course, it wouldn't be popular in Sydney but if the quality of the game is good enough, people will come on board.

The demoted Sydney comp would still field the Test side.

What is more important, your club or the game?

Burning you at the stake.

I reckon Superleague wasn't the problem. The problem was that there was a war between Superleague and the ARL, and then worst of all, a compromise.

If Superleague had won without a fight, rugby league in Australia would probably be in a better position today compared to the NRL.

No. GWS would have started a decade earlier, and Super League would be in merger talks with Union by now.

 

[bobmar28]

That thinking was called superleauge, which almost crippled the game..

How about before you destroy the code, we wait and see the outcome of the independent commission and the new TV deal...

Lots of If’s, but should the revenue be around 1 billion, the NRL coffers will be able to grow the brand without killing off the whole Sydney NRL market..

Just merge a couple of Sydney teams.

 

[Western_Eel]

Just merge a couple of Sydney teams.

Agree

 

[Feej]

Just merge a couple of Sydney teams.

Agree

As long as it's not "my team"...... :roll:

 

[Doomednow]

As long as it's not "my team"...... :roll:

Agreed. Good luck doing anything of the sort. Its fine for people outside of Sydney to call for removing or merging Sydney teams, but as a fan would they support their team being compromised in such a way?

Which teams would you even suggest? These are teams with established histories, rivalries, and fanbases.

 

[lockyrulz]

Decimate a market of over 4 million so you can bring in Central Queensland - home to 15 cane farmers. Genius

So 4 NRL teams and a thriving NSWRL comp is somehow decimating Sydney? Anyone ever told you you speak a load of horse sh*t?

The demoted Sydney comp would still field the Test side.

Watched origin lately?

 

[Pikosaurus]

Gee some strong opinions in this thread, i enjoyed reading it until the arguments ensued. But my 2 cents go like this.

Western Reds: A no brainer. It was focussed on that all existing NRL fans already have fox? or other existing possible AFL fans that would convert do also? What a closed minded opinion. Ofcourse a team in Perth would boost television numbers there! you will have new fans, a growth in Foxtel subscribers! But not just that! there is more than 1 NRL telecast provider, and Channel 9 have the biggest games every round! If they can boost viewing in Perth for NRL it is worth a lot of money there also!

Central Coast Bears: Are a safe bet and not really and expansion. Relocate a team there everyone says, what the hell do you call The Bears in the Central Coast if not a relocation??? And it does a hell of a lot of consolidation in Sydney because it brings back those disillusioned by the Bears original departure, bring back the faith of some older fans, and provide a large populace of fans with a team that will bring in great crowds! and imagine the boost for Newcastle when they go head to head with the Central Coast! This strengthens this area financially as well as being in close reach for both Sydney and Newcastle fans to travel to games to watch them clash with the Bears. Bring it on! You cannot deny Central Coast being a prime and wise expansion.

Sure it is a safe bet with the Bears, but what is wrong with that? Its strong with little outlay and a guaranteed return! You can't expand to two currently non strongly supported areas and expect both teams to flourish, have one safe bet and one risky expansion, let the game grow nationally, and then do another safe bet in a few years with another QLD team and another risk like Wellington.

 

[clarency]

Expanding into NZ won't nearly be as risky as expansion into Aus. They don't have AFL to deal with... and union is close enough.

 

[Iafeta]

Personally I don't think their should be any New Zealand teams in our Australian comp.
The NRL should cap the ammount of overseas players in each teams 25. Two should be the maximum.

Thanks for the input, Jefferson Davis.

New Zealand television provides 1/5th of the competition's television income ($20m per year compared to $80m generated from Australia) even though NZ only provides 1/16th of the teams. It is the third biggest Rugby League market in the southern hemisphere behind NSW and Qld, and is light years ahead of the next biggest (Vic or WA). As a professional sports league with operating costs of more than $100m per year and struggling to financially match rival codes, the NRL would be stupid to ignore that market.

Leigh.

Yep.

It seems every time we take a game to Perth we get 12-13,000 and everyone roars how great that was (even though it seems to be average with most Sydney clubs, even without the novelty factor), Central Coast seems about 14-15,000 per game, and then you go to Wellington you seem to get 20,000, and then you go to Christchurch, and you have the worst weather conditions imaginable and they get 20,000.

The problem is I'm not sure if we have any real tangible backers for the second NZ team. That's the defining point. If we can get a consortium to back it and put together a business model, then a second NZ club is a no brainer.

 

[PaulyTom]

Be interesting to see if a we see a bid come from Christchurch in the forthcoming weeks.

In honesty they will not make up the 17 or 18th teams as other bids as much more advanced at this late stage ,but who knows if in the future a failure of a Sydney team may lead to a opening or a long wait to the 19th and 20th team bids in 20??.

 

[adamkungl]

To those suggesting demoting the current Sydney teams and creating 4 new ones...

I expect if this happened, the 'top level' NRL Sydney teams would pull crowds of about 140, and the second tier real teams would pull crowds in the thousands...the NRL clubs would crash and burn. The original clubs would be raking in money. And the game would be put back 30 years as the NSWRL would be the premier comp in NSW again.

There is absolutely no way udner the sun I would support some generic made up South East Sydney team, regardless of whos playing for them.

 

[innsaneink]

Look at the rubbish footy dished up just this w/end.
And gallop want to dilute the playing AND refereeing ranks further???
FMD!!!
NO EXPANSION!!

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Yes, the lack of quality is really worrying. When the Titans were admitted you could see a drop in quality. It picked up a little bit but still not enough.

I was hoping that the U20's would help churn out qualities quicker, but here we are. Perhaps more funding to the state leagues would help that.

 

[Loudstrat]

But if the cap changes stem the tide of players leaving the NRL then the quality won't drop.

 

[Billythekid]

New Zealand television provides 1/5th of the competition's television income ($20m per year compared to $80m generated from Australia) even though NZ only provides 1/16th of the teams. It is the third biggest Rugby League market in the southern hemisphere behind NSW and Qld, and is light years ahead of the next biggest (Vic or WA). As a professional sports league with operating costs of more than $100m per year and struggling to financially match rival codes, the NRL would be stupid to ignore that market.

Leigh.

This point again just us to make you wonder how we could possibly get less than the AFL. Our regular season rates just as well as theirs and on top of that we have SOO, internationals AND the ton of extra money we get from NZ.

 

[Perth Red]

I thought the NZ deal was $8mill a year?

 

[hellteam]

Yes, the lack of quality is really worrying. When the Titans were admitted you could see a drop in quality. It picked up a little bit but still not enough.

I was hoping that the U20's would help churn out qualities quicker, but here we are. Perhaps more funding to the state leagues would help that.

Yep, the under 20's comp is terrible. Give me a QLD Cup game any day of the week. If they can't set up a reserve grade, the teams should just focus on the QLD and NSW Cup's for sure

 

[Quidgybo]

I thought the NZ deal was $8mill a year?

Not according to the article that you found in November last year...

http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/s...t+away+username_Quidgybo_username#post6248418

The NRL signed a six-year (2007-12) deal for $500 million with Channel Nine and Foxtel, but if fees from Sky New Zealand are added, the code receives $100 million a year in broadcasting revenue.

http://www.smh.com.au/business/league-the-big-loser-in-salary-stakes-20090816-emc3.html

$500m divided by six years equals $80m per year. Add New Zealand in and the total rises to over $100m per year. New Zealand television currently provides $20m per year - 1/5th of the game's television revenue.

Leigh

 

[bobmar28]

Agreed. Good luck doing anything of the sort. Its fine for people outside of Sydney to call for removing or merging Sydney teams, but as a fan would they support their team being compromised in such a way?

Which teams would you even suggest? These are teams with established histories, rivalries, and fanbases.

Liverpool is a part of Sydney and yes, my team if necessary. It has to be done and in my opinion such a move would smash GWS.

By the way they already think they are on a winner with GWS- see todays AGE-business day section " It's all about growth for our sporting behemoths".