Do mergers and joint-ventures work?

[King hit]

This was before my time but weren’t many of these clubs in a bad situations to begin with?
When did Steelers or West’s last win a title?

Wests was in 1952 and Illawarra didn’t. I do believe the Steelers would’ve given a title a good shot in the early 2000’s though if they were able to continue.

 

[Stallion]

Did you ring the CEO and suggest they go with Illawarra for all your good reasons?

If so dragons fans now have a target

No. But St George made a wise move in a difficult scenario. The sad situation emanating from an agreement to reduce top flight club numbers to 14. Which soon proved embarassingly wrong when two more clubs had to be readmitted in later years.

 

[Knuckle-dragger]

Believe it or not at the time Balmain were forced into making a choice between Parramatta or Wests. I sent a letter to Balmain CEO Danny Munk suggesting that the colour mix with Wests (black&white) and Balmain (black &gold ) would be the better option than mixing with the blue and gold of Parramatta. The CEO thanked me for my letter by sending me a letter . A month later Balmain elected to merge with Wests.

Outstanding.

 

[This Year?]

Being a fan of a joint venture club, I f**king hate it. The jibes from opposition supporters, being trolled about number of premierships etc all because my club was forced into the joint venture over eligibility designed to dilute Sydney clubs is disgusting. Having to support a club who has become a shadow of itself because of eventual dilution from another club makes me sick. Having 2 or 3 home grounds is shit. Feeling like stranger when you go to another one of your home grounds and seeing people you know never liked you now treat you like a step brother is f**ked. There isn't a day that has gone by that I wished Saints were never part of a joint venture.

 

[Miller was a legend]

Being a fan of a joint venture club, I f**king hate it. The jibes from opposition supporters, being trolled about number of premierships etc all because my club was forced into the joint venture over eligibility designed to dilute Sydney clubs is disgusting. Having to support a club who has become a shadow of itself because of eventual dilution from another club makes me sick. Having 2 or 3 home grounds is shit. Feeling like stranger when you go to another one of your home grounds and seeing people you know never liked you now treat you like a step brother is f**ked. There isn't a day that has gone by that I wished Saints were never part of a joint venture.

Spot on brother

 

[unforgiven]

Believe it or not at the time Balmain were forced into making a choice between Parramatta or Wests. I sent a letter to Balmain CEO Danny Munk suggesting that the colour mix with Wests (black&white) and Balmain (black &gold ) would be the better option than mixing with the blue and gold of Parramatta. The CEO thanked me for my letter by sending me a letter . A month later Balmain elected to merge with Wests.

Parra just wanted the Tiger, it was nothing but a take over to get that brand.They were going to be the Parrmatta Tigers playing in Blue and Gold at Parramatta with Parra coach and most of the players and staff. Wests was the better move for Balmain!

 

[unforgiven]

Being a fan of a joint venture club, I f**king hate it. The jibes from opposition supporters, being trolled about number of premierships etc all because my club was forced into the joint venture over eligibility designed to dilute Sydney clubs is disgusting. Having to support a club who has become a shadow of itself because of eventual dilution from another club makes me sick. Having 2 or 3 home grounds is shit. Feeling like stranger when you go to another one of your home grounds and seeing people you know never liked you now treat you like a step brother is f**ked. There isn't a day that has gone by that I wished Saints were never part of a joint venture.

I think the Wests Tigers fans have embraced each other much better than that. Most fans have moved on to supporting one united club!

 

[Mr Spock!]

Worked a treat for the bears.

 

[justdave]

Worked a treat for the bears.

Bears f**ked themselves over with infighting and being whiny merkins

 

[Reflector]

Mergers only work if (a) the two teams are geographically close to each other and b) there's not real animosity between the sides. Dragons makes perfect sense geographically and also cause St George have the established history and the 'brand' power, while Illawarra has the talent pool.

Wests Tigers is tricky. Balmain have a big fanbase, but they moved out of the heartland long ago and are spread all across the country. The inner-west is no longer a big League area. People there would rather go to foreign film festivals or Swans games when it's trendy to do so. The Magpies had already moved from their traditional heartland of Lidcombe to Campbelltown when they merged, They had a small supporter base on top of that. So now you have a franchise with three home grounds, no real identity, the longest finals drought of the current NRL teams and playing uninspiring footy.

I don't know how you fix that?

 

[unforgiven]

Mergers only work if (a) the two teams are geographically close to each other and b) there's not real animosity between the sides. Dragons makes perfect sense geographically and also cause St George have the established history and the 'brand' power, while Illawarra has the talent pool.

Wests Tigers is tricky. Balmain have a big fanbase, but they moved out of the heartland long ago and are spread all across the country. The inner-west is no longer a big League area. People there would rather go to foreign film festivals or Swans games when it's trendy to do so. The Magpies had already moved from their traditional heartland of Lidcombe to Campbelltown when they merged, They had a small supporter base on top of that. So now you have a franchise with three home grounds, no real identity, the longest finals drought of the current NRL teams and playing uninspiring footy.

I don't know how you fix that?

The traditional heartland of Wests is actually Ashfield, they moved from Ashfield to Lidcombe. The Wests Tigers have probably the largest dormant fan base in Sydney, just need the right decisions to be made to awaken it.

1. They need to choose on home base, I was hoping it would be Bankwest but after last night I'm not sure. Parramatta may have been a poor choice of location for the new stadium!

2. They need to build a squad that is capable of playing finals footy, once the Tigers are in the finals watch the fans come back!

 

[macavity]

The traditional heartland of Wests is actually Ashfield, they moved from Ashfield to Lidcombe. The Wests Tigers have probably the largest dormant fan base in Sydney, just need the right decisions to be made to awaken it.

1. They need to choose on home base, I was hoping it would be Bankwest but after last night I'm not sure. Parramatta may have been a poor choice of location for the new stadium!

2. They need to build a squad that is capable of playing finals footy, once the Tigers are in the finals watch the fans come back!

The soccer team at Campbelltown is apparently going to get some decent upgrades there. Cambo with 2 “return to Leichhardt” games a year makes the most sense.

The idea of “dormant fan base” is laughable. What you are looking for is “bandwagoners”.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Believe it or not at the time Balmain were forced into making a choice between Parramatta or Wests. I sent a letter to Balmain CEO Danny Munk suggesting that the colour mix with Wests (black&white) and Balmain (black &gold ) would be the better option than mixing with the blue and gold of Parramatta. The CEO thanked me for my letter by sending me a letter . A month later Balmain elected to merge with Wests.

Are you a f*cking toddler?

 

[unforgiven]

The soccer team at Campbelltown is apparently going to get some decent upgrades there. Cambo with 2 “return to Leichhardt” games a year makes the most sense.

The idea of “dormant fan base” is laughable. What you are looking for is “bandwagoners”.

No I'm talking about a club that hasn't made the finals since 2011. The fans are there just worn out!

 

[Stallion]

Are you a f*cking toddler?

No but are you an ignoramus? Big chance you are!

 

[Stallion]

Mergers only work if (a) the two teams are geographically close to each other and b) there's not real animosity between the sides. Dragons makes perfect sense geographically and also cause St George have the established history and the 'brand' power, while Illawarra has the talent pool.

Wests Tigers is tricky. Balmain have a big fanbase, but they moved out of the heartland long ago and are spread all across the country. The inner-west is no longer a big League area. People there would rather go to foreign film festivals or Swans games when it's trendy to do so. The Magpies had already moved from their traditional heartland of Lidcombe to Campbelltown when they merged, They had a small supporter base on top of that. So now you have a franchise with three home grounds, no real identity, the longest finals drought of the current NRL teams and playing uninspiring footy.

I don't know how you fix that?

Much of what you state is correct. I would suggest that the 'belief ' that rugby league cannot attract new fans to the game is flawed. Running away for that reason is poor for the code and potential new fans. After all rugby league is a great sport. It deserves and should attract new fans.

 

[Canard]

Haha @Stallion was responsible for the Wests Tigers merger!

 

[madunit]

Well since we’ve been around we’ve won the same amount of Premierships as powerhouses Brisbane, Bulldogs, Penrith, Souths, Knights, Cowboys and Sharks

And one more then Eels, Titans, Warriors, Raiders

Have also never won a wooden spoon

Brisbane won in 2000 and 2006 ;-)

 

[madunit]

Believe it or not at the time Balmain were forced into making a choice between Parramatta or Wests. I sent a letter to Balmain CEO Danny Munk suggesting that the colour mix with Wests (black&white) and Balmain (black &gold ) would be the better option than mixing with the blue and gold of Parramatta. The CEO thanked me for my letter by sending me a letter . A month later Balmain elected to merge with Wests.

Hate to break it to you, but you had zero to do with that decision.

Balmain and Wests were in a situation where the two clubs they'd spoken prominently with (Parramatta and Canterbury respectively) sought full take-overs of the foundation clubs.

Balmain and Wests came together because both preferred a 50/50 merger. They had no other options available for survival.

 

[Canard]

Hate to break it to you, but you had zero to do with that decision.

Balmain and Wests were in a situation where the two clubs they'd spoken prominently with (Parramatta and Canterbury respectively) sought full take-overs of the foundation clubs.

Balmain and Wests came together because both preferred a 50/50 merger. They had no other options available for survival.

You don't think it came down to colour coordination?.......