Do Relocations and Mergers work?

[TheDalek079]

With playing rosters being increased it is unlikely there is enough depth to have build another team without diluting the quality of the competition. (Even without increasing the size of the rosters there'd be doubts whether there's enough depth for new team/s)

Yet there are large demands to expand the competition. Numerous places (such as the Central Coast) deserve to have a team. But without sufficient depth we shouldn't just plonk new teams in these areas.

So the logical way around this is to do relocations and mergers.

But do these work?

Both create resentment and will alienate some fans. Relocations are stuck between establishing themselves in the new city and trying to appease fans in the old location.

I guess we can say that the Dragons/Steelers merger is a success, but that's because they had a large Dragons fanbase, and the new team is that same Dragons with red socks and playing a couple of games at Wollongong. But looking at the Tigs and we see a basketcase on and off the field, and they seem unable to find their identity.


So do relocations and mergers work?

 

[Big Salad]

For areas like Central Coast it makes more sense for a NSW team to 'adopt' the area and play several NRL games there in a season - a bit like what happens in the AFL with Tasmania. Same goes for the central coast region of Qld.

I know there have been different things tried with memberships and discounts for opposition supporters over the past few years but it would be great if the NRL could develop some sort of membership that could guarantee supporters in NSW attendance to any 12 games of their choosing in NSW (could even offer memberships with more games included - e.g. 18-24). That way there is still value in memberships by fans being able to attend 'away' games as part of their 12 games, while allowing the NRL and clubs to take games elsewhere and establish proper partnerships with specific regions instead of one-off games.

 

[CC_Roosters]

I for one think think depth is irrelevant. 2 new teams will allow more "footballers" into the elite squads instwad of just the super atheltic body types we see now. End result is we see more open games and points.

Thats not to say i am against relocations/mergers. I think there a a couple that make logical/georgraphical but not emotional sense. Maybe move the balmain Tigers to perth but keep balmain in the state cup as the reserve and east coast pathway. Then rebadge western suburbs as liverpool-macarthur magpies to give that region full ownership of a 17th nrl side. Could also create a sydney-central coast relationship similar to the dragons with a gosford/moore park split. But that would shaft the bears who probably deserve to be in the nrl based on the central coast on their own merit. Canterbury, souths and parra should be left alone but the rest of the sydney sides could be vulnerable.at any stage making the relocation/merger question very relevant.

This exclusive cartel type league the nrl runs makes me sick. Would all be solved by having a 2 tier nrl with promotion and relegation embracing the majority of playing centres

 

[POPEYE]

Better allocations of locations would work, maybe not if every team was full of local products but at last count supporters of all teams are cheering for the jersey not what's inside them . . . as I've said before you could fill a reasonably sized stadium with Rooster supporters that live too far away to care about East Sydney

 

[Perth Red]

If you gain more than you lose, yes.

 

[mave]

Amazing input Einstein.

 

[LeagueXIII]

Mergers don't work, takeovers do.

 

[Frank Discussion]

-The Central Coast do not deserve to have a team.
- The Bears do not deserve a damn thing.

A genuine relocation has not been attempted in the top level of Rugby League in Australia. About 10 years ago the NRL provided a multi million dollar carrot for a team to relocate to the coast and nobody took the bait.

Until one is tried it's only speculation but I doubt it would work.

 

[BuffaloRules]

We will never see a merger again given the track record to date...

Even when you do merge thinking that you have done your part for League rationalisation, you then become first cab off the rank for a relocation...

 

[Johnnie Red]

"I'm all for mergers and relocations as long as it doesn't involve my team." Says every fan

 

[BuffaloRules]

"I'm all for mergers and relocations as long as it doesn't involve my team." Says every fan

And a lot seem very keen to promote others to merge or relocate...

 

[Frank Discussion]

We will never see a merger again given the track record to date...

Even when you do merge thinking that you have done your part for League rationalisation, you then become first cab off the rank for a relocation...

"I'm all for mergers and relocations as long as it doesn't involve my team." Says every fan

And a lot seem very keen to promote others to merge or relocate...

All correct.

Sensible additions of new teams (Perth and Brisbane 2) seems to be the best way to go.
If the titans can't get their shit together a relocation up the road might be a possibility and that could free up a space for NZ2. However my club was first cab off the rank for merger/relocation 4 years ago but now this is springing up out of the ground in front of our eyes and we ain't going anywhere. Things change and could change for the Tits.

http://wooloowarebay.com.au/residential/

 

[siv]

-The Central Coast do not deserve to have a team.
- The Bears do not deserve a damn thing.

A genuine relocation has not been attempted in the top level of Rugby League in Australia. About 10 years ago the NRL provided a multi million dollar carrot for a team to relocate to the coast and nobody took the bait.

Until one is tried it's only speculation but I doubt it would work.

Pull your head in

Bears relocated BEFORE any carrot was announced

They built a new stadium

Only rain delay during construction and that stupid SL criteria stopped them from playing

 

[carcharias]

Pull your head in

Bears relocated BEFORE any carrot was announced

They built a new stadium

Only rain delay during construction and that stupid SL criteria stopped them from playing

merged?

 

[Frank Discussion]

Pull your head in

Bears relocated BEFORE any carrot was announced

They built a new stadium

Only rain delay during construction and that stupid SL criteria stopped them from playing

Very interesting. Explain to me how they deserve an NRL license?
Bears supporters do a lot of jumping up and down about the NRL when it was their very own board who decided to jump into bed with a bitter rival as a minority stakeholder.

 

[Perth Red]

Given the individual clubs that did merge would be very likely gone by now financially if they hadn't merged and created entities worth saving by the NRL you could argue that mergers have worked for them. Sure the two merged entities are in financial strife and not run well but the same could be said for 80% of the NRL!

Shame Cronulla didn't take the money and relocate a few years ago, they could have flogged off all their land and had some decent money in the bank.

relocating the Titans isn't going to help them if you just transplant the same management that got them in this mess. their first few years showed their is support for them if the club is run properly,

 

[BuffaloRules]

Given the individual clubs that did merge would be very likely gone by now financially if they hadn't merged and created entities worth saving by the NRL you could argue that mergers have worked for them.

Sounds great.

Stop death riding the Tigers then!

 

[alien]

We will never see a merger again given the track record to date...

Even when you do merge thinking that you have done your part for League rationalisation, you then become first cab off the rank for a relocation...

depends how successful the merger/joint venture is

 

[BuffaloRules]

depends how successful the merger/joint venture is

The Crowds and TV ratings for Wests Tigers 2000-15 would suggest that the merger has been a success when compared to the rest of the field over that period.

And you need to keepin mind that they have the least Sydney club success with only 3 final appearances in that time and with their best finish during the regular season of third.

I can only imagine how their crowds would be if they had three years at the top like your beloved Souffs had 2012-14.

 

[alien]

"I'm all for mergers and relocations as long as it doesn't involve my team." Says every fan

in the late 1990s i wasn't completely against the idea for the magpies to relocate, even though i wanted them to stand alone in the south west of sydney. i would have preferred relocation over merging or folding. relocation is what should have happened. i even mentioned it to other members at the time and whilst some agreed with me, a lot were against my idea. some would say stuff like "we have already relocated" or some bullshit. well i wonder if they still feel the same way - f**ken wankers! i was one of the members massively against the idea of the joint venture, so don't blame me, because i wasn't one of the members who voted for the f**ken abomination! they should have relocated to perth, and been called "western magpies" and they could have still been called "wests" for short. they could have kept the same jersey and colours and continued the history and records. they could have had a western suburbs magpies team based at campbelltown in the nsw cup to be a feeder club to "western magpies", but no, they thought they knew better, pfft!

and perth red would be called "western magpie" :lol: