I'd like to hear a reasoned rationale as to why it's a must.
The arguments for the 'NRL' to expand beyond it's fan base of QLD/NSW I've seen here are as follows:
- Not enough talent in NSW/QLD and we need more juniors.
- Need to expand territory to get more money from TV revenue.
- The 'N' in 'NRL' stands for 'National'.
- We need to 'stick it' to AFL and ARU.
I would say only the idea of more TV revenue has any shred of credibility yet it's still highly dubious if the Storm or a team in Perth would add any significant positive value to any future TV contract.
So my question is why should we introduce clubs whose value to the end product is small and questionable in the first place when we have an under-represented heartland where league is flourishing?
I think the AFL TV contract in comparison to ours would suggest there is something in having a truley national comp. They have created this situation by expanding into unfriendly territories and then supporting that area until it comes good. Even now brisbane and sydney have a solid fan base, but overall support in nsw and qld is very low (by way of free to air tv ratings).
Now I do agree with a point you made, the SA and WA markets are no where near as big or important to TV companies and other sponsors as NSW, VIC and QLD.
But to go into marketing, Rugby league is a mature product in NSW and QLD, there is very little chance of significant increases in those markets where we already dominate. Except SE QLD which is under utilised.
Companies, any companies to go forward must expand into new territories, the AFL have shown us how successful that can be.
We can stay at the status quo, a pretty successful sporting comp, but lagging further and further behind our major competitor. So more and more money will head their way as sponsors will put their money where they get most exposure. AFL player wages will continue to rise far quicker than NRL wages and it will become a more lucrative option to kids. AFL will be able to pump more and more money into junior development and influence more kids to play their game.
So we can stay in our own backyards while the rest of the world moves forward, but it will be to our own detriment.
The simple fact is we are in the most competitive sporting market in the world. We have a small population and a wide and varied sporting appetite. NRL is competing with union, soccer and afl at home, and then must compete for its professional players with Eurosuper league, overseas union clubs as well.
But the second part is actually a bonus for us in some ways, the fact that league has a global option. An AFL player can't go and have a few years in Europe.
There is no way of stopping it, Dallas Johnson is off to europe not just for the money, he is young aussie with a girlfriend who wants to travel.
But we must continue to expand and create more revenue and players so that while players will head overseas they will come back and less will go due to high contracts at home.
If we are to expand a second SE qld team is obvious, the area is league heartland and massively underutilised. Perth is the most obvious new market and should be next.
It was in my view a tragedy that the bears were booted, in theory we should have a team there now. But it was also a tragedy that the crushers and WA reds were lost as well.
We need to look at the best options for the game to move forward. I would have no problems with the bears coming back, I just personally feel they are not priority number one or two.
The second thing about WA, the mining sector means huge money over there and lots of ex NSW and qlders are there.
I'd add I am not for forcing sydney teams into anything, all you do is offer incentives. Its expensive to move an NRL team for one game and usually the local govt/council puts in big money to make it happen.
But an incentive to move to another state full time should be on offer to sydney teams.
Anyway just my view that WA and a second SE qld team are the best fit.
