Expansion - Your prefered locations

[Perth Red]

Good to see that the fans consistently recognising the value of getting the game into Perth. Just a shame Gallop doesn't have the same vision!

 

[Goddo]

2 pools of 9 teams....

Play Home and Away in your group - 16 games
Play other 9 teams once - 9 games

Extend the season by 1 week - 27 week season to keep 2 byes...

I would split the conferences between Sydney teams and the others to ensure that you keep the tribalism alive and to get bigger crowds in Sydney....
Also you are having your home and away derbies in QLD & NZ..

Pool 1 ...............Pool 2

Brisbane ..........Wests
NQ ...................ST George
GC ....................Manly
Auckland .........Parra
Wellington .......Souths
Perth ...............Roosters
Melbourne .........Dogs
Canberra ...........Penrith
Newcastle.......... Sharks

We can wish for Origin to be played on a weekend but its never going to happen - ratings are better on a mid week night....

The players association, David Gallop, and NRL clubs all whinge about the length of the season as is. dreaming

 

[lturner]

Good to see that the fans consistently recognising the value of getting the game into Perth. Just a shame Gallop doesn't have the same vision!

I know you have to talk your own book, but I don't really think the value of having Perth in the comp is a great as you might believe.

For example, let's consider the broadcasting rights. Two extra teams means one more game per week. This extra game will increase the value of the TV deal in two ways. (1) Existing viewers/fans of RL will have another game to watch and (2) new viewers who do not currently watch much or any RL will have a game they might want to watch.

Will a Perth side generate much interest amongst existing RL supporters? Perhaps, but chances are not much. Are people in Queensland, NSW or New Zealand likely to have any natural interest or rivalry with a side from WA? Probably not.

So a Perth side is going to rely on generating value from the WA viewing audience. But is this likely to materialise? Possibly, but the Melbourne experience suggests that this is a risky proposition. Despite a decade of on-field success including 2 premierships, the Storm still can't seem to get a run Channel 9 in Melbourne during prime time. The value is obviously not there at present.

In contrast, another team from Queensland will translate directly into another high-rating and valuable broadcast in a known and successful TV market, and I think when it comes down to it, this would outweigh the risky Perth option.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

I know you have to talk your own book, but I don't really think the value of having Perth in the comp is a great as you might believe.

For example, let's consider the broadcasting rights. Two extra teams means one more game per week. This extra game will increase the value of the TV deal in two ways. (1) Existing viewers/fans of RL will have another game to watch and (2) new viewers who do not currently watch much or any RL will have a game they might want to watch.

Will a Perth side generate much interest amongst existing RL supporters? Perhaps, but chances are not much. Are people in Queensland, NSW or New Zealand likely to have any natural interest or rivalry with a side from WA? Probably not.

So a Perth side is going to rely on generating value from the WA viewing audience. But is this likely to materialise? Possibly, but the Melbourne experience suggests that this is a risky proposition. Despite a decade of on-field success including 2 premierships, the Storm still can't seem to get a run Channel 9 in Melbourne during prime time. The value is obviously not there at present.

In contrast, another team from Queensland will translate directly into another high-rating and valuable broadcast in a known and successful TV market, and I think when it comes down to it, this would outweigh the risky Perth option.

Not the Melbourne Storms fault. Infact, most League growth in Victoria can be credited to the Melbourne Storm.

The only problem with adding 2 teams from heartland areas (NSW and Qld) is that yeah the ratings and interest for those teams are guarenteed to be there, but its not necessarily a new market. Those people already watch the game, so TV advertisers arent likely to be advertising to a new market.

Where as if we get 2 non heartland teams in, that is a new untapped Rugby League market. And in the case of Perth, thats a massive market. Problem is, like you said, the local interest. I too am sceptical of the RL support in WA, but WA is more likely to support league then Melbourne, so with some help of the NRL and ARL in the short term, Perth could be very very successful and have a greater contribution to the competition then Melbourne in a much shorter time.

Just quickly on Melbourne, for a side with basically no coverage in Victoria, they are the 2nd in the comp when it comes to revenue. Absolutly great management down there. Good stuff Brian Waldron.

Its all about risks, RL hasnt taken any real risks for 15 years, except for Origin in Melbourne.

 

[Billythekid]

Despite a decade of on-field success including 2 premierships, the Storm still can't seem to get a run Channel 9 in Melbourne during prime time. The value is obviously not there at present.

This is BS. When the storm is on we have seen that it will rate better than the usual garbage 9 has on Friday nights.

 

[Perth Red]

Don't mistake Ch9's lack of coverage in Vic, SA and WA with amount of interest. the two are simply not related, and has been proven many times.

TBF adding another NSw or Q'land team does not give you extra viewers, adding WA (where the game isn't being shown) does. Well presuming we ever get a management that supports the game actually being shown in the expansion states.

In all of this, no expansion will work if the ARL/NRL don;t have a vision, plan and long term investment in new areas. Stick a plant in infertile soil and it takes alot of resources to keep it alive.

 

[Goddo]

Iturner, we have 2 teams comming in, and then further expansion possible from 2017 onwards.

I recon we should go for a risky option and a safe option both times.

Hedge our bets

So in 2013, go Perth and Central Coast.

Then look at QLD 4 and NZ 2 for the next expansion. They can wait a little longer already having teams in those areas now. Also, I think QLD 4 and NZ 2 should be kept as relocation options for struggling sydney teams, especially Manly and Cronulla. If that happens, then look at other options for NRL 20 team comp. Maybe QLD 5 and SA 1?

 

[Billythekid]

TBF adding another NSw or Q'land team does not give you extra viewers, adding WA (where the game isn't being shown) does.

I agree that WA needs to be a priority bad what you just said isn't entirely true. Adding a team to an area of NSW or QLD which doesn't have a team may encourage people to get involved in the game. Maybe not as many as a Perth team but it will still add some.

For example if WA start getting all the games live next year this will add a certain amount of viewers. Yet using your logic adding in the WA reds the year after will do nothing to boost TV viewers as the game is already being shown there.

 

[Perth Red]

Big difference though in an area that is not a heartland area as interest will grow expedentially with our own team where as a 2nd Brisbane team for example will probably not attract new viewers as Brisabane is RL mad and most people are already tuning in that would.

Also from a TV advertisers point of view and a sponsors point of view they want their products shown to the biggest, widest and richest audience possible. Only new teams in new cities will really do this.(again only if the NRL grows some and stops letting TV get away with butt fricking the game!)

I think eventually CC, Brisbane2, WA, SA, Wellington should all be in but probably won't ever happen as our game has historically been run by muppets who couldn't sell water to a thirsty man!

 

[BuffaloRules]

The players association, David Gallop, and NRL clubs all whinge about the length of the season as is. dreaming

Channel 9 + Fox wont take kindly to a shortened season...

1 week extra could equate to another $4mil a year ......

 

[Storm4Ever]

2nd Victorian team but i dobt that will happen

 

[Goddo]

Its not a shortened season... still 24 full weeks of play, as is now. What you are proposing is extending the season by a week.

What I suggested would see the TV channels getting 24 more games a year without extending the season at all. Keeps all parties happy.

 

[lturner]

Don't mistake Ch9's lack of coverage in Vic, SA and WA with amount of interest. the two are simply not related, and has been proven many times.

TBF adding another NSw or Q'land team does not give you extra viewers, adding WA (where the game isn't being shown) does. Well presuming we ever get a management that supports the game actually being shown in the expansion states.

In all of this, no expansion will work if the ARL/NRL don;t have a vision, plan and long term investment in new areas. Stick a plant in infertile soil and it takes alot of resources to keep it alive.

Well I was commenting purely on the additional value to broadcasting rights, not necessarily the other factors which will come into play, where Perth might have solid case.

And on this, I'd say it is not that important to the advertising value whether the additional games are viewed by existing viewers or new viewers, it mainly comes down to which one would draw more viewers in total.

TV revenue is not the only consideration, but the reality is that it is a pretty big one.

 

[Goddo]

Well I was commenting purely on the additional value to broadcasting rights, not necessarily the other factors which will come into play, where Perth might have solid case.

And on this, I'd say it is not that important to the advertising value whether the additional games are viewed by existing viewers or new viewers, it mainly comes down to which one would draw more viewers in total.

TV revenue is not the only consideration, but the reality is that it is a pretty big one.

Who knows? Nine in Perth may actually show a game or two if they have a team, unlike the geniuss in Melbourne. I only hope its a new brand in Perth, and not the Western Reds

 

[ElectricEelMan]

Who knows? Nine in Perth may actually show a game or two if they have a team, unlike the geniuss in Melbourne. I only hope its a new brand in Perth, and not the Western Reds

And why not call the team Perth.

The three main winter football code teams in Western Australia are:

West Coast Eagles
Fremantle
Western Force

No Perth.
Lets be the only 'Perth' team in Perth

 

[Flapper]

Adelaide can work if it's done right. The AFL stadium is an absolute sh*t to get to from the South, and if you can get a rectangular stadium built south of Adelaide it'll get people there that can't make the trip to West Lakes due to one reason or another. League has support in Adelaide.

 

[Lockyer4President!]

And why not call the team Perth.

The three main winter football code teams in Western Australia are:

West Coast Eagles
Fremantle
Western Force

No Perth.
Lets be the only 'Perth' team in Perth

'Perth' is reserved for the smaller sports teams over there it seems.

Perth Glory
Perth Wildcats
Perth Heat
etc

WA Reds are the only team to be named after the state. It's not like WA is going to be big enough to earn a second NRL team for a long long time anyway, may aswell name so it represents the whole state.

 

[Lockyer4President!]

Who knows? Nine in Perth may actually show a game or two if they have a team, unlike the geniuss in Melbourne. I only hope its a new brand in Perth, and not the Western Reds

The WARL ran a comp back in 06 to decide what name to use and the Reds won.

It's a great name for a RL team and even though they haven't existed for a decade it's still well known as the name of the WA RL team.

 

[ME SO HORNBY!]

I thought the Reds had to be the next expansion team and it seems the rest of the LU universe think so as well.

 

[Wolvpaw]

I think the St George-Illawarra merger should be dissolved giving back St George there history and culture

Illawarra should then be replaced with a south coast team representing everywhere from Wollongong down the coast [pity the sharks name is already taken]

And while they are at it just call us League and drop the association with rugby altogether