Gallop on the money

[Newcastlerabbit]

Gallop on the money about panic merchants selling the game short
Roy Masters | February 14, 2009

IF RUGBY LEAGUE were a psychiatric patient, the diagnosis would be simple: chronic status anxiety.

Even when the code is strong, some calamity or crisis has always been nigh. The latest doomsday theory is that the global financial crisis will cause the NRL to bleed to death as sponsors withdraw, box holders cancel, fans stay at home, merchandising sales wither and the TV rights holder goes into receivership, forcing chief executive David Gallop to accept a lesser deal from a bank-run network.

Gallop has unintentionally reinforced this doom with a road trip to the 16 clubs, talking up the code's future while talking down the AFL's expansion plans.

"You can't bullsh*t a bullsh*tter," one player manager said of Gallop's positive spin to club marketing managers, those who try to flog merchandising packages in a market downsizing.

Gallop's presentation fuelled the pessimism at the three clubs he visited this week in Queensland where the "eh?" sayers turned into naysayers.

But Gallop will be proved right by year's end. The AFL has twice deferred its expansion plans into the Gold Coast and western Sydney, and only chief executive Andrew Demetriou's Everest-sized ego is preventing them announcing revised dates.

The Gold Coast franchise is having difficulty meeting the sponsorship target, while the AFL's main flag waver in western Sydney, former Blacktown mayor Leo Kelly, is out of office, having demonstrated that he was motivated more by anger at rugby league not establishing an academy in his city than a desire to see AFL flourish.

Rugby league, which over-expanded in 1995 with three new teams instead of one, has learnt not to panic at calls for new clubs in Perth, Adelaide and Wellington. If anything, contraction is right for these times, and Cronulla must be the most vulnerable club.

Yet the Sharks demonstrate the resilience that typifies rugby league and will serve it well this year. Former coach John Lang once told me, "People talk about Cronulla never having won a premiership. It's a victory every year just for them to stay alive."

Their fans may be fickle but they typify the demographic that has done well from the recession: mortgage holders with secure jobs and a family car.

Interest rates have come down, along with petrol prices and if you are a public servant or in long-term employment, you're fairly safe.

Furthermore, the Sharks played well last season, bar a lamentable final game, and have bought well. Their supporters epitomise the code's century-long suburban culture.

Melbourne AFL fans must go to the MCG or Telstra Dome and sit with their fellow tribesmen to demonstrate they are paid-up members of Essendon or Collingwood. Cronulla people, by living in "the Shire", already know they are Sharks fans.

Nevertheless, many Sydney clubs have pursued a membership push, particularly those with a dispersed supporter base, such as South Sydney.

The Rabbitohs' back-to-Redfern-day match against Wests Tigers was members only, and the club is close to its target of 8000.

Gallop said: "What was noticeable to me was the South Sydney colours on display, the caps and scarves."

Asked the motivation behind his road trip, he said: "I was sitting on a beach in January and thought, 'This is going to be a good year, and I should be talking about it."'

But what about the chronic anxiety status of the anti-AFL message? "I did say the AFL are trying to get into our key strategic areas but these are areas of our strength, and players and club officials shouldn't be concerned," Gallop said. "We have 20,000 registered players in western Sydney. The AFL has 500."

While the Rudd Government's economic package has done little for rugby league's other demographic - the unemployed, superannuants and small business - Gallop is confident it will be a strong season.

"It will be far less daunting than 2008 when we had a centenary season, the launch of the Toyota Cup, a World Cup, as well as running an NRL season. This year we can go back to our core business of week-in, week-out competition, as well as run an exciting representative season."

He agrees some clubs will lose small to medium business sponsors, some box holders and there will be a hit at the gate, particularly at stadiums that charge exorbitant food and drink prices. But he points to the St George Illawarra supporter who said: "Our family won't be going on our annual skiing trip. We've decided we're going back to Kogarah."

As Gallop said: "Rugby league is affordable entertainment. It can prove to be an oasis in troubled times."

Early evidence of this are corporate packages for the Test and third State of Origin match (possibly a dead rubber) at Suncorp Stadium. They sold out in less than a day.

It might be time to fly club, state and national flags, not white ones.

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news...028290291.html

 

[Loudstrat]

Bloody hell if Roy Masters isnt the most intelligent sports journalist in the counbtry then I'm a Queenslander with 16 Bulldogs jerseys in my drawer!

Just like his glory days as coach of the mighty Magpies, he has face slapped not only the AFL, but the negaive twats that festoon this site claiming the only way to save League from certain death is to kill all Sydney clubs. Those that would get rid of the hull to stop the boat sinking.

These following quotes speak absolute VOLUMES about some of the issues of paranoia we have here in Leagueland.

Gallop has unintentionally reinforced this doom with a road trip to the 16 clubs, talking up the code's future while talking down the AFL's expansion plans.

"You can't bullsh*t a bullsh*tter," one player manager said of Gallop's positive spin to club marketing managers, those who try to flog merchandising packages in a market downsizing.

Gallop's presentation fuelled the pessimism at the three clubs he visited this week in Queensland where the "eh?" sayers turned into naysayers.

Typical f*cking QAueenslanders. Always whinging. Gallops positive spin must really upset their plans to kill Sydney and have a 3 team comp tailored to the f*cktard market.

But Gallop will be proved right by year's end. The AFL has twice deferred its expansion plans into the Gold Coast and western Sydney, and only chief executive Andrew Demetriou's Everest-sized ego is preventing them announcing revised dates.

The Gold Coast franchise is having difficulty meeting the sponsorship target,

Titans are going well, though, aren't they. For an area festooned with whinging Queenslanders and retired Victorians, they have done good for our code

while the AFL's main flag waver in western Sydney, former Blacktown mayor Leo Kelly, is out of office, having demonstrated that he was motivated more by anger at rugby league not establishing an academy in his city than a desire to see AFL flourish.

How much mileage has AFL got out of that one! And all because the twat Kelly had a tantrum that the RL academy went to Penriff!!!

Rugby league, which over-expanded in 1995 with three new teams instead of one, has learnt not to panic at calls for new clubs in Perth, Adelaide and Wellington. If anything, contraction is right for these times, and Cronulla must be the most vulnerable club.

So Gallops a twat for not immediately wiping out 9 Sydney clubs for these 3? Prove yourselves to be worthy!!!

Yet the Sharks demonstrate the resilience that typifies rugby league and will serve it well this year. Former coach John Lang once told me, "People talk about Cronulla never having won a premiership. It's a victory every year just for them to stay alive."

Take note: How many clubs have fallen over when the likes of Cronulla and Spouths just keep going? Better to have a resiliant club like Cronulla then a penny bunger club like the Reds were- all sparkles for 2 seconds and then dead forever.

Their fans may be fickle but they typify the demographic that has done well from the recession: mortgage holders with secure jobs and a family car.

Interest rates have come down, along with petrol prices and if you are a public servant or in long-term employment, you're fairly safe.

This kills the Doomsdayers argument. The global financial crisis won't hit everybody. Arguably, Union fans will be hurt far more than league fans. :thumbs:

Melbourne AFL fans must go to the MCG or Telstra Dome and sit with their fellow tribesmen to demonstrate they are paid-up members of Essendon or Collingwood. Cronulla people, by living in "the Shire", already know they are Sharks fans.

Great point. The AFL, in it's massive race to say "My dicks bigger than yours" has lost it's urban identity. It's city v city for rivalry, not district v district that League has. People gorowing up in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne don't have a 'local' team to support, unlike us Sydneysiders. Following a particular club isn't a birthright. It's about closing what you think are pretty colours. A kid growing up in Dandenong or Frankston gets to be parochial about who?

I grew up in Eels territory. I knew about hating Manly -that Bob O'Reilly snotted Bill Hamilton endlessly in the old ad for Huttons Footy Franks - that contact with a Dogs fan usually involved a can of mace - the contact witha Panthers fan usually meant disinfectant. I remember taking the old 601 bus from Baulkham Hills post office to North Parramatta to see Parra play Saints at Cumberland. I got half fare. My mate in the Dragons jumper was charged double. This was EELS territory!

Where actually is Collingwood's territory, or Hawthorns, or Richmond?

Asked the motivation behind his road trip, he said: "I was sitting on a beach in January and thought, 'This is going to be a good year, and I should be talking about it."'

F*CKING CHAMPION!!!!!!!!!!

But what about the chronic anxiety status of the anti-AFL message? "I did say the AFL are trying to get into our key strategic areas but these are areas of our strength, and players and club officials shouldn't be concerned," Gallop said. "We have 20,000 registered players in western Sydney. The AFL has 500."

Memo to LeagueXIII - READ THAT STAT YOU TWAT!!!!!!!
500. Approximately the same as the amount of bread sold at the Warragamba bread shop in a day.

500! :lol: Geez, El Duques got more fleas than that!

It might be time to fly club, state and national flags, not white ones.

AMEN!!!!!!!!

 

[OVP]

AFL is a laughing stock all around the world, especially after that terrible brawl.

We just need to sit tight, our game will always be sweet. We deal with thugs better than anyone, plus we keep growing and growing, even in harsh labor-induced economic times. We will ALWAYS have a growing product ... AFL could NEVER say that, no matter how much they make.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

AFL is nothing worldwide

 

[Canard]

Rugby league, which over-expanded in 1995 with three new teams instead of one, has learnt not to panic at calls for new clubs in Perth, Adelaide and Wellington.

One minor quip, doesnt he mean expanded with FOUR new clubs, NQ Cowboys, Auckland Warriors, SQ Crushers and Western Reds. Oh and I agree it should have been less, I think Auckland and SQ where the ones that should have (and the ones most expected at the time) with NQ and Western reds to come later (say 2000)

Ray is probably the best League journalist in the world.

Strat, there are no quotes from Queensland clubs or players just the articles clever "rhyming" paraphrasing, which is obviously just added for effect.

 

[The Tank]

Good article.

 

[Loudstrat]

Strat, there are no quotes from Queensland clubs or players just the articles clever "rhyming" paraphrasing, which is obviously just added for effect.

I was referring to this:

Gallop's presentation fuelled the pessimism at the three clubs he visited this week in Queensland where the "eh?" sayers turned into naysayers.

 

[Canard]

I was referring to this:

Yep thats exactly what I was referring to, he is trying to rhyme "hey" (as most people would spell it) with "nay".

There is no quotes from and QLDers or QLD clubs there. This is a bit of journalistic "licence" for dramatic or humourous effect.

 

[Loudstrat]

And it also has meaning. Saying the Qld clubs are not sharing his enthusiasm.

No quotes exist from the AFL either. Are you saying the whole article is bullsh*t?

 

[Brycey]

Great point. The AFL, in it's massive race to say "My dicks bigger than yours" has lost it's urban identity. It's city v city for rivalry, not district v district that League has. People gorowing up in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne don't have a 'local' team to support, unlike us Sydneysiders. Following a particular club isn't a birthright. It's about closing what you think are pretty colours. A kid growing up in Dandenong or Frankston gets to be parochial about who?

I grew up in Eels territory. I knew about hating Manly -that Bob O'Reilly snotted Bill Hamilton endlessly in the old ad for Huttons Footy Franks - that contact with a Dogs fan usually involved a can of mace - the contact witha Panthers fan usually meant disinfectant. I remember taking the old 601 bus from Baulkham Hills post office to North Parramatta to see Parra play Saints at Cumberland. I got half fare. My mate in the Dragons jumper was charged double. This was EELS territory!

Where actually is Collingwood's territory, or Hawthorns, or Richmond?


F*CKING CHAMPION!!!!!!!!!!

Memo to LeagueXIII - READ THAT STAT YOU TWAT!!!!!!!
500. Approximately the same as the amount of bread sold at the Warragamba bread shop in a day.

500! :lol: Geez, El Duques got more fleas than that!


AMEN!!!!!!!!

Sounds like you're doing a 'my dick is bigger than yours' comparison.

Tell me, for all this tribalism we have compared to AFL's city v city crap, where has it got us?

Do you really think melbourne fans care about this tribalism crap when they can pull 90k to a regular season match.

What do we get, Cronulla struggle to make 10k sometimes and that was a game against the premiers!

Tribalism does not work, all you have to do is look at the crowds we have now.

Its just a nice word Sydneysiders like to use for their wankfest.

p.s. I hate AFL and hope it dies a horrible death but I am a realist.

Tribalism is dead, franchising is the way of the future. Hell even Souths know that.

 

[Timmah]

I think the article is quite accurate... we don't have a whole bunch of sideshows this year to take the focus away from the weekly comp and that will do us well. I just hope the marketing is more than the typical token effort.

 

[griff]

Gallop is right, but what it doesn't mention is that he pretty much started the panic last year in a hamfisted attempt to get changes made to the pokie tax.

 

[Timmah]

Regardless of the criticism of him, lets hope it settles this year.

 

[DINGb@T]

I got half fare. My mate in the Dragons jumper was charged double.

Love it

 

[Loudstrat]

Sounds like you're doing a 'my dick is bigger than yours' comparison.

Tell me, for all this tribalism we have compared to AFL's city v city crap, where has it got us?

Do you really think melbourne fans care about this tribalism crap when they can pull 90k to a regular season match.

What do we get, Cronulla struggle to make 10k sometimes and that was a game against the premiers!

Tribalism does not work, all you have to do is look at the crowds we have now.

Its just a nice word Sydneysiders like to use for their wankfest.

p.s. I hate AFL and hope it dies a horrible death but I am a realist.

Tribalism is dead, franchising is the way of the future. Hell even Souths know that.

So you are falling into the trap of "oh no, their crowds are bigger. we are doomed"

That is our blessing.

If we needed 50k crowds to every game, there is no way we'd have any regional team.

You seem stuck in remotye Queensland somewhere. Your towns nearest team is probably 200 kms away. I understand how you don't get tribalism. Still, you are free to panic to your hearts content. As they say in the movies -in space, no one can hear you scream.

As for 'franchising" -are you looking to run a KFC? Clubs are the way to go -community links. WShere would you put your franchises after you killed all the Sydney clubs and banned League from NSW?

 

[LeagueXIII]

Memo to you loud mouth in your first post you just agreed with everything I was saying, you finally got there well done, you can join the rest of the class now if you like.

 

[$$Poor Boy Blues$$]

Bloody hell if Roy Masters isnt the most intelligent sports journalist in the counbtry then I'm a Queenslander with 16 Bulldogs jerseys in my drawer!

Just like his glory days as coach of the mighty Magpies, he has face slapped not only the AFL, but the negaive twats that festoon this site claiming the only way to save League from certain death is to kill all Sydney clubs. Those that would get rid of the hull to stop the boat sinking.

These following quotes speak absolute VOLUMES about some of the issues of paranoia we have here in Leagueland.



Typical f*cking QAueenslanders. Always whinging. Gallops positive spin must really upset their plans to kill Sydney and have a 3 team comp tailored to the f*cktard market.

Titans are going well, though, aren't they. For an area festooned with whinging Queenslanders and retired Victorians, they have done good for our code
How much mileage has AFL got out of that one! And all because the twat Kelly had a tantrum that the RL academy went to Penriff!!!

So Gallops a twat for not immediately wiping out 9 Sydney clubs for these 3? Prove yourselves to be worthy!!!

Take note: How many clubs have fallen over when the likes of Cronulla and Spouths just keep going? Better to have a resiliant club like Cronulla then a penny bunger club like the Reds were- all sparkles for 2 seconds and then dead forever.

This kills the Doomsdayers argument. The global financial crisis won't hit everybody. Arguably, Union fans will be hurt far more than league fans. :thumbs:

Great point. The AFL, in it's massive race to say "My dicks bigger than yours" has lost it's urban identity. It's city v city for rivalry, not district v district that League has. People gorowing up in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne don't have a 'local' team to support, unlike us Sydneysiders. Following a particular club isn't a birthright. It's about closing what you think are pretty colours. A kid growing up in Dandenong or Frankston gets to be parochial about who?

I grew up in Eels territory. I knew about hating Manly -that Bob O'Reilly snotted Bill Hamilton endlessly in the old ad for Huttons Footy Franks - that contact with a Dogs fan usually involved a can of mace - the contact witha Panthers fan usually meant disinfectant. I remember taking the old 601 bus from Baulkham Hills post office to North Parramatta to see Parra play Saints at Cumberland. I got half fare. My mate in the Dragons jumper was charged double. This was EELS territory!

Where actually is Collingwood's territory, or Hawthorns, or Richmond?


F*CKING CHAMPION!!!!!!!!!!

Memo to LeagueXIII - READ THAT STAT YOU TWAT!!!!!!!
500. Approximately the same as the amount of bread sold at the Warragamba bread shop in a day.

500! :lol: Geez, El Duques got more fleas than that!


AMEN!!!!!!!!

Very Well said Loudstrat, EXCEPT for a few points. You seem like an intelligent young person, however, you sound very young - and you therefore do not have a broad perspective of things.

For instance; the way you go on about qld'ers. Very narrow and naive, stemming mainly from lack of exposure to the wider world no doubt.

How about the way you go on about expansion. Your naive view is not only dangerous to the long term survival (oops, short term ala the "crisis") of the comp, its down right negligent! South Australia lobbying the sharks, and perth ready to take off, and sydney overwhelmed with clubs.

IN TIME, maybe not tomorrow, but IN TIME, the nrl will need to expand. It also remains to be seen how long a virtually bankrupt club like the sharks can hold out on a warm invitation from south australia. If they don't, whats to say the club that gets to south australia wont be the sharks, and that the sharks won't even be in the shire then....just a remnant, or a romance in a few peoples memories.

Not just to focus on you here, but you are the epitome of what has gotten league into trouble. No vision and sitting on its hands.

In life, you need to dodge bullets before they hit you, you need to jump the rope before it comes around, and you need a plan. Or you get lost easily. If you lost your rose colored glasses, you would see, what you propose is certain self destruction. When you emerge from your early teens, you will see with the rest of us, that careful, considered expansion, at the expense of (as of now undetermined) sydney clubs [probably, eventually], is the only way forward.

You need to decide who you want to be playing rugby league in this country: bankrupt, dying, low-influence debt-ridden entities, or powerful, influential, and boisterous entities. I will make it easy for you bro, talk in your lingo - one sux man, and the other is the dux nuts.

 

[Titanic]

Evocative debate but certainly Masters (and Wall in this site) are a blessing away from the "league speak" drivel churned out ad nauseum by most of the media.

 

[Knightmare]

He does have a point though. Having lived in the Sunshine State for 4 years, you'd be surprised at the ideas some of the people in the media and the greater public have about our game up there.

They see a Sydney club pulling 12 or 15k against a mid-table team while the Broncos pull 40k against a top of the table side and they go "Look at how crap Sydneysiders are- let's merge all the Sydney teams and turn them into franchises like the Broncos because that will make the game better."

Alot of said people have never seen Sydney outside of their TV screens.

 

[Loudstrat]

Memo to you loud mouth in your first post you just agreed with everything I was saying, you finally got there well done, you can join the rest of the class now if you like.

:lol::lol:

Wasn't League dying because of AFL's desire for a team in Western Sydney?

Very Well said Loudstrat, EXCEPT for a few points. You seem like an intelligent young person, however, you sound very young - and you therefore do not have a broad perspective of things.

For instance; the way you go on about qld'ers. Very narrow and naive, stemming mainly from lack of exposure to the wider world no doubt.

No. Too much exposure to Queenslanders.

How about the way you go on about expansion. Your naive view is not only dangerous to the long term survival (oops, short term ala the "crisis") of the comp, its down right negligent! South Australia lobbying the sharks, and perth ready to take off, and sydney overwhelmed with clubs.

My naive view? That League should expand into every opportunity to make the code stronger, with greater crowds, revenue, junior development and exposure?

That I'm happy about the Sharks and Adelaide?

That the greatest expansion happened under the ARL's stewardship?

I don't think that view is naive at all.

What I think is naive is culling Sydney clubs just because you don't like Sydney. A 12k average crowd in Perth is no advantage on a 12k average crowd at Cronulla, Penrith or Souths.

Not just to focus on you here, but you are the epitome of what has gotten league into trouble. No vision and sitting on its hands.

And you think I'm young! Are you in high school yet? How the hell is it getting league into trouble to see it expand to a 20 team comp involving Gosford, Sunshine Coast, Perth, Adelaide and Wellington, not to mention equivalent self sufficient comps operating in North America, France, the Pacific and Russia/Ukraine/Georgia?

You sound like the typical twat that wants to kill off Sydney just to plonk a team in Perth. Therefore, any positives about our CURRENT game must be ignored. Lets make it sh*t, by killing Sydney clubs and having a whinge about anything good in the code. You must work for the AFL.