By that point the plan had been fundamentally changed.
It went from being a News backed comp run by News and the ARL to a hostile takeover of the ARL within that time frame, and those are two very different things...
So again do you even know the original plan for SL, or only what ended up happening?
Yes they did, but the public didn't 'answer' to the original plan, they never got the opportunity to, it never came into reality, the ARL and Sydney clubs wouldn't even hear it out or negotiate with News and the SL clubs about it.
Also I find it hilarious that you think everyone was happy with the expansion! They were happy with it alright, until it started effecting them, then they weren't so happy and started pushing to have the expansion clubs run into the ground and their players split up between their clubs, which is what was happening and is what ultimately ended up happening to the Raiders, every one of the major problems that the Raiders saw at time that pushed them to join SL are still problems today...
That's true, if the Knights had joined like was planned then it was game over, and considering that the Knights were solidly SL (helped organise it early on with the Broncos and Raiders) until Ribot lost a day signing the Broncos and had to push back signing the Knights players giving the ARL the chance to swoop in and sign the Chief, at which point the team was basically destined to sign with the ARL and the Knights jumped ship back to the ARL following their players.
If the Knights signed it would have been game over, SL would have had everything outside of Sydney except the Crushers, Chargers, and Illawarra, and they would have had a fair chunk of Sydney as well, at that point the ARL would have been surrounded and would have lost their majority market share in every major RL market in the country...
It was planned for some time in the future, but nothing had actually been done about it by the time that SL came around.
Adelaide on the other hand was well progressed, and the 'Aces' were preparing to join sometime in the late 90s, but the ARL had already f##ked them too by demanding that the pay for travel, banning the clubs from starting their own merchandising schemes, saddling them with extra insurance costs, etc, all the crap that unfairly effected the out of town clubs that was sending them broke, that's why the core of the Aces jumped ship and became the Rams when News gave them a better offer, an offer where they actually had a hope of surviving past their 10th birthday...
I did mention Kerry Parker, and no he didn't own the TV rights to all RL content, he owned the rights to the NSWRL/ARL competition and if the ARL had agreed to News' original plan then there would have been f##k all he could have done to stop them, as the ARL competition would have continued and his contract with the ARL wouldn't have been breached, there'd just be a new bigger competition in town that overshadowed the one that he had the broadcasting rights too.
The plan had been changed as a matter of necessity.Not enough quality players ,as the ARL had a decent share.
Of course things changed the ARL and Packer didn't want a bar of it,ARL being contracted to Nine,and Packer paying a king's ransom to have it.Neither were going to lie down for News and warm heartedly think of England and charity.
The competition included Broncos and the new entrants Cowboys/Reds/Warriors.all part of the TV deal.
I'm not even going to respond to your original plan comment.It (the 14 team)was hardly a secret .Books written on the subject matter.Thus I call BS .The Tele scribes were out in full force praising the concept.,and they continued to do so when the Court case was won by News.
And to this very day,I see Rebecca Wilson the marketing face of SL,with a huge smile on her face when News won the final court battle;e,enabling them to play in 97.
Whatever the public knew beforehand and neither you or I know the numbers,and no doubt many had not a clue, the point was and remains the fact , the backlash from the public in the media, talkback,club fans, the drop off in SL crowds,TV ratings and indeed ARL crowds then, was a big warning to both warring parties.Keep this up and you are stuffed.
The fans could not handle the situation in SL with 10 teams, and the reaction at the Sharks' Leagues club, which you obviously did not attend,as relocation and or teams combining was mentioned in passing.
It was a case then many fans did not want a bar of News Ltd intrusion, and Ribot for quite a few was the devll incarnate.The Shark's board had already decided to go to SL for survival.
"Everyone happy with expansion" let me clarify ,people who are expansionists like moi and no doubt others were happy with the likes of Perth/Townsville/NZ/Crushers inclusion.Why? A 2nd Brisbane team:Needed.Perth": needed NZ:RL was going nowhere ATT. Cowboys:Heartland.
Yes some of the old traditionalists were agin it ,where will we get the players?My club is financially strung ,why use money to expand?
In fact it was Arthurson who was working on expansion for only 2 teams, but according to Masters,the bids were so good, what the heck, let's include the lot.
I'm not a Telecrap fan, but the Adelaide Aces was mentioned not only in that rag, but in RL Week.From memory the Dragons drew some decent crowds there.
Don't bang on about the ARL f*cking the Aces.That same mob were well on the way to pushing the Sharks interstate ,hence Got committing to SL.Which in retrospect saved the club, to get where it is today.
What makes up the overwhelming majority of ARL income ,the TV rights from ch9 ATT.Thats where the action and fan focus was.
If KP had not the money or inclination ,it would have been a lay down for News.News was used to getting its way on many issues, and still does.Their commercial arrogance is legendary.Rupert has openly admitted SL cost his company much more than anticipated, despite his Pay TV win.
The fact Packer had sent an emissary to South Africa to enter into discussion to start a Rugby World Series was also worrying.Not long after union became overtly;y professional.
Didn't Perth pay for travel and accommodation costs ,under the SL banner, also?
You can argue to and fro ,til you are back and blue, but Arthurson and Co were there to protect the existing comp and the TV contract.Some no doubt consider it selfish and anti expansionary by not reducing team numbers, but both Arko and Quayle were former 1st grade players and fans the game.They wanted to ensure fans of the existing clubs were if possible not lost as a result of rationalisation or relocation.Certainly in the short term.No doubt long term expansion to other areas and rationalisation was in their minds.
I am and remain ,pro expansion,but with the retention of all financially viable and sustainable current NRL clubs.I suggest many who live outside Sydney,dont; share that view.Knowing full well the chances of their clubs being relocated or joint ventured are next to zero.
