How long before the ultimate expansion?

[Loudstrat]

Given that the main facilitators of expansion have been population (ie finances), more accessible transport links and wide media coverage - how long before Rugby League can REALISTICALLY go beyond what SANZAR have achieved and go from our current international comp into a GLOBAL comp?

Its easy to envisage a comp with teams from Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland, Paris/Barcelona, London, Leeds, Manchester, and a mix from Sheffield, Liverpool, Wigan, Melbourne, Townsville, Newcastle, Canberra and possibly others?

To me the one big block is travel times. If something like the Concorde was revived (Kingsford Smith to Heathrow in 8 hours), and it was affordable, we could possibly do it now. Maybe we could have the technology within 30 years.

Thoughts?

 

[some11]

I feel like it would dilute the game having more than 18/20 teams.

 

[Edward]

Wow, a global rugby league competition is certainly "thinking big".

In my opinion I don't think it will ever happen. But I do think within the next 20 years there will be constant player transfers between competitions and countries (like what occurs in soccer).

Personally, I'd just be happy if the NRL expanded to Perth/Western Australia the day before yesterday.

 

[smithie]

No, no, no, no, no.

There should be the Australasian competition (NRL), the European competition (Super League), and one day an American competition.

Then turn the World Club Challenge into a Champions League comp.

 

[magpie4ever]

Given that the main facilitators of expansion have been population (ie finances), more accessible transport links and wide media coverage - how long before Rugby League can REALISTICALLY go beyond what SANZAR have achieved and go from our current international comp into a GLOBAL comp?

Its easy to envisage a comp with teams from Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland, Paris/Barcelona, London, Leeds, Manchester, and a mix from Sheffield, Liverpool, Wigan, Melbourne, Townsville, Newcastle, Canberra and possibly others?

To me the one big block is travel times. If something like the Concorde was revived (Kingsford Smith to Heathrow in 8 hours), and it was affordable, we could possibly do it now. Maybe we could have the technology within 30 years.

Thoughts?

I told you stop spanking the monkey.:crazy:

 

[The Great Dane]

No, no, no, no, no.

There should be the Australasian competition (NRL), the European competition (Super League), and one day an American competition.

Then turn the World Club Challenge into a Champions League comp.

I agree with this, except I think you are thinking to small.

There should be the Australasian competition (NRL), the European competition (Super League), one day an American competition, one day an South American competition, one day an Asian competition and one day a African competition etc.

The RLIFs long term goal should be to spread the game all over the world. Even if it seems impossible their goal should always be to get a domestic competition into every country in the world and to help maintain and govern the different competitions.

 

[magpie4ever]

Loudy (the electric eel) - you are a deadset nutter. Now you have them conquering the world with rugby league (hey, maybe Ribot had it right all along).

 

[newman]

How long? 32.6 years

 

[The Great Dane]

Loudy (the electric eel) - you are a deadset nutter. Now you have them conquering the world with rugby league (hey, maybe Ribot had it right all along).

I never said we would conquer the world, what I said was that it should be the RLIFs goal to conquer the world, that is there job to spread the game as far as they possibly can.

 

[magpie4ever]

I never said we would conquer the world, what I said was that it should be the RLIFs goal to conquer the world, that is there job to spread the game as far as they possibly can.

Let's face it, it is a stupid thread started by a stupid human being (???).

But on a serious note, rugby league will always play second fiddle to rugby union on a world stage - they are too far advanced in european, asian, african, north and south american countries.

League is a niche sport - mainly based in Australia, Northern Engalnd, New Zealand and PNG (only in two of these countries does it dominant union and that is in the landof Oz and PNG); plus a minor rugby code in some European countries and Pacific Island nations etc.

 

[Diesel]

There will be separate comps based on the area you are from and then a possible champions league to replace end of/preseason or to compliment the international game.

8 hours Sydney to London would be great, they are trailing other types of travel that goes to the lower limits of space where you can fly Sydney to London in 3 hours... Still I'm not sure how long before it becomes affordable and commercial

 

[Quidgybo]

Given that the main facilitators of expansion have been population (ie finances), more accessible transport links and wide media coverage - how long before Rugby League can REALISTICALLY go beyond what SANZAR have achieved and go from our current international comp into a GLOBAL comp?

Its easy to envisage a comp with teams from Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland, Paris/Barcelona, London, Leeds, Manchester, and a mix from Sheffield, Liverpool, Wigan, Melbourne, Townsville, Newcastle, Canberra and possibly others?

To me the one big block is travel times. If something like the Concorde was revived (Kingsford Smith to Heathrow in 8 hours), and it was affordable, we could possibly do it now. Maybe we could have the technology within 30 years.

Thoughts?

With the money flooding into the NRL and players flowing the same way, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the more ambitious Super League clubs come knocking. Nor would it surprise me if the Commission sees a future where they'll want the NRL to be bigger than the Australian and New Zealand markets alone can support. As our good friend Mr Gallop used to say "you fish where the fish are" and after Australia and New Zealand, where's the next big Rugby League market?

Practically the only way it would work if the comp ever goes big and intercontinental is NFL style conferences. Small domestic leagues if you have to think of it in terms of Australian and European comps but in reality just home and away conferences with limited inter conference play. Travel would be an issue but not impossible even today. You always play within your own conference home and away, and half your remaining matches are at home. The cross hemisphere away games can be played in a single multi week road trip.

Even if a European conference of NRL quality franchises was only six teams in a 24 team, 22 round NRL, that's still only one 6 game away trip per European team each season. Their remaining 16 matches would be 10 games against domestic opponents and six home games against visiting Australasian teams. For the 18 existing NRL teams in the three southern conferences it'd only be one 2 game away trip to Europe each season and two home games against European teams.

Logistics isn't the big obstacle for this type of expansion. Small thinking and patriotism is.

Leigh.

 

[magpie4ever]

With the money flooding into the NRL and players flowing the same way, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the more ambitious Super League clubs come knocking. Nor would it surprise me if the Commission sees a future where they'll want the NRL to be bigger than the Australian and New Zealand markets alone can support. As our good friend Mr Gallop used to say "you fish where the fish are" and after Australia and New Zealand, where's the next big Rugby League market?

Practically the only way it would work if the comp ever goes big and intercontinental is NFL style conferences. Small domestic leagues if you have to think of it in terms of Australian and European comps but in reality just home and away conferences with limited inter conference play. Travel would be an issue but not impossible even today. You always play within your own conference home and away and half your remaining matches are at home. The cross hemisphere away games can be played in a single multi week road trip.

Even if a European conference of NRL quality franchises was only six teams in a 24 team, 22 round NRL, that's still only one 6 game away trip per European team each season. Their remaining 16 matches would be 10 games against domestic opponents and six home games against visiting Australasian teams. For the 18 existing NRL teams in the three southern conferences it'd only be one 2 game away trip to Europe each season and two home games against European teams.

Logistics isn't the big obstacle for this type of expansion. Small thinking and patriotism is.

Leigh.

F**k me, do I live in the real world. We can't even expand to WA, Central Qld and the bloody Central coast; but we a going worldwide.

Loudy, you are a dropkick.:lol:

 

[applesauce]

I agree with this, except I think you are thinking to small.

There should be the Australasian competition (NRL), the European competition (Super League), one day an American competition, one day an South American competition, one day an Asian competition and one day a African competition etc.

The RLIFs long term goal should be to spread the game all over the world. Even if it seems impossible their goal should always be to get a domestic competition into every country in the world and to help maintain and govern the different competitions.

Pfft you're thinking too small.

I am looking forward to the day that the Peoples Republic of Earth are playing Zyphon Galaxy for control of the Milky Way.

 

[magpie4ever]

Heard those Zyphons will be hard to beat 8 feet tall, 6 arms and legs and a pouch where they hide the ball - cunning aliens.

 

[GAZF]

Magpie, if you just ignored this thread it would be half as long.

I think the league should expand initially to include a 24 team Pacific Island Conference, starting 2020.

 

[byrner]

Stupid thread. Focus on making our game national first

 

[Perth Red]

I'd be happy to see the arlc deliver on its strategic statement about growing the game in the pi's and making the NRL national.

 

[LJC]

Let's face it, it is a stupid thread started by a stupid human being (???).

But on a serious note, rugby league will always play second fiddle to rugby union on a world stage - they are too far advanced in european, asian, african, north and south american countries.

League is a niche sport - mainly based in Australia, Northern Engalnd, New Zealand and PNG (only in two of these countries does it dominant union and that is in the landof Oz and PNG); plus a minor rugby code in some European countries and Pacific Island nations etc.

RL is only a niche sport courtesy of underhanded tacticts of repression by RU authorities and backers with friends in high places all over the world. The best rugby code is not getting a fair run!

So if you are genuinely looking at the more entertaining form of rugby then RL is the answer! Mathematics will prove that RL is a much more entertaining game . On average an RL game will have around 700 tackles in it therefore 700 runs! A RU game has about 150 tackles. Go figure!

So if the game of RL was promoted without the restrictive practices used by RU administrators and their toffy nosed friends in high places then you would ultimately see RL become the dominant rugby code of the world!

 

[magpie4ever]

RL is only a niche sport courtesy of underhanded tacticts of repression by RU authorities and backers with friends in high places all over the world. The best rugby code is not getting a fair run!

So if you are genuinely looking at the more entertaining form of rugby then RL is the answer! Mathematics will prove that RL is a much more entertaining game . On average an RL game will have around 700 tackles in it therefore 700 runs! A RU game has about 150 tackles. Go figure!

So if the game of RL was promoted without the restrictive practices used by RU administrators and their toffy nosed friends in high places then you would ultimately see RL become the dominant rugby code of the world!

All good points, but it will never happen - union is entrenched and will not allow league a foothold in africa, asia and south america.