If you were CEO how would you handle expansion

[Gizza]

Good point, although in 10 years or so when I believe it will finally be time for expansion, these cities may have experienced significant enough growth, as we are beginning to see at the moment

 

[Gizza]

.

 

[Perth Red]

Not really, Gosford will only reach 189k by 2036, Wollongong 253k. Incredibly hard to get 20k plus crowds with those general populations, and the corporates aren't going to grow significantly unless some major companies locate there but that's not likely. Reality is most clubs draw their sponsors from local companies or local connections into bigger companies.

 

[alien]

Not really, Gosford will only reach 189k by 2036, Wollongong 253k. Incredibly hard to get 20k plus crowds with those general populations

The population of the Central Coast is 325,100.
The population of the Illawarra region is 344,454.

I don't think either area needs their own team though. St George Illawarra should play half of their home games in Wollongong (if they aren't already), and maybe Manly should play half of their home games at Gosford, and call themselves Manly-Central Coast Sea Eagles. If they did that then they could probably take over the Central Coast junior district, but I think the Roosters might be beating them to the punch.

 

[BuderusIsaBeast]

Not really, Gosford will only reach 189k by 2036, Wollongong 253k. Incredibly hard to get 20k plus crowds with those general populations, and the corporates aren't going to grow significantly unless some major companies locate there but that's not likely. Reality is most clubs draw their sponsors from local companies or local connections into bigger companies.

I think the Central Coast deserve a team and would be well supported but WA, Brisbane 2 and NZ 2 are all ahead in the queue

 

[Perth Red]

The population of the Central Coast is 325,100.
The population of the Illawarra region is 344,454.
.

Have you seen nrl crowds, you think people are travelling to get to games?

 

[The Great Dane]

I think the Central Coast deserve a team and would be well supported but WA, Brisbane 2 and NZ 2 are all ahead in the queue

And Adelaide, NZ 3, Melbourne 2, maybe some Asian countries and Hawaii by the time we get to that point in 25-30+ years time.

Look for as long as I've been on this forum this discussion has been had time and time again, and it always ends with the fans of the CC making emotional arguments about how great it would be to see the Bears back in the comp (which would be nice BTW) and not providing any reasons as to why it'd be good for the league or the sport as a whole, and the anti (for lack of a better word) CC people shooting down every argument with a " they are an hour in each direction from the nearest club, and realistically the region is already a market that the NRL has a large share of without having a team based there", or in other words it's completely unnecessary waste one of the limited places in the competition on them when other arguably less risky opportunities offer more.

So can we stop talking about the CC because it gives fans from the CC a false hope when it makes absolutely no commercial sense whatsoever.

And besides the only reasons that the CC are even in the discussion in the first place is because they're connected to the Bears, and the Bears will probably look to use them as a stepping stone to get back into Sydney which would be a disaster.

 

[jim_57]

And Adelaide, NZ 3, Melbourne 2, maybe some Asian countries and Hawaii by the time we get to that point in 25-30+ years time.

Look for as long as I've been on this forum this discussion has been had time and time again, and it always ends with the fans of the CC making emotional arguments about how great it would be to see the Bears back in the comp (which would be nice BTW) and not providing any reasons as to why it'd be good for the league or the sport as a whole, and the anti (for lack of a better word) CC people shooting down every argument with a " they are an hour in each direction from the nearest club, and realistically the region is already a market that the NRL has a large share of without having a team based there", or in other words it's completely unnecessary waste one of the limited places in the competition on them when other arguably less risky opportunities offer more.

So can we stop talking about the CC because it gives fans from the CC a false hope when it makes absolutely no commercial sense whatsoever.

And besides the only reasons that the CC are even in the discussion in the first place is because they're connected to the Bears, and the Bears will probably look to use them as a stepping stone to get back into Sydney which would be a disaster.

Sad but true, I think best Central Coast coukd hope for would be a 50/50 split like the Dragons with Woolongong. Roosters seem the obvious choice with current links, but whether they'd ever be willing to move 6 home games is another matter.

As far as Bears are concerned, unless they try and shack up with another expansion city I think they can write off a return to the top grade.

 

[Perth Red]

Sadly Dragons failure to generate two supporter bases makes the idea of split teams even less likely.

 

[Marlins]

2018-2022 Expansion & Strategy Plan
By 2018-2019

- Dragons should play 8 Home Games in Wollongong.
- Sharks take 2 HG to Koragh.
- Manly Central Coast Sea Eagles
Play 8HG @lottoLand & 4HG @CC.

- Fiji Nswrl cup team introduced
- Christchurch Nswrl cup team Introduced
- WCPirates QCup Team Introduced
- Toowoomba QCup Team Introduced

2020-2022
- Roosters relocated to Adelaide
- Souths Move to SFS

- WCPirates Introduced to NRL
- Christchurch Introduced to NRL

- NT Qcup Team Introduced
- 2nd PNG Qcup Team Introduced
- Wellington Nswrl Team Introduced
- Coffs Harbour Nswrl Team Introduced

 

[The Great Dane]

Sadly Dragons failure to generate two supporter bases makes the idea of split teams even less likely.

To be fair though the Dragons have never really tried to maintain a base in Wollongong and lets be honest probably never intend to maintain a supporters base in Wollongong, so they're not really a good example.

The Steelers were a sacrificial lamb to keep the Dragons alive, and the Gong a stepping stone to keep the club in Sydney.

Don't get me wrong second homes don't work, but the Dragons aren't a good example of why not.

 

[siv]

Somebody seems to think CC and Manly are nearby

They are so.physically seperated its not funny. No public transport link. You have to go into the city centre first

The Dragons/Steelers picked the Bears model

CC juniors/stadium with the big North Sydney corporate support

Because the NRL has taken forever - Easts have moved in with the same model but using CC juniors with Sydney City corporate support

 

[parrawentyfan]

With Super Rugby on the cusp of culling an Australian team, I wonder what opportunities this brings for the NRL.

• I assume the Waratahs and Reds are safe.
• One of the Brumbies, Rebels or Force are on the chopping block.
• If the Brumbies are cut, it is great news for the Raiders. They should poach a few Brumbies players and extend an olive branch to the local RU community.
• If the Force are cut, would the NRL have the balls, legal expertise and money to go in there and take over the licence. I imagine this would mean a payout to the ARU of some sort. A WA team is on the horizon anyway, so why not start with a team with ready made supporters, sponsors etc. Would some Force supporters follow them to a new code.
• If the Rebels are cut, then I think the NRL should also consider a similar move. Granted, a second Melbourne NRL side would be years away, but again - with a headstart could this be a potential shortcut? Do they share fans or would there be an automatic rivalry?

Anyway, I think the ARU are nuts if they agree to losing any teams. Of all sports, RL knows the damage such a move causes. We will just need to see how much pressure is applied by SANZAAR or whatever they are called now.

 

[Perth Red]

Be interesting what they do, a more radical suggestion made has been to split super15 into two comps. Nz,oz and japan and a Sth Africa, USA, Argentina comp.

Most sports seem to be struggling at moment with revenue and crowds.

No to the idea of taking over the force. I could see the nz fans switching g codes but the Pom and South African rugger boys hate league and won't swap. RL fans here would hate it so you gain nothing. The force brand is damaged here, they've gone from a really strong club to a not of a joke in a decade.

 

[parrawentyfan]

Thanks - was hoping for you perspective as a Perth local. I think we would all prefer the Reds/Pirates, but it's hard to say no to an existing brand even if it has been damaged in recent years. Assume they are averaging 10-15k ish? Anyway, either way if the Force get cut, a Perth team is even more of a must for the NRL.
I don't think they will cut any to be honest, but there's been quite a bit of talk on it. Splitting the comp like you ai is very sensible (or just having strong domestic leagues which SA and NZ already do).

 

[Perth Red]

Force problem is how poor on the field they have been, especially at home. Fans will only stand really poor performances for so long and force fans have had enough. Although they have financial problems they are only Loisng around $1mill a year, which by nrl terms is minor. that would be easily turned around if they were getting 18k at nib. WA liberals seem very keen for perth not to lose them, bailed them out with a multi million $ tax payer sponsorship deal this year!

If they go and if we ever get a team I can see us picking up a massive amount of union juniors like they picked up load of league juniors when force came in.

 

[alien]

Roosters to Perth.
Sharks to Adelaide.

 

[colly]

To have expansion NOW the following needs to policy. Local law/rules. Two teams immediately from the Pacific and PNG. They don't get the 5/6 million club grant, NO.
1. Set up a semi professional comp like like old days 70's early 80's. 4/6 teams and all playes get 5 grand per year. Out of this group of 120 players you pick 26 players to be Top team /NRL Flat payments to players of 30k each.
( note these countries are poor and if payed some million dollar NRL contracts they would be the richest/more than their Prime Minister.
You play at the margins maybe 6 team comp/ NRL 25 k What you get would be a NRL team with 150 semi professional players for 2.5 million. This extra game could be sold to TV interest in Australia. Also this will build up the international game. Note PNG and Pacific could play ALL games at home. Australian teams do all the travel.
See u20 world cup in Port Moresby
Pacific team to play mostly out of Suva with games in Samoa/Tonga

600 k for 6 teams at %k each = 600k
26 players at 30k =780 k
Total 1.4 million each new team. Round it up to 2 million team costs coaches/incidentals and small travel.
Plus this opens up a world cup with very competitive teams. By the way World cups will be Every Year in Australia in the mid October to finish late November. Since 7 bought this years for 5/7 million why not permanently have in here. Sell it as a package one NRL game (see above) plus a World cup. Nine and foxtel could bid but best to pull in the pony called Ten Tv. I have other suggestions to get expansion Australian teams and how to fund them.
Teams from Australia woiuld be QLD , NSW country/coast (population 2 million) = NSW pop equal one third of australia Nsw country is around two million people, the same for Qld country properly around 1.25 million Imagine a QLD team playing out of old QE2 (some) with many games taken on the road. NSW country plays some out Gosford with games on the road ie Mudgee/ Bathurst
These franchises will be owned/runned manged by QLD league and it's counterpart in NSW.
THey will be given only half a team grant each. Maybe NRL teams could pay afee to each state organization for each player registered. Bluntly to make it work they Must also offer a two tier payment structure like the above example. ie 60k and 120 k contracts only. If you put it down as policy in black and white players except or walk, it's a free world.
I can see Perth happening like this too.

 

[colly]

The clip above is to show a game being played in Port Moresby. NRL could be playing here every weekend, how good will that be.

 

[taipan]

Roosters to Perth.
Sharks to Adelaide.

Yeah sure that would work LOL .Just like Souths to Cairns.