International growth

[LeagueXIII]

Is it time we looked at starting a sevens circuit during the off season, this would give the minor nations a chance to show their wares without a 100 point thumping looming, also hold the attention of the crowd. Marketed right and packaged for TV I can't see how this could be a negative. It would also give the minor nations something to aim for.

I could see it looking like this, played from November to February, with 4 or 5 rounds. Obviously weather would need to be factored in to suit best. Cities could be rotated, given to highest bidder. Sell it as an event.

Rd 1 - South of France/UK

Rd 2- East Europe

Rd 3 - Dubai

Rd 4 - NZ/ South Pacific/USA

Rd 5 - Australia

 

[gho]

Do you think it will work and be financially viable? Why would an Eastern European or American city want to host a sport that the vast majority of its population hasn't even heard of (it would be like the Canadian Football League playing a game in Australia)? Dubai already host the Rugby Union 7's and is currently facing bankruptcy, so theyre not going to bid.

I dont think Rugby League 7's will ever take off, because although Rugby Union is a terrible sport, Rugby Union 7's can actually be an enthralling competition. I've been to a couple of the Adelaide 7's and will no doubt go again next year (where as the last rugby union game i watched was when Aus lost the final to England back in 2003).

If we were to have a 5 round league 7's competition i would see it like this:

Rd 1 - in Qld or NSW
Rd 2 - NZ (the pacific islanders wouldnt be financially viable)
Rd 3 - Aus non-heartland state (im sure Adelaide or Melbourne would love to bid)
Rd 4 - England
Rd 5 - France

 

[hutch]

there is nobody with any sort of power in our game that really cares about expanding our game and product anywhere around the world. while it is a great idea, it wont happen. i like the idea of having a world 7's as a way to open the season like we used to, but play it in alternate hemispheres each year. nrl v international teams one year, super league v international teams the next. i cant see any room in our schedule for anything more. different cities can host it, brisbane, leeds, christchurch, toulouse etc. wont happen though.

 

[LeagueXIII]

Do you think it will work and be financially viable? Why would an Eastern European or American city want to host a sport that the vast majority of its population hasn't even heard of (it would be like the Canadian Football League playing a game in Australia)? Dubai already host the Rugby Union 7's and is currently facing bankruptcy, so theyre not going to bid.

I dont think Rugby League 7's will ever take off, because although Rugby Union is a terrible sport, Rugby Union 7's can actually be an enthralling competition. I've been to a couple of the Adelaide 7's and will no doubt go again next year (where as the last rugby union game i watched was when Aus lost the final to England back in 2003).

If we were to have a 5 round league 7's competition i would see it like this:

Rd 1 - in Qld or NSW
Rd 2 - NZ (the pacific islanders wouldnt be financially viable)
Rd 3 - Aus non-heartland state (im sure Adelaide or Melbourne would love to bid)
Rd 4 - England
Rd 5 - France

Of course it isn't there for the game to make millions of dollars profit, it is for development getting the perception out there that RL has an international competition. If union 7's is popular why wouldn't league's be interesting. I'm sure people will come thinking it's union but be surprised, we wouldn't be looking for 50,000 crowds, 5-7,000. The packaging for TV and selling to the major league markets is what would fund it along with the big leagues. It's perfect for the off-season. In regards to Eastern Europe I was thinking Belgrade which would help Serbian league or Moscow.

Look at it this way would England, NZ or Australia ever play in Russia, Fiji, Serbia any other way. It's a celebration of the game.

Wouldn't it be great if this part of the game was developed and league became part of the olympics as part of seven's? RU 7's, womens 7's and league 7's, 3 gold medals up for grabs. A long way off I know but FFS we need some sort of plan to grow this game.

 

[Jankuloski]

I think the first thing to be done is to revive RL 7s. No major tournaments were played lately. The RFL are pushing RL 9s. So the code also has to agree on which of the two are we all going to play.

The fact that RU7s was introduced in the olympics is great for some developping countries, because olympic sports get more financing. I don't know why has no one in RLIF worked on that.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

Go the 9s I reckon, to differentiate from 7s. Also, league is already quicker and more freeflowing than union, so 7s would be over the top.

 

[chrisc101]

I personally think we just need to make one successful tournament. 7's used to be great, before the All Star concept, I thought the perfect launch to the season would have been world sevens on the Gold Coast with just countries, no clubs. But looks like this window is now gone.

 

[Fraser]

i think rugby league can take advantage from yawnion 7's being in the olympics, once new fans watch the 15's they will fall asleep, by 2016 NRL on spike will be massive

 

[Sam_the_man]

there is nobody with any sort of power in our game that really cares about expanding our game and product anywhere around the world. while it is a great idea, it wont happen. i like the idea of having a world 7's as a way to open the season like we used to, but play it in alternate hemispheres each year. nrl v international teams one year, super league v international teams the next. i cant see any room in our schedule for anything more. different cities can host it, brisbane, leeds, christchurch, toulouse etc. wont happen though.

While i agree that for most of rugby leagues life very few have given a damn about expanding the great game but we have a very smart man in Richard Lewis from England who is slowly but surely moving league into new areas. While all most all fans would like to see some sort of 7's circuit we have to give the likes of Lewis time, after all Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

[Fraser]

While i agree that for most of rugby leagues life very few have given a damn about expanding the great game but we have a very smart man in Richard Lewis from England who is slowly but surely moving league into new areas. While all most all fans would like to see some sort of 7's circuit we have to give the likes of Lewis time, after all Rome wasn't built in a day.

agreed, the expansion sides dragons and crusaders have been huge success in the sl so far. whens the 2nd french side coming in, surely a few more french teams will come in the next 20 years. what about ireland and scotland especially after the succesful murrayfield magic weekend

 

[Sam_the_man]

Well there is talk about the Lyon football club getting a ESL team going. Paris is still a strong rumour. And both Scotland and Ireland have been in the early stages of getting pro teams together.

 

[deluded pom?]

agreed, the expansion sides dragons and crusaders have been huge success in the sl so far. whens the 2nd french side coming in, surely a few more french teams will come in the next 20 years. what about ireland and scotland especially after the succesful murrayfield magic weekend

I wouldn't say the Dragons are an expansion team. They expand the SLE base but they are playing in a strong already established RL area and the Crusaders have been far from a success except for the strengthening of the amateur game in S Wales which may or may not be wasted depending on how the new S Wales team goes. Whether the MM weekend is successful is another moot point.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

The problem is we have 7's and 9's, we take exhibition (13 a side) games all over the place but we never ever back it up with more games in the following years.

So it's all a waste of $$$$$ in the first place as it hurts the game by promising new countries this and that then follow it up with nothing.

The way I see it, the TV mob and media are waiting for RL to die off in Aus and England so Super League can take off world wide, why else do a heap of union countries these days play Rugby Super league?

 

[bobbis]

The problem is we have 7's and 9's, we take exhibition (13 a side) games all over the place but we never ever back it up with more games in the following years.

So it's all a waste of $$$$$ in the first place as it hurts the game by promising new countries this and that then follow it up with nothing.

The way I see it, the TV mob and media are waiting for RL to die off in Aus and England so Super League can take off world wide, why else do a heap of union countries these days play Rugby Super league?

I agree with the first bit its probably a waste of money, though 1 or 2 pre season 7s comps in Australia and Europe wouldn't hurt.

However with the 2nd bit what do you mean, I think you're reading into the word super way too much.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

I agree with the first bit its probably a waste of money, though 1 or 2 pre season 7s comps in Australia and Europe wouldn't hurt.

However with the 2nd bit what do you mean, I think you're reading into the word super way too much.

probably a little paranoia coming through, but it seems to be the way the union code is going, they don't care how long it takes, they'll wait another 100 years if they have too.

Maybe I'm a bit disheartened with the way the people running our game are going.

 

[SteveM]

Well there is talk about the Lyon football club getting a ESL team going. Paris is still a strong rumour. And both Scotland and Ireland have been in the early stages of getting pro teams together.

Can you provide links ?.

 

[Sam_the_man]

Can you provide links ?.

They are all mentioned in the international section of this forum. They aint hard to find mate.

 

[Fraser]

scotland rugby get sh*t crowds, some good scottish rl academis going on

 

[LeagueXIII]

The irony of Australia weakening internationally would mean England etc would beat us, thus keeping the public interested. It would create a level playing field. It would give us what we want a competitive international series.

 

[SteveM]

They are all mentioned in the international section of this forum. They aint hard to find mate.

http://www.totalrl.com/index.php?showtopic=194393

This link gives a good discussion on RL development in the UK/France. It more accurate than anything on this thread (i.e. it based on facts and not pie in the sky)