"It’s very realistic to say that we’ll have a second team in Brisbane in 2023": V'landys

[flippikat]

is there any demand in NZ for a 2nd team?
from my trips to Wellington they don't seem too passionate about sports... even Rugby.

Christchurch seems like a better bet, but it's not exactly a large city. Perth would be at least 3/4 times its size. You are not increasing your potential TV viewers by a lot.

IMO Wellington would be a grave mistake for the NRL, and I say that (with heavy heart) as a Wellingtonian.

Wellington is an arts city, not a sports city. With the exception of the mighty Wellington Saints basketball team, in just about every sport we usually *at best* make the playoffs then get beaten by.... CANTERBURY.

The province that's based around Christchurch.

The folk down there are feral about sport - and I honestly think Christchurch v Auckland in the NRL could be as passionate as any match in the competition - as it would bring the biggest rivalry in NZ sport to the league. Plus the new team would be based in a brand new covered rectangular stadium - something Wellington doesn't offer - which would be unique in the NRL & make for great conditions for open footy that's attractive to live fans & TV audiences.

 

[T-Boon]

is there any demand in NZ for a 2nd team?
from my trips to Wellington they don't seem too passionate about sports... even Rugby.

Christchurch seems like a better bet, but it's not exactly a large city. Perth would be at least 3/4 times its size. You are not increasing your potential TV viewers by a lot.

Good questions. There definitely isnt much demand in NZ for a second team.
But it has a lot of other things going for it like a lot of players to be tapped into and potential for converting it from a Rugby nation to more of a League nation.
League has a few things going for it that Rugby does not. Rugby is more wedded to their rules that create boring sport whereas League is flexible about its rules and as result is an evolving sport and has the potential to continue to improve as a sport/spectacle.

 

[flippikat]

League has a few things going for it that Rugby does not. Rugby is more wedded to their rules that create boring sport whereas League is flexible about its rules and as result is an evolving sport and has the potential to continue to improve as a sport/spectacle.

Can you imagine an NRL game, with the current rule tweaks, played in a covered stadium (no rain, no wind, no cold)?

The skill level right now is extraordinary - just look at some of the wet weather performances last weekend.

If we get a team in Christchurch in their new stadium (once built), we'd have the opportunity once a week to see the game's best talent battling each other & not the conditions.

 

[The Great Dane]

In theory I'm not against the idea of a 2nd NZ club, however whether or not it's viable totally depends on what broadcasters in NZ would offer for it and what sort of backing you could find to invest in the club, and I find it very hard to believe that any business case you could make for it would be better than the business cases you could make for either Perth or Adelaide, and arguably some of the other major Australian markets as well.

 

[ash the bash]

Interesting discussion..

I agree with comments above, would stay clear of Wellington as a home base. Its a great night out in Wellington but like a couple of our resident Kiwi's have mentioned it ain't exactly a sports city.

Whether it has the corporate support is debatable but I would be basing the team in Christchurch. Although I can see the argument for having a game in Auckland each weekend being the biggest market. It would be too much of a risk for the Warriors basing a second NZ team in Auckland.

 

[The Great Dane]

Interesting discussion..

I agree with comments above, would stay clear of Wellington as a home base. Its a great night out in Wellington but like a couple of our resident Kiwi's have mentioned it ain't exactly a sports city.

Whether it has the corporate support is debatable but I would be basing the team in Christchurch. Although I can see the argument for having a game in Auckland each weekend being the biggest market. It would be too much of a risk for the Warriors basing a second NZ team in Auckland.

Considering the Warriors history of a revolving door of owners and financial struggles, I think it's pretty safe to say that putting another team in Auckland would be a very risky move. The Warriors would either rise to the new competition, making both clubs stronger, or it'd kill them both.

Wellington's major problem seems to be that they don't have a suitable stadium. With the exception of cricket, all their major sports play on rectangular fields, but they are all playing out of the Cake Tin, and as anybody that has experienced it knows, ovals are where the atmosphere and experience of going to a rectangular sport goes to die.
The only way I'd consider Wellington is they agreed to build a purpose built rectangular stadium in a good location somewhere in the city, otherwise I'd simply rule them out from the get go.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

IMO Wellington would be a grave mistake for the NRL, and I say that (with heavy heart) as a Wellingtonian.

Wellington is an arts city, not a sports city. With the exception of the mighty Wellington Saints basketball team, in just about every sport we usually *at best* make the playoffs then get beaten by.... CANTERBURY.

The province that's based around Christchurch.

The folk down there are feral about sport - and I honestly think Christchurch v Auckland in the NRL could be as passionate as any match in the competition - as it would bring the biggest rivalry in NZ sport to the league. Plus the new team would be based in a brand new covered rectangular stadium - something Wellington doesn't offer - which would be unique in the NRL & make for great conditions for open footy that's attractive to live fans & TV audiences.

A Kiwi mate at work who loves RL says to me all the time, if the NRL are going to bring in a second NZ team it has to be in Christchurch, for the sporting culture and the rivalry with Auckland.

 

[LeagueXIII]

And they could be red and black...call them the Bears

 

[Perth Red]

No to mention that NZ has 24,000 registered players, and 142 registered clubs. I'm gathering that is a few more than WA.

A club in Christchurch isnt representing the whole country lol. There’s more players and clubs in Australia than that so makes more sense to bring in an Australian club like perth, see how stupid that argument sounds?

 

[bad boy bubby]

A club in Christchurch isnt representing the whole country lol. There’s more players and clubs in Australia than that so makes more sense to bring in an Australian club like perth, see how stupid that argument sounds?

View attachment 46976

Not when it shows the level of supporters the sport has in an expansion area, which the NRL considers the whole of NZ to be, in the same way it considers WA as an expansion area.
You can try and twist your agenda whichever way it makes you feel better. Smarter people than you run the game and know a hell of a lot more about where has a better chance to succeed.

 

[Pippen94]

Considering the Warriors history of a revolving door of owners and financial struggles, I think it's pretty safe to say that putting another team in Auckland would be a very risky move. The Warriors would either rise to the new competition, making both clubs stronger, or it'd kill them both.

Wellington's major problem seems to be that they don't have a suitable stadium. With the exception of cricket, all their major sports play on rectangular fields, but they are all playing out of the Cake Tin, and as anybody that has experienced it knows, ovals are where the atmosphere and experience of going to a rectangular sport goes to die.
The only way I'd consider Wellington is they agreed to build a purpose built rectangular stadium in a good location somewhere in the city, otherwise I'd simply rule them out from the get go.

Such a troll with ur building stadium talk. Why would NRL care if stadium in Wellington is rectangular?? Not like they staving off afl or something. Broadcast & juniors only factors NRL would for this.

 

[Perth Red]

Not when it shows the level of supporters the sport has in an expansion area, which the NRL considers the whole of NZ to be, in the same way it considers WA as an expansion area.
You can try and twist your agenda whichever way it makes you feel better. Smarter people than you run the game and know a hell of a lot more about where has a better chance to succeed.

people across nz are not going to become members and attend games in Christchurch lol

history is littered with failed businesses where supposedly smart people made sht decisions.

 

[bad boy bubby]

people across nz are not going to become members and attend games in Christchurch lol

So now you are stating the psyche of a whole country as if it's fact...
I don't even have to rebuke your statement with a simple "and neither will the people of Perth, and they can get to the ground in less than 30 mins from around the whole town"

 

[Perth Red]

So now you are stating the psyche of a whole country as if it's fact...
I don't even have to rebuke your statement with a simple "and neither will the people of Perth, and they can get to the ground in less than 30 mins from around the whole town"

if they would wouldn’t they already be supporting the “NZ” warriors? I can see thousands in Wellington rushing to support a club in Christchurch lol. Quick ferry across and a 9 hour drive and you’re at the game. Cuckoo.

 

[bad boy bubby]

if they would wouldn’t they already be supporting the “NZ” warriors? I can see thousands in Wellington rushing to support a club in Christchurch lol. Quick ferry across and a 9 hour drive and you’re at the game. Cuckoo.

More chance of that then someone getting a 10 min cab ride from Subiaco. Which is even more "lol" .
Keep going on though, you are helping in the proof of why they aren't heading west yet.

 

[Diesel]

PR, the resident know-it-all about NZ.

If you want a NZ question answered, or even if you don’t for that matter.

 

[Perth Red]

More chance of that then someone getting a 10 min cab ride from Subiaco. Which is even more "lol" .
Keep going on though, you are helping in the proof of why they aren't heading west yet.

 

[The Great Dane]

Such a troll with ur building stadium talk. Why would NRL care if stadium in Wellington is rectangular?? Not like they staving off afl or something. Broadcast & juniors only factors NRL would for this.

You've never attended a RL game have you.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Which NZ city outside of Auckland is growing the quickest?

 

[flippikat]

Which NZ city outside of Auckland is growing the quickest?

By region, Bay of Plenty.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ne...nd-s-fastest-growing-region-revealed.amp.html