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Yes, the established Sydney clubs are important but that doesn't have to be in the top flight. People can support their local Sydney team at their local suburban ground in the NSWRL and one of the new Sydney Super franchises in the NRL. Super Rugby at it's height (and yes it has its flaws) showed us that the Shute Shield and Waratahs can both be popular and can even be used to service different markets within the game.
I agree but it is chicken and egg somewhat. AFL has opened up a massive revenue gap largely by expanding into a national comp with australia wide appeal for sponsors and tv. How will the NRL significantly increase revenue if it stays the same? A ninth game will bring in more money but that is likely to just pay for the tw new clubs it requires. If they are two more existing markets then it does little to inflate revenue beyond cost.
I agree, but now isn't the time to start throwing money at either state of Wa/Sa in regards to propping up a 1st grade NRL side in Perth or Adelaide, when there's no real team or base to build off right now, the current expansion bids are all setup from QLD cup teams, the jump to NRL level won't be as hard, compared to starting from scratch in a non heartland area, ala "Melbourne Storm" where it's nessesary to prop it up for the next 10-15 years before its viable as they are now, even then Victoria is not producing many juniors in comparison to any of the other clubs that are in Nsw/Qld/Nz, we need to make sure we expand in areas that play the game, Perth is a great candidate, but it won't be ready for at least another 5-10 years, unless there's a relocation, or some other way to boost their lower grade talent, we can't have too many teams in the comp just being leeches of other RL areas, they need to be giving back, Melbourne is an exception since it has 9+ AFL teams in its backyard.
I doubt the NRL is hanging on by a thread because Perth and Adelaide don't have a team, ....talk about drama
How come the AFL don't have a NZ or Townsville team yet?
NRL has markets AFL doesn't, NZ, ACT, QLD
Very good question. Maybe they should relocate Collingwood or Geelong there.
That's stupid, you're stupid, don't you know how rich Collingwood is, eddie maguire wants you to be a millionaire. Dont you understand the MARKET!!! ive got graphs that have decided my narrative, and Collingwood is the "Affluent" club we need to keep..
Sorry lets move St.Kilda to Darwin, that's a better fit, coz Darwin needs a team, and St.kilda has low crowds, here ill post you 2019s stats
Yes, Newcastle the same and probably Canberra and the game is bigger in all of those areas now than it was then. There is no evidence that Sydney would be any different, especially if you treat the traditional clubs and the NSWRL comp with the funding and respect it deserves to carry forward the legacy of the game at the correct level to allow growth at the top level and make the sport bigger overall.
I'll tell you why, those places you're using as an example are expansion areas, think about that, coz if you shrink your heartland you'll end up like A-league, or Union, the core Sydney sides are the base, and even tho i loath to say this, but AFL is right to place their teams where they are, they have their heartland in a city of 5 million, and have expanded out from it, they aren't going to shrink Victoria just to add NZ or Townsville, NRL has the same with Sydney, we just have a different branches of the same type of tree, but we have a chance to create 2 or 3 city heartland Areas, where AFL might only be able to only do Perth and Melbourne
Wagga wagga Wetdogs
Don’t disagree but you need to start somewhere at some time! We keep saying “Not now“ for a variety of ever changing reasons, like somehow it will magically happen that the time is now. Set a strategy, set a timeline, put in place actions. Then the time will be now, eventually.
Because they have gone for big markets.
f Darwin had 2 million people in it I can be pretty confident the afl would be trying to get a failing melbourne club to move there!
I don't disagree, but that's not my point
Well it kind of is! Afl hq know melbourne is over saturated and would love to remove a couple of the struggling clubs and move them to new markets. They tried desperately to get someone to move to Gold Coast. If tassie had more population and was more financially viable I’m sure they’d be pushing hawthorn into a move. If nrl wants to keep its Sydney footprint that’s fine, but don’t hold back growing the game into new markets because of it. of we do then we will only fall further and further behind until afl is the undisputed number one code. That would be a shame for RL.
