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

[The Mad Hatter]

If Brisbane gets a third team before Perth and Adelaide get their first I'll basically give up on RL's future potential as a commercial product.

It'd be the most insular and backwards move in the sport's history, and an unforgivable abdication of the ARLC/NRL's responsibility to grow the sport in this country.

100%.
Perth and Adelaide should be in line (and in, imho).
But you get a sense they’ll say they have two great bids…oh what the hell, both of yers.

 

[Generalzod]

How much money and time was spent developing the game in China?

$0?

How many millions are spent on Sydney each year with media saturation, and an average of well under <15k fans to its games?

Imagine how big RL could be in SE Asian markets if we spent 10% of that money on developing and promoting the game?

You reap what you sow, and RL puts zero effort into developing the game outside of Sydney.

Look if you see what's going down geographically in Sydney just have a look at Hurstville in the last 40 years this suburb has become one of the Largest Chinese community in Sydney do you see any of them playing for St George.

 

[MugaB]

If Brisbane gets a third team before Perth and Adelaide get their first I'll basically give up on RL's future potential as a commercial product.

It'd be the most insular and backwards move in the sport's history, and an unforgivable abdication of the ARLC/NRL's responsibility to grow the sport in this country.

It's all about rewarding those passionate heartland areas, before the rusted on Afl ones.... hehe

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Tho you gotta be in it to win it....

Ouch sorry, low blow my man

That's not low Muga....

Even when Parra are in it - they can't win it...

Now that's low..

 

[The Great Dane]

Technically the fanbase shouldn't be split, as they are looking to get fans who aren't into rugba leg, you know not cannibalizing broncos or titans, but yeah if they are catering for the bronx haters then 2 extra teams will split that base

Growth like that isn't possible in the short term, it takes generational change.

No matter what they do the initial fanbase of the clubs will be made up almost exclusively of people that are already fans of RL, and almost certainly already fans of other NRL clubs.

 

[The Great Dane]

It's all about rewarding those passionate heartland areas, before the rusted on Afl ones.... hehe

If those heartlands were so passionate there'd be no need for more teams because the fan base would all already be rusted on fans of the pre-existing clubs.

The real growth in Australia is in the "AFL states", always has been, always will be.

 

[Perth Red]

Growth like that isn't possible in the short term, it takes generational change.

No matter what they do the initial fanbase of the clubs will be made up almost exclusively of people that are already fans of RL, and almost certainly already fans of other NRL clubs.

the club report clearly showed that the majority of people interested in following rugby league in Brisbane to any great extent already support either the broncos or another NRL club. Its a myth for Vlandys to be going on about new fans. That takes many many years of major marketing to generate a new customer base in sport.

 

[MugaB]

That's not low Muga....

Even when Parra are in it - they can't win it...

Now that's low..

Its the illusion of freedom and a glimmer of hope to raise hands on a premiership
There must be cannon fodder, every competition demands it

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

It's all about rewarding those passionate heartland areas, before the rusted on Afl ones.... hehe

Those Brisbane heartland areas already have a team - the Broncos of Brisbane. I'm actually for a 2nd Brissy team, but after that surely expansion into SA/WA must happen.

I see it not that they shouldn't "waste money on rusted-on AFL states".... more that they don't back themselves to make true expansion succeed.

 

[Jim Rockford]

The Eels should give up on trying to break their Premiership drought and concentrate on consolidating their position as Wooden Spoon Kings. There is every likelihood that they will never be surpassed as the team with the most Spoons.

 

[MugaB]

If those heartlands were so passionate there'd be no need for more teams because the fan base would all already be rusted on fans of the pre-existing clubs.

The real growth in Australia is in the "AFL states", always has been, always will be.

Yeah i get that, its the same reason PNG gets talked about, coz RL is the national sport.. but again not a solid or safe choice in regards to 3rd world status and return in investment, especially when no Perth or Adelaide are still in flux.... quick fix is relocation tho, not sure PVL would ever do that

 

[Perth Red]

If those heartlands were so passionate there'd be no need for more teams because the fan base would all already be rusted on fans of the pre-existing clubs.

The real growth in Australia is in the "AFL states", always has been, always will be.

we have 2 things at play that have created this myopic mindset. First is RL's traditional low social class belief systems that have limited its ambitions and self belief. Its no coincidence that big business has found it so easy to walk over us and take control of the game.
the second has been the games historically greatest strength in Australia, but also its greatest anchor. The reliance on Leagues Clubs has meant the clubs are not business minded and that the governing body has no faith in supporting start up clubs unless they have big LC's behind them. Lets be honest if it wasnt for News Ltd we still wouldn't have a club in Melbourne. Newcastle, despite having one of the biggest fanbases in the game, had to be bailed out by a LC. Titans without a LC went belly up. The clubs inability to develop sustainable revenue from its fanbase is the games biggest issue imo. We've become reliant on TV $'s and in doing so have damaged the clubs ability to grow its revenue generating supporter base. Some clubs make less than $3million from their fanbase!
Every now and again we get a visionary leader who can see beyond our past, sadly we dont have that at the moment, in fact our leadership is probably the most conservative and myopic it has been since Gallop.

 

[MugaB]

Those Brisbane heartland areas already have a team - the Broncos of Brisbane. I'm actually for a 2nd Brissy team, but after that surely expansion into SA/WA must happen.

I see it not that they shouldn't "waste money on rusted-on AFL states".... more that they don't back themselves to make true expansion succeed.

"Melbourne" has dismissed that myth, its funny coz everyone assumes the AFL spending countless millions on Giants,Suns and Lions is smart building, but an successful RL team in Melbourne gets forgotten, thats ball's

 

[MugaB]

The Eels should give up on trying to break their Premiership drought and concentrate on consolidating their position as Wooden Spoon Kings. There is every likelihood that they will never be surpassed as the team with the most Spoons.

Depends if we are counting WESTS!! and tigers from 1908

 

[Jim Rockford]

Depends if we are counting WESTS!! and tigers from 1908

Yeah, I should have qualified it by adding Most of the current teams. although it's only a matter of time before they are #1 of all-time as Wests and Tigers can't add to their tallies but the Eels certainly can.

 

[MugaB]

we have 2 things at play that have created this myopic mindset. First is RL's traditional low social class belief systems that have limited its ambitions and self belief. Its no coincidence that big business has found it so easy to walk over us and take control of the game.
the second has been the games historically greatest strength in Australia, but also its greatest anchor. The reliance on Leagues Clubs has meant the clubs are not business minded and that the governing body has no faith in supporting start up clubs unless they have big LC's behind them. Lets be honest if it wasnt for News Ltd we still wouldn't have a club in Melbourne. Newcastle, despite having one of the biggest fanbases in the game, had to be bailed out by a LC. Titans without a LC went belly up. The clubs inability to develop sustainable revenue from its fanbase is the games biggest issue imo. We've become reliant on TV $'s and in doing so have damaged the clubs ability to grow its revenue generating supporter base. Some clubs make less than $3million from their fanbase!
Every now and again we get a visionary leader who can see beyond our past, sadly we dont have that at the moment, in fact our leadership is probably the most conservative and myopic it has been since Gallop.

I disagree on that, you see the bullish PVL, but i see the ARLC streamlining the clubs to be more efficient, the game some years ago was pissing away broadcast revenue, overspending, marketing, yes leagues clubs are proping up clubs, but thats their major function, the return is the teams representation, it flows from each other, but yeah business is becoming different, and clubs need to earn more, not spend all, and the smart ones are starting to do it, but patience isn't you're strong suit PR. Im really seeing positive changes, the fact expansion is on the doorstep is one

 

[Perth Red]

Respect we see it differently, I look at the period since the game supposedly became independent and the fact in that time we have spent $3.5billion and I am struggling to see where the return on that spend is? Crowds are no bigger, tv audiences are no bigger, grassroots registrations are no bigger, the top tier has not grown, we are not growing the game in new areas significantly, the clubs are seemingly not that much more sustainable, the game still has no asset base and the on field entertainment isnt really any different (and many would argue worse than the 90's). For $3.5billion it is very disappointing.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

The Map of Australia according to the "National" Rugby League...

 

[MugaB]

The Map of Australia according to the "National" Rugby League...

You gotta look at it differently, and know its not completed yet

Be Positive Y'all

 

[The Great Dane]

I disagree on that, you see the bullish PVL, but i see the ARLC streamlining the clubs to be more efficient, the game some years ago was pissing away broadcast revenue, overspending, marketing, yes leagues clubs are proping up clubs, but thats their major function, the return is the teams representation, it flows from each other, but yeah business is becoming different, and clubs need to earn more, not spend all, and the smart ones are starting to do it, but patience isn't you're strong suit PR. Im really seeing positive changes, the fact expansion is on the doorstep is one

What the clubs like people to forget is that the vast majority of the broadcast revenue was pissed away on the clubs themselves, and not on administration costs like they want you to believe.

And what did the clubs do with that money, they increased expenditure of course, which almost exclusively went on their football departments, and continued to live outside their means while relying on their leagues clubs to pick up the bill, and those that didn't have LCs or rich benefactors went broke trying to keep up with them (e.g. Knights and Titans).

So what makes you think that the clubs will bother to reform their businesses when they can rely on their leagues clubs, and the league, to bail them out?!

No matter what 'streamlining' V'landys does they won't change, they'll just take all the extra money they can get and piss it all away on frivolous shit as well, and then they'll continue to blame the ARLC and NRL for any of their misfortunes.

The only substantive thing that anybody could do to change that would be to create and enforce KPIs that the clubs have to meet otherwise risk losing their license, but that's never, ever, going to happen because the supposedly "independent commission" has club and state reps on it and as such isn't independent at all.