Minor Cities and the NRL

[joshreading]

At present there are a number of NRL bids that will not make the cut (or are VERY unlikely). In addition there are a number of other cities that could well turn out decent crowds for one or two games per season if given the opportunity.

Areas such as Rocky, Mackay, Cairns, Sunshine Coast (in Qld) Hobart, Adelaide, Darwin, Coffs Harbour, PNG and a number of NZ locations.

I think every NRL Club should be required to take one home game away and establish a fairly permanent relationship with these areas.

The NRL should offer as part of a wider 'on the road' initiative to subsidise the ventures with a hundred thousand per game. Clubs, governments
and corporate sponsors can work on other financial incentives to make it particularly prosperous. (eg. The PNG government if it is so convinced
it can support an NRL team should offer significant funds to move NRL games there - Sharks could possibly do well and widen their net)

It establishes the presence of the NRL in nearly every corner of Oz/NZ. Expands the chance of new supporters etc.

It could also be used to look further afield if the monetary possibilities exist (eg. Asia or South Africa)

 

[dogslife]

I don't know what the deal is with other clubs but I know the Dogs have taken home games to Adelaide the last couple of years, have taken games to Wellington in the past, and play a home game every year in Brisbane

 

[BunniesMan]

We've done our bit. Taken games to Perth and Gosford. As have the Dogs and a few others.

I'm surprised it's only the big teams doing this. You'd think teams like Cronulla, Manly and Penrith would jump at the chance at taking some of their less attractive fixtures to other markets.

 

[BuffaloRules]

We've done our bit. Taken games to Perth and Gosford. As have the Dogs and a few others.

I'm surprised it's only the big teams doing this. You'd think teams like Cronulla, Manly and Penrith would jump at the chance at taking some of their less attractive fixtures to other markets.

Cronulla & Manly have taken games to NZ and Central Coast this year you dope

 

[carlosthedwarf]

With the end of City/Country there should be some thought to sending a few regular season games to country NSW to make up for it.

 

[Red Bear]

Did Manly take a game to NZ?

 

[whall15]

I agree and I think this should be a NRL-led initiative, looking at low drawing games this year we could've had.

Round 3
North Queensland vs Melbourne - Browne Park

Round 6
Newcastle vs Cronulla - Port Macquarie
Roosters vs Broncos - Toowoomba

Round 7
Canberra vs Newcastle - Dubbo
Parramatta vs Gold Coast - Bluetongue

Round 8
Melbourne vs Newcastle - Tasmania, (Aurora or Hobart)

Round 9
Manly vs Canberra - Sunshine Coast

Round 12
Penrith vs Souths - Albury

Round 14
Brisbane vs Canberra - nib Stadium

Round 15
Souths vs Titans - Dunedin

Round 18
New Zealand vs Titans - Westpac Stadium

Round 22
Canterbury vs Cowboys - Darwin
Cronulla vs Titans - Hindmarsh Stadium

Round 23
Titans vs Storm - Coffs Harbour

Unsure where the Tigers or Dragons should go.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Did Manly take a game to NZ?

No - to be clear Cronulla took a game to NZ ( Taupo I think versus Warriors), and Manly played the Tigers at Gosford.

 

[Red Bear]

Yeah just picked that up, my bad

 

[HowHigh]

We've done our bit. Taken games to Perth and Gosford. As have the Dogs and a few others.

I'm surprised it's only the big teams doing this. You'd think teams like Cronulla, Manly and Penrith would jump at the chance at taking some of their less attractive fixtures to other markets.

lol only reason souths play elsewhere is because antiques roadshow was in town and wanted to use the stadium

 

[jonno_knights]

Does Wagga have a decent stadium these days? Im not sure as to why they took the CvC to Albury when its AFL through and through, unless of course its was the only decent stadium in the region.

Although Penrith in Albury is a smart move as they support the local team iirc, so the ties are already there.

I list of the Stadiums and their capacities around country AUS would be good.

If its compulsory to move a game, It'd be good to see Newcastle take a game to Fiji, as they have built a lot of connections there in recent years.

 

[RHCP]

A lot of merit in the idea. If the competition ever does expand to 17 teams (even though it will more than likely be 18) that gives us 12 home, 12 away and 1 'on the road' game. But there has to be some connection, we can't just send Souths and the Cowboys off to Hobart and expect to get anything above 1k. It would be disastrous both for the image of the game and the financial state of the clubs.

It would have to be done strategically eg.

On The Road Round
Knights vs Cronulla @ Port Mac
Warriors vs Penrith @ Christchurch
Cowboys vs Dragons @ Cairns
Bulldogs vs Storm @ Adelaide
Souths vs Tigers @ Perth
Eels vs Broncos @ Rockhampton
Storm vs Manly @ Central Coast
Canberra vs Titans @ Sunshine Coast

Or something like that.

Regardless of any of that, I think we've really got to start pushing the Warriors in Christchurch especially, Wellington and maybe even Dunedin. Start building the game all across New Zealand.

 

[Eels Dude]

You'd have to cut the price of memberships for this to be practical. Season ticketholders aren't going to be too happy if one of their home games they're entitled to a seat at is being played in PNG or Coffs Harbour. If clubs want to take a home game elsewhere then that's their choice, but they shouldn't be forced to.

And taking games to Gosford doesn't count for Sydney clubs. It's not really that much further travel than playing an away game against another Sydney club.

 

[TiggaPlease]

Central West and New England deserve games too.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Cooma.

That is all.

 

[Perth Red]

Consider this:

21k tickets sold at $25-37 per ticket
25 corporate suites sold out
400 Sth's WA memberships sold
links into new companies for sponsorship opportunities.

This is what Sth's made out of the Perth game in June, I am amazed more clubs aren't working harder to take games to new markets.

 

[bottle]

Cooma.

That is all.

Upper Cambuctta is nice this time of year.

 

[Eels Dude]

Consider this:

21k tickets sold at $25-37 per ticket
25 corporate suites sold out
400 Sth's WA memberships sold
links into new companies for sponsorship opportunities.

This is what Sth's made out of the Perth game in June, I am amazed more clubs aren't working harder to take games to new markets.

Parramatta had a 4 contract to play their home games against the Warriors at Waikato a few years ago, but Waikato stadium bailed halfway through the deal because the operation costs were too much for the crowds they were getting.

It's a two way street for this sort of thing. Clubs are only going to shift games if there's something in it for them, and stadiums aren't going to host games unless they think it's worthwhile to fund the operation costs.

 

[BDGS]

A game in hobart would get more then 1k, its projected a trial would get 10k.

 

[Loudstrat]

Dear Everyone.

Think before posting. Capacity at most country grounds as about 4-5k. That includes Port and Coffs. Apart from Perth and Gosford, are there any venues in the country that would even MATCH what a game would get at a home ground?

Season ticket holders would miss out. Corporate dollar would plummet with no corporate boxes. The technology for the big screen is a huge burden for smaller clubs anyway - it would have to be hired and transported. Same with lighting, same with media facilities as every NRL game is a media production.

I seem to recall a figure of about $100k to transport, set up and operate lighting at a country venue. I also recall a few years ago the Tigers got 17k on a sunday arvo against the Titans - and Steve Noyce saying they only broke even on the say.

I'm not too knowledgeable on sporting facilities in rural Queensland, but I'd bet the op's remaining brain cell that Dairy Farmers is the biggest capacity ground north of Lang Park.

Trials are good though. More bush trials are a good thing. But keep NRL games to the big grounds.