My thoughts on the NRL expanding into China

[Pippen94]

Wasn't the attendance 38k?

Will sell out next year..

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Will sell out next year..

It will probably end up like the Auckland 9s.

 

[Pippen94]

It will probably end up like the Auckland 9s.

Game is doing great this year in attendance & ratings. Administration is actively expanding game here in Australia, but also overseas. There's strong suggestion of 3 new clubs entering the league before 2032. There's discussion about acquiring superleague. It's an exciting time for the game & particularly for members of this forum who focus on expansion you being one of us..

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Game is doing great this year in attendance & ratings. Administration is actively expanding game here in Australia, but also overseas. There's strong suggestion of 3 new clubs entering the league before 2032. There's discussion about acquiring superleague. It's an exciting time for the game & particularly for members of this forum who focus on expansion you being one of us..

The game is going through a boom period. It won't last forever. Nothing does. I'm more concerned about how the game will fare when interest levels drop and the broadcasters aren't able to provide as much money.

We've seen Rugby 7s events around the world go from drawing big crowds to tiny ones as the novelty wore off. The same happened with the Auckland 9s.

 

[Milhouse2020]

Can't take your money with you when you pass. Watching NRL game with 65k others in Las Vegas dome will be great experience..

Watching NRL games in China will be a far better experience. Just wanted to point that out.

And that's the way the cookie crumbles.

 

[Pippen94]

Watching NRL games in China will be a far better experience. Just wanted to point that out.

And that's the way the cookie crumbles.

Fortune cookie

 

[Milhouse2020]

Fortune cookie

.....is something you'll often get when you've finished a meal at a Chinese restaurant.

And that's the way the cookie crumbles.

 

[westerntiger]

Beijing Bears

 

[Milhouse2020]

Beijing Bears View attachment 91154

I like your thinking. the Beijing Bears has a nice ring to it.

And that's the way the cookie crumbles.

 

[Pippen94]

.....is something you'll often get when you've finished a meal at a Chinese restaurant.

And that's the way the cookie crumbles.

I think your fortune cookie message would read something like: enjoy yourself while you can..

 

[Milhouse2020]

I think your fortune cookie message would read something like: enjoy yourself while you can..

Your fortune cookie message would be: Go outside and touch some grass.

And that's the way the cookie crumbles.

 

[westerntiger]

I like your thinking. the Beijing Bears has a nice ring to it.

And that's the way the cookie crumbles.

Returning to the NRL by #AnyMeansNecessary

 

[MugaB]

The cost of flying to Las Vegas and Magic Round each year cannot be cheap for fans?

Only a try hard loser would buy into the hype and fly half way around the world to watch a game of football in Las Vegas. Sadly, there's lots of braindead sheep in Australia who must do it so they can put brag about it on social media. There's no hope for this backwards country.

Hahaha at least they leave the house to watch a live game... whens the last time you saw a live game of NRL? Are we going down the road of suggesting that there's no pet sitters out there again?

 

[Milhouse2020]

Hahaha at least they leave the house to watch a live game... whens the last time you saw a live game of NRL? Are we going down the road of suggesting that there's no pet sitters out there again?

If it was cheaper to attend NRL games, you wouldn't ask that question.

And that's the way the cookie crumbles.

 

[Titanic]

For all those who have some interest in the facts about the AFL's and the subsequent Paul Broughton attempts at gaining toeholds in the China market then here are some:

1. The district club concept in any sport is non-existent in China, only school-based juniors and elite pathways.
2. The NBA and international soccer have a huge presence in China in schools, pathways and elite (by their standards) competitions. Yes, there have been all sorts of rorting but crowd support is still very good, sponsorship levels high and if their national teams could perform better they would be flying like the NRL.
3. The NFL and Baseball have spent millions trying to crack the China market without so much as denting it. Although they can boast one of the most unique names, in the Hunan Revolution. This is Hunan Provincial NFL rep team, the province where Mao came from.
4. Establishing development programs here, particularly in contact sport, would require a budget that even the Saudis would blanch at.
5. The Chinese laughed at the AFL many attempts and two serious games, hoping to get trade deals done with Australia on the back of them. I attended both Shanghai games and they were embarrassingly laughable.
6. The late Paul Broughton wanted NRL to go down the same route with Tom Tate's (Gold Coast Mayor) backing and again I argued that they would be wasting their efforts. They didn't like that and of course the Australian Chamber of Commerce made all the right noises, however, the Chinese were just giving them face and looking for a deal.

BUT, if you really want to expand the NRL fan base into China, then that's a different kettle of fish because:

a. The Chinese citizen who has been exposed to it loves rugby league for its energy, simplicity and collision. They cannot understand the rules of union and they think the AFL and NFL are some sort of alien festival rather than a sport due to the stoppages and advertising hoopla.
b. The broadcasting costs in China are relatively low in comparison to other countries, while the appetite for something like rugby league from a sponsorship point of view is high.
c. The potential reach for sports-fashion merch, fitness and health care, etc is so large that even Trump's grandiose vision could not comprehend it.

SO, China is not the place to develop the code through traditional methods but it is a logical place to bring meaningful fixtures a la Vegas or 9's or World Club Challenge and is a legitimate target for NRL promotional expansion. It's a pity that the Raiders/Manly game concept for either Hong Kong or Shenzhen never eventuated but that's what happens when you get politics involved. Less greed, more nouse, listen to the locals' needs and maybe, just maybe, there is an opportunity.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

 

[Milhouse2020]

View attachment 91164

You know you've made an impact when someone makes a meme about you.

And that's the way the cookie crumbles.

 

[MugaB]

For all those who have some interest in the facts about the AFL's and the subsequent Paul Broughton attempts at gaining toeholds in the China market then here are some:

1. The district club concept in any sport is non-existent in China, only school-based juniors and elite pathways.
2. The NBA and international soccer have a huge presence in China in schools, pathways and elite (by their standards) competitions. Yes, there have been all sorts of rorting but crowd support is still very good, sponsorship levels high and if their national teams could perform better they would be flying like the NRL.
3. The NFL and Baseball have spent millions trying to crack the China market without so much as denting it. Although they can boast one of the most unique names, in the Hunan Revolution. This is Hunan Provincial NFL rep team, the province where Mao came from.
4. Establishing development programs here, particularly in contact sport, would require a budget that even the Saudis would blanch at.
5. The Chinese laughed at the AFL many attempts and two serious games, hoping to get trade deals done with Australia on the back of them. I attended both Shanghai games and they were embarrassingly laughable.
6. The late Paul Broughton wanted NRL to go down the same route with Tom Tate's (Gold Coast Mayor) backing and again I argued that they would be wasting their efforts. They didn't like that and of course the Australian Chamber of Commerce made all the right noises, however, the Chinese were just giving them face and looking for a deal.

BUT, if you really want to expand the NRL fan base into China, then that's a different kettle of fish because:

a. The Chinese citizen who has been exposed to it loves rugby league for its energy, simplicity and collision. They cannot understand the rules of union and they think the AFL and NFL are some sort of alien festival rather than a sport due to the stoppages and advertising hoopla.
b. The broadcasting costs in China are relatively low in comparison to other countries, while the appetite for something like rugby league from a sponsorship point of view is high.
c. The potential reach for sports-fashion merch, fitness and health care, etc is so large that even Trump's grandiose vision could not comprehend it.

SO, China is not the place to develop the code through traditional methods but it is a logical place to bring meaningful fixtures a la Vegas or 9's or World Club Challenge and is a legitimate target for NRL promotional expansion. It's a pity that the Raiders/Many game concept for either Hong Kong or Shenzhen never eventuated but that's what happens when you get politics involved. Less greed, more nouse, listen to the locals' needs and maybe, just maybe, there is an opportunity.

@Titanic I love your posts, but you've wasted your 10 mins of your time responding to the AFL turd burgler that created this thread... I even wasted my own time reading and responding purely coz I respect your posts, but China is a waste if time, and so is anything that AFL loving Turd suggests

 

[Milhouse2020]

@Titanic I love your posts, but you've wasted your 10 mins of your time responding to the AFL turd burgler that created this thread... I even wasted my own time reading and responding purely coz I respect your posts, but China is a waste if time, and so is anything that AFL loving Turd suggests

Someone's clearly salty that they lack the required amount of braincells to create Sterling content.

And that's the way the cookie crumbles.

 

[Titanic]

@Titanic I love your posts, but you've wasted your 10 mins of your time responding to the AFL turd burgler that created this thread... I even wasted my own time reading and responding purely coz I respect your posts, but China is a waste if time, and so is anything that AFL loving Turd suggests

Lol MugaB thanks for the shoutout but I reckon if nobody takes the time to right the ledger and comment with at least some sense of normalism (sic) we will all be confined to a world where seagulls chase chips and merkin adorned sassenachs covet their team mates' boyfriends.