NRL, AFL and Union to shutdown for 8 weeks

[Perth Red]

Cool. Tom Cruise is more famous than me. Should I invite him over to spend a couple of nights with my missus in return for a new plasma TV and a couple of cases of beer?

Depends on what beer it is but sounds like a good deal to me!

 

[Goddo]

A better analogy would be you invite tom cruse over, he takes your wife away and gives you a much better one, a plasma, new home, new car and beer.

 

[Raider_69]

If Cruise is ready to shell out for a case of black ices, he can consider it a deal on my end.

 

[Tweek]

for a case of beer and a plasma he can keep my wife.

 

[Lambretta]

Round games at, Suncorp, ANZ, SFS, Perth (new), Parramatta (expanded), Penrith (expanded), Newcastle (expanded), Canberra(new) Gold Coast (expanded), Adelaide(new), Etihad, NQ (expanded) possible Melbounre (expanded) (although doubt they will want to use 3 melbourne stadiums so may either choose to expand new stadium or just use MCG and Etihad).

I cant see Parramatta or Penrith being used as World Cup venues. TO qualify for a World Cup venue you have to have a minimum capacity of 40,000.

The stadiums that WOULD be used that ARE Rugby League stadiums would be

SFS
ANZ
Newcastle
Canberra
Suncorp

In all reality, the NRL would carry on during the 4 week lead in by avoiding using these stadiums.

Campbelltown, Leichhardt, Bluetongue, Gold Coast, Brookvale, Penrith, Parramatta, & Shark Park, Mount Smart, Kogarah, WIN and Melbournes new football stadium would all be fully available for the duration of the lead in to the World Cup and would get full use - so there's no way league would have an 8 week break even if we won the rights to host the World Cup.

About the only stadium I am not sure about at this stage is Townsville. But that would probably be available too.

If any teams such as Souths, Roosters, Newcastle or the Bulldogs had home games during that period and couldnt use their normal home ground then Bluetongue would probably be used a bit more.

The Broncos would probably either play at Gold Coast. Canberra would most likely reschedule some games elsewhere or take games to the Country (an idea I love and would be happy for Easts, Souths and Dogs to travel to rural areas).

The World Cup would have little impact on Rugby League because the vast majority of our grounds are not of a World Cup standard or even close to it.

The venues for a World Cup would be

Adelaide
Perth
Sydney SFS & ANZ
Canberra (new)
Newcastle (already being built)
Brisbane (might get a 2nd stadium)
Melbourne Ethiad & MCG

That's 9 stadiums for 32 teams playing in 8 group stage stadiums

If people think we'll have new stadiums for the World Cup built at Parramatta or Penrith or anywhere else league is played they're dreaming. The SFS will be upgraded. That's about it as far as League grounds go.

The major question is do we have a 4 week break during the actual World Cup so crowd numbers arent massively effected and tv revenues destroyed. If Fox and Channel 9 think no ones going to watch because of the World Cup being on, then they may suspend the competition because of revenue.

 

[Lambretta]

for a case of beer and a plasma he can keep my wife.

Yeah, I'd give Tom a case of beer and a plasma TV if he took my wife.
Hell, I'm feeling generous, he can get two cases of imported beers.

As long as he promised not to leave his one at my place

 

[ucantseeme]

Will this effect NZ Warriors home games at Mt Smart? No.

So NRL becomes NZRL for 8 weeks. Heaps of rectangular stadiums over there bro.

 

[Paullyboy]

I think you all missed the point he was making with the Tom Cruise analogy. It's all well and good to have all these new stadiums, but to give soccer this sort of publicity in Australia would have major negatives on our sport in several ways:

- Any fringe sponsors would jump ship without the smallest of hesitations. This would have a severe impact on a lot of clubs and the sport in general.
- Soccer will have a MASSIVE kitty to use as their sport development tool and would 100% secure a lot more of the junior talent coming through than if they didn't have that kitty. Less talent coming through means the product of rugby league suffers.
- The FFA by then will be looking very closely at moving the A-League to winter I'd say, so supporter numbers then become an issue as well.

So basically, you are all frothing on the thought of new stadiums (which is the only possible bonus for league) when in reality we sell out stadiums once a week (if that) and therefore bigger stadiums aren't exactly our number 1 priority - and yet you are accusing others of being the short-sighted ones?

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

yeah right. this is second to the olympics and sporting events. they will play when they want to and nrl and afl will work around them.

it would be a great thing for australia to host, and is something we would just have to do.

don't be surprised if australia get it. we have a good history of running big events and making money from them.

It is bigger than the Olympics..

 

[Usain Bolt]

It would be AMAZING if we got it. After attending the 2006 WC nothing can compare to the whole atmosphere around a football WC. The country would be buzzing, the only downside would be about 40,000 pissed poms in all the cities England are playing in

 

[Perth Red]

According to FIFA you have to have 12 suitable venues.

Also they stipulate that other sports can;t play in the same city on at the same time! It mentions in teh Perth article that they simply can;t move games to the WACA if Subi is being used. So even if stadiums were available in Sydney or Brisbane if that city is a WC venue then they would have to agree not to play games there.

 

[hgfds]

15,000 seat stadiums for darwin rockhampton,mackay,sunshine coast etc would be good,besides nz how about south africa or hong kong

 

[Goddo]

I cant see Parramatta or Penrith being used as World Cup venues. TO qualify for a World Cup venue you have to have a minimum capacity of 40,000.

The stadiums that WOULD be used that ARE Rugby League stadiums would be

SFS
ANZ
Newcastle
Canberra
Suncorp

In all reality, the NRL would carry on during the 4 week lead in by avoiding using these stadiums.

Campbelltown, Leichhardt, Bluetongue, Gold Coast, Brookvale, Penrith, Parramatta, & Shark Park, Mount Smart, Kogarah, WIN and Melbournes new football stadium would all be fully available for the duration of the lead in to the World Cup and would get full use - so there's no way league would have an 8 week break even if we won the rights to host the World Cup.

About the only stadium I am not sure about at this stage is Townsville. But that would probably be available too.

If any teams such as Souths, Roosters, Newcastle or the Bulldogs had home games during that period and couldnt use their normal home ground then Bluetongue would probably be used a bit more.

The Broncos would probably either play at Gold Coast. Canberra would most likely reschedule some games elsewhere or take games to the Country (an idea I love and would be happy for Easts, Souths and Dogs to travel to rural areas).

The World Cup would have little impact on Rugby League because the vast majority of our grounds are not of a World Cup standard or even close to it.

The venues for a World Cup would be

Adelaide
Perth
Sydney SFS & ANZ
Canberra (new)
Newcastle (already being built)
Brisbane (might get a 2nd stadium)
Melbourne Ethiad & MCG

That's 9 stadiums for 32 teams playing in 8 group stage stadiums

If people think we'll have new stadiums for the World Cup built at Parramatta or Penrith or anywhere else league is played they're dreaming. The SFS will be upgraded. That's about it as far as League grounds go.

The major question is do we have a 4 week break during the actual World Cup so crowd numbers arent massively effected and tv revenues destroyed. If Fox and Channel 9 think no ones going to watch because of the World Cup being on, then they may suspend the competition because of revenue.

Wrong. Have a look at the South African world cup stadiums and the FIFA requirements.

10-12 stadiums (all must be greater than 44,000, 2 greater than 60,000 and 1 greater than 80,000) will host games;
32 other venues will be used as team base camps and you can bet your arse they will use most if not all NRL grounds (which will have money spent on them); and
Australia has to make 8 venues other than wc venues (not sure of capacity requirements but its lower than 44k) available for international friendlies pre world cup.

Oh and why does every one say 40,000 as the minimum? its 40,000 + 4,000 for FIFA. Minimum is 44 000 for pool and round of 8 matches, 60k for semi and 80k for final.

I don't think soccer will shift back to winter, even in 10 years time. It is struggling in the cushy summer market now. And it lines up with the northern winter nicely.

 

[Evenflow]

Also they stipulate that other sports can;t play in the same city on at the same time! It mentions in teh Perth article that they simply can;t move games to the WACA if Subi is being used. So even if stadiums were available in Sydney or Brisbane if that city is a WC venue then they would have to agree not to play games there.

Exactly. It's an obvious and important point that surprisingly a few people have totally missed.

 

[fish eel]

I thought Fifa don't like countries having more than 1-2 round stadiums?

There were three in Germany.

Stuttgart
Nurnberg
and Berlin where the final was played.

 

[Loudstrat]

Or didn't know about.

I cannot see how on earth Fifa can demand Wests or Penrith cannot play a home game while soccer is playing at afar away ANZ or SFS.

For the Olympics - every sport in Sydney was put on hold for 2 weeks. Thats understandable, as the whole shebang was in one city and it was only a 2-3 week disruption. But basically bannning ALL sport in capital cities for 8 weeks? That is a massive call, and if Fifa cannot organise it to be played in the Feb/March void then they can f*ck off.

The NRL should stand firm, or demand a few hundred million for compensation.

 

[eelandia]

FIFA's demands seem to be excessive to me. May work in many countries where soccer is by far and away the most popular sport, but in countries like Aust and the US, it is just too much to ask. Can you imagine the NFL halting for 8 weeks to accommodate soccer? I very much doubt it.

The positives for League are still unlcear, but the negatives are a major concern. Hell, even Union got a massive leg-up from their WC in 03 which and at the time was a serious threat to League, albeit short-lived. Luckily for us they managed their windfall poorly.

****

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

Or didn't know about.

I cannot see how on earth Fifa can demand Wests or Penrith cannot play a home game while soccer is playing at afar away ANZ or SFS.

For the Olympics - every sport in Sydney was put on hold for 2 weeks. Thats understandable, as the whole shebang was in one city and it was only a 2-3 week disruption. But basically bannning ALL sport in capital cities for 8 months? That is a massive call, and if Fifa cannot organise it to be played in the Feb/March void then they can f*ck off.

The NRL should stand firm, or demand a few hundred million for compensation.

8 weeks lol...

 

[Dogs Of War]

From my research, it seems their is nothing to stop AFL and the NRL from playing their comps. Just they won't have their normal stadiums available for the comp. Only big events (like State Of Origin) are not allowed to be played at that time.

You only have to look at South Africa's Curry Cup who are going to play straight through the Olympics.

Really it just means that we need to look outside the square to ensure we don't have matches conflicting with World Cup matches where possible.

 

[Loudstrat]

The olympics only affects one city. Sydney's olympics gobbled up every major sporting venue and then some. It's understandable for sports to give up 2 weeks in one city, and if it wasn't finals time the NRL possibly could have gone ahead just by making the Sydney teams play away games.

One city for 2 weeks is far different to 10 cities for 8 weeks.

Cheers for pointing out the typo cockadoodledo