NRL and its clubs are expected to palm-off expansion until 2014 or 2015

[Knightmare]

Time to play hypotheticals. Let's suppose for a moment that there is a bid team ready for the NRL to give them the green light. This team has proven financial backers, major sponsors, a completed, modern stadium, a hard-working team behind the bid, community support and over 7,000 registered members. Not only that but the bid represents a Rugby League heartland area with 1 million people in its' catchment area. Let's also suppose that this bid is located here:

Now, practically EVERYONE in these expansion threads would be demanding the NRL let them in tomorrow, saying it was great for the games' future. Now let's for a moment suppose that there is EXACTLY the same bid as the one I have described to you, except they are located here:

Suddenly the same people are foaming at the mouth saying "NO WE HAVE TOO MANY SYDNEY/ NSW TEAMS, IT'S NOT EXPANSION!" etc etc. These people would honestly rather see a cashed up pub side from Gympie playing in the NRL because it would look nicer on a map, and buggered if it will last more than 5 years or has any proven support. :crazy:

I'm glad people with more of an idea are making the decisions on our games' future expansion, as opposed to some of the blinkered mental giants on here. They remind me of Federal Labor in the Howard years- they're happy to tell you exactly what they're against, but struggle to reach any common agreement on what they're standing for.

 

[flamin]

1. Melbourne dont struggle because of all the money news limited put into them over a decade ago.
2. its Melbourne. A city that doesnt close down on Sundays.
3. A team made of locals did SO well in the Bundy Rum league a few years ago.

CC adds nothing to a TV deal. I agree. But adding in a 17th/18th team JUST for TV numbers will do NOTHING for the league instead of just adding 2-3 hours to travel time for any other NRL team and some corporate fat cats patting themselves on the back for expanding the game to Perth.

At least CC is a heartland and will offer something to the game. Just like a central Queensland team should be ahead of a second brisbane team.
This will never happen. But its the way it should be.
Health > short term money.

The reasons for Perth being the first team in have been done a million times over so I suggest you read up on those. Perth isn't considered the front-runner for expansion for nothing.

And there is no way CQLD can support a team within the next 20 years.

 

[M2D2]

Perth isn't considered the front-runner for expansion for nothing.

Seriously?

 

[Brutus]

I will laugh if Perth gets ahead of the CC. To get players to play for a perth team, they would have to say "no salary cap for the first 5 years" Unlike the GC, Perth is not a desirable location to move to.
The CC at least has the resemblance of infrastructure and still being in NSW/east coast will allow easier access to players. Perth will only make it as a TV numbers experiment.

strange

 

[Sgt. Kabukiman]

I just can't see any value in having the Bears as one of the next two expansion teams. Sure, there are a lot of people on the Central Coast, but Sydney is expanding and the Central Coast as we know it will be amalgamated into Sydney anyway.

Can't wait for all those suburbs to be built in the middle of national parks so that the Coast can be amalgamated into Sydney :roll: Perhaps they could also fill in the Hawkesbury, just to make it easier? Or even just move the Central Coast closer to Sydney, so that it can be located where you mistakenly believe it already is? Anyway, sounds good to me, I might be able to get to games within two hours!

 

[Spanner in the works]

Can't wait for all those suburbs to be built in the middle of national parks so that the Coast can be amalgamated into Sydney :roll: Perhaps they could also fill in the Hawkesbury, just to make it easier? Or even just move the Central Coast closer to Sydney, so that it can be located where you mistakenly believe it already is? Anyway, sounds good to me, I might be able to get to games within two hours!

Sometimes I come into the LU forums, and run into deadshits like you. In 40 years time, Australia's population is going to reach 50 million people. You need to put them somewhere, and just like every other city in the country, Sydney is going to have to expand. It takes less than an hour on the train to get to Gosford from Central. That's sweet f**k all in real terms. Just wait until Sydney gobbles up your piece of paradise....

 

[Beowulf]

It takes less than an hour on the train to get to Gosford from Central.

PLEASE tell me which train I can catch that gets me to Central inside 1 hour...Hogwarts Express?

You're looking at 1.5 hrs, plus travel time from home to station and parking then walking/bus from Central to SFS = well over 2 hrs for the nearest ground by public transport.

And if north of Sydney is going to boom so much, even more of a reason to add the Bears ASAP.

 

[M2D2]

It takes less than an hour on the train to get to Gosford from Central. That's sweet f**k all in real terms

....What f**king train have you been on where it does Gosford to Central in under an hour?
f**king gibberish.

 

[Spanner in the works]

Oops... Forgot to put in "and a half".

The point still stands though. Sydney is going to expand and the Central Coast as we know it is going to cease to exist. The Central Coast is not a priority.

 

[Bro Bear]

WA is the front runner because the following reasons:

It adds a new time slot - well that has alot going for it. Wonder how many players will they get from WA - same as VIC I guess.

 

[bluesbreaker]

Why do you guys think the AFL got another ridiculous sum of money? Because it rates like poo in 60% of the populated country? Because the networks enjoy getting ravaged in the ratings week in week out by 3 decade old movies? Don't be stupid.

It is solely because they can show that they have plans to grow into OTHER MARKETS. Everyone here knows it's not going to take over league in QLD or NSW, but f**k me, do you guys honestly think the networks got into ANOTHER bidding war over some stupid ambition to keep us at the bottom of the competitive sporting landscape? Don't worry about Union or Soccer... We all know they become popular twice a decade.

"Adds nothing" now i've heard it all.

 

[RHCP]

WA is the front runner because the following reasons:

It adds a new time slot - well that has alot going for it. Wonder how many players will they get from WA - same as VIC I guess.

Hmm, entirely new player base versus a player base with a Harold Matts and SG Ball team, plus NRL teams less than 60 minutes either way.

I know which talent pool is going more to waste.

 

[docbrown]

Re: the people concerned about the impact on delaying expansion in relation to the broadcast deal, as I mentioned LEK have spent the past year examining the value of new broadcast markets and timeslot arrangements.

By delaying expansion you will take a shortterm hit - but remember - if you don't expand at all you wouldn't have that balloon payment any way.

 

[Sgt. Kabukiman]

Sometimes I come into the LU forums, and run into deadshits like you. In 40 years time, Australia's population is going to reach 50 million people. You need to put them somewhere, and just like every other city in the country, Sydney is going to have to expand. It takes less than an hour on the train to get to Gosford from Central. That's sweet f**k all in real terms. Just wait until Sydney gobbles up your piece of paradise....

So you seriously believe they're going to build houses all over the national parks? Do you have any idea what a national park is? Did someone open up your head, remove your brain, splatter a sloppy turd inside and sow you back up?

And you forgot to add 'and a half' to your statement on the train time from Gosford to Central? No, you clearly said that it takes 'less than an hour' to make that trip. You'd have more idea about how to please a woman in bed than you do about the location of Gosford and the Central Coast - and I've got a feeling you don't exactly get the ladies moanin'.

 

[Spanner in the works]

So you seriously believe they're going to build houses all over the national parks? Do you have any idea what a national park is? Did someone open up your head, remove your brain, splatter a sloppy turd inside and sow you back up?

And do you seriously think a National Park is going to stop progress, let alone a country struggling with the lack of affordable housing and a population that looks set to double in the next 40 years? The trees will go first.

And you forgot to add 'and a half' to your statement on the train time from Gosford to Central? No, you clearly said that it takes 'less than an hour' to make that trip. You'd have more idea about how to please a woman in bed than you do about the location of Gosford and the Central Coast - and I've got a feeling you don't exactly get the ladies moanin'.

I made a mistake. So what.

Still a virgin huh?

 

[Goddo]

Wow, all sorts of bullsh!t posted on the previous page of the thread. Heres some substance.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/nrl-expansion-bidders-demand-to-know-who-is-in-and-who-is-out/story-e6frg7mf-1226078819053

NRL expansion bidders demand to know who is in and who is out
Margie McDonald

THE seven bid teams vying for the two extra licences to join the NRL said the code needs to put five franchises out of their misery.

While the NRL has not decided when it will expand from 16 to18 teams, bidders said they should be told if they had no hope.

The seven are Brisbane, Central Queensland based in Rockhampton, Ipswich, PNG based in Port Moresby, NSW Central Coast based in Gosford, Perth and New Zealand capital Wellington. The front-runners are Brisbane and Ipswich, from Queensland's populous south-east Queensland corridor, and Perth, which would give the NRL a more national feel and a team in a later TV timeslot.

"Is it fair on all the bidders out there? Not so much us because we only came on the market six months ago but the Central Coast in particular who've spent lots of money going around year after year," said Brisbane bid leader Craig Davison. "Put aside the argument of whether it's going to be 2013, '14 or '15, how about they go to the marketplace and actually make the decision. They've said they're going to have more teams so at least that's one decision out of the way.

"So let's know who those teams are and then they can tell us later what the year of entry is. I think you've got to put out of misery all those teams who aren't going to get it. There's a lot of money being spent by a lot of people so the NRL, and independent commission, should be very mindful of that."

Davison was responding to the comments of NRL boss David Gallop on ABC Radio where he said an 18-team competition from 2015 was his preference.

"It might come earlier but we should be giving our existing clubs a couple of years with the new television money to get themselves stable before we introduce new teams into the competition," Gallop said.

Ipswich bid chairman Steven Johnson said he understood NRL clubs would want to see what money the new television deal was worth.

"And that's commendable," Johnson said yesterday. "Our view is that it's something beyond our control. If there's an expansion, we're going to be their (NRL) guests so it's not up to us to be critical of the timing."

He pointed out the Ipswich bid was more advanced than others as it already boasted an existing football structure -- including a stadium and training facilities -- through the Ipswich Queensland Cup club. "So we could start a side tomorrow and start signing players," Johnson said. "For others without that it's a big ask to maintain that community interest and spending that amount of money on staff. That would be money wasted as it takes a fair bit to keep bids alive for that amount of time."

The NSW Central Coast bid, headed by Greg Florimo, felt Gallop's statement was another kick in the head as he had been trying for seven years to get the Central Coast Bears into the NRL. But he reminded everyone it was only Gallop's personal view.

"Look, I'm not going to enter into the debate, simply because the independent commission has the final say. They are the body which makes the decision," Florimo said. "David obviously will have a recommendation and a point of view. But until the commission forms, sits down and makes some solid statements on expansion I'm not going to waste any energy on it."

He did back Davison's call for two bid teams to be given the green light immediately.
"We are definitely in need of some direction. We've got close to 7000 members who have invested money, not to mention our sponsors and our fans and what they've put in," Florimo said. "So we are desperate for someone to make a statement of intent, because we are reaching a point that if 2013 is realistic then we need a decision real soon."

The second Brisbane team is due to announce its name, logo and stadium next month.

TBH, any 2 of Perth, Wellington and Ipswich / Brisbane II would be good. In fact I'd accept all 4 over the next two expansion cycles. Perth and say Brisbane II in 2014, and Wellington and Ipswich in 2022.

Central Coast are in the mix, but fading fast. The realities of TV money, big new or under-utilised markets for rivals and being a part of Sydney OzTam metro area is starting to bite. They are safe, but don't really bring much revenue to the table.

Anyone who has followed the TV rights thread closely could see this though. Like it or not, expansion is tied very heavily to:

* TV value, and there is a lot of demand from broadcasters for more product in SE Queensland, and
* timeslots and new markets, which Wellington and Perth open up.

Another Queensland team helps fill the void of NRL clubs being forced out of the QRL Cup, provides more darbies in Queensland, more high rating NSW club vs QLD club games, a game in Brisbane every weekend.

The bids we can pretty much rule out:

* Central Queensland don't stand a chance. Rockhampton is just way too small for an NRL side.
* PNG also are without hope. Their economy is no good, they will be dependent on Government hand outs and mining companies looking for tax breaks.

 

[Goddo]

Asside, has anyone heard anything more about the Wellington bid?

Its been mentioned in news articles over the last few days, but there is next to no information about it.

Is it driven by the previous Orcas consortium? the NZRL?

They come across as smokies for a licence.

 

[Beowulf]

At least all the bid teams/supporters agree on th need for clarity. Sad to see nothing changes - the Bears have been through this constantly for 7 years now with the NRL, so we're used to it and will just ignore Gallops statement.

That's the problem with a monopoly, they get lazy and arrogant.

Bring on Super League 2 with the 7 bid teams and a few breakaways (Melbourne and 2 Sydney teams would do it)!!!! Perhaps thats why News is holding out?????!!!!!

 

[Goddo]

^ what, you actually want to go through super league again because your team is likely to miss out? Geez, talk about hissy fit.

The NRL is a franchise model competition. Do you truely apreaciate what that means?

The NRL has to carefully groom the competition to have teams in places that add revenue to the competition, because there is only a finite amount of resources to go around.

These growing pains are a result of a regional comp evolving into a state comp, East Coast comp, and now pushing national comp. In a franchise model not everyone gets to step up to the next level.

Even in promotion/relegation comps, you find the large wealthier population centres are concistently at the top. But we need a franchise structure because we have lucrative yet hostile markets we must be present in.

Accept it - the NRL needs a national footprint to maintain revenue streams and to continue to grow the game of Rugby League, in the interests of all. Put asside your club bias for just a second and you will see.

 

[blukablu]

^ what, you actually want to go through super league again because your team is likely to miss out? Geez, talk about hissy fit.

The NRL is a franchise model competition. Do you truely apreaciate what that means?

The NRL has to carefully groom the competition to have teams in places that add revenue to the competition, because there is only a finite amount of resources to go around.

These growing pains are a result of a regional comp evolving into a state comp, East Coast comp, and now pushing national comp. In a franchise model not everyone gets to step up to the next level.

Even in promotion/relegation comps, you find the large wealthier population centres are concistently at the top. But we need a franchise structure because we have lucrative yet hostile markets we must be present in.

Accept it - the NRL needs a national footprint to maintain revenue streams and to continue to grow the game of Rugby League, in the interests of all. Put asside your club bias for just a second and you will see.

Yay for common-sense.