NRL: Expansion back on the cards after first-year profit of $50m

[Garbler]

Smith won't call for applications. Instead, he will commission studies on the benefits of expansion and what areas would offer the most value to the NRL if a team was established there.

...

''I am looking at it from top to bottom,'' he said. ''We will look at the premiership and we will look at the competition structures and we will look at what works and what doesn't work and we will look at what creates value and what doesn't create value.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...r-firstyear-profit-of-50m-20140224-33d5p.html

Perth (Pirates) are a shoe in, so for me the real interesting thing will be how the NRL handle the concept of a 2nd SEQLD.

No matter how many resources the NRL throws at commissioning studies, I think its safe to say a national competition will want new teams in those two areas first.

The real challenging part of expansion will be the implementation of that second SEQLD team, as they have the most competing bids & some really interesting proposals on the table.

 

[juro]

Everything that has been said over the last few years all seems to point to Perth being a certainty, and in all likelihood another SE Queensland team joining them.

 

[Perth Red]

Not sure what to read into his comments. on one hand it sounds like they are ready to move forward then on the other it sounds like they have no idea. Time will tell.

 

[BuffaloRules]

It seems a forlorn chance now, but I really hope they announce a Perth team before the end of this season to kick off in 2016.

To delay it until 2018 to me seems too conservative considering how well they are going now, and the growth they are expecting in revenue the next 3 years

 

[georgesnmith]

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/ce...xpansion-process/story-fndujljl-1226837617933


"Davison and Brothers bid chief Justin Barlow said they had anticipated a decision in October or soon after about whether the NRL had identified a need for expansion and possibly name which cities for expansion."

“There would be a six-month period where they would investigate where, if they were to expand, they would go,’’ Davison said.

“You would like to think they would be able to name the (successful bid teams) in September, 2015. It (Smith’s comments) reinforced what we’ve been thinking.’’

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

It seems a forlorn chance now, but I really hope they announce a Perth team before the end of this season to kick off in 2016.

To delay it until 2018 to me seems too conservative considering how well they are going now, and the growth they are expecting in revenue the next 3 years

The review doesnt even begin until next off season, and they wont be asking for bids until after that is concluded.

 

[CQ Italia]

No bid in se qld is up to standard. Brisbane bombers less support to their event on the weekend then the same two teams get in CQ

 

[FlameThrower]

Crazy NRL - this has been dragging on for years.
Perth is made for TV broadcasts, with time zone difference. A willing community with heaps of ex- pats from Eastern States hanging out for it.
I can't see another NSW team - sorry u Central Coast Bears fans, unless a club in Sydney relocates?
Most ppl believe another Qld team is a must as well.
I don't know about SA though too small and I don't seem to hear much about Rugby League in SA.

 

[Sparky 74]

If the Nrl want a real national comp they will need to fold & start all over again as the A league did.

I think the following areas should be represented
4 x qld teams
Nth qld
Sth qld
Bris
GC

Others x 4
Melbourne
Adelaide
Perth
ACT

Regional NSW x 3
Newcastle
Central coast - representing manly to the coast
South coast - representing dragons

New Zealand x 2
Wellington
Auckland

Sydney x 3
Sydney city - representing easts, souths, sharks
Metro sydney - representing bulldogs, parra
Western sydney - representing tigers , panthers

16 team comp but covering all major cities & states

 

[bobmar28]

If the Nrl want a real national comp they will need to fold & start all over again as the A league did.

I think the following areas should be represented
4 x qld teams
Nth qld
Sth qld
Bris
GC

Others x 4
Melbourne
Adelaide
Perth
ACT

Regional NSW x 3
Newcastle
Central coast - representing manly to the coast
South coast - representing dragons

New Zealand x 2
Wellington
Auckland

Sydney x 3
Sydney city - representing easts, souths, sharks
Metro sydney - representing bulldogs, parra
Western sydney - representing tigers , panthers

16 team comp but covering all major cities & states

Sounds good.

 

[TheFrog]

Northern Eagles didn't work before
Perth/Western Reds didn't work before
Adelaide didn't work before.
You are alienating 60% of the game's following.
You are completely dumping an existing successful club in a heartland of the game(Canberra) and introducing a club in Adelaide, an area that just cannot support an NRL franchise.

I think we'll see amalgamations in Sydney, and fairly soon, too, rather than wholesale disenfranchisement of existing clubs, which is likely to become messy in the courts. Note the new Panthers logo. The club is angling to become the Western Sydney Panthers or the Parra-Penrith Panthers.

 

[georgesnmith]

If the Nrl want a real national comp they will need to fold & start all over again as the A league did.

I think the following areas should be represented
4 x qld teams
Nth qld
Sth qld
Bris
GC

Others x 4
Melbourne
Adelaide
Perth
ACT

Regional NSW x 3
Newcastle
Central coast - representing manly to the coast
South coast - representing dragons

New Zealand x 2
Wellington
Auckland

Sydney x 3
Sydney city - representing easts, souths, sharks
Metro sydney - representing bulldogs, parra
Western sydney - representing tigers , panthers

16 team comp but covering all major cities & states

yeh because the A league is just killing the NRL isnt it?

how did we get that 1.2 billion tv deal again?

 

[Billythekid]

If the Nrl want a real national comp they will need to fold & start all over again as the A league did.

I think it's arguable just how successful that even was. I think it's also much easier to do when your sport isn't very popular and there isn't as much club loyalty.

Your proposal would probably lead to an even bigger exodus of fans than the SL split (possibly a hell of a lot more). The NRL is continuing to find new avenues to source juniors from, we can go above 16 teams.

 

[bobmar28]

Northern Eagles didn't work before
Perth/Western Reds didn't work before
Adelaide didn't work before.
You are alienating 60% of the game's following.
You are completely dumping an existing successful club in a heartland of the game(Canberra) and introducing a club in Adelaide, an area that just cannot support an NRL franchise.

I think we'll see amalgamations in Sydney, and fairly soon, too, rather than wholesale disenfranchisement of existing clubs, which is likely to become messy in the courts. Note the new Panthers logo. The club is angling to become the Western Sydney Panthers or the Parra-Penrith Panthers.

No Canberra? I missed that. The Raiders would have to be included somehow. 17 with a bye or go to 18. Find another location.

 

[spoonman]

No bid in se qld is up to standard. Brisbane bombers less support to their event on the weekend then the same two teams get in CQ

Because it was a trial match!
10,082 to a trail match where interstate teams are playing is pretty awesome in my books.
Bulldogs vs sharks at blue tongue could only muster 10,131 in round 7 last year!

I was really impressed with the Bombers presence at the game, and are grateful for them for making some positive moves to get more NRL action into Brisbane.

I am certainly not embarrassed to say that I would happily support them when the Bombers come into the competition.

 

[Garbler]

10k to a trial match is a great result...

 

[The Great Dane]

If the Nrl want a real national comp they will need to fold & start all over again as the A league did.

I think the following areas should be represented
4 x qld teams
Nth qld
Sth qld
Bris
GC

Others x 4
Melbourne
Adelaide
Perth
ACT

Regional NSW x 3
Newcastle
Central coast - representing manly to the coast
South coast - representing dragons

New Zealand x 2
Wellington
Auckland

Sydney x 3
Sydney city - representing easts, souths, sharks
Metro sydney - representing bulldogs, parra
Western sydney - representing tigers , panthers

16 team comp but covering all major cities & states

Northern Eagles didn't work before
Perth/Western Reds didn't work before
Adelaide didn't work before.
You are alienating 60% of the game's following.
You are completely dumping an existing successful club in a heartland of the game(Canberra) and introducing a club in Adelaide, an area that just cannot support an NRL franchise.

I think we'll see amalgamations in Sydney, and fairly soon, too, rather than wholesale disenfranchisement of existing clubs, which is likely to become messy in the courts. Note the new Panthers logo. The club is angling to become the Western Sydney Panthers or the Parra-Penrith Panthers.

No Canberra? I missed that. The Raiders would have to be included somehow. 17 with a bye or go to 18. Find another location.

He included the ACT, no need for two clubs in Canberra boys :lol:.

 

[jim_57]

No bid in se qld is up to standard. Brisbane bombers less support to their event on the weekend then the same two teams get in CQ

Apples and Oranges.

Bulldogs V Storm in Mackay - A very popular local playing in a top of the Table full season clash. Only NRL game in the region the whole year.

Bulldogs V Storm in Brisbane - 2 out of state teams with only one (debatable) popular local. Pre-season trial game with B squads and in a city that will have 13 minimum NRL games this year and 25+ in the wider area.

 

[The Great Dane]

Because it was a trial match!
10,082 to a trail match where interstate teams are playing is pretty awesome in my books.
Bulldogs vs sharks at blue tongue could only muster 10,131 in round 7 last year!

I was really impressed with the Bombers presence at the game, and are grateful for them for making some positive moves to get more NRL action into Brisbane.

I am certainly not embarrassed to say that I would happily support them when the Bombers come into the competition.

Yeah 10k to a trial match is really good, but the Bombers aren't what the NRL needs right now, get behind the Western Corridor or Brothers bids.

 

[georgesnmith]

Yeah 10k to a trial match is really good, but the Bombers aren't what the NRL needs right now, get behind the Western Corridor or Brothers bids.

ideally the corporate backers behind bombers would get behind one of the other bids

the other bids seem to lack business backing but otherwise kill the bombers

ideally id merge all three.

apparently the bombers approached western coridoor and were rebuffed.

A brothers bid mainly based in the western coridoor (the logan brothers has backed the western coridoor) is how dave smith should go