NRL expansion being dropped from agenda until at least 2015

[smithie]

NRL expansion being dropped from agenda until at least 2015

EXPANSION is set to be officially removed from rugby league's discussion table until 2015 when the ARL Commission releases its strategic plan next week.

Expansion will not happen under the record $1.025bn broadcast rights deal which runs until the end of 2017, with the ARLC set to reveal the discussion will be moved off the agenda until 2015.

The strategic plan was seen as the second priority on the ARLC agenda when the eight commissioners moved into power last February and finally the game's vision for the future will be revealed at a press conference in Sydney on Monday.

Among the major issues stakeholders have been waiting to be clarified is the debate about potential expansion. Bid teams have tried to lobby their way into the NRL from Brisbane, Rockhampton, Ipswich, Perth, Wellington, Central Coast and Papua New Guinea.

A major stumbling block to expansion is how a ninth game would be broadcast on free-to-air television under current anti-siphoning legislation when the Nine Network is not interested in showing a fourth game each week.

Nine Network boss David Gyngell was dismissive of expansion at the broadcast rights announcement in August, but bid teams have pressed ahead hoping for clear direction from the ARLC.

Brisbane Bombers chairman Craig Davison knows expansion may not occur in the next five years, but like the rest of the optimistic franchises working towards inclusion he hopes the ARLC deliver a clear and concise direction about what regions they're most interested in exploring in the future.

"I look forward to the clarification from the ARL Commission," Davison said.

"The reality is Brisbane does need a second team. I know we won't be the only bidding team out there but from the Brisbane Bombers point of view we've made a good start.

"We cannot have a city this size and only one team."

All 16 NRL club chief executives have received briefings about the strategic plan, but the full details remain a closely guarded secret continuing the strong corporate governance that has developed under rugby league's new structure.

Broncos chief executive Paul White said he was excited to see what the ARLC has planned for the coming years and how the game will unite behind one clear direction.

"It's vitally important that our game comes up with the right strategy to drive the performance of the game as a whole," White said.

"A lot has been spoken about the need to align all areas of our great game and all the stakeholders and that is where the strategy document can provide a really good reference point for the way we utilise the resources, the way we allocate funding and the way we drive performance as well.

"It is a great opportunity for our game and I know everyone will take it with both hands."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...il-at-least-2015/story-e6frexnr-1226503386629

 

[smithie]

From a Brisbane point of view, the Brisbane Lions and Queensland Reds will be very happy to hear this.

 

[Perth Red]

So the games vision is........
No vision. Got to love being a RL fan!

 

[Matchball]

Haha. Last thing we need is more teams. Can't even draw decent crowds at the foundation clubs that have been around over 100 years.

 

[Expansion]

So the games vision is........
No vision. Got to love being a RL fan!

Just because the vision for the game is not what you had hoped for, doesn't mean the game has no vision.

 

[WayneBennett]

No Adelaide Pandas

 

[simostorm]

This is bad news.. I might have to move to Singapore.. or perhaps somewhere abit cheaper like a broken down shed in poverty stricken china.

 

[Perth Red]

Just because the vision for the game is not what you had hoped for, doesn't mean the game has no vision.

Saying you are not going to look at something important for another two years is not visionary!

 

[BunniesMan]

I agree with the ARLC. It is time to consolidate. Expansion should happen during the life of the next deal.

The networks don't want a ninth game. Meaning team #17 and #18 won't be growing the pie, they'll be making the existing 16 teams all take a smaller piece so they can be involved. The time for expansion should be towards the end of this decade.

 

[gul15]

I’m sure the commission let all the bids know what they should be doing for the next 5 years,
If done probably these expansion teams will grow league in the respective areas for the next 100+ years,
5 years is not that long in the scheme of things,
also ensures the best bid wins, we don’t need 2 more Gold Coast Titans in the comp!

 

[Special K]

Gee the Bombers is a shit house name.

 

[franklin2323]

I agree with the ARLC. It is time to consolidate. Expansion should happen during the live of the next deal.

The networks don't want a ninth game. Meaning team #17 and #18 won't be growing the pie, they'll be making the existing 16 teams all take a smaller piece so they can be involved. The time for expansion should be towards the end of this decade.

Sell the 9th game as online exclusive. Then it would. or you can stagger if over a few years. bringing a 17th over this deal. Have a bye for 2 years it lessens the chances of having 2 new rubbish teams enter

 

[The Great Dane]

I would not let what the DT writes worry me to much if I were you, remember when Ricky Stuart was definitely going to be the Raiders coach or when Kidwell was definitely going to coach the Warriors. There are many other examples of when they have got it wrong about stuff like this.

 

[Expansion]

I?m sure the commission let all the bids know what they should be doing for the next 5 years,
If done probably these expansion teams will grow league in the respective areas for the next 100+ years,
5 years is not that long in the scheme of things,
also ensures the best bid wins, we don?t need 2 more Gold Coast Titans in the comp!

Right on the money.

 

[Kirky]

I agree with the ARLC. It is time to consolidate. Expansion should happen during the live of the next deal.

The networks don't want a ninth game. Meaning team #17 and #18 won't be growing the pie, they'll be making the existing 16 teams all take a smaller piece so they can be involved. The time for expansion should be towards the end of this decade.

While this is true, it really shouldn't matter what Nine want. I doubt very much that the networks gave two sh!ts about a ninth AFL game involving GWS or the Suns, but the AFL has literally forced broadcasters to air these expansion games on FTA. The other point i'd make is that expansion may not grow the TV pie (initially), but there's more to expansion than TV money. Expansion is as much about grass roots participation as anything.

Expansion teams need as much lead in time to build as we can give them. If we're waiting 'till 2017, we should at least decide now where we're going to expand, so we can start focusing efforts in these markets better in preperation for 2017. Would also help to ease the burning of bridges in areas that will be overlooked. It's like a bandaid, the longer we draw it out, the more it's going to hurt.

 

[BunniesMan]

While this is true, it really shouldn't matter what Nine want. I doubt very much that the networks gave two sh!ts about a ninth AFL game involving GWS or the Suns, but the AFL has literally forced broadcasters to air these expansion games on FTA. The other point i'd make is that expansion may not grow the TV pie (initially), but there's more to expansion than TV money. Expansion is as much about grass roots participation as anything.

Expansion teams need as much lead in time to build as we can give them. If we're waiting 'till 2017, we should at least decide now where we're going to expand, so we can start focusing efforts in these markets better in preperation for 2017. Would also help to ease the burning of bridges in areas that will be overlooked. It's like a bandaid, the longer we draw it out, the more it's going to hurt.

While most of what you say makes sense the existing 16 clubs don't want to share. And as long as the 16 clubs are united they have the numbers to control the ARLC. While they speak with one voice there will not be new clubs or there will be new commissioners.

 

[Perth Red]

Doubt the $15-20mill it would cost a year to expand by two teams is going to be spread out amongst the 16 clubs for the next 5 years so really it makes very little difference to them. In fact it could be seen as adding positives in terms of more exposure for sponsors, more interest generally etc. ARLC income has gone up by $100mill+ a year, disapointing they can't use less than 20% of that to grow the game imo.

Only hope now is that they do have a vision for where, they let us know and spend some money growing the game in those areas ready for eventual expansion. Worse case scenario is they announce nothing and we have two more years of being strung along that we may one day get a team.

 

[docbrown]

Anybody who believes that a 9th game has no value seriously needs to think about it a bit more. Haven't you been paying attention through the whole Channel 9 debt crisis saga about just how damned important the NRL is to 9?

Since the last deal we went from 7 games to 8 games after the Titans came in and we're now looking at a total package around the $1.025 with another $200m+ still to come.

When the next auction comes around does anyone seriously think the networks are going to say - hey well there's this 9th game but we don't really want that so we'll let one of the other guys have it for pennies...?

The whole "9th game has no value" is pure spin to get you to buy into the no expansion agenda.

If you want to achieve full value for money from the 9th game then it needs to be brought in before this deal concludes for at least 1 year but preferably 3 years so there is an established track record for it.

They will get money for a 9th game in 2017 but they will get more money for it in 2017 if it's been proven for 1-3 years.

I'll wait till I see the NRL's official announcement but if the "we're not even going to talk about it until 2015 date" is true then at best by the time tenders etc are completed you'd at most only see a 9th game in 2017 but more than likely not until the next deal starts. Big mistake.

Even if they're not read to discuss it now surely starting the research phase now means that they could have a year or two to get the rest of their house in order to make a decision in early 2014 instead, finalise tenders mid 2014 to get to teams organised over July 2014 to February 2016 in order for the 9th game to start in at least 2016 season.

 

[docbrown]

Doubt the $15-20mill it would cost a year to expand by two teams is going to be spread out amongst the 16 clubs for the next 5 years

Well lets say its 3 years of a club grants for 2 clubs plus a few million more for grassroots development (which they should already be funding) and marketing. Lets call it $48 million all up.

They're going to end up getting around $1.2b in cash when the rest of the deals are finalised.

Expansion would constitute about 4% of their cash budget.

The whole money argument is bullshit.

 

[beave]

Anybody who believes that a 9th game has no value seriously needs to think about it a bit more. Haven't you been paying attention through the whole Channel 9 debt crisis saga about just how damned important the NRL is to 9?

Since the last deal we went from 7 games to 8 games after the Titans came in and we're now looking at a total package around the $1.025 with another $200m+ still to come.

When the next auction comes around does anyone seriously think the networks are going to say - hey well there's this 9th game but we don't really want that so we'll let one of the other guys have it for pennies...?

The whole "9th game has no value" is pure spin to get you to buy into the no expansion agenda.

If you want to achieve full value for money from the 9th game then it needs to be brought in before this deal concludes for at least 1 year but preferably 3 years so there is an established track record for it.

They will get money for a 9th game in 2017 but they will get more money for it in 2017 if it's been proven for 1-3 years.

I'll wait till I see the NRL's official announcement but if the "we're not even going to talk about it until 2015 date" is true then at best by the time tenders etc are completed you'd at most only see a 9th game in 2017 but more than likely not until the next deal starts. Big mistake.

Even if they're not read to discuss it now surely starting the research phase now means that they could have a year or two to get the rest of their house in order to make a decision in early 2014 instead, finalise tenders mid 2014 to get to teams organised over July 2014 to February 2016 in order for the 9th game to start in at least 2016 season.