NRL Expansion. Ideas and opinions.

[Dogs Of War]

If we have a Perth team that plays all it's home games at night (not unreasonable, given the climate), it means a 9.30 PM kickoff on a Friday or Saturday night *every fortnight* for the lucrative Qld/NSW TV market.

That's golden stuff for TV rights.

NZ 2 also has some broadcasting gains too - it would mean you could schedule an early game in NZ every week.. whether that's early Saturday (approx 3.30pm eastern, or 5.30pm NZ time), early Sunday (ditto) Friday night (the 6pm Eastern, 8pm NZT kickoff that's hard sell for Aussie clubs' home games)

Perth has the best part of that it games can be 5:30pm WA time and be at 7:30pm Saturday night. Thats gold for families, cause all of them are happy that games are finished by 7:30pm, and great for mates who get a game and then hit the town. I think the NRL could be onto a winner for that one if it went in. Not sure the late Friday night game is much of a winner. I think if Perth did come in, then wouldn't get a lot of Free to Air TV opportunities unless Saturday nights are telecast.

Maybe that is the biggest blocker for Perth. It really won't open up many new marketing opportunities. And it would rely on Perth games being pushed into WA as a replay or something.

NZ also gets a great timeslots for TV as well (That Friday night 8pm slot which is 6pm on the east coast). But the NRL is more than familiar with those opportunities already.

 

[Perth Red]

I would have thought playing in perth friday 7.30pm AEST 9.30pm, Satruday 7pm AEST 9pm or Sunday 5pm AEST 7pm would be worth an awful lot as far as placement of a ninth game of content for Fox or FTA? Problem is it is only every other week.

Given the NRL could actually afford expansion of two teams today without any extra income I'd still love to see them hold this ninth game as their own exclusive content for their digital service and start to build a genuine threat of having its own subscription streaming of games. Far too radical for the conservative NRL but would be interesting.

 

[flippikat]

I would have thought playing in perth friday 7.30pm AEST 9.30pm, Satruday 7pm AEST 9pm or Sunday 5pm AEST 7pm would be worth an awful lot as far as placement of a ninth game of content for Fox or FTA? Problem is it is only every other week.

That's where the AFL are fortunate in having 2 WA teams. They can have a late game *every* weekend.

It may appear fanciful now (especially since a SINGLE NRL club in WA seems a forlorn pipedream), but 2 WA clubs could be an aspirational goal for the NRL over the next couple of decades, depending on how one club goes.

Yes, there are other priorities before a 2nd WA club (err.. a 1st WA club, getting a 2nd & maybe 3rd club in Brisbane, NZ 2 & maybe 3, Adelaide), but as I said it's an aspirational goal after those other expansions are settled.

 

[blue bags]

numbers of juniors, in the major city's , Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, and country NZ
Brisbane , NZ , need more teams obliviously

 

[Loose Cannon]

numbers of juniors, in the major city's , Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, and country NZ
Brisbane , NZ , need more teams obliviously

Love the English language.

How ironic is the difference in definition between “obviously” and “obliviously”?

 

[MrE_Assassin]

As the first round of the competition kicks on and the coronavirus now forcing the NRL to play games in empty stadiums for the foreseeable future, what impact does this have on future expansion plans?

The NRL’s initial predictions are that the financial loss will cost anywhere between $10-50mil. Could the significant financial impact of this pandemic be cause or reason enough for the NRL to postpone expansion for the next decade while it tries to recover from the latest financial hit?

 

[The Great Dane]

As the first round of the competition kicks on and the coronavirus now forcing the NRL to play games in empty stadiums for the foreseeable future, what impact does this have on future expansion plans?

The NRL’s initial predictions are that the financial loss will cost anywhere between $10-50mil. Could the significant financial impact of this pandemic be cause or reason enough for the NRL to postpone expansion for the next decade while it tries to recover from the latest financial hit?

I can see the NRL using the financial hit of COVID-19 to push expansion back a few years because of the financial hit, but not a decade, and really unless things are way worse then expected there's no reason why it should push expansion back at all.

 

[blue bags]

obliviously we need more money now that corolla virus is here, damm that flu bug, we will never get new clubs at this rate

 

[Perth Red]

As the first round of the competition kicks on and the coronavirus now forcing the NRL to play games in empty stadiums for the foreseeable future, what impact does this have on future expansion plans?

The NRL’s initial predictions are that the financial loss will cost anywhere between $10-50mil. Could the significant financial impact of this pandemic be cause or reason enough for the NRL to postpone expansion for the next decade while it tries to recover from the latest financial hit?

might be a motivator to actually have a ninth game to sell to recover some of its losses.

 

[MrE_Assassin]

might be a motivator to actually have a ninth game to sell to recover some of its losses.

True! If they can afford to bank roll the two teams it would take to do that. I know the expansion bids bring their own money but the NRL still needs the $13m grants for them.

 

[Perth Red]

True! If they can afford to bank roll the two teams it would take to do that. I know the expansion bids bring their own money but the NRL still needs the $13m grants for them.

as long as the ninth game can be sold for $30mill or more than the nrl will profit from expansion. If it can’t I’d have to question why. This deal each game is worth around $40million each

 

[tri_colours]

might be a motivator to actually have a ninth game to sell to recover some of its losses.

Do you have anyone in mind for the 18th team?

 

[flippikat]

Do you have anyone in mind for the 18th team?

Wait, you just asked Perth Red who the 18th team should be...?

 

[Perth Red]

Do you have anyone in mind for the 18th team?

ns bears lol

 

[flippikat]

If the Warriors drop out of the competition this year, would the NRL have to find a 16th team to fulfill broadcasting contracts?

Could be a backdoor to expansion, perhaps....

 

[blue bags]

If the Warriors drop out of the competition this year, would the NRL have to find a 16th team to fulfill broadcasting contracts?

Could be a backdoor to expansion, perhaps....

calm down please

 

[tri_colours]

If the Warriors drop out of the competition this year, would the NRL have to find a 16th team to fulfill broadcasting contracts?

Could be a backdoor to expansion, perhaps....

Just on that, two of there players returned home after there match . I guess they can cover for that but how can they continue to cover if more go elect to go home to there wives and families?

 

[MrE_Assassin]

Just on that, two of there players returned home after there match . I guess they can cover for that but how can they continue to cover if more go elect to go home to there wives and families?

There's already no guarantee that any of them will remain after the weekend.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/03/16...tee-theyll-stay-in-australia-after-round-two/

There are a number of contingencies being floated including byes, etc.

Maybe they could get Redcliffe to fill in and test their NRL credentials

 

[greenBV4]

There's already no guarantee that any of them will remain after the weekend.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/03/16...tee-theyll-stay-in-australia-after-round-two/

There are a number of contingencies being floated including byes, etc.

Maybe they could get Redcliffe to fill in and test their NRL credentials

Was going to say this, if the comp goes on after the Warriors have elected to cross the ditch allow Redcliffe to take their place for the year. They have said in the past they are NRL ready, let them play with their qld cup players + any warriors players who elect to stay in Australia.

They can use dolphin stadium as no crowds will be allowed anyway to capacity isn't an issue, better than giving certain teams an extra bye

 

[The Mad Hatter]

If Warriors can't play but show goes on, then NRL should just do what needs to be done.

Rent buses...charter flights etc.
Set up a "16th" team. Surely it's not that hard to get contingencies in place.

Like in the US during WWII when teams temporarily merged etc.