NRL expansion review process

[Perth Red]

So with the review committed to in just 4 months time what do people think will be the process, duration, people involved and outcome?

 

[bobmar28]

I don't know but something needs to be done. We need to go National and sort out the number of Sydney teams problem. One city should not have 9 teams.

 

[RUG13Y]

I think when the NRL do this they will do it well and the expansion process should be good.

 

[Zigwaa]

Outcome will be one new geographical expanison - Perth, and one new heartland expansion - brisbane 2.

Hopefully they outline future expansion options as well i.e. Adelaide, 2nd NZ team.

 

[Dogs Of War]

I'd say given what has been said previously that they will nominate areas they want teams and ask for bids.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

I get the feeling they will look into relocation as well...

Not saying itll happen, but it seems like something they will want to have planned out

(maybe this is why the ARLC is propping up Cronulla ATM instead of letting them fold under the ASADA mess and moving them on while they have the chance...)

Edit: theyll also probably decide on the best governing structure for new and current clubs.

The great benefit of expansion teams is that the NRL can shape them however they like. DSmith can demand independent directors on the board and if any bid says no, they just wont get a team.

 

[gyallop]

What do you mean by independent director?
If the NRL force a club to have certain directors then they aren't independent.

 

[Perth Red]

Well I am presuming they have taken over the WARL in order to have a big say in any new team in Perth. How other clubs will feel about the NRL effectively running a club is an interesting one?

We are 15 years behind Afl growth due to news ltd. hopefully we start playing catch up come November 2014!

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

What do you mean by independent director?
If the NRL force a club to have certain directors then they aren't independent.

A similar set up to the Tigers model; Directors independent of any interests but those of the franchise.

 

[The Great Dane]

I think that the ARLC will probably be too heavily involved in the process, which may unnecessarily slow down the process quite a bit (though this isn't necessarily a bad thing).

I think that they'll look into owning and operating any new clubs in house, thus making a bidding process redundant and giving them complete control of any new clubs. They may also look into the possibility of selling any new clubs once they have been setup and made sustainable if they do decide to take this route.

I think they will look at the progress of the bids to see what were successful strategies and what weren't in each of the bid areas, and to get a good idea of what the people in these areas want. But I don't think that they'll consider any bids for inclusion into the NRL, and even if they do I think that they'll take a lot of control over them before allowing them into the NRL.

They'll definitely look into the relocation of clubs (maybe mergers too), but I doubt that they'll act on their findings straight away in this regard.

I think that they'll research and discuss ways to grow the grass roots more quickly outside of heartlands. I think that they'll also discuss the affects that the growth of these new areas will have on the current position of the game and particularly the affects it may have on the NRL it's self and SOO.

I think that they'll look into taking over as many of the state and territory RL's as possible in an attempt not to create more powerful organisations like the NSWRL and the QRL that have their own interests and agendas that are not necessarily the same as the NRL's.

I think that they'll look into the broadcasters interests and opinions on expansion and the affects that more clubs in the NRL will have on future TV rights deals.

I think that they'll look more closely at the affects that more clubs in the NRL may have on the existing clubs and maybe ways that they can pull the existing clubs under their control a little more.

I think they'll look at what the current fans want in new teams and what possible new market's fans would want in new teams.

Lastly I think that they'll look at the general logistics of more clubs in the NRL.

 

[Perth Red]

We could be waiting a while Dane!

Presuming the process takes six to nine months they could look to announce expansion around middle of next season, maybe just after origin 2015. Be interesting to see if they think the two new clubs can be ready in two years or one year. If quicker they may announce in January ready for a 2017 season kick off or if not till towards end of next year would likely be a 2018 kick off.

If decide on no expansion it is unlikely we will see any new clubs enter NRL before 2020/21

 

[newman]

What's the point in all this outright guessing and speculation?

 

[Dogs Of War]

We could be waiting a while Dane!

Presuming the process takes six to nine months they could look to announce expansion around middle of next season, maybe just after origin 2015. Be interesting to see if they think the two new clubs can be ready in two years or one year. If quicker they may announce in January ready for a 2017 season kick off or if not till towards end of next year would likely be a 2018 kick off.

If decide on no expansion it is unlikely we will see any new clubs enter NRL before 2020/21

Prefer if they staggered the entry of the new clubs over 2 seasons rather than admit both at the same time. It would be better for the player market, better for the new teams. Let both clubs get some key guys ahead of time, and also let them focus on having there reserve grade/U20's teams up and running well ahead of time.

 

[Perth Red]

What's the point in all this outright guessing and speculation?

Passes time and is fun for those of us most affected. The joy of discussion boards is you can ignore the thread if your not interested in the topic, yet here you are???

 

[Diesel]

Would relocation talk also be part of the expansion discussion?

 

[Perth Red]

Probably but there is no way in the world the NRL has the balls to force a relocation and no club is going to agree to one so it won't be much of a discussion.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Probably but there is no way in the world the NRL has the balls to force a relocation and no club is going to agree to one so it won't be much of a discussion.

I doubt they would force anything, but i can see them letting a team up to fall over and keeping the franchise afloat by moving them to a new location.

Sure, they are paying Cronullas debts at the moment, but you could argue that they just dont want to relocate them now before the review and do it badly. Once the review is finished, they should have the processes and mechanisms in place to do it effectively.

If they continue paying off Cronulla's debts in 2015/16, then youll know for sure im wrong...

 

[The Great Dane]

I doubt they would force anything, but i can see them letting a team up to fall over and keeping the franchise afloat by moving them to a new location.

Sure, they are paying Cronullas debts at the moment, but you could argue that they just dont want to relocate them now before the review and do it badly. Once the review is finished, they should have the processes and mechanisms in place to do it effectively.

If they continue paying off Cronulla's debts in 2015/16, then youll know for sure im wrong...

I've had similar thoughts for some time now, and not just about Cronulla.

I think that they are trying to back as many clubs as possible into situations where they can take more control over the operations and the directions the clubs are headed in (like what's happening at the Tigers and Cronulla, they've got hefty bargaining chips over both these clubs already), in an attempt to gain more control over the sustainability of not just the clubs themselves, but the league as a whole.

I doubt that they'll use that power to take any drastic measures anytime soon, but they are definitely looking at their options and planing for the future.

 

[taipan]

Well if they are judging relocations on crowds Penrith,Manly,Canberra and to a lesser extent the Dragons are in sh*tters' ditch.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

So with the review committed to in just 4 months time what do people think will be the process, duration, people involved and outcome?

Too many teams as is, not enough talent to go around.

More is not necessarily better.